7 Best Places to Visit in Croatia for First Timers

I can’t even remember how many times I have been asked what are the best places to visit in Croatia for first timers.

And truthfully, it’s a perfectly valid question. While Croatia is a small country, the big mistake I see people make is to try to see it all in 5, 7, 10 days. Let me tell you this immediately: this is not possible. Even if you jump from place to place every day, you will still not be able to visit all the popular places, not to even mention hidden gems. In the end, you may end up being frustrated with your trip to Croatia.

To avoid that, in this blog post I am sharing with you my 7 best places to visit in Croatia for first timers, so you can choose between them. Unless you are doing a month in Croatia, you won’t be able to see all the places I have listed here, but they are all a good place to start discovering Croatia.

The places on this list are spread around Croatia and are covering main regions: the capital city, Istria, Dalmatia and Dubrovnik area. They are also a mix of cities, islands and national parks, so that no matter your travel style, you can choose a place of your interest.

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Short on time? Here are my top recommendations:

HOTELS:

Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik
Hotel Ambasador Split
Hotel Podstine Hvar
Plitvice Holiday Resort
Park Plaza Arena Pula
Grand Park Hotel Rovinj by Maistra Collection
Esplanade Zagreb Hotel

ACTIVITIES:

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Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is the most popular place in Croatia, especially after the Game of Thrones series.

The city is often called the Pearl of the Adriatic and has some of the best preserved city walls in the world. It’s located at the very south tip of Croatia, so a beautiful turquoise sea is guaranteed.

Which is why Dubrovnik is definitely a great place to start if this is your first time in Croatia, though be warned that it is also the most expensive city in Croatia.

Top Things to Do in Dubrovnik

Here are the top things you can do in Dubrovnik:

Explore the City Walls and Fort Lovrijenac – a must attractions in Dubrovnik
Old Town Walking Tour – explore the Old Town of Dubrovnik with a guide
Dubrovnik Game of Thrones Tour – the highest rated GOT tour for all ya’ fellow fans out there
Take the Cable Car to Mount Srd for Panoramic Views of Dubrovnik – the best views in Dubrovnik
Take a Ferry to Lokrum Island – a beautiful botanical island, also another GOT location where they keep the original Iron Throne from the series
Go on the Elaphiti Island Cruise – visit 3 nearby islands; Lopud, Sipan & Kolocep
Spend a Day at Banje Beach

📖 Read my 10 Beautiful Boutique Hotels in Croatia Worth Booking blog post.

Where to Stay in Dubrovnik

Here are my top 3 stay picks in Dubrovnik:

Studio Apartment Lumia – cosy apartment in the Old Town; great location & have personally loved it
Hotel Excelsior – beachfront 5 star hotel
Villa Orabelle – at the beach and close to the Old Town

Split

Split is the biggest and the coolest city on the Croatian coast. It’s also in a great location because from Split you can easily visit national parks like Plitvice or Krka, do island hopping and visit nearby cute towns, such as Trogir or Primosten.

Therefore, Split is one of the best locations if this is your first trip to Croatia, and personally, it’s where I would start if I were you.

Top Things to Do in Split

Here are the top things you can do in Split:

Visit Diocletian’s Palace – UNESCO World Heritage Site which is a must and free to visit
Old Town and Diocletian Palace Walking Tour – highest rated walking tour in Split
Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour – visit Croatia’s Krka National Park and local winery
Enjoy the Views from Marjan Park – the best viewpoint in Split
Visit Klis Fortress and Olive Museum – visit Klis Fortress (also GOT location) & learn about olive culture in Croatia
Have Drinks at Split Riva (Promenade)
Relax at Bacvice Beach

📖 Read my 7 Best Food Tours in Split to Experience Croatian Food blog post.

Where to Stay in Split

Here are my top 3 stay picks in Split:

Hotel Ambasador – iconic 5 star hotel in Split city centre
Amphora Hotel – great beachfront hotel
Le Meridien Lav Split – the only 5 star resort in Split

Hvar

Hvar Island is one of the most beautiful and popular islands in Croatia. It is a 2 hours ferry ride from Split, so you can easily combine it.

The close proximity to Split is why Hvar is the best island for first-time visitors, but also it offers a lot of activities suitable for any travel style; from relaxing to partying, which is why it’s a great island to start before you decide to visit some of the more peaceful and smaller islands where there’s not much to do but relax.

Top Things to Do in Hvar

Here are the top things you can do in Hvar:

Explore Stari Grad, Jelsa and Hvar Town – the best towns in Hvar
Visit Spanish and Napoleon Fortresses – must see attractions and great views
Take a Boat Tour to Pakleni Islands – amazing beaches
Explore Blue Cave and Vis Island on a Speedboat – combination of nature wonder and hidden gem
Take a Swim in Dubovica – off the beaten path bay with beautiful beach
Go on a Wine and Olive Tasting Tour – you have to try local wine and oil

📖 Read my 7 Days in Croatia: A Realistic Itinerary blog post.

