Croatia Lonely

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

“ All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!” TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Croatia ....... Map .................................. 17 Top Experiences ........ Need to Know ................. What’s New ..................... If You Like... ..................... Month by Month ............. Itineraries ........................ Travel with Children ...... Regions at a Glance .......

Go further with Lonely Planet 1

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

Find a flight

to help you put together your perfect trip

Find the right flight through our online booking service.

Reserve a room

2 4 6 14 16 17 19 22 30 33

Visit the Lonely Planet website to book author-reviewed and recommended accommodation for any price range.

Welcome to

Croatia

Croatia costs a fraction of what you’ll pay on the coast. The chic and trendy outposts may make you forget that a civil war raged through Croatia in the 1990s. The way in which the country has bounced back is a sign of its people’s resilience – people who are remarkable hosts once you cross the tourist–local barrier.

Croatia’s Brand of Tourism

14

Need to Know

Despite its reputation as Europe’s vacation hot spot, Croatia hasn’t given in to mass tourism. The ‘Mediterranean As It Once Was’ motto of Croatia’s tourist board may be overblown in popular destinations where development has taken a Àrm hold, but pockets of authentic culture can be found and there’s still plenty to discover o՗ the grid. This country in transition, onCurrency the brink between Mitteleuropa Language and Mediterranean, o՗ers good news for visi» Kuna (KN) » Croatian tors on all budgets: Croatia is as diverse as its landscapes. Some of the more popular Adriatic locales come with hefty price tags in the summer months, while continental

When to Go?

Coastal Croatia There’s a buzz and an undeniable star appeal to Croatia’s coast. You’ll get glitz and glamour in Dubrovnik and Hvar, where night action and celebrity-spotting, designer cocktail in hand, is de rigueur, and fancy yachts dock in droves. For those wanting peace and quiet, hideaways aplenty wait to

Your Daily Budget

lonelyplanet.com/destinations

3

450KN

» Private

#

#

accommodation; dorm beds around 150KN

Rijeka GO May–Sep

» Plenty of markets for

self-caterers » Cheap taverns, pizza

and ice-cream » Lots of free activities

33

regions at a glance

Midrange

HUNGARY

# ZAGREB _

SLOVENIA

#

SER É

É

• # Plitvice Lakes National Park # Krka Zadar • National • # Park # Kornati • Islands É• #• ## Solin Trogir • Split

BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA

É

É

Warm to hot summers, mild winters Warm to hot summers, cold winters Mild summers, cold winters

#

Dubrovnik GO Apr–Oct

Low Season (Oct–Apr)

» The coast is

» Winters in

midrange hotel

the best weather. Hvar Island gets the most sun, followed by Split, Korÿula Island and Dubrovnik.

gorgeous, the Adriatic is warm enough for swimming, the crowds are sparse and prices are lower.

continental Croatia are cold and prices are low.

» Prices are at their

» In spring and early summer, the steady maestral wind makes sailing great.

» Southeasterly winds produce heavy cloud cover; northeasterlies bring powerful gusts of dry air and blow away clouds.

shop.lonelyplanet.com/phrasebooks

» A tour or two, plus

activities

Top end over

900KN

» Small boutique

hotels and four-star properties

4

» Meals in top-tier

restaurants » Spa treatments » Tours, trips and car

rental

É

Cafe Culture A bastion of Europe’s famed cafe culture, Zagreb’s sidewalk cafes are perennially packed (except in winter), offering strong coffee that packs a punch, and the chance to lazily linger over a cup for hours on end. The prime time to experience this is during the coffee-sipping and peoplewatching ritual known as špica, which happens on warm-weather Saturday mornings, when everyone and their mother comes out to show off their latest outfits.

Food On the food front, there is plenty to explore in Croatia’s capital, which has become a foodie destination in recent years. A handful of destination restaurants showcase innovative culinary specialities prepared with highquality ingredients from around the country, while inexpensive taverns serve no-frills but real-deal traditional fare to acquaint

É

Y

MONTENE • # Dubrovnik

Architecture Soak up the baroque architecture of Varaždin. Its 18thcentury buildings shine bright in their fully restored glory, with facades freshly painted in the original pastels: ochres, pinks, pale blues and creams.

With just a few words in the local language you can make a real connection when you travel. Our superb range of phrasebooks and language apps is guaranteed to get you talking, no matter where you’re going.

