Europe

Croatia

16 guides across 3 destinations — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.

Where to go

Destinations in Croatia

Dubrovnik's Old Port seen from the hillside above, small boats moored inside the harbour arm below tightly packed orange roofs, framed by green leaves.

Best may–june, september–october

Split's old town below the campanile, the sea in front and the mountains behind

Best late spring and early autumn

Zagreb's blue vintage Christmas tram crossing the tracks in the city centre, its crew dressed as Santas

Best spring and early autumn; december for advent

Before you go

Practical essentials for Croatia

Money

Euro (EUR) — adopted on 1 January 2023, replacing the kuna

Language

Croatian; English is widely spoken in the cities and along the coast

Power

Type C/F, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

Intercity buses are the workhorse — more frequent and faster than the trains — and Jadrolinija ferries connect the coast to the islands.

Tipping

Around 10% in restaurants is customary but not obligatory; rounding up is perfectly normal.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country, including Zagreb and Dubrovnik.

Driving

Right-hand side; a UK or EU photocard licence is valid for up to a year, so most visitors need no International Driving Permit.

Emergency

112 (general); 192 police, 194 ambulance, 193 fire, 195 sea rescue

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

Latest

Recent stories from Croatia

St Mark's Church in Zagreb's Upper Town, its glazed tiled roof laid out as the coats of arms of Croatia and of the city

48 Hours in Zagreb: Cafés, Cannons and a Tiled Roof

Two well-paced days in Croatia's capital — the noon cannon, the Dolac market, the Museum of Broken Relationships and the espresso ritual locals treat as sacred.

Zagreb · 3 min

The waterfront of Split seen from out on the Adriatic, the palm-lined Riva running along the cream stone facades of the old town with the grey Dalmatian mountains rising behind under a clear blue sky.

Split, Ranked: What Actually Deserves Your Time

From sunrise in Diocletian's Peristyle to sunset on Marjan hill — the essential Split experiences, ranked, with the right day trips and the beach game locals invented.

Dubrovnik's medieval sea walls and the round Bokar Fortress curving above a turquoise cove, with the terracotta roofs of the Old Town behind.

Dubrovnik Early and Late: The City Before and After the Tour Groups

Between roughly ten and five, Dubrovnik belongs to the day-trippers. At dawn and after dark, it belongs to you. A guide to the walled city's two secret shifts.

Dubrovnik · 2 min

The Stradun seen from high on Dubrovnik's city walls under a bruised blue sky, the Franciscan monastery bell tower rising above the polished limestone street and the tightly packed terracotta roofs of the Old Town.

Dubrovnik on a Budget: How to Do It Well for Less

Croatia's most famous city has famous prices to match — but with the right season, the right neighbourhood and a market picnic habit, Dubrovnik gets affordable fast.

Dubrovnik · 2 min

The Romanesque bell tower of the Cathedral of St Domnius rising above the arcaded peristyle of Diocletian's Palace in Split, with the Croatian flag flying

Split's Most Photogenic Corners, Ranked

Seven corners of an emperor's palace town ranked for the camera, with the hours, seasons, costs and detours that decide whether the picture actually works.

Split · 13 min

Aerial view across the red-tiled rooftops of central Zagreb at dusk, with the city's modern towers on the horizon, Croatia

The Essential Zagreb Bucket List, Ranked

A tiled roof, a market under red umbrellas, a cannon that still fires at noon and Europe's most beautiful cemetery — Croatia's capital, ranked by what actually earns your time.

Zagreb · 2 min

Sunset over the salt lakes of Mljet National Park seen from the ridge above, a weathered wooden trail marker lying on the white limestone in the foreground and wooded headlands folding into the water.

Beyond the Walls: The Essential Dubrovnik Bucket List, Ranked

Everyone walks the walls. The ranked list that follows is everything else — islands, oysters, a cable car and a valley of stone villages — and it is why you should stay longer than two nights.

Dubrovnik · 2 min

The small stone church of St Jerome on the Marjan hillside above Split, its open bell-cote and rounded stone steps set among cypresses, with the Adriatic spread out beyond.

The Split Neighborhoods Most Visitors Never Reach

Cruise crowds rarely leave Diocletian's Palace. Ten minutes' walk in any direction, Split becomes a Dalmatian city again — these are the quarters worth the detour.

A woman in a straw hat walking the narrow rampart walk of Dubrovnik's sea walls, the wooded island of Lokrum rising out of the deep blue Adriatic ahead of her and other walkers stopped at the parapet.

The Unmissable Dubrovnik Experiences, Ranked

The walls, the cable car, an island of peacocks ten minutes offshore — here is how to spend your hours in Croatia's most theatrical city, in order of wonder.

Dubrovnik · 2 min

Families walking the long tree-lined avenue through Maksimir Park in Zagreb on a summer day, a small dog off the leash, cast-iron lamp posts and benches under deep green canopy

Zagreb with Kids: A Family Day That Actually Works

A funicular that lasts a minute, a cannon at noon, a museum built on optical tricks and a park with a zoo in it — one Zagreb day paced for short legs.

Zagreb · 2 min

Banje Beach in Dubrovnik on a bright summer day, rows of white parasols and bathers in turquoise shallows, with St John's Fortress, the Old Port and the terracotta roofs of the Old Town beyond.

Dubrovnik with Kids: One Family Day, Properly Planned

Walls at opening time, an island of peacocks, a three-minute cable car and a pebble beach by late afternoon — the Old Town with children, timed around the heat and the crowds.

Dubrovnik · 2 min

A street lantern glowing at blue hour in a narrow stone lane inside Split's old town, its warm light falling across worn limestone walls and a low arch at the end of the alley.

Basing Yourself in Split: A First-Timer's Guide

Sleep inside a Roman palace, above a beach, or on a quiet fishermen's hill? How to choose your Split base, quarter by quarter.