Guides

Croatia, the useful bits

Honest, practical guides to visiting and working from the Croatian coast — written to save you time, not to fill a page.

Islands

Island life in Croatia: the art of the slow island stay

What it's really like to base yourself on a Croatian island — ferry timetables as a way of life, konoba dinners, and which islands suit which traveller.

6 min read → Nature

Ecotourism in Croatia: nature parks & low-impact travel

How to travel Croatia lightly — its national and nature parks, eco-minded stays, and simple ways to tread gently on the coast and islands.

6 min read → Food & wine

Agrotourism in Croatia: farm stays, vineyards & olive groves

A guide to Croatia's agritourism — staying on working farms and estates, eating what's grown on site, and the family wineries and olive groves of Istria and Dalmatia.

6 min read → Hidden Croatia

The stone villages of Dalmatia

Inland and uphill from the busy coast lie Dalmatia's old stone villages — some thriving, some near-abandoned — where you can taste a slower, older way of life.

6 min read → Food & wine

What to eat in Dalmatia: a food lover's guide

The dishes to seek out on the Dalmatian coast — peka, black risotto, pašticada, brodet, fresh fish by the kilo, pršut and cheese, olive oil and the sweet fritule — and where the food tradition comes from.

7 min read → Beaches

The best beaches in Croatia

From Zlatni Rat on Brač to Punta Rata in Brela and the pebble coves of the islands — a guide to Croatia's best beaches, what they're like underfoot, and how to reach them.

7 min read → Active

Diving & watersports in Croatia

Where to dive, windsurf, kayak and snorkel on the Adriatic — the clear water of the islands, the windsurfing channels of Brač and Pelješac, and how to get started.

6 min read → Active

Sailing in Croatia: a beginner's guide

Why Croatia is one of the world's great sailing grounds — the island-dotted Adriatic, how chartering works (bareboat vs skippered), the best routes from Split, and what it costs.

7 min read → Practical

Getting around Croatia: ferries, buses & cars

How to travel around Croatia — the ferry and catamaran network to the islands, the long-distance buses, when to rent a car, and how to get from the airports.

7 min read → Food & wine

Truffles of Istria: a food lover's guide

Where to find Istria's famous white and black truffles — the Motovun forest, the village of Livade, truffle hunts with dogs, and the dishes to try them in.

6 min read → Food & wine

Croatian olive oil: a tasting guide

Why Croatia's olive oil ranks among the world's best — the groves of Istria and Dalmatia, ancient trees, and how to taste and buy it.

6 min read → Food & wine

Oysters of Ston & the Pelješac peninsula

The wild oysters and mussels of Mali Ston bay, the salt pans and great walls of Ston, and how to pair them with Pelješac wine — an easy trip from Dubrovnik.

6 min read → Food & wine

Konobas: where to eat like a local in Dalmatia

What a konoba is, why the best are inland and down island lanes, and how to order peka, fresh fish and house wine the local way.

6 min read → Food & wine

Coffee culture in Croatia: the art of doing nothing

Why coffee in Croatia is a two-hour social ritual, not a takeaway — the špica, the slow café morning, and how to do it like a local.

5 min read → Active

The best island hikes in Croatia

The finest walks on Croatia's islands — Vidova Gora on Brač, the Hvar ridge, Hum on Vis and the wild trails of Cres and Mljet.

6 min read → Active

Vidova Gora & Biokovo: Dalmatia's big two climbs

Two of Dalmatia's great viewpoints — Vidova Gora, the highest peak of any Adriatic island, and Sv. Jure on Biokovo above the Makarska Riviera.

6 min read → Active

Where to snorkel in Croatia

The clearest water and best snorkelling spots on the Adriatic — the Pakleni islands, the coves of Vis and Brač, and what you'll see.

6 min read → Nature

The best sunsets in Dalmatia

Where to watch the sun go down on the Dalmatian coast — Zadar's Sea Organ, the Hvar fortress, Primošten and the islands.

5 min read → Active

Cetina canyon: rafting, zip-lines & canyoning

The adventure playground of the Cetina river near Omiš — white-water rafting, zip-lines over the gorge, canyoning and the river's emerald source.

6 min read → Practical

Is Croatia expensive? A traveller's budget guide

What Croatia really costs in 2026 — daily budgets for the coast and islands, where prices bite, and how to keep a trip affordable.

6 min read → Practical

The best time to visit Croatia

A month-by-month look at when to go to Croatia — the warm quiet of May, June and September versus the heat and crowds of high summer.

