Republic of Croatia
Get ready for the best beaches, delicious seafood and the clearest water I have ever seen.
01
Dubrovnik
Due to the extreme masses of tourists, this city just got named one of the worst to visit during the high season, but don't let this scare you. The old fortress city is one of its kind and definitely worth visiting.
The architecture is amazing and getting lost in the small streets is a unique experience.
I recommend staying here for 1-2 days and then moving on to some of the other quieter, smaller cities or islands.
What to do
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The old city
This is the place to see, with its small streets, historic architecture and good food.
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Cable Car ride
Take the cable car up to the mountain and enjoy the city from above.
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Bellevue Beach
This is one of the few city beaches worth visiting.
Where to eat
There are a lot of really good food spots in the city.
One of my favorite is Azur, which serves some of the best Asian fusion food.
For more traditional cuisine, I always eat at Konoba Jezuite. It’s a bit more touristy, but the food is great and it has the local vibe with a very friendly staff. I highly recommend the fish platter.
For more high-end dining try the Proto.
Where to stay
If you plan to stay in the city of Dubrovnik for a few days, I recommend staying at one of the big hotels with a pool and a private beach. The public beaches tend to be overcrowded. We loved the Dubrovnik Palace.
Mali Zaton is 25 mins north of Dubrovnik and here you can have a peaceful stay at Adria House.
Dont forget your
snorkeling gear
02
Primošten
This is one of my favourite cities on the coast. The old part of the city dates back to pre-15th century and was build on an island with a bridge to the mainland. Later, the draw bridge was replaced by the causeway.
It has beautiful architecture with some of the best beaches and clearest water in Croatia. The city is famous for its wine and fish.
What to do
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Rent a boat
One of the best things you can do is rent a small boat (no license required) and explore the small coves and islands around the area.
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Raduča Beach
Voted as one of 10 most beautiful beaches in Croatia.
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Old City
Explore this part of the city at the end of the day. Enjoy the sunset and find a good place to eat some local specialties.
Where to eat
The best and most friendly staff is at Konoba Toni. The hostess (boss lady) is the best.
The city is known for its seafood specialties, but I highly recommend getting the Toni Steak. The sauce is out of this world.
Make sure to book a table beforehand.
Where to stay
Close to the city center (3 km away) there is a high-end camping spot. It is one of the best for a family getaway with plenty of activities.
You can stay in your own tent, camper van, caravan or rent one on the camping ground.
If you are in a large group, rent one of the houses on the coast. It’s worth the money to have a private house and a beach!
Daytrips from Primošten
Krka Waterfall
Krka National park is a huge area just 1-hour drive from Split and a 40-min drive from Primosten. The most popular thing to do here is to swim in the waterfalls. However, I would avoid this in the peak season since it gets crowded with tourists. But the surrounding areas are worth a visit.
Split
Split is a beautiful harbor city with a lot of modern amenities. The old city is very pretty and was built by the Romans. It’s worth going for a day, but I would not recommend staying there overnight. There are no good beaches, and it’s walking around during the day in the small streets can get quite hot.
Šibenik
This town is a very nice day trip destination. It is one of the oldest towns on the coast and has a lot of history. For example, it was under the Italian occupation between WW1 and WW2. One of the landmarks is the Fortress (Tvrđava sv. Mihovila/Castel vecchio). You can stay for dinner and enjoy some really good seafood.
Zadar has a 3000-year history and was controlled by the Vatican from 1409 until 1797. It has a lot of Roman cultural influences, and it’s an architecturally beautiful town. The most famous modern landmark is the Sea Organ, which plays music from the sea waves and tubes, located underneath a set of large marble steps. Also, the perfect place to see the most fiery sunset in Europe :).
03
Korčula
This is one of my favourite islands, it has a lot to offer, in terms of historical architecture, delicious food and homemade wine. It’s filled with small bays with awesome swimming spots and small villages.
It has a nice geo location, so it's easy to reach from Split and Dubrovnik, and it's great for a base for visiting some of the surrounding islands as well.
I would recommend spending a few days here just so you can explore everything in a local, slow tempo.
What to do
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Vela Luka
Nice little port town for a night out. The ferry to Split departs from here.
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Luka Kneza
Small bay with good food and nice swimming spots.
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Korcula Old Town
Very touristy, but worth a visit. Interesting fortress architecture. Marco Polo has said to have lived here.
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Popnat Beach
Favorite beach on the island, just a few houses, with one family-owned restaurant and a large beach with crystal clear water.
Where to eat
Most of the restaurants on the island are really good, and most of them serve fresh seafood from the grill.
I recommend just enjoying the inexpensive seafood and have a pizza when it gets too much.
Bistro Dalmatino is the perfect day trip for lunch and swimming. Konoba Bata is good for a dinner in town.
01. Bistro Dalmatino
Where to stay
My favorite place to stay is the small town of Brna, in the hotel Aminess Lume. It's a bit high-end, but very worth it. The mood is very chill, and the staff and rooms are excellent.
If you want an absolute lone getaway, then find a house by the water in some of the small bays on the island.
Or try camping, which is good when traveling with kids.
02. Waterfront Villa
03. Port 9 Camping
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I hope that you found great inspiration for your next trip. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Best Regards
Tarik Arnautovic
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Most of the images from the site are from my private collection. Few of the hotel images are from booking.com and some of the food ones are from the respected restaurants’ websites.
Used fonts : Google font Unna + Roboto.
Designed and curated by Tarik Arnautovic – 2020
Thanks to Aika Zikibayeva for copy help.