Discover Croatia: 19 Best Things to Do and See

Not so much a palace as a walled village, this vast structure was built for the Roman emperor Diocletian when he abdicated in 305CE, after 19 years in power. The southern section contained Diocletian’s generously proportioned retirement quarters, and the northern half housed his servants, soldiers and storage cellars. Still standing today, in the centre of Split’s Old Town, are sections of the outer walls, the grand peristyle (central courtyard) and two of the many granite sphinxes that were used to decorate the palace.

Sceptical that the sea can play a musical instrument? Head to the northern tip of Zadar’s seafront promenade, where you’ll find an installation by Croatian architect Nikola Basic. Unveiled in 2005, it consists of 35 polyethylene pipes embedded in the stone stairs, which play melancholy chords as the sea breeze blows through them. Right next to the Sea Organ is the Greeting to the Sun, another ingenious Basic installation in which 300 glass plates create light shows with the sun’s rays.

One of Croatia’s most haunting natural phenomena can be observed on the islet of Bisevo, which is accessible by ferry from the larger islands of Vis or Hvar, or from Split on the mainland. After sneaking into the cavern through a 1.5m-high hole blasted in 1884, you’ll witness the glowing effects created by sunlight passing through an underwater opening. The best time to visit is on a summer day between about 11am and 1pm, when the sun is at its strongest.

Stroll Dubrovnik’s city walls, and you’ll see why the city was impregnable during the Middle Ages. The present fortifications date from the 12th to 17th centuries and run for 2km (1mi), almost completely encircling the red-roofed houses of the Old Town. They are bolstered by a series of towers and forts, the largest of which (St Ivan/St John’s Fortress) now houses an aquarium. Allow an hour to walk the entire length of the walls.

The Pula Arena is the best-preserved ancient monument in Croatia and one of the six largest remaining Roman amphitheatres in the world. Built between 27BCE and 68CE, it could hold 23,000 spectators, who sat in socially determined tiers to watch gladiators combat wild animals. After such spectacles were banned in the 5th century, it served successively as a quarry, a venue for medieval jousting tournaments and a grazing ground. Nowadays, it’s a 5,000-seater theatre used for concerts, plays, sports events and the Pula Film Festival.

The 300sqkm (116sqmi) Plitvice Lakes National Park is situated about halfway between Zadar and the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It was awarded Unesco World Heritage status in 1979. Distinguishing natural features include an 8km (5mi) chain of 16 lakes, which are connected by waterfalls of up to 70m (230ft) in height. Its thick forests of beech, spruce and fir trees are inhabited by rare species such as the European brown bear, the grey wolf, the European wildcat and the Eurasian lynx.

Porec’s Euphrasian Basilica was built in the mid 6th century, on the site of an earlier church dating from the late 4th century. Part of a complex that also includes remains of the Bishop’s Palace and a 16th-century bell tower, the building features an apse that is richly decorated with Byzantine mosaics, including the only surviving depiction of Mary in a Western early-Christian basilica. Climb to the top of the bell tower for panoramic views of Porec.

Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, is home to one of the oddest, funniest and most moving museums you’re ever likely to visit. Its permanent collection consists of items submitted by anonymous contributors from all over the world, accompanied by written explanations of how they represent a past relationship. There is no theme other than lost love, so the exhibition ranges from espresso machines and dildos to dreadlocks and 27-year-old scabs. Write your own relationship anecdote in the giant logbook at the end.

Split’s Meštrović Gallery was one of four buildings bequeathed to the Croatian people in 1952 by Ivan Meštrović (1883-1962), the country’s leading modern sculptor. It was built on the artist’s own designs in the 1930s and intended as a summer residence, studio and exhibition space, although Meštrović left Croatia for good at the beginning of World War II. Spread throughout the property are some of the artist’s most important marble and wooden sculptures, as well as his paintings, drawings, family correspondence and furniture.

The Rector’s Palace was built in Dubrovnik in the 1430s, replacing a defensive structure destroyed in a fire. It was home to the governor who ruled the Republic of Ragusa, so it gives you a sense of what the city was like between the 14th century and 1808. It’s an intriguing mix of gothic, renaissance and baroque styles, decked out with interesting artefacts – from coats of arms to ancient coins. Look out for the bust of Miho Pracat – a shipping magnate who left his enormous wealth to the Republic of Ragusa and the only commoner to be commemorated with a statue.

