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Last year, I went on a road trip through several countries in Europe, including Croatia. So, in today’s post, I want to share with you my favorite cities in Croatia. I don’t think I can choose a number one, because all of these cities have something unique and special. I was amazed to see that there aren’t two cities in Croatia that look the same.
Dubrovnik: if you are a fan of the Game of Thrones series, you’re going to find Dubrovnik simply amazing. To me, there’s nothing quite like walking the narrow streets of a city rich in history and architectural detail. Dubrovnik was such a city and boy, did it deliver! From the vivacious atmosphere to the impeccable views, this city will probably remain one of my favorites I’ve ever been in.
Fun facts:
- Did you know that in Dubrovnik was invented the word “quarantine”? Due to the big number of victims of the Black Death, which affected Europe’s population between 1348 and 1359, the city of Ragusa (now Dubrovnik) ordered that ships be isolated in a restricted place for 40 days before they were granted entry into the city. During those 40 days, if the sailors were seen to develop symptoms of disease they were sent back to sea. The word “quarantine” comes from “quarantena”, the Venetian language form, meaning “forty days”.
Split: this city was such a pleasant surprise for me. All of the research that I did before coming to visit, along with any pictures I saw of Spilt, paled in comparison to the real thing. The city is stunning and has a very beachy, carefree vibe. In it, you’ll walk by old buildings, be awed by an array of architectural styles, historical landmarks, and symbols, alongside tropical palm trees and scenic overlooks of the wonderful sea. I highly recommend exploring this city on foot to get the most of it.
I was impressed by Split’s architecture, the ancient buildings, the diversity, and all the details take you back in time. The food is simply amazing, you can find some really good food places to eat Thai food, vegan food, seafood. At the core of the old town is Diocletian’s Palace. For Game of Thrones fans out there, you might recognize some of these views, as this is where some of the scenes from the epic show were filmed. The Diocletian’s Palace is the place where the city was born, and it’s been a UNESCO Heritage since 1979 (now that’s impressive!).
Diocletian, the Roman emperor, build this amazing place near his birthplace and spared no expense. The Diocletian Palace includes temples, streets, a bath house, large substructures, and gardens. Basically, it’s a complex city built inside of a bigger one.
Fun fact: Did you know that Split is the largest city on the Dalmatian Coast?
Zagreb: if you visit Croatia, you’ll definitely want to spend a few days in its capital. This city has that awesome holiday mood. It’s clean and lively; the food is great, and oh, I discovered some amazing bakeries that make really delicious pies (And who doesn’t love pie?!). Walking the streets, we found Saint Mark’s Church. This unique and amazing church is in the center of Saint Mark’s square and is one of the oldest buildings in Zagreb, dating from the 13th century.
The colorful tiled roof was constructed in 1880 and has the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia on the left side and the emblem of Zagreb on the right. I spend only two days in Zagreb, but I wished I stayed more.
Fun fact: Did you that Zagreb still has working gas lamps?
Rovinj: Oh, I think that this city is the most romantic one! It has so much color, life and beauty. If you walk the narrow streets, you’ll come across a lot of amazing spots where you can see the entire city. What can you do in Rovinj? Well, let me tell you that you can visit the Old City, go bird watching, hit the beach or just take a lot of photos of the beautiful buildings. I will fall in love with the bright colors and the life of the city. You can have breakfast or dinner near the sea while watching the sunset.
Fun fact: Did you know Rovinj is surrounded by 22 islands?
Zadar: Maybe this city is not as popular as Split or Dubrovnik, but I find it so beautiful and interesting to visit. Also, I think that it was less crowded and expensive than other cities.
Zadar has something truly unique: a Sea Organ. It plays music using the sea waves and the sounds are hauntingly beautiful. I find Zadar to be so seductive with all the appealing sounds, amazing scenic overviews of the sea, and its great energy. We spend only one day in Zadar, but we really took our time to explore the city on foot. Our day looked something like this: walking the streets and admiring some amazing architecture, inspired from Roman times, while eating delicious ice-cream; sitting near the Sea Organ and listening to the interesting sounds it makes, and after that, drinking great coffee near the sea. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Honestly, I wish I had had more time to discover Zadar’s hidden gems.
Fun fact: Did you know, the famous Alfred Hitchcock said that Zadar is the city with the most beautiful sunsets?
Congratulations for your blog! I am very happy for you! This article is great. We visited just a small part of Croatia for 2 days and missed major cities so I hope to return one day. Great info and I loved the fun facts!
Thank you so much for your support and feedback! I hope you will visit Croatia again one day ❤