Croatia Holidays

Croatia is a great summer destination, so it’s best to visit between May and September. 

July and August are the peak months for tourism, so expect the coastal areas in particular to be very busy. If you’d prefer to visit when it’s a bit quieter, May and June are still pleasantly warm - and may be even preferred if you are planning an active holiday, including activities such as cycling and hiking. 

You can still visit Croatia outside of these months, but it may be colder and not a very pleasant temperature to be swimming! During the winter months, inland Croatia can get very cold, so be prepared if you are visiting National parks. 

Croatia is an easy country to travel throughout, with good bus and train connections between the main cities, and regular ferries to the bigger islands, and a few to larger Italian ports. You won’t find a metro or subway in any of Croatia’s cities, but you can get around by tram or bus in the larger cities, and they are also very easy to get around on foot. Taxis are also very reliable and affordable. 

Croatia is a wonderful destination or a family holiday. With huge choices in places to stay, things to do and places to see we can't recommend Croatia highly enough for families with young or teenage children.

Please take a look at our Croatia Family Holiday page by clicking here.

Croatia’s most popular city for tourists, Dubrovnik is a Unesco World Heritage Site for a good reason. Dubrovnik is located in Southern Croatia, and is well known for its Old Town area, which is completely surrounded by historic stone walls, built in the 13th century. 

Visitors can walk the city walls which provide great views of the red roofed buildings within Old Town. Inside the Old Town you’ll find narrow marble streets, Baroque buildings and lots of shops and restaurants to keep you entertained. For an even more panoramic view of Dubrovnik and the Adriatic, take a quick cable car ride up Mt Srd, where you’ll find a Panorama restaurant if you’re wanting to make the most of the views. 

Other than Dubrovnik’s Old Town, this coastal city has many beaches to explore, one of the most popular being Banje Beach. 

Kayaking is also a popular activity for tourists, giving visitors the chance to explore nearby islands and see the city from another perspective. Lokrum island is worth a visit and is just a short ferry ride from the port in Old Town. 

Lokrum island hosts many walking paths, botanical gardens, more beaches as well as a monastery. Look out for the unique wildlife here - many peacocks and rabbits roam free around the island. 

Croatia’s capital city is often overlooked when planning a Croatian holiday, however Zagreb offers brilliant museums and a great cafe culture. Zagreb offers countless museums and galleries to explore, and has more museums per square foot than any other city in the world. Some of the more popular include the Archaeological Museum, the Image of War Museum and the Illusion Museum.  

If you’re looking for something a bit more unique and quirky, why not visit the Museum of Broken Relationships. Museums and galleries aren’t all that Zagreb has to offer. Visit the Dolac Market, which sits on the border between Zagreb’s upper and lower towns. 

Walk through different parts of Zagreb to discover gothic architecture, cobblestone streets and historic buildings dating back to the 13th century. 

The main square in Zagreb, Trg Bana Jelačića, is a great place to people watch and a good orientation point when exploring the city. Zagreb’s cafe and restaurant scene is booming, with locals loving to sit and watch the bustling streets with a coffee on the weekends. 

A beautiful port city with views of the sparkling Adriatic, Split is also home to Diocletian’s Palace, one of Europe's most imposing Roman ruins. Spend your time weaving through the narrow streets and passages of the palace, which are now filled with shops, bars and restaurants. 

When you’ve finished exploring the palace, you may want to head to one of the many restaurants along the waterfront. Next to the city you’ll find Marjan Hill, a steep climb but good for anything wanting a bit of fresh air and exercise. Head to the top for some great views of the city. 

You’ll also find that many of the ferries to the Croatian Islands depart from Split. Split to Hvar is approximately a 1 hour 45 minute ferry ride, or if you are wanting somewhere a bit quieter, Split to Korcula is around 2.5 hours from Split by ferry. 

The island of Hvar is the most visited Croatian island and is known for being the sunniest place in the country - with the most hours of sunshine recorded on average. Hvar has many trendy hotels, restaurants and bars and is known to host the rich and famous - it’s definitely a place to be seen. 