Dubrovnik contains two of the most atmospheric bars in all Croatia, but finding them is never easy for the first-time visitor. Referred to as Buža, or ‘hole in the wall’, each is cut into the sea-facing cliffs that support the City Walls, gazing out onto the seamless blue of the Adriatic. Buža I, with sunbathing and access to the Adriatic via metal steps below, can be found near the Azur restaurant. Nearby Buža II hides by a sign saying ‘Cold Drinks With The Most Beautiful View’. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

Comprising 89 of a 140-island archipelago in northern Dalmatia, the national park of Kornati is like no other. What you’ll see as you drift past on an organised boat tour is raw natural beauty, interspersed by the occasional fisherman’s hut or temporary shelter close to shore – nearly every island is uninhabited. A treat for scuba divers, the waters around Kornati contain rare marine life such as sponges and coral. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

There are various ways to gaze upon the celebrated beauty that is Dubrovnik, from the deck of a cruise ship, or the restaurant terrace of a five-star hotel. Once you’re there, you become lost in the tourist swarms and high-sided streets of the Old Town. All you need do is take a steep stroll past the northern fringes of the City Walls for the Cablecar station on Petra Krešimira IV. Climbing to the top of Mount Srđ, the Cablecar only takes four minutes to reach its destination but it’s a ride to remember, with all of Dubrovnik spread out below. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

Little-known in the West when they were being created, the computer art and abstract-geometric works produced in what was Yugoslavia from the 1950s to the 1970s are now gathered in one place to be appreciated and admired. A long time in the making, the Museum of Contemporary Art is the largest and most significant cultural landmark to open in Zagreb for over a century. It replaced its predecessor in the Upper Town, as the City Gallery was too small to house a permanent display. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

While the cascades, pools and waterfalls of Krka are there to be admired, this is a national park with a difference. Here, at the photogenic lagoon of Skradinski buk, you can dive in. So popular has this activity become that in 2017, the authorities limited the numbers of visitors at any one time. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

Zagreb is where to find a huge collection of Dutch, Spanish and Italian Masters at the ornate Mimara Museum. Gathered together by Ante Topić Mimara, an art lover and canny operator who bequeathed his paintings to what was then Yugoslavia, the collection features works by Rubens, Goya, Canaletto, Velázquez, Delacroix and Van Dyck, among many, many others. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

The most celebrated of Croatia’s many, many beaches, Zlatni Rat or ‘The Golden Cape’ sits close to the resort town of Bol on the southern coast of Brač. A tourist magnet and natural phenomenon, Zlatni Rat is a triangular-shaped spit of land whose shape changes according to the whims of the tide, sea current and Jugo wind, Croatia’s own Sirocco. Windsurfers flock here in the afternoons to take advantage of the other gentle wind, the westerly Maestral, creating a multi-coloured horizon of bright sails. Beginners can also get started thanks to the handful of windsurfing schools around Bol. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

The famously clear waters surrounding Croatia are a haven for divers, treated to a wealth of marine life and occasional sunken finds. The most notable lies 40 metres down off the Brijuni Islands, a popular site for experienced divers at clubs in Pula and Poreč. Elegant passenger ship the Baron Gautsch hit a mine in 1914, only two years after the Titanic disaster. Carrying refugees, holidaymakers and military personnel, it was making one last journey from Kotor in Montenegro back to port in Trieste. A century on, the outline of the ship remains intact, a home to long-established marine life. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.

Party island for celebrities and oligarchs, the celebrated destination of Hvar offers more than just partying on yachts. Further along the harbour front, top-notch dining spots such as Gariful provide prime lobster to international footballers and heads of fashion houses. Behind the main square, the winding thoroughfare of Petra Hektorovića, known as Groda, is lined with dining spots such as Giaxa, where Dalmatian favourites are given a contemporary spin. Still in Hvar’s historic hub, Konoba Menego suits most budgets with its renowned sea salad and Dalmatian stuffed bread, both made with in-house recipes. Recommended by Peterjon Cresswell.