Lonely Planet Croatia , livre ebook

Croatia

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Croatia
Croatia’s Top Experiences
Need to Know
What’s New
Month by Month
Itineraries
Outdoor Activities
Croatia’s Islands
Family Travel
Eat & Drink Like a Local
Regions at a Glance

On The Road

ZAGREB
Sights
Tours
Festivals & Events
Sleeping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Shopping
INLAND CROATIA
Around Zagreb
Samobor
Mt Medvednica
Zagorje
Klanjec
Krapinske Toplice
Krapina
Varaždin
Međimurje
Slavonia
Ɖakovo
Osijek
Baranja
Vukovar
Ilok
ISTRIA
Istria’s West Coast
Pula
Brijuni Islands
Vodnjan
Bale
Rovinj
Poreč
Umag
Central & Eastern Istria
Momjan
Grožnjan
Motovun
Buzet
Roč
Hum
Pazin
Svetvinčenat
Labin & Rabac
Croatia’s Coast
KVARNER
Rijeka
Around Rijeka
Risnjak National Park
Volosko
Opatija
Učka Nature Park
Lošinj & Cres Islands
Beli
Cres Town
Valun
Lubenice
Osor
Nerezine
Mali Lošinj
Veli Lošinj
Krk Island
Malinska
Krk Town
Punat
Vrbnik
Baška
East Kvarner Coast
Crikvenica
Senj
Rab Island
Lopar
NORTHERN DALMATIA
Lika
Plitvice Lakes & Around
Gospić
Paklenica National Park
Pag Island
Pag Town
Zrće Beach
Novalja
Nin
Zadar
Dugi Otok
Veli Rat & Punta Bjanca
Božava
Sali
Telašćica Bay
Šibenik-Knin Region
Tisno & Murter Island
Krka National Park
Šibenik
Primošten
Rogoznica
SPLIT & CENTRAL DALMATIA
Split
Around Split
Kaštela
Trogir
Šolta Island
Stobreč & Podstrana
Omiš
Makarska Riviera
Brela
Makarska
Biokovo Nature Park
Brač Island
Supetar
Bol
Hvar Island
Hvar Town
Pakleni Islands
Stari Grad
Jelsa
Vis Island
Vis Town
Komiža
DUBROVNIK & SOUTHERN DALMATIA
Dubrovnik
Around Dubrovnik
Cavtat
Konavle
Elafiti Islands
Mljet Island
Pelješac Peninsula
Ston & Mali Ston
Orebić
Korčula Island
Lastovo Island

UNDERSTAND

History
The Croatian Mindset
Architecture
The Natural Environment
The Arts

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z
Accessible Travel
Accommodation
Discount Cards
Electricity
Health
Internet Access
Legal Matters
LGBTIQ+ Travellers
Maps
Money
Opening Hours
Photography
Post
Public Holidays
Safe Travel
Telephone
Time
Toilets
Tourist Information
Visas
Volunteering
Work
Transport
Getting There & Away
Entering the Country
Air
Land
Sea
Getting Around
Air
Bicycle
Boat
Bus
Car & Motorcycle
Local Transport
Tours
Train
Language
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers

COVID-19
We have re-checked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.
Welcome to Croatia

I’ll admit: as my grandparents hail from here, I’m more than a little biased, but Croatia is quite simply my favourite country to visit. It offers a unique combination of all the things I love: breathtaking natural beauty, great swimming, summertime sun, oodles of history, interesting architecture, incredible wine, delicious seafood…I could go on. True, Croats don’t always present the sunniest face to complete strangers, but break through that initial reserve and you’ll discover the friendliest, most hospitable people you could hope to meet.

Arch of the Sergii , Pula | JUSTIN FOULKES/LONELY PLANET ©

By Peter Dragicevich, Writer

@PeterDragNZ peterdragnz
For more about Our Writers
Croatia’s Top Experiences
1 ISLAND HOPPING
Croatia’s crystalline waters are speckled with a multitude of islands and – whether you’re travelling by luxury yacht or public ferry – exploring them is the consummate Croatian experience. Some are tiny and unpopulated while others are large and buzzing with bars and restaurants. Some are arid and rocky while others have sandy beaches backed with verdant forest. With 1244 to choose between, there truly is a place to suit everyone’s taste.

Pakleni Islands | AJAN ALEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Vis
The most remote of Croatia’s main islands, Vis is also one of its most captivating. A duo of attractive towns adds historic interest to its northern and western coasts, while hidden to the south and east are some of the nation’s most idyllic coves.

Stiniva cove | NINOPAVISIC/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Hvar
People come to party on Croatia’s sunniest isle thanks to its glam hub Hvar Town (pictured). In high summer, there’s no better place to dress up and get your groove on. Pack beach gear and shoes suitable for dancing on tables.

