Over 1,200 islands and islets dot Croatia’s Adriatic coast, making exploration difficult. If you ignore the fact that just 49 Croatian islands are permanently inhabited, you still have a fascinating choice. You can escape to nature, eat great food, drink criminally underrated wines, swim in amazingly pure Adriatic sea, or do all of the above on an island. These are Croatia’s best islands.

Korcula

The Lumbarda peninsula in Croatia combines Adriatic Coast holiday elements including sun dazzle, beaches, turquoise waters, and fresh white wine. Vela Przina beach has 365m of biscuit-colored sand and azure shallows. Ancient grk grapes grow behind it. Flit between the beach and informal family vineyard dry white tastings: Bire and Zure are great.

Solta

How travelers miss this island in front of Split, typically overlooked for Hvar and Brac, is a mystery. Solta offers a taste of slow-paced Dalmatian island life with its peaceful fishing villages, mountainous coastline with pebbly bays, and acres of olive trees and vineyards. From Maslinica on the west coast, home of the island’s only official hotel, the stylish and historic Martinis Marchi, take the ferry to Rogac and end up in Stomorska’s harbor with a huge platter of fish at a rustic waterside café.  

Losinj

Inhaling Losinj’s herb-scented air, the 19th-century Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph fell in love with this long, thin island in the Kvarner Gulf. The scent of wild thyme, pine, rosemary, juniper, and helichrysum makes Losinj as peaceful and restorative as ever. Before swimming at Cikat Bay, the emperor’s favorite, pass the baroque sea captains’ residences of Mali Losinj and Veli Losinj, its Venetian-style neighbor. After biking on the pine-scented footpath around the island, dine at Lanterna Grill on the waterside terrace with lamb from Cres.

Vis

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again characters danced and sung on Vis’s beaches during filming. Your turn, and how can you resist Stiniva? Only a tiny channel opens to the sea in this rock amphitheater. Smooth stones, pure air, tranquil ocean, and octopus salad in a fisherman’s shack for lunch. Hvar boat cruises come by midday, so arrive early. Explore Vis’s indented coast to find endless lovely wild coves.

Rab

In shingle country, Rab is a sand island. Castle-quality material is found around the northern Lopar peninsula bays. Over a mile long Rajska beachi has shallow waters and many snack bars. The name implies paradise, however unless you have kids, you’ll prefer Livacina (cooler, livelier) around the bay or Sahara (wilder, nuder, and only accessible on foot).