» Double room in a

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Cafe Culture 333 Museums & Galleries 3 Food 3

Talk to locals

restaurants and drinks at night

Shoulder (May–Jun & Sep)

» Peak season brings

highest and coastal destinations at their busiest.

lonelyplanet.com/apps

» Meals in decent

High Season (Jul & Aug)

É

Medieval Castles Postcard-perfect fairy-tale castles dot the wooded hills of this bucolic region. The neo-Gothic Trakošùan offers an intimate insight into the life of former Croatian nobility, while the formidable Veliki Tabor, complete with towers, turrets and other castle trimmings, looks down from a verdant hilltop.

• #

R I AT I C SEA

450– 900KN

Split GO Apr–Oct

Pag Island

Zagorje

Zagreb

Looking for ideas and advice on a specific destination? Want to share your experiences with the most active travel community? Then head to Thorn Tree, Lonely Planet’s forum, where you’ll find new posts every 12 seconds.

Discover and book amazing experiences online for destinations around the globe.

Budget less than

Medieval Castles 33 Architecture 3 Countryside 3

Talk to other travellers

Book activities

Zagreb GO May–Jul, Sep–Oct

Museums & Galleries Zagreb’s cultural flagship, the swish Museum of Contemporary Art, has brought an artistic flavour to the city’s streetscapes, while the new quirky Museum of Broken Relationships has quickly become a favourite. Then there are the old-timers, such as the Mimara Museum, with a massive collection of painting and sculpture, and the delightful Croatian Museum of Naïve Art. To tap into the contemporary art beat pulsating through the city, don’t miss the independent gallery spaces that put on cutting-edge shows.

2

Book your travels

Check out our full range of guides Travelling somewhere somewhe ewhe ere else? Staying Stayin longer ger in a particular place? Check out our full range of guides, written and researched by expert rt authors to give you an amazing travel experience.

Countryside The pretty pastoral panoramas of Zagorje’s vineyard-covered hills, cornfields, dense forests and gingerbread cottages are the stuff of storybooks. Savour traditional Croatian farm life as it unfolds away from the tourist hullabaloo down south. p68

p38

UNDERSTAND 275 CROATIA PAGE

Croatia Today ................. History ............................. Culture & People ............ The Cuisine ..................... Architecture in Croatia.... The Natural Environment.................... The Arts...........................

276 279 294 299 305

GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

shop.lonelyplanet.com CROATIA

USA

EBOOKS

The same great content with added interactivity.

shop.lonelyplanet.com/ebooks

UK

5

≈ 30 people

e etarians & Vegans A usefu phrase is Ja ne jedem meso (I don’t eat meat), but even then you may be served soup with bits of bacon swimming in it. That is slowl hanging and vegetarians are making inroads in Croatia, but chan e re mostly happening in the larger cities. Zagreb, Rijeka, Split an Du rovnik now have vegetarian restaurants, and even standard restaurant in the big cities are beginning to offer vegetarian menus. Vegetarian may have a harder time in the north (Zagorje) and the east (Slavonia where traditional fare has meat as its main focus. Specialities that don’ a (bean and fresh maize soup) an use meat include maneštra od bobiùa

There’s an olive tree on Veli Brijun in the Brijuni Islands proven to be 160 Early Greek and Roman manuscripts praised the quality of Istrian olive revival of this ancient agricultural activity, with 94 listed growers on the and a network of signposted olive oil roads. In Istria, the plant is cultivat attention, and each tree given love and care. Several growers have recei international awards and top marks for their fruity nectars, which is no competitive world olive oil market. Duilio Beliù is a relative newbie on the scene. The son of a miner, he g and went on to become a successful Zagreb businessperson before sta production. With his wife, Bosiljka, an agriculture specialist, he bought a Fažana a decade ago and started what has become a real hit among go has five olive groves in Istria, with a total of 5500 trees. Under the brand

Croatia Today Brand New to the EU Precariously poised between the Balkans and Central Europe, Croatia has something of a love-hate affair with the outside world, including its next-door neighbours. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Croatia joining the EU in July 2013 opened a can of worms. Slovenia keeps nitpicking and com li cating life for Croatia; and with Europe heaving under the debt crisis, Germany is displaying discomfort about extending the borders of the EU On home turf, things aren’t simple either. In January 2012, about 44% of Croats turned u to vote in the referendum on the EU ascension and d h j i i b i f i d d

ISBN 978-1-74220-302-7

9 781742 203027

croatia-7-cover.indd 2

DISCOVER DISC OVER

Full-colour F ll l iimages and top itineraries.

