Rich in culture and diversity, Croatia’s abundant beauty spans coastlines, historic towns, over 1,000 islands - and eight national s parks.

Boasting ten UNESCO World Heritage sites, Croatia overtook Spain as the ‘Best Country to visit in Europe’ by European Best Destinations in 2025.

It has captured the imaginations of millions worldwide who flock to its coastline and to Dubrovnik to reenact the ‘Walk of Shame' made famous by the blockbuster Game of Thrones series.

Croatia has also fired the imaginations of our motorhomers - Lifestyle & Leisure Editor, Sharon Cain, series Photographer, Steve Hare, and travelholic golden retriever, Bracken.

World-Leading Amphitheatre

Our first stop at the Croatian coastal town of Pula on the Istrian peninsula was a breath of fresh air after a brief, but challenging, stay in Albania.

The campsite pitch had a sea view and, at nineteen degrees, it was perfect weather for hopping on a local bus and exploring the jaw-dropping Roman amphitheatre, ‘The Arena’.

Beyond impressive, the world’s sixth largest amphitheatre was built in the 1st century during the reign of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. Incredibly, the walls of the three-storey structure are still intact.

Our remaining two days in Pula were spent soaking up the old town's relaxed vibes, swimming in the Adriatic (Bracken was first in), and feasting on fresh fish from local cafes and restaurants.

Croatian Grandeur

We left chilled and headed for a stint of city living in the bustling port of Rijeka, Croatia's third largest city 75 miles away.

An independent state from 1920-1924, Rijeka is renowned for its industrial heritage and named the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

We hiked what felt like hundreds of steps up to 13th Century Trsat Castle. Towering 138 metres above sea level, it is now a thriving restaurant and hospitality venue with spectacular views across the city and Adriatic.

Wile there, we visited The Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, a beautiful 15th Century church, sanctuary and pilgrimage looked after by Franciscan friars and visited by Pope Paul II in 2003.

Exceptional Natural Beauty

Our next destination, Plitvice Lakes National Park is where sixteen interconnected lakes combine in wondrous cascading waterfalls.

The UNESCO site is Croatia’s first national park where limestone and chalk minerals create mesmerising transitions of water colours spanning turquoise blue, emerald green and sapphire.

At 256 feet high, the ‘Great Waterfall’ is the tallest in Croatia. The park stretches for 114 square miles and wooden walkways and boats \maximise the sensory experience of murmuring water and gushing falls.


An abundance of wildlife includes Eurasian Bears and wolves - Europe’s largest predators - along with deer, wild boar, fish and amphibians - and birds and butterflies. We saw a few different butterfly species, some birds, and brown trout, which fascinated Bracken.

It was Sunday and the park was packed with locals and tourists. I mused that its more formidable inhabitants - the predators - would emerge when the seething masses had departed.

Island Getaway

After seven weeks of full-on travel in the UK and Europe, our longing to for solitude was rewarded when we disembarked a car ferry from Zadar port to Dugi Otok.

Called ‘Long Island’, at 28 miles long and up to 2.5 miles wide, it is the most remote of North Dalmation islands and among Croatia’s best kept secrets.

Parked up in Telašćica Nature Park, we woke to our very own paradise and swam in crystal clear waters where our only neighbours were two moored yachts.

After a lovely coastal walk to the quaint town of Sali, we ventured further into the park and salt lake used as Roman storage area.

We saw Croatia’s tallest lighthouse, Veli Rat, whose yellow exterior was reputedly created by mixing 100,000 egg yolks into lime mortar. We bid farewell to our island haven amid a blazing orange sunset.

Heading South For The Falls

You will have gathered that water - whether in lakes, the sea, coves, or waterfalls - played a dominant theme in our explorations.

Learning from our mistakes, we chose a Monday to explore Krka National Park in Dalmatia, joining a smattering of visitors to see its seven sensational waterfalls.

The pièce de resistance, the Skradinski Buk falls, feature 17 cascades of 800 metres wide and 46 metres high. They are also surrounded by delightfully restored 19th Century watermills.

