Guides, tips & local know-how
Practical, opinionated writing about Croatia from the team behind the CroVenture app.
Photo: Richard Mortel / CC BY 2.0
GuideWhat to see in Pula: Rome at street level, Austria on the hills
Pula keeps an almost complete Roman amphitheatre by its harbour, its main square has been the Forum for two millennia, and a ring of Austrian forts circles the town. This guide sorts what deserves your time, and where the beaches are.
NewsWildfire at Omiš: what travellers need to know
The wildfire that started at Lokva Rogoznica on 13 August and spread towards Omiš has been contained since the morning of 15 August. Here is the confirmed situation, what it means for the coast road, and where to check before you set off.
TipsCroatia by car ferry: reservations, tickets and port timing
Understand which Croatian ferry tickets reserve a vehicle space, what to prepare when booking and how early to reach the port during summer.
CultureŠpancirfest Varaždin 2026: a practical guide to ten festival days
Špancirfest fills Varaždin's historic centre with ten days of concerts, street performances, workshops, exhibitions, family activities, theatre and gastronomy from 21 to 30 August 2026.
NatureMaksimir Park: a practical half-day route through Zagreb's green refuge
Follow a flexible route from the main entrance to the historic park axis, then slow down beside woods, meadows and lakes while leaving space for wildlife and changing conditions.
NatureLokrum responsible visitor guide: enjoy the reserve and protect it
Plan your Lokrum visit around official access, remain on marked paths, observe wildlife without feeding it and leave the protected island exactly as you found it.
Food & drinkRijeka's Placa: a morning guide to the market and city-centre life
Explore Rijeka's Placa through its pavilions, fresh produce and local products, then continue toward Korzo for an easy introduction to everyday city-centre life.
CultureEuphrasian Basilica in Poreč: a visitor guide to the mosaics
Plan a focused visit to Poreč's sixth-century UNESCO basilica, from the apse mosaics and Bishop Euphrasius's clues to the ciborium and bell-tower view.
ItineraryMarjan Forest Park: a practical walking route from Split
Walk from central Split into Marjan Forest Park on a flexible route linking viewpoints, shaded paths and cultural landmarks, with the access notice to check in 2026.
ItineraryZadar to Ugljan without a car: an easy day in Preko
Use the passenger boat from Zadar's central port, then combine Preko's waterfront, historic churches, Galevac views and a swim without needing an island transfer.
NatureŠibenik to Zlarin without a car: a quiet island day
Sail from Šibenik, explore Zlarin's vehicle-free lanes, learn about its coral heritage and leave enough time for the waterfront and a swim.
GuideBrijuni from Fažana: how to plan the right day trip
Start at the official pier in Fažana, choose between a guided Veliki Brijun excursion and the Pocket Guide option, then prepare for the island's practical limits.
GuideZagreb on a rainy day: a practical Upper Town museum route
Connect three very different Upper Town collections with only short outdoor stretches, then adapt the order to the official visitor information for that day.
ItineraryRijeka to Trsat on foot: Korzo, 561 steps and the castle
Walk from Rijeka's central promenade to Trsat through the historic Petar Kružić Stairway, with a public-bus fallback for the climb or return.
TipsCroatia summer beach safety: the daily five-minute check
Check the regional DHMZ warning, plan around the heat, respect wind and fire restrictions, and save Croatia's emergency number before leaving for the beach.
Food & drinkSplit Pazar: a practical market breakfast and picnic guide
Use Split's market beside the east wall of Diocletian's Palace for a simple breakfast now and a heat-smart picnic later, without relying on one vendor or a fixed price.
GuideWhat to see in Motovun: ramparts, truffle forest and the Parenzana
Motovun takes two hours on foot and a whole day if you go down into the valley. The rampart walk, the Mirna forest and the old railway line are one connected story, not three separate stops.
GuideWhat to see on Vis: Issa, Fort George, Komiža and the coves
Vis was a closed military island until 1989, and that is precisely why it still looks the way it does. Two towns, one ancient Greek layer and a coast you reach by boat or not at all.
GuideWhat to see in Korčula: the fishbone old town, Moreška and Lumbarda
Korčula's old town was designed as a machine for handling wind, and once you see the pattern you cannot unsee it. Then leave the walls for Lumbarda, Pupnatska Luka and the wine.
GuideWhat to see in Cavtat: Meštrović's mausoleum, Bukovac and Konavle
Cavtat is older than Dubrovnik and quieter than anything near it. Two peninsulas, two serious artists and a hinterland most Dubrovnik visitors never reach.
GuideWhat to see in Karlovac: the star fortress, four rivers and Aquatika
Almost everyone drives past Karlovac on the way to the coast. It is a Renaissance fortress laid out as a six pointed star, it has four rivers inside the city, and it deserves the two hours.