population per sq km

THE OLIVE OIL BOOM OF ISTRIA

308 311

COUNTRY COUNTR COUN TR RY & RE REGIONAL EGION GIONAL AL

Th ffreedom The d you need d to t plan the perfect trip.

can make sense of what you see

Get inspired to travel The award-winning Lonely Planet Traveller is the most exciting magazine for people who want to see more of the world. Go online to find out more and see the latest subscription offer.

lonelyplanet.com/magazine STAY IN TOUCH lonelyplanet.com/contact

52599

Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

AUSTRALIA Locked Bag 1, Footscray, Victoria 3011 %03 8379 8000, fax 03 8379 8111

twitter.com/ lonelyplanet

USA 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607 %510 250 6400, toll free 800 275 8555, fax 510 893 8572

facebook.com/ lonelyplanet

UK Media Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ %020 8433 1333, fax 020 8702 0112

lonelyplanet.com/ newsletter

10/01/2013 4:31:16 PM

PAGE

36

ON THE ROAD

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

Zagorje p68

Zagreb

_ p38

Slavonia

Kvarner Istria

p81

p131

p95

Northern Dalmatia p167

Split & Central Dalmatia p196

Dubrovnik & Southern Dalmatia p242

SURVIVAL 317 GUIDE PAGE

Directory A–Z ................. 318 Transport ........................ 326 Language ........................ 332 Index ................................ 340 Map Legend .................... 351

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

t under a (7KN e, including

ompanies ompanies listed here mong the largest. totrans (%060 30 20 ; www.autotrans.hr) Based n Rijeka. Connections to stria, Zagreb, Varaždin and Kvarner. Brioni Pula (%052 535 155; www.brioni.hr) Based in Pula. Connections to Istria, Padua, Split, Trieste and Zagreb. Contus (%023 317 062) Based in Zadar. Connections o Split and Zagreb. roatiabus (%01-61 13 073; ww.croatiabus.hr) Connects greb with towns in Zagorje Istria. oborÿek (%01-48 19 w.samoborcek.hr) greb with towns in

a few years old and mak some routes much faster. It is unknown when the ‘autoroute’ is expected to reach Dubrovnik. Zagreb and Rijeka are now connected by motorway, and an Istrian motorway has shortened the travel time to Italy considerably. Although the new roads are in excellent condition, there are stretches where service stations and facilities are scarce. Note that if you are using the motorway to go south

dam Otherw ity for dam vehicle is us as a percentag value, beginning 2000KN.

Driving Licenc Any valid driving licen ficient to drive legally a a car; an international d licence is not necessary The Hrvatski Autok (HAK, Croatian Auto Club; 40 800; www.hak.hr; Aven Dubrovnik 44) offers help advice. To get help on th road, you can contact H

ROAD DISTANCES (KM)

chedules us tickthe

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Anja Mutić and Vesna Maric

--495

---

601

459

---

216

494

34

340

566

572

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first

Look out for these icons: Our author’s top recommendation

A green or sustainable option

No payment required

ZAGREB . . . . . . . . . . . .38 AROUND ZAGREB . . . . . . . . 65 Medvednica Nature Park . . .65 Samobor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

ZAGORJE . . . . . . . . . . .68 Varaždin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Varaždinske Toplice . . . . . . .75 Trakošćan Castle . . . . . . . . .76 Krapina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Veliki Tabor Castle . . . . . . . .79 Kumrovec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Klanjec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Marija Bistrica . . . . . . . . . . 80

SLAVONIA . . . . . . . . . . 81 Osijek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Baranja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Vukovar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Ilok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

ISTRIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 THE ISTRIAN COAST . . . . . . 97 Pula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Brijuni Islands . . . . . . . . . . .105 Rovinj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 Around Rovinj . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Poreč . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 THE ISTRIAN INTERIOR . . 118 Labin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Vodnjan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Svetvinčenat . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Pazin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Gračišće . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Buzet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

On the Road Around Buzet . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Motovun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Istarske Toplice . . . . . . . . . .129 Grožnjan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

KVARNER . . . . . . . . . . 131 KVARNER COAST . . . . . . . . 133 Rijeka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Opatija . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 Volosko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 KRK ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Krk Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Punat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Vrbnik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Baška . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 CRES & LOŠINJ ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Cres Island . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 Lošinj Island . . . . . . . . . . . .155 RAB ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Rab Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Lopar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

NORTHERN DALMATIA . . . . . . . . . 167 ZADAR REGION . . . . . . . . . 169 Zadar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Ugljan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Plitvice Lakes National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Paklenica National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Starigrad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 DUGI OTOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Sali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

