Croatia guestpost

Top experiences in Croatia

Last Updated on 30/04/2024 by kami

During all my Balkan travels I neglected Croatia a little bit and I can’t even explain why. Even if I’ve been to couple of places like Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes, Dubrovnik or Split it’s still now enough for me.

That is why I was happy when a fellow travel blogger Shweta of Zest in a Toe blog offered to talk a bit about her top experiences when visiting Croatia. Here we go!


Last summer, I spent about 2 weeks in Croatia with my husband and 6-year old daughter. The Croatia itinerary we followed, gave us an opportunity to visit UNESCO Heritage sites of Plitvice national park and Ston walls, enjoy the beautiful islands of Hvar and Vis, and explore the old towns of Split and Dubrovnik.

I am sharing my top experiences in this gorgeous country. This is not an easy task – we had a great time across all places and there aren’t any bad memories to sift through. Here are my Top 7 experiences in Croatia in no particular order.

The relaxed stay at Little Green Bay in Hvar

Hvar has a reputation of a party town, but we found a perfect stay at a secluded cove with Little Green Bay. Think leisurely afternoons spent at the private beach sipping cocktails, renting a car for a day to roam around the island, going to the Fortica in Hvar town to take in the stunning views of Pakleni islands and the Adriatic Sea, and enjoying gourmet food both at the boutique resort and the excellent restaurants in Hvar town. A perfect family holiday, wouldn’t you say?

top experiences in Croatia Hvar

The forest hike in Plitvice Lakes Park away from the summer crowds

Plitvice Lakes National Park hosts more than 1 mn visitors each year. The green-blue lakes, wooden pathways running through verdant scenery, cascading waterfalls are quite a sight. Thanks to great tips by the manager at the B&B we stayed in, we hiked through a forest at a leisurely pace. This off-beat path also gave us stunning views of the Lower lakes area and kept us away from the summer crowds for the most part at Plitvice Lakes.

top experiences in Croatia Plitvice Lakes

The informative Military tour in Vis island

Vis is the furthest inhabited island in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. Part of the charm is the pristine and authentic feel that the island has. From 1950 until 1989, it served as the Yugoslav National Army’s base, out of bounds to foreign visitors.

We took a 4-hour Military Tour with a political science student from the island to take us through several remnants left behind after the demilitarization of the island – a nuclear bunker built to protect the party officials, a submarine pen, a house that was used by Tito when he visited the island and more.

top experiences in Croatia Vis

The drive from Split to Dubrovnik via Makarska Riviera

We rented a convertible in Split and took off to Dubrovnik on a sunny, breezy day. Instead of following the shortest route, we took the roads hugging steep cliffs with stunning views of the Adriatic Sea. It reminded me of the Amalfi coast in Italy, only less crowded. We drove through Makarska Riviera, a popular location with visitors on the Dalmatian coast.

The Southern Dalmatian Coast is home to some pretty seaside towns. We stopped only at Mali Ston for lunch and to climb the Ston walls (this can be also done as a day trip from Dubrovnik). This short road trip was such a wonderful memory.

top experiences in Croatia Makarska Riviera

The evening spent enjoying the buzz sitting in the courtyard of Diocletian Palace in Split

Diocletian Palace in Split old town is unlike any other – this is a living city, its narrow streets packed with people, cafes, restaurants, bars and boutique stores. The Peristil is the remarkable ancient Roman courtyard, in the heart of the Diocletian Palace. Sitting on the steps in the Peristil, sipping a lemon beer and enjoying the summer buzz was a experience to remember.

top experiences in Croatia Split

The visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb

Before visiting Zagreb, I hadn’t even heard of the Museum of Broken relationships. My husband and daughter were happy enjoying the central part of the capital, while I decided to walk around the Upper Town on my own and visit one this quirky museum.

The Museum of Broken Relationships grew from a travelling exhibition to a permanent location in Zagreb. All items here are relics of broken relationships, of people with a story who are trying to overcome an emotional collapse through contributing to the Museum’s collection.

top experiences in Croatia Zagreb

top experiences in Croatia Zagreb

The sunset kayaking tour in Dubrovnik

There is good reason for summer crowds to throng the old town of Dubrovnik. It’s not just for the hardcore Game of Thrones fans. We went with high expectations and I must say that both, walking the old town walls and kayaking in the Adriatic Sea around the Dubrovnik walls were stellar experiences. The views are just unbelievable.

The sunset kayaking tour turned out to be a great way to enjoy the Adriatic Sea, see the walls from outside and some of the spots around the old town including the Lokrum island. This is definitely one of the best things to do in Dubrovnik!

top experiences in Croatia Dubrovnik


About the author: Shweta runs her own travel blog zestinatote.com to bring family-friendly itineraries and tips, destinations and luxury stays, to her readers. Her belief is that family travel need not be boring and that one can do a mix of local culture & food, adventure activities and relaxation, all with family. You can follow her by checking out her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.


Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking. They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Croatia

Never travel without travel insurance, you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Croatia here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here.

Make sure to have the offline map always installed on your phone, they can save you so many troubles. I always use the free app Maps.Me.


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