Croatia: More Than Just a Pretty Coastline

Croatia is one of those destinations that seems to tick an awful lot of boxes.

Beautiful beaches, ridiculously clear water, historic towns, islands to explore, great food and plenty of places where you can simply switch off for a week.

But Croatia isn’t really one type of holiday — and that’s exactly why I like it.

Choose the right area and it can work for families, couples, foodies, explorers, fly-and-flop holidays and those of us who get restless after approximately two days beside a pool.

Why Croatia?

The coastline is obviously a huge part of the appeal. The Adriatic really is that clear, and there are some stunning beaches and little coves dotted along it.

But look beyond the beach and you’ve also got places like Split and Dubrovnik, pretty harbour towns, national parks and dozens of islands — all with quite different personalities.

That variety is also why I wouldn’t recommend Croatia based on “which hotel looks nicest?” alone.

Where you stay matters.

What kind of Croatia holiday do you want?

This is the question I’d start with.

Do you want to wander out of your hotel in the evening and find restaurants, shops and somewhere for an ice cream?

Would you rather have a resort where the kids are entertained and you barely need to leave?

Do you want old towns and sightseeing?

Or does hopping on a ferry and exploring a couple of islands sound much more like you?

Croatia can do all of those things — but probably not from the same hotel.

And that’s where a little research before booking makes a huge difference.

Islands, old towns and very good food

If you like exploring, island hopping is one of Croatia’s big attractions. Islands such as Brač, Hvar and Vis can be reached by ferry and can be incorporated into a longer trip rather than treating your holiday as one fixed resort stay.

Then you’ve got historic places such as Split and Dubrovnik if you want culture alongside your beach time.

And food is absolutely part of the experience. Expect plenty of fresh seafood, grilled meats and regional dishes — including peka, traditionally slow-cooked under a bell-shaped lid.

This is not a destination where I’d automatically tell everyone to book All Inclusive and never leave the hotel.

Sometimes the restaurants outside it are part of the reason to go.

When should you go?

July and August bring the classic hot Mediterranean summer, but they’re also peak season — which generally means more people and higher prices.

If you’re not tied to school holidays, late spring and early autumn can be really attractive times to look at Croatia, with warm weather and potentially a slightly more relaxed experience.

Families travelling in the school holidays shouldn’t be put off, though. It just makes choosing the right resort, location and hotel for your budget more important.

Worth Knowing

Don’t book “Croatia” until you’ve worked out which version of Croatia you actually want.

A beautiful hotel in the wrong location can still be the wrong holiday.

Think about whether you want to walk into a town, spend most of your time on the beach, explore independently, take boat trips, hire a car or simply collapse beside a pool.

Those answers will narrow the search far more effectively than scrolling through hundreds of pretty hotel photographs.

And yes, I ask this many questions when I’m planning someone’s holiday. There’s a reason for it.

Thinking about Croatia?

Tell me who’s travelling, when you’d like to go, where you can fly from, what matters most and roughly what you’d like to spend.

I’ll work out where I’d start looking.

Travel simple. Discover more.