Croatia Holidays

When you stay in Croatia, you can let your mood dictate each day’s plans. Relax on the sand or go surfing in the waves. Find historic sites or grab seafood bites. Hike in the wilderness or sail on the ocean. Get lost in the cobbled lanes of Dubrovnik, or take in the views as you walk the walls. Take a bittersweet tour through the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb.

Explore a Roman palace or enjoy a daytime concert in Split. Hop a ferry to the Dalmatian Islands and discover the vineyards of Korčula, the otherworldly Blue Cave of Vis. or the nightlife of Hvar. Ride paddle boats from Bol’s Insta-ready Zlatni Rat beach, or visit the island monastery at Mljet. Why not hire a car and see it all? Every city, beach, island, and park from Pula to Dubrovnik offers something new.

If there’s one thing Croatia has in abundance, it’s beautiful old towns perfect for exploring in the sun. Dubrovnik gets the headlines, and so it should. An immaculate walled city filled with harbourside restaurants, laneway cafés, and boutiques, Dubrovnik looks equally amazing from the cable car platform above as it does at ground level. Visit the capital of Zagreb and its mediaeval Gornji Grad district to see the neo-Gothic cathedral and the eclectic architecture of the parliament.

Wander the Diocletian's Palace complex in Split and witness its ruins illuminated at night. Notice the mixed influence of Greek, Roman, Hungarian, and Venetian rulers in the buildings of waterfront Trogir. Watch a concert at Pula Arena, a 2,000-year-old amphitheatre rivalling the Colosseum in preserved grandeur. Discover Zadar and Sibenik on the Dalmatian Coast, or lose the crowds in the port city of Rijeka.

Croatia’s beauty doesn’t end with its cities and beaches, as it’s also home to stunning national parks. Visit Plitvice, where 16 lakes are connected by waterfalls in a hillside forest. Walk among its trees on footpaths and wooden bridges, or look for falcons as you float across the lakes. Sail to find the 12th-century Benedictine monastery and the church of St. Mary in the woodland of Mljet. Hike or bike around its twin saltwater lakes and refresh with a swim, or kayak across the water. Cruise into the Adriatic Sea and explore the 89 islets of Kornati.

In the north, discover a safari park, golf course, and ruins of a Roman villa in Brijuni, or watch for deer as you trek to the peak of Veliki Risnjak. Wherever you stay, you’re always just a daytrip from Croatia’s incredible wilderness.

The best time to visit Croatia will depend on what you plan to do when you’re there. Summer, from July to August, is peak time with temperatures soaring towards 30°C and holiday crowds bringing a party atmosphere all along the Dalmatian Coast. 

The shoulder seasons of May to June and September to October are still warm with little rainfall and are excellent times to arrive for outdoor activities in the national parks, or for cruising, beach days, or exploring the cities with fewer crowds and cooler afternoons.

Some coastal resorts and attractions close for winter between November and April, but the cities remain beautiful and romantic. Winter travellers might especially enjoy the Carnival festivities held across Croatia’s cities each January.

Visa: British passport holders do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days

Language: Croatian

Currency: Euro (€)

Time difference: GMT +2 hours

Flight duration from London: 2-3 hours

Capital city: Zagreb