Over the past decade, Croatia has become a popular tourist destination. The country is gifted with natural and man-made beauty. Most tourists congregate in the Adriatic, but with over 4,000 miles of coastline and 1,200 islands, you can choose a quiet spot for sun and sea. The interior is also less crowded, especially if you wear hiking boots and hike the lake-studded slopes. Find our top picks below.

Live high in Hvar

Hvar Town is Bardot-era St Tropez meets Ibiza, with the dressed-down rich dining on the Riva from superyachts and sassy young things tanning at Hula Hula beach bar, drinking sundowners at Carpe Diem, and going to a beach party. A little, honey-hued Venetian village of film-set perfection attracts attractive people. There are also lovely beaches offshore. Visit Marinkovac island for peaceful bays or Palmizana island for spectacular lunches at Laganini by water taxi.

Find a Tuscan alternative

Istria has fewer tourists than Tuscany or the rest of Croatia, even though its interior looks like Tuscany. A picturesque region with gently rolling hills covered in forest, orchards, olive groves, and wineries. Pretty communities with medieval stone homes, cobbled pathways, and churches sit on those slopes. Spend time enjoying the bounty those settings generate, like truffles, wine, olive oil, sausages, and cheese in local restaurants.

Drive Europe’s best seaside road

Adriatic Highway (D8) in Croatia is Europe’s dream coastal road trip like California’s Highway 1. Between Rijeka and Dubrovnik, it crosses five Unesco world heritage sites, three national parks, and countless beaches over 350 kilometers. Discover coves like Nugal in Tucepi or backwaters like Dugi Otok island in two weeks. Start midway at Zadar if time is tight. Except for camping, private home rooms (“sobe”) offer an affordable and frequently charming glimpse into local life for road trippers.

Swim in Krka National Park

Krka National Park banned swimming at Skradinski Buk, a stunning waterfall that influencers loved, in January 2021. One of Croatia’s most beautiful national parks is again a calm location with waterfalls into blue pools, butterfly-filled woodlands, and chilly lakes. A boat from Skradinski Buk goes to the higher park’s Roski waterfalls, so bring your cossie. These are accessible by automobile, prettier than Skradinski Buk, and allow swimming. Do not tell influencers.

The Split of Diocletian

Visit Diocletian’s Unesco-listed palace to experience Split’s old town’s romanticism. First see the Peristil, a former ceremonial palace plaza that is spectacular at dusk, then Diocletian’s octagonal mausoleum, now a cathedral. A Jupiter shrine and basements that match the palace footprint are nearby. Split is summarized on the Riva promenade with stylish bars and stunning views.