GuideWhat to see in Makarska: Biokovo above, two peninsulas below
Makarska sits in a bay closed off by two wooded headlands, with a 1762 metre mountain directly behind it. The town is the base, the mountain is the reason to stay a second day.
GuideWhat to see in Trogir: Radovan's portal, Kamerlengo and Čiovo
Trogir is a UNESCO old town on its own island, small enough to cross in ten minutes and dense enough to hold the finest Romanesque portal in Croatia.
GuideWhat to see on Hvar: Fortica, the Arsenal theatre and the Stari Grad Plain
Hvar town gets the attention, but the island's two UNESCO-grade attractions are a theatre from 1612 and a Greek field system still farmed after twenty four centuries.
GuideWhat to see at Plitvice Lakes: the Great Waterfall, Kozjak and the growing barriers
Sixteen lakes stacked in a staircase, separated by barriers that are still growing about a centimetre a year. Knowing that changes what you are looking at.
NaturePlitvice Lakes in summer 2026: choose the right route
Plan the park around your entrance, available time and the official lake programmes, not around a single waterfall photo.
GuideMakarska beyond the beach: Riva, Sveti Petar and Osejava
Connect the old centre, the harbour peninsula and the Osejava forest before deciding whether the day needs another beach.
GuideTrogir in one day: cathedral, stone lanes and Kamerlengo
Trogir is compact enough for one day, but it rewards a route that slows down between the cathedral square and the fortress.
GuidePula in one day: a Roman route from the Arena to the Forum
Walk Pula as one connected Roman city, then choose between the hilltop fortress, underground tunnels and the coast.
GuideThings to do in Opatija: the coast beyond the grand hotels
Walk the Lungomare, read the villas and parks as one open-air story, then choose between a fishing harbour, an old hill town and Mount Učka.
GuideWhat to see in Rijeka: Korzo, Trsat and the working waterfront
Rijeka works best as three connected walks: the compact centre, Trsat above the city and a waterfront that still feels like a port.
NewsCroatia motorway tolls in 2026: what drivers need to know
Croatia still uses route-based motorway tolls rather than a national vignette. Here is how tickets, cards, cash and ENC work, plus where to check live traffic.
GuideOmiš: what to see between the cliffs and the Cetina
Most people drive through Omiš on the way elsewhere. Stop half a day and you get two fortresses, a canyon and an old town wedged between rock and river.
GuideRovinj: what to see in a town that was once an island
Rovinj is built on a former island, and it still behaves like one. Here is what to see, in the order the streets actually take you.
GuidePoreč: what to see beyond the basilica
One UNESCO basilica, a Roman street grid still in daily use, and three towers from the old walls. Poreč rewards an hour more than most people give it.
GuideŠibenik: a cathedral of pure stone and four fortresses
Šibenik has two UNESCO sites, four fortresses and a stepped old town that most people skip on the way to Krka. Here is what is actually there.
GuideZadar tips: what to see beyond the sunset
The Sea Organ gets the evening. The rest of Zadar is a Roman forum, a round ninth-century church and one long street that organises everything.
ItineraryDubrovnik in one day: a smart route from walls to sunset
A practical hour-by-hour Dubrovnik plan with Old Town essentials, a swim break, crowd strategy and the best final view over the city.
GuideSplit palace guide: the corners most first-timers miss
Diocletian's Palace is not a museum district, it is a living old town. This route connects Roman stone, daily life, quiet lanes and the best exit toward Marjan.
ItineraryA Zagreb weekend that balances coffee, culture and green space
Two days in Zagreb can feel relaxed and full at the same time. Use this plan for Upper Town views, Saturday coffee, museums, markets and park time.
GuideHvar without the party crowds: fortress views, villages and quiet swims
Hvar is more than nightlife. Use this guide for a slower island day with Fortica, Stari Grad Plain, lavender country and sea time that does not feel forced.
GuideZadar sunset guide: Roman stone, sea music and the right final hour
Zadar is at its best when the Old Town slowly turns toward the water. Use this route from Land Gate to Forum, Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun.
GuideYour first morning in Dubrovnik's Old Town, done right
Beat the cruise crowds, walk the soft-light lanes, and find a calmer rhythm before the city becomes a stage set.
ItineraryOne perfect day in Split, inside and beyond the palace walls
Coffee in the palace, Roman stone, market energy, a Marjan walk and a swim. This is the Split day that feels full without becoming frantic.
NatureFive Dubrovnik swims that are not just Banje Beach
Banje is beautiful and busy. Use it as a landmark, then build a better swim day around coves, rocks, shade and short transfers.
CultureŠpica: how Zagreb turned Saturday coffee into a ritual
In Zagreb, Saturday coffee is a social institution. Here is where to go, when to arrive and how to join without turning it into a performance.
TipsThe best time to visit Croatia in 2026, month by month
Warm sea, thin crowds, festivals or lower prices: the right Croatia month depends on the trip you actually want.
Turn these tips into a trip
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