Croatian coast and islands off the beaten path.
Less-touristed coastal towns and islands in Croatia, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Opatija
Historic seaside resort on Croatia's Kvarner Gulf, Opatija sits right on the water with a café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its size.
Tucepi
A small Dalmatian village on the Makarska Riviera in Croatia, Tučepi has an unusually dense café and restaurant scene for its size, several historic churches…
Raslina
A small Croatian village on the clear turquoise waters of a sheltered bay, Raslina offers a compact waterfront with moored boats, a pine-fringed beach, and w…
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.
Ston
Compact stone village on Croatia's Pelješac peninsula, Ston pairs red-tile rooftops and a historic church with working salt pans stretching to a calm inlet,…
Šibenik
Two UNESCO World Heritage sites anchor Šibenik's historic centre on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia: the Cathedral of St.
Krk
This pocket-sized Croatian island town on the Adriatic has an unusually dense concentration of historic churches and cafés for its size, with scenic viewpoin…
Novi Vinodolski
Adriatic coast town in Croatia with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, Novi Vinodolski sits where the Vinodol Valley — long used for wi…
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…
Mali Lošinj
A sun-drenched island town on Croatia's Kvarner coast, Mali Lošinj sits in a sheltered bay on the island of Lošinj and draws visitors with a café and restaur…
Promajna
A small Dalmatian hamlet on the Makarska Riviera with a long gravel beach and a coastal promenade connecting it to neighbouring Baška Voda.
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…
Banjol
This waterfront village on the Croatian island of Rab, Banjol has a café and restaurant scene that outpunches its small size, along with several churches and…
Pag
A pocket-sized Dalmatian town on the island of Pag, Croatia, with an unusually lively café and restaurant scene for its size, a striking number of churches,…
Senjska Draga
Small Croatian settlement spread across a forested valley between steep green hillsides, viewable from old stone walls above, with the Adriatic coast and upl…
Jurandvor
This little hamlet on the island of Krk in Croatia holds the historic Church of St.
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…
Novalja
Small town on the northern end of Croatia's island of Pag, Novalja is best known for Zrće Beach, which has earned the town a reputation as a party destinatio…
Mlini
Stone houses and palm-lined waterfront sit directly below bare limestone peaks in this pocket-sized Adriatic village south of Dubrovnik, where modest boats b…
Orebic
Compact port town on the Pelješac peninsula in Dalmatia, Orebić sits directly across a narrow strait from the island of Korčula, with frequent ferry crossing…
Martinscica
This tiny Adriatic village on the Croatian island of Cres sits directly on the water, with a marina opening onto the sea and vineyards in the surrounding lan…
Prvic Sepurine
A compact Dalmatian island settlement where old stone houses with terracotta roofs line a pocket-sized working harbour, with a domed church bell tower rising…
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…
Brela
Punta Rata beach, just outside this compact Dalmatian village on Croatia's Makarska Riviera, ranked sixth in the world and first in Europe on a 2004 Forbes l…
Preko
This Dalmatian village on the island of Ugljan sits opposite Zadar in northern Croatia, with an old centre of patrician summer houses and a café and restaura…
Stari Grad
Stone-and-terracotta houses spread across a forested valley on the island of Hvar, with the Adriatic visible in the distance, vineyards nearby, and a surpris…
Tkon
This small village on the island of Pašman in Croatia's Zadar County sits in hilly terrain surrounded by vineyards, with a ferry connection to the mainland t…
Crikvenica
Small Adriatic resort town on Croatia's Kvarner coast, Crikvenica sits right on the water with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size.
Cres (town)
This pocket-sized Croatian town on the island of Cres in the Kvarner Gulf, with an unusually dense café, restaurant, and church scene for a settlement its si…
Ciovo
A hilly Adriatic island in central Dalmatia, Čiovo closes off the Kaštela Bay and holds several historic religious monuments — including the monastery of Sv.
Lovran
A small waterfront village on the western shore of Kvarner Bay in eastern Istria, Lovran has an unusually dense café and restaurant scene for its size, sever…
Murter
This little Dalmatian island village on Croatia's Adriatic coast, Murter has an unusually lively café and restaurant scene for its size, with vineyards in th…
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…
Nerezine
This little fishing village on the Croatian island of Lošinj, Nerezine sits at the water's edge in mountain terrain, with vineyards nearby and several histor…
Silo
A small tourist village on the north-east coast of Krk island in Croatia, Šilo has a modest café and restaurant scene that would suit a town twice its size f…
Omisalj
This little village on the north-west tip of Croatia's island of Krk holds several historic churches and a handful of cafés and restaurants for its size, wit…
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.
Drniš
A compact Dalmatian hinterland town in Croatia's hill country, Drniš offers a paved church square with a striking stone-detailed Catholic church, a large mem…
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…
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…