Croatian food and café towns off the beaten path.
Less-touristed food and café towns 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Sinj
Sinj, a pocket-sized town in the continental part of Croatia's Split-Dalmatia County, is best known for the Sinjska alka, a knights' tournament held since th…
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,…
Jurandvor
This little hamlet on the island of Krk in Croatia holds the historic Church of St.
Tisno
Compact Croatian Adriatic village where orange-roofed stone houses line a sheltered bay busy with boats, backed by wooded hills, with a bell tower rising abo…
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…
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…
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…
Benkovac
This modest Croatian town in Zadar County serves as the administrative and cultural centre of the Ravni Kotari region, with vineyards in the surrounding area…
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…
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…
Rogoznica
This small Dalmatian village on Croatia's coast with a lively café and restaurant scene for its size, Rogoznica sits in a deep, wind-sheltered bay in Šibenik…
Pakostane
This compact Dalmatian harbour village where stone-and-tile houses line a working waterfront, a church tower rises above the rooftops, and an unusually livel…
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…
Trilj
A small inland Dalmatian town on the Cetina River, northeast of Split, with an unusually lively café and restaurant scene for its size and vineyards in the s…
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…
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.
Sveti Ivan
A tiny Croatian hamlet on the water's edge, Sveti Ivan punches above its weight with several churches, a handful of waterfront cafés, scenic viewpoints close…
Glavina Donja
A tiny Croatian village with a surprisingly lively café and dining scene, several historic churches, and easy access to scenic upland viewpoints, all within…