6 min read → Practical

Croatia for first-timers: things to know before you go

The practical things first-time visitors to Croatia wish they'd known — pebble beaches, booking ferries, the euro, tourist tax and konoba pace.

6 min read → Practical

Money & tipping in Croatia

The euro, cards, ATMs and how much to tip in Croatia — a short, practical guide so you're not caught out.

5 min read → Practical

Croatia in shoulder season: May, June, September & October

Why the shoulder months are the sweet spot in Croatia — warm enough to swim, quiet enough to enjoy, and cheaper than peak summer.

6 min read → Practical

Travelling Croatia without a car

How to see Croatia using ferries, buses and transfers alone — which trips are easy car-free, and which really need wheels.

6 min read → Itineraries

Zadar in 2 days: the perfect itinerary

How to spend two days in Zadar — the old town, the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun, and a day trip to Krka or the Kornati islands.

6 min read → Itineraries

Rovinj in a day

How to spend one perfect day in Rovinj — the climb to St Euphemia, the Grisia art street, the harbour and the Zlatni Rt forest park.

5 min read → Itineraries

Pula in a day

How to spend a day in Pula — the Roman amphitheatre, the Forum and Temple of Augustus, the Arch of the Sergii and a swim at Verudela.

5 min read → Itineraries

Hvar in 3 days

Three days on Hvar — the town and its fortress, the Pakleni islands, Stari Grad and its UNESCO plain, and the wine villages of the south.

6 min read → Itineraries

Korčula in 2 days

Two days on Korčula — the walled old town, the Moreška sword dance, and the wine villages of Lumbarda, Čara and Smokvica.

6 min read → Compare

Split vs Zadar: which to base yourself in

Split or Zadar? A clear comparison of Dalmatia's two big coastal hubs — connections, sights, beaches, price and atmosphere — to help you choose.

6 min read → Compare

Dubrovnik vs Hvar: which to choose

Dubrovnik or Hvar? How the walled city and the glamorous island differ on sights, beaches, nightlife and price — and which suits your trip.

6 min read → Islands

Pag island guide: cheese, salt & moonscapes

A guide to Pag — the lunar landscape, the famous sheep's cheese and lace, the salt pans, and the party beaches of Novalja and Zrće.

6 min read → Islands

Cres & Lošinj: the wild Kvarner islands

A guide to Cres and Lošinj — Cres's wild uplands and griffon vultures, Lošinj's green wellness towns and dolphins, and how to reach them.

6 min read → Islands

Rab island guide: sandy beaches & a medieval town

A guide to Rab — the four bell towers of its medieval old town, the rare sandy beaches of Lopar, and the green Frkanj peninsula.

6 min read → Islands

Murter: your base for the Kornati islands

Why Murter — joined to the mainland by a bridge — is the best base for the Kornati islands, with boat trips from Tisno and Jezera.

5 min read → Islands

Mljet: saltwater lakes, an island monastery, and the greenest island in the Adriatic

How to reach Mljet from Split or Dubrovnik — Polače vs Sobra, the national park lakes and 12th-century monastery, getting around by bike, and where to stay.

8 min read → Islands

Lastovo: the darkest sky in the Adriatic and the most remote island

How to reach Lastovo from Split — the Jadrolinija-only car ferry, why the journey is the point, the dark-sky park, and what to know before visiting Croatia's remotest inhabited island.

7 min read → Dalmatia

50 things about Dalmatia most visitors never learn

Zinfandel is Dalmatian. King Arthur may be buried near Split. Mamma Mia! was filmed on Vis. Fifty true, surprising things about the Croatian coast — from the legendary to the quietly extraordinary.

13 min read → Towns

Trogir: a stone island town and a UNESCO old core

What to do in Trogir — the tiny walled old town on its own islet, the cathedral of St Lawrence and its famous Radovan portal, Kamerlengo fortress, and why it's the easiest first or last stop by Split airport.

6 min read → Towns

Šibenik: a cathedral of stone and two UNESCO sites

What to do in Šibenik — the UNESCO cathedral of St James built entirely of stone, the four fortresses above the old town, the sea fort of St Nicholas, and the gateway to Krka and the Kornati islands.

6 min read → Towns

Makarska: under the Biokovo wall, on the Riviera

What to do in Makarska — the palm-lined harbour and old town, the beaches of the Makarska Riviera, and the Biokovo nature park with its glass Skywalk high above the coast.