MICHIEL TON/GETTY IMAGES ©

Mljet
Cloaked in dense pine forests, Mljet (pictured) is long, slender and beguiling. The entire western section is a national park, where you’ll find two cobalt-coloured lakes, an island monastery and a little port. Eastern Mljet has tranquil bays and a couple of excellent restaurants.

MARCUTTI/GETTY IMAGESTT ©

Top Experiences
2 TIME-DEFYING WALLED TOWNS
Built for defence but breathtakingly picturesque, Croatia’s walled towns are among the nation’s greatest treasures. Most famous of all are the dazzling settlements spread along the coast, their honey-coloured stone fortifications contrasting magnificently with the azure waters of the Adriatic, while the fairy-tale hilltop towns of central Istria rise mysteriously from a verdant landscape where time stands still.

IHOR PASTERNAK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Dubrovnik
The extraordinary walled city of Dubrovnik (pictured) is a Unesco World Heritage Site and Croatia’s most popular attraction. Despite being shelled relentlessly during the 1990s war, its towers, medieval monasteries, baroque churches, graceful squares and fascinating residential quarters all look magnificent once more.

CGE2010/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Korčula Town
Like Dubrovnik in miniature, the sparkling seaside town of Korčula has its own set of imposing walls and towers but only a fraction of the tourists of its more famous sibling. The highlight is an extraordinary Gothic-Renaissance cathedral adorned with kooky carvings.

Detail, St Mark’s Cathedral | ZVONIMIR ATLETIC/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Motovun
This picture-perfect hilltop town (pictured) rises from a forested valley that appears untouched by the 21st century. The lush, expansive views from its fortifications are virtually the same as when they were built.

LUCERTOLONE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
3 SUMPTUOUS NATURAL BEAUTY
Croatia’s appeal is grounded in nature – its waterfalls, lakes, forests, mountains and, of course, its dazzling Adriatic coast. There are 444 protected areas in total, encompassing 9% of the country, including 12 nature parks and eight national parks. The national parks can roughly be divided into islands (Brijuni, Kornati, Mljet), lakes (Plitvice, Krka) and mountains (Risnjak, Northern Velebit, Paklenica), all of which are well worth exploring.

Brijuni Islands | NICHOLAS FARRUGGIO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Mljet Island | MARCOS MESA SAM WORDLEY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Kopački Rit Nature Park
A flood plain of the Danube and Drava Rivers, Kopački Rit is part of a Unesco biosphere reserve and offers some of Europe’s best birdwatching opportunities. Join a boat trip and keep your eyes peeled for eagles, storks (pictured), herons and woodpeckers.

GORAN AFAREK/ALAMY ©

Krka National Park
The star of this highly scenic national park is the Krka River itself, rushing through canyons, broadening into lakes and splashing over numerous falls and cascades (pictured). Stroll along the boardwalks and marvel at the multitude of fish darting through the emerald waters.

ANNA GORIN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Plitvice Lakes National Park
This turquoise ribbon of lakes, linked by gushing waterfalls (pictured) in the forested heart of continental Croatia, is an awe-inspiring sight. Travertine expanses covered with mossy plants divide the multi-coloured lakes in this exquisite watery world.

KELLY CHENG TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences
4 LAZING ON BEACHES
From its highly indented coastline to its multitudinous islands, Croatia has literally hundreds of beaches to choose between – so, whether you like to laze around in an old pair of trunks, show off the latest designer swimsuit, or get your kit off altogether, you’ll find a place to do it here. Beaches can be sandy, pebbly, shingly or rocky but what unites them all is the astonishingly clear water.

Cape Kamenjak
Just south of Pula, this rugged peninsula (pictured) is fringed by a string of pebble bays and secluded rocky beaches, surrounded by a crystalline blue-green sea.

FEDERICO ZOVADELLI/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Lubenice
Leafy, sparsely populated and never overwhelmed by tourists, Cres (pictured) is unique for its small, secluded beach. Nestled below a remote hilltop village, it is sensational but difficult to reach.

WIRESTOCK CREATORS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Zlatni Rat
The town of Bol, on the southern coast of Brač Island, is home to the highly photogenic Zlatni Rat beach (pictured), with its unusual hornlike shape, golden pebbles and buzzy bars.

GEVISION/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
5 EXPLORING ANCIENT RUINS
Once positioned near the very heart of the Empire, Croatia has some of the most impressive Roman structures still standing today. What’s even more remarkable is the effortless way in which they’ve been incorporated into contemporary life, with people sleeping, dining, drinking, worshipping and being entertained in structures erected thousands of years before. The country’s museums are jam-pa