Croatia – is one of my dream destinations! I always wanted to explore this country’s endless charm and beauty; however, I got a chance a couple of months ago. I must say, it’s a wonderful place to travel to with your family!
It’s home to one of the best-preserved amphitheaters, stunning beach views, spectacular national parks, quirkiest museums, and several joyful summer festivals. This easy-to-reach country is where you will find the world’s biggest truffle, and it won’t be wrong if you say it’s islands’ heaven.
In this article, we have described a comprehensive travel guide on how you can explore Croatia, visiting its top tourist attractions and going through all the rest, the museum, zoos, parks, and lot’s more to go. Let’s dive into this heaven!
Where is Croatia?
Croatia, officially named the Republic of Croatia, is among the most visited countries in Balkans and has a population of 4.047 million (according to 2020 statics). It’s located at the crossroads of Southeast and Central Europe. It’s East border meets with Serbia, Northeast with Hungary, Northwest with Slovenia, Southeast with Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and west maritime border with Italy.
Zagreb is the capital of Croatia, and its other famous cities include Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Pula, etc. Its most popular tourist attractions are Dubrovnik Old Town Walls, Plitvice Lakes National Park, etc. Croatia’s official language is Croatian, but English is also commonly spoken there. However, we didn’t face any language issues.
How to Get There?
You can fly to Croatia via direct flight from major European hubs. If you are traveling from North America, you have to take a one or two-step flight through the main city of Europe. Believe it is worth it! You get to explore European cities too. Coming from the U.K? Travelling by train is convenient. Regular ferries also run from Italy during summers.
The major airport in Croatia is Zagreb airport. Most major airlines offer direct flights to Croatia, Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, Qatar Airlines, U.S Airways, etc. We booked a direct flight from Frankfurt Airport, Germany, to Zagreb Airport and reached there within 1 hr and 20 minutes.
What’s the Best Time to Visit Croatia?
The best time to visit Croatia is summer, i.e., from June to September; you won’t get short of direct flights from Europe too. The plentiful sunlight and warm temperatures make the best conditions for sailing, hiking, and swimming in blue waters. If you are traveling in winters, i.e., from November to March, you can focus on Split or Zagreb as these are the quietest and most relaxed in these months.
Things you want to do in Croatia
Croatia is home to many tourist attractions, and it seems impossible to check out all in a short time. Don’t worry; I am here to guide you with my travel experience. I travelled to Croatia with my husband and kids. We managed to explore this beautiful country as much as possible, and here is the list of 10 top things I consider one shouldn’t miss out on!
Go for a Trip to Hvar Islands
The very first thing we did was to go for a trip to one of the best known and most visited islands; Hvar. Natural beauty, historical culture, beaches, and welcoming people; everything made our experience worth memorable.
The first place we went to was Stari Grad, one of the oldest settlements in Europe. This old town is a hoard of lovely views, palaces, churches, and rich history. Wandering around the cobblestone streets while enjoying ice cream was something we enjoyed the most. We also went to Tvrdalj castle, a summer residence of a 16th-century Croatian poet, Peter Hektorovic.
Our next destination was Pakleni Islands, for which we rented a boat. Though Pakleni islands are a total of 14 islands, we only visited Marinkovac Island. If you are traveling to this island with kids, like me, Mlini and Zdrilica beaches are worth visiting as they are family-friendly.
Explore Istria
Istria is a triangle-shaped peninsula considered part of Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia. What makes Istria unique is that three countries share it. The three main towns of this beautiful place are Lovran, Pula, and Rovinj.
The very first place we visited when exploring Istria was the Roman Amphitheatre in Pula, Pula Arena. Surprisingly, it’s among the sixth largest surviving Roman Arenas and Roman amphitheater that is entirely preserved. In Medieval times, it used to host tournaments of knights and gladiatorial battles with the massive seating of 20 000 spectators.
Our next stop was Resort Town of Opatija; here, we opted for strolling around the Lungomare promenade that starts from Opatija and stretches 12km long, covering breathtaking coastal sceneries. The other places we enjoyed visiting were the historical attractions of Vrsar and the Brijuni National Park.
Visit Dubrovnik – Most Prominent Filming Location for Game of Thrones
Dubrovnik is where most of the Game of Thrones scenes were shot. However, we had to go there as my husband is an extreme lover of Game of Thrones. We booked a two-hour guided tour led by an expert guide to explore most of this city in a short span.
We visited most of the historical places of Dubrovnik, including Lokrum, Stardun, Rector’s Palace, etc., and discovered where the King’s Landing riot occurred. Moreover, we went to Loverjenic Fortress to witness the beauty of fortified walls and historical culture.
Indeed, it was a filmy experience, visiting these sites, wandering around, relaxing in between, and enjoying the street food. Everything is engraved as photographic memories in our minds. Café Festival’s (a café near Rector’s Palace) coffee was something one must try.
Enjoy Walking and Boat Ride at Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice is Croatia’s national park and is one of the most popular tourist attractions that gained the status of UNESCO’s world heritage site in 1979. The popularity of this national park can be attributed to its stunning views of sixteen lakes inter-linked with several waterfalls. The deep woodlands accompanying the lakes are home to beer, deer, wolves, and some rare bird species.