However, whether you are wanting a five star stay or a cheap hotel - the island's accommodation and restaurants cater to all budgets. Hvar is also known for its nightlife - though there is still plenty to do and see if that’s not your scene. Visit the Hvar Fortress (Tvrdava Fortica) for breathtaking views over Hvar and the neighboring Pakleni Islands.

 Wander through the historic Old Town and take in the island's beautiful old architecture and history. There’s much more to discover outside of the main town or Hvar, why not hire a bike and make your way to one of the island's secluded bays, visit Vineyards in Sveta Nedjelja or take in the island's lavender fields which line the bays. 

To get to Hvar, take a ferry from Split (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes), or Dubrovnik (approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes).If you are driving your way through Croatia, Dubrovnik and Split also offer car ferry services. 

The island of Lopud sits one hours ferry ride  west of Dubrovnik. The island is traffic free and boasts a small but beautiful harbour on one side and the long golden beach on the other. Lopud is a great destination if you're looking for a relaxing holiday but want to easily get to other islands or Dubrovnik.

If you’d prefer an island just as beautiful, but perhaps quieter - why not head out to Korcula - the biggest island in the Archipelago of 48. Korcula is known for its many vineyards and olive trees, and has many secluded bays and scenic drives for travellers wanting a more relaxing experience. Korcula’s old town is small but charming and is definitely worth exploring. Korcula has many beaches and the parts of the island can be explored by bike. Climb to the top of St Mark's Cathedral to catch one Croatia’s beautiful sunsets and visit the house the Marco Polo was allegedly born in. One of the more unique places we’d recommend visiting is the Massimo cocktail bar. Massimo cocktail bar sits in the turret of a medieval tower - Zakerjan Tower - and offers 360 views, perfect for catching the sunset. 

Both Split and Dubrovnik have regular ferries out the island of Korcula - which takes between 2 and 2.5 hours. 

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most famous and well known areas in Croatia. A UNESCO world heritage site, this national park hosts 16 interconnecting lakes, a range of colours from emerald green, to aquamarine and bright blue - followed by countless waterfalls which really make this park a unique and breathtaking area to visit. 

There are seven different routes to follow to view the lakes, as well as four hiking trails in the National Park itself for those wanting to spend a bit more time in the area. To walk around the park, this may take 2 hours, or up to 5 hours depending on the route that you choose and how long you’d like to spend there. Plitvice is in the northern part of Croatia, around 2.5 hours from Zagreb, 2 hours from Zadar and 4 hours from Split. 

Organised day trips can be booked from Split and Zagreb, or if you want a bit longer in the area, accommodation can be booked in and around the park. 

A group tour can be a great way to see Croatia. With many of the larger cities being quite spread out, having your trip planned for you can be very convenient. Not only will you not have to worry about how you are going to get to the island of Hvar or Korcula, but you’ll have a group of like minded individuals there to share the experience. There are a big mix of group adventures throughout Croatia - some of the more specific adventures include sailing and active adventures such as hiking and kayaking. 

If you are wanting to get away for a long weekend, Dubrovnik and Zagreb are great places for a city break. Both cities are very accessible from Europe, with direct flights offered from many large European cities. Dubrovnik has a lot for visitors to do within a weekend, inside the city itself and it’s nearby surroundings. 

The official currency In Croatia is the Croatian Kuna. You may find you can use Euros with some vendors, but we’d recommend using the local currency. In larger cities and even on the islands it’s possible to use debit and credit cards, and there are ATM’s in the larger centers if required. 

Croatia may not be known for its cuisine, but it definitely has some tasty dishes for you to try. 

Unsurprisingly, along the coast you’ll find plenty of fresh and tasty seafood dishes. A dish you’ll find on most menus along the coast and on the islands is black risotto - locally called “Crni rižot” The risotto often contains different types of seafood, and it’s black colour is produced by using squid ink. The region of Istria, in Northern Croatia is famous for its truffles - and you may see truffle dishes in other parts of the country as well. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, look out for Fritule - fried pastry balls that resemble donuts, which are made slightly differently in different regions of Croatia.