Croatia

Croatia looks like an easy country until you start planning. The coast is long, the islands are many, and the main cities sit far apart. At some point you have to choose: Istria or Dalmatia, Split or Dubrovnik, car or ferry. These are the questions people usually bring to this section. We have gathered articles that help you make each of those decisions.

The core is made up of articles on where to stay. We break down Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb and the island of Hvar by neighborhood, with pros, cons and hotels listed for each one. There are also selections built around a specific need: a trip with kids, a sandy beach, an "all-inclusive" stay, campsites with water parks. For those who have not picked a place yet, there are general overviews of the resorts. Separate pieces compare Split with Dubrovnik and Istria with Dalmatia.

The second large group covers sights and day trips. The walls of Dubrovnik, the Plitvice Lakes, Krka park, Barone Fortress in Šibenik and the island of Brač with Zlatni rat beach are described from the practical side: tickets, opening hours, how to avoid the crowds. From Dubrovnik we show how to reach Korčula and Mostar, and from Split we describe routes to the islands and parks. For a road trip there is a route through Dalmatia from Zadar to Plitvice. A separate piece is devoted to tours from Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb.

The third group is about seasons and practical matters. The articles on May, August, fall and winter explain what to expect from the sea, the roads and the number of visitors. There is a month-by-month breakdown of sea temperature, an overview of summer festivals and a piece on Zagreb in December. Alongside them are texts on trip budget, cash and cards, eSIM, car ferries, local food and gifts. Beaches get their own overviews, including a list of places with sand rather than pebbles.

Every article opens with a short answer to the main question. Practical sections follow: how to get there, what to buy in advance, how much time to allow. Each price and timetable comes with its source and the date it was checked. If the data may change, we say so in the text. We are direct about the downsides: pebbles instead of sand, lines in August, a cold sea in spring.

The section is meant for people who have already decided to go to Croatia and are putting the trip together on their own. It suits families, couples and anyone traveling by car or hopping between islands by ferry. If you need a ready-made package with a guide at your side, our texts will not replace it. We provide the information for the decision, and the decision stays with you.

A good place to start is the overview articles: what to see in the country, where to go and which region to choose. Next, read the piece on your season, because the month of travel changes plans a lot. After that, move on to choosing a neighborhood and a hotel in your city. Tickets, ferries, mobile data and money make sense as the last step.

"Croatia" is part of the "Europe" section, which in turn belongs to "Destinations". The country has no subsections, and all articles sit in a single list. Other countries are on the same level: "Andorra", "Belgium", "Bulgaria", "Denmark", "Germany", "England", "Finland", "France". They come in handy if Croatia is only one part of a bigger route across Europe for you.

We update the articles: prices, ferry timetables and the status of sites change from season to season. We check the data against the official websites of parks, carriers and museums and state the date of the check. Before your trip, still verify the key figures with the original source, especially in high season. That keeps the plan accurate and leaves more vacation time for the sea.