Where to Stay in Hvar

Here are my top 3 stay picks in Hvar:

Tilla’s House – cosy apartment with beautiful views & have personally loved it
Hotel Podstine – beautiful beachfront hotel
Maslina Resort – luxury resort in Stari Grad

Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the most beautiful nature place you can visit in Croatia, so I recommend going there on your first trip.

Plitvice consists of 16 lakes with waterfalls that extend into a limestone canyon. It is also a home of many endangered and rare species. You can choose between different routes, depending on your travel style.

Last time I took route C which includes a short boat ride through the lake and a panoramic train ride back to entrance 1 where the route starts. The total duration is 4-5 hours.

Top Things to Do in Plitvice

Depending on which route you take, your visit to Plitvice will variate, but in general these are the best points in Plitvice:

Waterfalls (Great Waterfall, Veliki Prstavac, Mali Prstavac)
Kozjak Lake and Lake Proscansko
Viewpoints
Caves

📖 Read my Dreaming of Croatia: 15 Best Places to Visit blog post for more.

Where to Stay in Plitvice

Even though many people visit Plitvice on a day trip from Zagreb or Split, you can actually stay in the area, which is my recommendation for the full nature experience.

Here are my top 3 stay picks in Plitvice:

Plitvice Holiday Resort – most beautiful and unique resort near Plitvice
16 Lakes Hotel – beautiful hotel near Plitvice with outside pool
Hotel Jezero – Plitvice Lakes National Park – at Plitvice Lakes near Kozjak Lake

Pula

Pula is the most popular and largest city on the Istrian Peninsula known for its Ancient Roman heritage.

If you love history, great food and beautiful Mediterranean towns, then Istria is definitely a great place for your first visit to Croatia.

Top Things to Do in Pula

Here are the top things you can do in Pula:

Visit the Pula Arena – among 6 best preserved Roman amphitheatres
Pula Walking Tour – highest rated walking tour of Pula
House of Istrian Olive Oil Museum and Guided Tasting Tour – tasting local Istrian produces
Pula Kayak Adventure – explore bays on kayaks, snorkel in caves, cliff-jump and learn about Pula history
Dolphin Watching & Sunset Boat Tour With Dinner and Drinks – a perfect way to end your day
Relax at the Beach (Njive Beach, Hawaii Beach or Fazana Beach)

📖 Read 15 Traditional Croatian Foods to Try on Your Trip blog post.

Where to Stay in Pula

Here are my top 3 stay picks in Pula:

Park Plaza Arena Pula – a couple of minutes walk from Hawaii Beach
Monvidal by Bura Hotels – city centre, adults only
Boutique Hotel Valsabbion – beachfront, one of the most loved hotels in Pula

Rovinj

For many Croatians, Rovinj is the most beautiful Croatian city, often compared with Venice.

If you’re visiting Pula already, then definitely don’t skip Rovinj. It’s a very small town which can be explored within a few hours, but as every corner is so photogenic, you can easily spend at least a day just roaming around and taking life easily.

Top Things to Do in Rovinj

Here are the top things you can do in Rovinj:

Explore the Old Town – don’t miss to see Church of St Euphemia
Sunset Boat Trip with Dolphin Watching – a perfect way to end your day in Rovinj
Relax at Punta Cabana Beach – at the Golden Cape Forest Park, a recognised nature park

📖 Read my 20 Insider Things to Know before Travelling to Croatia blog post.

Where to Stay in Rovinj

Here are my top 3 stay picks in Rovinj:

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj by Maistra Collection – 5 star luxury hotel with beautiful panoramic views of Rovinj
Maistra Select Amarin Resort – great infinity pool
Monte Mulini – adults only, beachfront

Zagreb

Even though Zagreb is the capital city of Croatia, for some reason it is largely overlooked and skipped when planning a trip to Croatia.

To me, it’s such a big mistake because Zagreb is a beautiful city with central European architecture reminiscent of Vienna and Budapest. It’s a fun and cool place with interesting things to do.

If you’re visiting Croatia for the first time and landing in Zagreb, I definitely recommend planning to spend about 2 days in the city.

Top Things to Do in Zagreb

Here are the top things you can do in Zagreb:

Visit the Main Sites – go to Ban Jelacic & Tomislav Squares, Zrinjevac Park and Cathedral
Explore the Church of St. Mark – the Upper Town
Check the Museums – Zagreb has a lot of cool museums, so visit at least one of them
Best of Zagreb with the WW2 Tunnels – highest rated walking tour
Take a Day Trip to Plitvice – great option if you want to visit Plitvice on your first trip to Croatia too!
Go on a Food Tour – learn about Croatian cuisine and history