5 Reasons to Visit Croatia

Growing in popularity, Croatia is quickly becoming a top holiday destination for travellers of all ages and interests. Steeped in mystery, romance and architectural delights, this stunning country is also one of the central filming locations of the acclaimed HBO television series, The Game of Thrones. The popular TV show certainly makes good use of Croatia’s landscape, boosting the Croatian tourist industry and the channel’s ratings in the process. Join us as we discuss five reasons (other than a chance to see some locations from GOT) to fly out to Croatia.

For the history

Croatia’s history is rich and varied with the historical remains from the country’s Venetian and Roman past abundant throughout the country. Lovers of history and architecture are certainly spoilt for choice here and there are plenty of “must see” sights. Like Pula’s preserved Roman amphitheatre that dates back to the first century CE, like the ancient Palace built in Split by the Roman Emperor Diocletian, like the walled city of Dubrovnik. Tellingly, Dubrovnik, nicknamed the “Pearl of the Adriatic” and “Croatia’s Athens”, also doubles as King’s Landing in GOT and it is no surprise as to why.

Image by fjakone, used under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

For the Culture

Like the country’s history, Croatia has a rich, varied and beautiful culture. The many traditional celebrations and festivities (often directly linked to the tasty Croatian cuisine) display the uniqueness and brilliance of the country. Many of Croatia’s traditional goods and cultural practices, such as lace making and Bečarac singing, are listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list for their importance.

For the natural landscapes

Croatia is home to some amazing landscapes that are incredibly vibrant, colourful and sublime. At Krka National Park, easily accessible from Split, there are plenty of photo opportunities, what with its lush trees, several waterfalls and its emerald and turquoise pools of water that are perfect for swimming in. At Plitvice National Park, there are equal wonders to admire with its dense forest and its sixteen lakes which are wonderfully connected at different levels and heights. There is also the island of Mljet with its vast forests and the mesmerising Green and Blue caves to explore.

Image by kanbron, used under Creative Commons license (CC BY-SA 2.0)

For the beaches

The coasts of Croatia, like the mainland, are blessed with waters that have to be seen to be believed. They should also be seen with the sun setting as the sunsets in Croatia are amongst the best in the world. Bačvice beach in Split is a lovely spot to enjoy the sun and its slow shift to dusk, but then the many beaches of Hvar Island and the car-free Lopud Island, the latter of which is straightforward to get to from Dubrovnik, are just as impressive.

For the cost

Cheap flights to Croatia can be found on a regular basis and the cost of goods in the country is reasonable. More importantly, with full meals costing as little as 10 euros with wine at many restaurants, eating out is inexpensive whilst the quality of the food is high. In our humble opinion, Traditional Croatian cuisine is a reason in itself for visiting the country.

Your thoughts?

What would be your five reasons for visiting Croatia and what would you add to ours? Let us know in the comment section below.