When we were midway through the park, we boarded a boat to go to the part of the park with the most magnificent waterfalls. You will find boats circulating every 20-30 minutes, but because of the hoard of the crowd ready to board, you may have to wait longer. There were bomber ducks and lots of fish swimming in the crystal clear water.
Walking tour through the lakesides and riding on the boat, diving deep into the beautiful sceneries, the burbling sounds, and birds chirping; these lakes were serene heavens!
Witness Tourist Attraction in Split
Croatia’s second-largest city, Split, is the largest city on the Croatian coastline. Nicknamed as Mediterranean Flower, this city is the perfect depiction of Roman architecture. Orange roof houses standing beside the turquoise blue sea and the dramatic coastal mountains; all add to the charm of Split.
The very first tourist attraction we visited was Diocletian Palace. It is among the well-preserved UNESCO heritage sites and was built for Roman emperor Diocletian. One of the main reasons why it’s so popular is because some part of Game of Thrones was also shot in its basement. Multiple attractions within this site are the statue of Marko Marulic, Milesi Palace, Marina Tower, etc.
People’s Square was our next stop! It holds a major sum of Gothic, Venetian, and Renaissance buildings. The Town Hall and Venetian-Gothic Cambi Palace are worth visiting buildings of People’s Square.
Visit Rovinj – Croatian Fishing Port
Rovinj is Croatia’s another beautiful city well known for being a Croatian fishing port. We got lots to witness here, from the Old Town, Rovinj Port, Monkodonja, and Rovinj Town Clock to Dvigrad and Balbi’s Arch. Let’s have a short recap of what we liked the most and found worth going to!
This time we planned to wander the streets of Old Town Rovinj. The pastel buildings, narrow streets, twist-up stairways, and busy life define this town well. Coming to the Rovinj Port, it is where we witnessed breathtaking views of Rovinj from an in-action city port.
Here, we also tasted the special dish, fuzi pasta, rolled sheets served with wine, veal sauce, and tomatoes. It also had a white truffle crushed to make it more tempting.
How Can You Miss Out on the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art?
When visiting Croatia, going to the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art was on my top list. I have always been a great fan of naïve arts, and this museum is where I found so much to explore! It is located in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. We bought two 25HRK (Adult) tickets as our kids were under 15, and there was no ticket for them.
This museum showcases the talent of artists, mostly Croatians and some International artists in the genre. It displays 1900 paintings, prints, sculptures, drawings, etc. Though we couldn’t go through it all, what we found and liked the most was the impressive work of artists Ivan Generalić, Ivan Rabuzin, and Mirko Virus. Some International names included Nikifor, a Ukrainian artist.
After going through the most fantastic glass paintings, we went to the museum shop to buy souvenirs.
Enjoy the Dining Experience at Restaurant 360
Of all the restaurants we visited during our stay in Croatia, one serving the tastiest food was Restaurant 360. This restaurant is located in one of the UNESCO heritage sites. This restaurant is inspired by Dubrovnik and Mediterranean cuisine. These are the exquisite terrace views that make the dining experience exceptional!
Their 3-course A La Carte Menu was so tempting that we opted to order multiple dishes. What my kids loved the most were Mackerel, Pigeon, Sea Bass, and the delish sweet treat; Cheesecake. I must say, visiting Croatia and not going to Restaurant 360 is something you will surely repent on!
They also have other menu options like Tasting Menu, etc., you can select one according to your taste and liking. If you have any food allergies, you must tell their staff before placing an order.
Go to Zagreb Zoo – The Animal Heaven
Zagreb Zoo is indeed animal heaven and one of Croatia’s only three zoo parks. It’s located in Maksimir Park in Zagreb. This 200-year-old zoo covers a space of 7 hectares. It’s home to 350+ animal species (invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, etc.) with 7800 animals imported from all continents.
We took our tickets from the ticket office at noon and entered the zoo. Walking through the avenue and stopping by animals visible from glass walls, my kids really enjoyed the visit. Owls, pigeons, herons, eagles, beers, cheetahs, the king of animals, Lions, etc., there were countless animals.
Arena Centar Zagreb – Croatia’s Best Shopping Centre
How could we have skipped shopping? However, I did most of my shopping in Croatia’s biggest shopping center, Arena Centar Zagreb. It features 200 stores and is one of Zagreb’s major shopping and entertainment centers. What adds to the charm of it is the Arena Park! This park is situated at the western entrance of the shopping center and has ten shops and a café.
We left kids in the One2Play’s supervised playrooms and enjoyed shopping till the best! There we explored the best brands; Adidas, Aldo, Boss, Denis, Dellure, H and M, Icon., and many more.
After shopping, we picked kids and went to KFC for dinner. We said goodbye to this shopping hub after enjoying coffee in Arena Park – It was tiring yet joyful.
Conclusion
In Croatia, you are going to have the best experience of sailing, hiking, and shopping, of course. This country will surely give you precious memories to cherish. If you are looking for a place to visit with your family, it’s the best option. Get ready for some wonderful adventures, exciting trips, and worth memorable visits! From main cities and historical places to Croatia’s biggest zoo and shopping center, we tried to explore most of Croatia, and it was worth it!
