Charming old-world towns in Croatia off the beaten path.
Less-touristed old-world towns in Croatia, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Bjelovar
Founded in 1756 by decree of Empress Maria Theresa, Bjelovar is one of Croatia's youngest cities, laid out on a planned grid with a regular square street pat…
Vrsar
This pocket-sized seaside village on Istria's western coast, Vrsar has a café and restaurant scene that outpunches its size, a historic hilltop centre with t…
Zadar
Croatia's oldest continuously inhabited city, Zadar sits on the Adriatic coast in northern Dalmatia with a walkable old town dense with historic churches, ca…
Vrbnik
A medieval walled village on the island of Krk, Croatia, set on a limestone outcrop above the Adriatic and known for its local white wine, Vrbnička žlahtina.
Šibenik
Two UNESCO World Heritage sites anchor Šibenik's historic centre on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia: the Cathedral of St.
Vrboska
A small fishing harbour on the north coast of Hvar island in Dalmatia, Vrboska dates to the 15th century and holds several historic churches for a village it…
Pazin
Pazin, the administrative seat of Istria County in west Croatia, sits above a karst sinkhole into which the Pazinčica river disappears — a geological feature…
Buje
This hilltop Istrian village, historically called the "sentinel of Istria" for its commanding inland position, sits in deep wine country with a café and rest…
Solin
Solin, a town on the Adriatic coast just northeast of Split, sits on the site of ancient Salona — the Roman provincial capital of Dalmatia and birthplace of…
Varaždin
A walkable baroque town in northern Croatia, Varaždin is known for its historic old town fortification, numerous museums and galleries, and a centre dense wi…
Paz
A compact hilltop hamlet in inland Istria, Croatia, Paz is known for its ruined castle, first recorded in the 12th century and later held by the Barbo family…
Kastav
This hilltop town above the Kvarner Gulf in western Croatia, Kastav sits on a ridge with views over the northern Adriatic and vineyards in the surrounding co…
Ozalj
Yellow-and-white hilltop castle complex rises above the tree-lined Kupa River in this modest Croatian town, offering striking views from the bridge and easy…
Biograd na Moru
This modest Adriatic town in northern Dalmatia with a well-developed café and restaurant scene for its size, Biograd na Moru sits on the coast overlooking th…
Plomin
A little fortified hilltop settlement on the southeastern Istrian coast, Plomin rises above the Plomin Bay on a hill that drops almost vertically to the wate…
Senj
Sitting where the Adriatic meets the foothills of the Velebit mountains, Senj is a small Croatian coastal town with a café and restaurant scene that punches…
Vukovar
Vukovar, a Croatian town on the Danube in eastern Slavonia, holds Croatia's largest river port at the confluence of the Vuka and the Danube, and carries one…
Lepoglava
This small northern Croatian town where a striking white Gothic-Baroque church with an onion-domed tower anchors the centre, set among green rolling countrys…
Pican
Little hilltop village in central Istria with an unusual concentration of historic churches for its size, Pićan sits in agricultural country southeast of Paz…
Vinkovci
A Slavonian town in eastern Croatia where a broad pedestrian boulevard lined with Habsburg-era facades, Baroque church towers, and a quiet riverside setting…
Cirkvena
This Croatian village in Koprivničko-križevačka County has a longer history than its modest size suggests: a parish recorded from 1306, a wooden chapel built…
Vrana
This little Dalmatian village beside a lake near the Adriatic coast, where the golden-lit ruins of a substantial medieval fortification — its crenellated lim…
Čakovec
This northern Croatian town near the Slovenian and Hungarian borders has a walkable centre with a dense food-and-drink scene, sitting along the Trnava river.
Lupoglav
Small village in northeastern Istria, Croatia, where the road and tunnel through the Učka mountain range connect the peninsula to the rest of the country.
Silba
This small Croatian island in northern Dalmatia is a car-free zone, with no motorised traffic permitted beyond vehicles supplying local businesses — making i…
Motovun
A hilltop walled village in Croatia's Istrian wine country, Motovun rewards visitors with scenic viewpoints over vine-covered valleys, a handful of good rest…
Lopud
A tiny Croatian island village with a walkable waterfront, a surprising number of historic churches, and easy access to the broader Adriatic coast and its UN…