Top 10 things to do when you Visit Croatia

Here are my top 10 recommendations on things to do when you next Visit Croatia. If you can do them all in one visit you are either much better organised than me or get much more holiday from work!

1. Scuba Diving

The crystal clear waters of the Adriatic and diverse marine life make for fantastic scuba diving. If you have never dived before you can do a one day introductory course. This will cost between 250-350kn. The more experienced divers will need to purchase a diving certificate for 100kn from a registered diving base or harbour master.

Two of the best places for diving are Kornati Island (mid Dalmatia) or Mljet (near Dubrovnik). Both of these areas fall within national parks so can only be dived on officially sanctioned trips. More info can be found on our Diving Page.

For information on local courses visit www.diving-hrs.hr. The site is in Croatian so best to use a browser with a translator.

2. Diocletians Palace

At the heart of Splits old town is Diocletians Palace. The palace itself differs from most architectural sights as it forms art of the living working town. You will find bars and banks built into the ancient Roman ruins. There are many nooks and crannies to explore that are both Roman and Medieval in origin, however the key attractions are Diocletians Mausoleum (now a baptistry) and teh temple of Jupiter (now the cathedral) and the undercity Museum (there is a nomianl entrance fee for each of these.)

3. Skrandinski buk, Krka national park

When you visit Croatia dont miss Skrandinski buk. Skrandinski buk is a series of waterfalls in the Krka national park. There are 17 in total in just 500m of river distance. Swimming is permitted in the last pool near the harbour. It will be busy but well worth a dip especially if you have been exploring the rest of the national park.

4. Sea Kayaking

Sea Kayaking offers a great way to see the coast. No experience is required and the pace is gentle enough that anyone with reasonable fitness can enjoy it. The most popular (and easiest to organise) kayaking is around the coast of Dubrovnik, the Elaphite Isles and Korcula.

You can book through a number of Dubrovnik based operators and the prices are very reasonable, 260kn for half a day or 400kn for a full day.

More information can be found on our kayaking page.

5. Coastal Ferry. Rjeka - Dubrovnik

Calling at Split, Hvar and Korcula between Rjeka and Dubrovnik the coastal ferry gives you a leisurely way to enjoy the beautiful coastline of Croatia. The ferry runs 5 times a week in the summer and twice a week in the winter. The journey takes 20 hours and has one night aboard ship. The costs vary depending on the level of accommodation you opt for. The simplest ticket is 230kn but does mean you have to sleep on deck or in a bar! A bunkbed will cost you between 550kn & 600kn with a full cabin being between 750kn and 800kn. If you wish to take a car it will be an additional 620kn or 200kn for a bike.

6. Pula Amphitheatre

This amphitheatre is truly amazing. The condition of the outer wall is incredible but the inside has been cannibalised over the centuries to build many of the surrounding houses! The Amphitheatre can hold 22,000 people and is still used for concerts and festivals today.

There is an entrance fee of 40kn to enter the Amphitheatre and have a look around.

7. Paklenica National Park

When you visit Croatia check out Paklenica National Park. It is on the outskirts of Starigrad-Paklenica 20km or so ourtside Zadar (Not to be confused with Stari Grad on the island of Hvar. It is very popular with hikers and rock climbers due to the huge lime stones gorges. The park is a true wilderness so doesn't have much in the way of maintained footpaths so be sure you bring good boots and a good map! For more information visit

www.paklenica.hr.

8. Dubrovnik Walls

No visit to Croatia should miss a visit to Dubrovnik and a walk around the cities medieval walls. The best place to start is at the Pile Gate, near the ferry and bus terminal.

The walk round the wall is about 2km and will take an hour if the crowds don't slow you down too much. The walls are 25m high and date back as far as the 10th century with the majority of the construction is from the 15th century.

There is an entry fee of 50kn and back packs are not allowed.

9. Elaphite Isles

Croatia Holidays can be busy with all the sights to see and activities to take part in. A trip to the Elaphite Isles is like a holiday within a holiday.

The Elaphite isles are quiet picturesque islands with beautiful beaches and a really relaxed feel. Most of the islands do not allow motor vehicles which is probably a main factor in making them feel like an escape!

There are 4 daily ferries from Dubrovnik and rooms are available on the island but are in short supply. You can kayak to the islands from Dubrovnik which is a great way of ticking off 2 of my top 10's! As well as wonderful beaches there is also some really good hiking, a real worthwhile thing to do when you visit Croatia.

10. Varazdin

Varazdin is another destination that does not feature in the majority of Croatian holidays, despite this it will make a great addition to any trip.

Located 70km north east of Zagreb near the Hungarian border Varazdin makes a great day trip if you are staying in the capital.

The best time to go is late August or early September for the week long arts festival, check out www.radar-festival.com for info, you can enjoy open air rock concerts, jazz gigs and even parades more at home in a carnival.

Varazdin also has many wonderful buildings including a castle that would be at home in a Disney movie. The castle is now a museum and has an entry fee of 20kn.

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