Roski Slap (slap means waterfall), another highlight, boasts 12 cascades called ‘the necklaces’.

Our leisurely tour of the waterfalls, which are part of the Krka River, included a scenic boat ride. Rich in flora and fauna, the park has 860 plant species. I’d recommend setting aside at least five hours to appreciate its merits.

Omis: Coastal Gem

While preferring the freedom of park ups over camp sites, we were running out of water. A campsite on the Dalmation coast with knockout mountain and sea views was the perfect solution.

A ten minute walk up the golden, sandy beach took us to the historical, picture-postcard harbour town of Omis. Nestled in the Omiška Dinara mountains, the old town abounds with character, swashbuckling 13th Century pirate legends, a towering fortress and copious street cafes.

Streaming November sunshine brought life-giving sunrises and sunsets with breathtaking hues. Croatia out of season was proving memorable in every way.

We met fabulous new friends, Denise and Ian, who invited us for supper in their massive motorhome where we drank wine and swapped travel experiences long into the night.

We remain in touch with the couple whose adorable dog Bruno, another gorgeous goldie like Bracken, entertained us with his eccentric technique of purposefully padding through the warm sea water.

Split’s Architectural Splendours

From the campsite, we took a bus to Split whose centrepiece is the UNESCO listed Diocletian’s Palace - a living city and among the globe’s best preserved examples of palatial Roman architecture.

Over 3,000 residents thrive inside the historic treasure built between 295-305 AD for the Emperor, Diocletian who guided the Empire through a tumultuous period.

Wandering around the maze of tiny streets, we saw the arresting golden, silver, bronze and iron city gates - the original Roman portals and symbols of power.

Evolving and maintaining a vital role over the centuries, the gates act as modern day signposts to the old town for visitors.

We clambered 180 steps (the last ten were killers!) - to the 57 foot bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Dominus, the world's oldest Catholic Cathedral.

Built in the 4th Century as the Emperor, Diocletian's Mausoleum, Christians converted it into a cathedral in the 7th Century.

At the top we savoured more panoramic views over the rich landscape.


Dubrovnik – Pearl Of The Adriatic

My first taste of Dubrovnik in 2009 was a day trip from a cruise ship.

The first thing we saw driving to the city was a fleet of cruise ships berthed in the busy port, meaning everywhere would be heaving.

Dubrovnik's chequered history makes exhausting reading. Ruled by the Byzantines and Venetians, it was almost destroyed by an earthquake in 1667 - and occupied by the French in the Napoleonic wars.

Becoming part of the Austrian Empire in the 19th and 20th centuries, the city was attacked by the Nazis during World War II. Five decades later it was under siege for seven months in 1991 by the Yugoslav People’s Army.

Awarded UNESCO status for its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town, it has been widely filmed as the fictional King's Landing in Game of Thrones.

Its Jesuit Stairs are famous for Cersei Lannister's infamous 'Walk of Shame' and scenes from Star Wars (Episode VIII) and the American film version of Robin Hood were produced there.

Our visit took on a more sombre tone at a photography exhibition, that informed us more of the horrific events of the 1991 seige, known as The Battle of Vukovar.

Kupari – Sobering Reminder Of Dark Times

Just three miles south of Dubrovnik while walking Bracken, we fell upon the bay of Kupari - a scene of destruction where the shells of five abandoned and derelict luxury hotels bore the scars of bullet holes.

It transpired that the resort, built in the 1970s and 1980s for the Yugoslav army elite, was attacked in 1991 by the Yugoslav People’s Army during the initial stages of the Croatian War of Independence.

Croatia's independence was internationally recognised in January 1992.

An eerie silence hung over the sobering devastation which is just a 14 minute drive from the pulsating heart of Dubrovnik where tourists and locals mingle carefree in cafes amid magnificent surroundings.

While Croatia's past may be tarnished, its future is undoubtedly bright as it rightly earns its place among Europe's top destinations.

It certainly earned our vote after three glorious weeks of touring its eclectic treasures across over 800 land and sea miles.


TRAVEL FACTS

Croatia’s official tourist website
Rijeka Tourist Board
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Krka National Park
Omis attractions