6 min read → National parks

Kornati National Park: Croatia's stone archipelago

A guide to the Kornati islands — 89 bare, dramatic islands and reefs off the Dalmatian coast, how to visit by boat from Murter, Zadar or Šibenik, and what makes this maze of stone and sea so unusual.

6 min read → National parks

Brijuni National Park: islands of history and parkland

A guide to the Brijuni islands off Istria — Roman and Byzantine ruins, dinosaur footprints, a century-old safari park, and Tito's island retreat, with how to visit from Fažana near Pula.

6 min read → Food & wine

The wines of Dalmatia: a traveller's guide

A guide to Dalmatian wine — Plavac Mali from Hvar and the Pelješac peninsula, the white Pošip and Grk of Korčula, Babić from Primošten, and how to taste your way along the coast and islands.

7 min read → Islands

Korčula: medieval walls, dark wine, and the island that claims Marco Polo

How to visit Korčula from Split — which of the two ports to use, the walled town and the Moreška, Pošip and Grk wine, getting around, and where to stay.

8 min read → Islands

Vis: the once-forbidden island, Croatia's most coveted table

How to visit Vis from Split — car ferry vs catamaran, Vis Town and Komiža, the Blue Cave on Biševo, indigenous wine and seafood, and where to stay on the unspoiled outer island.

8 min read → Islands

Hvar: lavender, ancient stone and the sunniest island in Croatia

How to visit Hvar from Split — the four ferry ports, the two very different Hvars, lavender and the Pakleni islands, wine, and where to stay on Croatia's premier island.

9 min read → Towns

Omiš: pirates, a river canyon, and the home of klapa

What to do in Omiš — the medieval pirate town where the Cetina bursts through a gorge into the sea. Fortresses, rafting and zip-lines, the klapa festival, and the best nearby beaches.

7 min read → Islands

Brač: white stone, the beach that moves, and the highest island peak

How to visit Brač from Split — ferries to Supetar and the catamaran ports, getting around, Zlatni Rat and Bol, Vidova Gora, the white-stone villages, food and where to stay.

8 min read → Towns

Primošten: vineyards, a postcard old town and the bluest sea

What to do in Primošten — the stone old town on its tied island, the UNESCO-famous dry-stone Babić vineyards, the beaches of Velika Raduča, and the Dragon's Eye at nearby Rogoznica.

6 min read → Islands

Šolta: Dalmatia's best-kept secret, one hour from Split

How to visit Šolta from Split — ferries to Rogač, getting around the island, where to go, what to eat and buy, and where to stay on Dalmatia's quietest near-island.

8 min read → Islands

Island hopping from Split: the 7 islands by ferry

Seven Dalmatian islands, three ferry operators, one city as your base. A complete guide to island hopping from Split — Šolta, Brač, Hvar, Vis, Korčula, Mljet and Lastovo — by ferry and catamaran.

9 min read → Hidden Croatia

12 unusual places in Dalmatia most tourists miss

The Eye of the Earth at the source of the Cetina, the Vranjača cave near Split, Dragon's Eye at Rogoznica, hidden sea caves and a former prison island — Dalmatia's strangest and most striking off-radar places.

9 min read → When to go

The best time to visit Split

A season-by-season guide to Split — when the weather, crowds and prices line up, and the quiet months remote workers should know about.

6 min read → Remote work

Working remotely from Croatia: visa & cost

How the Croatian digital-nomad residence permit works in 2026 — income thresholds, tax, the application, and what a month on the coast actually costs.

9 min read → Nature

The rivers of Dalmatia: Cetina, Krka, Zrmanja, Neretva and Jadro

A guide to Dalmatia's great rivers — Cetina and its turquoise source, the waterfalls of the Krka, the emerald Zrmanja canyon, the Neretva delta, and Split's own spring-fed Jadro.

8 min read → Compare

Split vs Dubrovnik: which should you base in?

Two very different Dalmatian cities. A clear-eyed comparison on cost, crowds, transport and atmosphere — and which one fits the kind of trip you're planning.

6 min read → History

Castles and fortresses of the Croatian coast

Klis above Split, the sea fort of Šibenik, Trogir's Kamerlengo, Dubrovnik's Lovrijenac and more — the best castles and fortresses along the Dalmatian and Kvarner coast, and how to visit them.

8 min read → Islands

The best islands to visit from Split

Hvar, Brač, Vis and Šolta are all a ferry ride from Split. What each island is really like, and which one matches your trip.

7 min read → Nature

The most beautiful lakes in Croatia

From the turquoise terraces of Plitvice to the Red and Blue Lakes of Imotski and Mljet's saltwater lakes — Croatia's most striking lakes and how to reach them.

