C RO AT I A
Dubrovnik
For sheer wow factor,
few cities can compete
with UNESCO-listed
Dubrovnik, an impossibly
charming walled
harbour city featuring
some of the country’s
best hotels, bars
and restaurants.
Zadar
Byzantine churches,
marble streets and
impressive museums
make Zadar well worth
exploring, though most
visitors to northern
Dalmatia are lured to
the islands just off the
coast, such as Kornati.
Hvar
Don’t be misled by
Hvar’s newly acquired
popularity among
celebrities and mega-
millionaires – this is also
a tranquil, friendly and
unassuming island, good
for hiking, watersports
and island-hopping.
H VA R
Z A D A R
R I J E K A
P UL A
S P L I T
D UB RO V NIK
Z A G R E B
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The map
Split
Croatia’s historic
second city isn’t merely
a departure point to
Hvar – it’s possibly the
most culturally vibrant
town on the coast,
from its old sphinxes to
vibrant bars and games
of
picigin
on the beach.
Though Dubrovnik’s gorgeous old port and
Hvar Town could have got this spot, we’ve
gone for Rovinj, a small town near Pula with
an evocative old town, charming artists’
quarter – the “Rovinj Montmartre” – and the
striking St Euphemia cathedral. The daily
ferry to Venice takes just two hours.
The travel
brochure shot
01
Rijeka
Croatia’s biggest
seaport is also a good
spot to visit, with a well-
preserved old town and
great seafood. There’s
good underwater cliff
diving nearby, as well as
the grand seaside resort
of Opatija.
02
Pula
More low-key than
Split and Dubrovnik,
the laidback Istrian
town of Pula is famous
for its stunning Roman
amphitheatre – the sixth
largest in the world –
and its truffles, which
draw even Italians.
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