8 min read → Getting there

How to get from Split Airport to the centre

Every 2026 option from Split Airport (SPU) to the old town and ferry port — shuttle, bus, taxi and transfer — with rough prices and the local tip that saves you money.

6 min read → Nature

The best hikes on the Croatian coast

Biokovo's skywalk, the Paklenica gorges, Brač's Vidova Gora, Split's Marjan and Dubrovnik's Srđ — the best coastal hikes and mountain trails in Croatia, with difficulty and access.

9 min read → Budget

Dubrovnik on a budget

Croatia's priciest city, done sensibly — where to stay, eat and swim, and how to see the walled old town without the wallet damage.

7 min read → Itineraries

Split in 3 days: the perfect itinerary

How to spend three days in Split — Diocletian's Palace, Marjan and the beaches, a day trip to the islands or Krka, and where to eat, with timings that actually work.

9 min read → When to go

Croatia month by month: when to go

A month-by-month guide to the Croatian coast — weather, sea temperature, crowds and prices — so you can match your trip to the right time of year.

8 min read → Itineraries

Dubrovnik in 3 days: the perfect itinerary

Three days in Dubrovnik done right — the walls at the right hour, Srđ and the war museum, Lokrum, and a day trip to Mljet or the Elaphiti islands, with practical timings.

9 min read → Getting there

How to get from Dubrovnik Airport to the old town

Every 2026 way from Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) to the old town, Lapad and Gruž — shuttle, public bus, taxi and transfer — with rough prices and which stop to pick.

6 min read → Islands

Krk: Croatia's golden island, a bridge from Rijeka

A guide to Krk — the island you can drive to, home to Rijeka Airport. Krk Town, Baška and the Glagolitic tablet, clifftop Vrbnik and its wine, and how to get around.

8 min read → Getting there

How to get from Zadar Airport to the centre

Shuttle, taxi and transfer options from Zadar Airport (ZAD) to the old town in 2026 — with prices, timings and the ticket trick that doubles as a city bus fare.

5 min read → Nature

The national parks of Croatia: all eight, explained

Croatia has eight national parks — Plitvice, Krka, Mljet, Kornati, Brijuni, Paklenica, Risnjak and Northern Velebit. What each is for, and which to pick for your trip.

8 min read → Getting there

How to get from Rijeka Airport to the centre

Rijeka Airport sits on the island of Krk, ~27 km from the city. Here are the 2026 shuttle, taxi and rideshare options to Rijeka and around Kvarner.

6 min read → Nature

Krka National Park: waterfalls near Split and Šibenik

How to visit Krka National Park — Skradinski buk and the travertine falls, the Visovac island monastery, getting in from Skradin or Lozovac, and the best time to go.

7 min read → Getting there

How to get from Pula Airport to the centre

Pula Airport is tiny and close to town. The 2026 shuttle, city bus and taxi options to central Pula — plus the direct shuttle on to Rovinj and Istria.

5 min read → Nature

Plitvice Lakes National Park: the complete visitor guide

How to visit Plitvice Lakes — the sixteen terraced lakes and Veliki slap, upper vs lower lakes, which entrance to use, getting there from Zadar, Split or Zagreb, and when to go.

9 min read → Museums

The best museums in Split

From the Roman cellars of Diocletian's Palace to the Meštrović Gallery and the Archaeological Museum — the museums and historic sites worth your time in Split.

6 min read → Museums

The best museums in Zadar

The Museum of Ancient Glass, the Gold and Silver of Zadar, St Donatus and more — the museums and monuments that make Zadar's compact old town worth slowing down for.

6 min read → Museums

The best museums in Dubrovnik

The Rector's Palace, War Photo Limited, the Maritime Museum and one of the world's oldest pharmacies — the museums worth visiting inside and around Dubrovnik's walls.

6 min read → Museums

The best museums in Pula

The Roman Arena, the Archaeological Museum of Istria, the Zerostrasse tunnels and the Temple of Augustus — Pula's museums and ancient sites, and how to take them in.

6 min read → Museums

The best museums in Rovinj

The Batana House eco-museum, the Heritage Museum, St Euphemia and the artists' lanes of Grisia — the small but distinctive cultural sights of Rovinj.

5 min read → Museums

The best museums in Rijeka

MMSU, the Maritime and History Museum, the City Museum in the Sugar Palace and the quirky Peek&Poke — the museums of Croatia's 2020 Capital of Culture.

6 min read →