Telašćica Bay . . . . . . . . . . .183 Božava . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183 PAG ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Pag Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184 Novalja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186 ŠIBENIK-KNIN REGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Šibenik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Krka National Park . . . . . . .193 Kornati Islands . . . . . . . . . .194

SPLIT & CENTRAL DALMATIA . . . . . . . . . 196 SPLIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 AROUND SPLIT. . . . . . . . . . 215 Šolta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Solin (Salona) . . . . . . . . . . .216 TROGIR & AROUND . . . . . . 216 Trogir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Around Trogir . . . . . . . . . . 220 MAKARSKA RIVIERA . . . . . 221 Makarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221 Brela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 BRAČ ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Supetar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Bol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227 HVAR ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . .230 Hvar Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Stari Grad . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Jelsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 VIS ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Vis Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237 Komiža . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Biševo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

DUBROVNIK & SOUTHERN DALMATIA . . . . . . . . .242 DUBROVNIK . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 AROUND DUBROVNIK. . . .260 Lokrum Island . . . . . . . . . . 260 Elafiti Islands . . . . . . . . . . 260 Mljet Island . . . . . . . . . . . . .261 Cavtat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Trsteno Gardens . . . . . . . . 264 KORČULA ISLAND . . . . . . . 264 Korčula Town . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Lumbarda . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Vela Luka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 PELJEŠAC PENINSULA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Orebić . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272 Ston & Mali Ston . . . . . . . .273

333 Croatia ›3 R

R

Zagorje Drava Take in postcard-pretty hilltop castles (p68)

'

w

w

Ptuj

Čakovec

\ #

\ #

] #

Varaždin

Zagreb Partake in happening cafe culture (p38)

_ #

\ #

LJUBLJANA ] #

\ #

ZAGREB

SLOVENIA

Monfalcone

Zabok

_ #

\ #

Novo Mesto

Portogruaro ^ Trieste #

Portorož # \

upa ] K # Karlovac

Obruč V Planik (1272m)R Pazin

R

Rijeka

^ #

Viševica

Labin

\ Rovinj #

Krk

\ #

45°N

\ #

Pula

] #

Istria Food and wine-infused dolce vita (p95)

\ Glina #

R (1428m)

\ #

Sisak ] # Sa Petrinja va ] #

Krk

Otocač

Kvarner Cres Gulf

\ #

Rab

a Un ] #

Šatorina (1623m)

Bihac

R

Bosansko Petrovac

13°E

\ #

Vaganski (1623m)

Pag

R

Rt Kamenjak Wild cape of otherworldly beauty (p101)

\ #

Gračac

Zadar ] #

44°N

44°N

Knin

Cres Island Raw, mysterious and wildlife-rich (p149)

Pesaro ^ #

Senigallia

Ancona

^ #

^ Macerata #

Perucko Jezero

Šibenik

ADRIATIC SEA

] #

] #

Zadar Hip, ancient and down to earth (p169)

Civitanova Marche

^ #

Split

Paklenica National Park Hike high alpine peaks (p179)

14°E

\ #

Vis

Biševo Visit the blue-lit sea cave (p241)

^ #

15°E

^ Teramo #

Pescara

^ #

Split Wander through buzzing Diocletian’s Palace (p206) 16°E

Ascoli Piceno

16°E

43°N

ITALY

\ #

Top Experiences › e # 0 0

Nagykanizsa \ #

100 km 50 miles

Szeged ] #

] #

Koprivnica

] #

^ Pécs #

] #

Mohacs

Bjelovar \ #

] #

\ Subotica #

HUNGARY

Kopački Rit Birdwatchers’ paradise (p90)

Virovitica

^ Osijek #

Kapavac (790m) R

Kutina

Nova Gradiška

\ #

SERBIA

Našice

Vukovar

Slavonska Pozega

\ #

\ #

] #

] #

Ðakovo

] #

\ #

Vinkovci

Slavonski

Backa Palanka

^ Brod #

Novi Sad # ^ Sremska Mitrovica ] #

Prijedor \ #

BELGRADE

] Sava Brčko #

Banja Luka

Jajce

] #

_ #

Šabac \ #

Plitvice Lakes National Park Lush, watery paradise (p177) Bol Hit the waves off Brač (p227)

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA ] #

Travnik

Cacak ] #

_ SARAJEVO #

Livno \ #

\ Goražde #

Sinj

\ #

Konjic

Ne

tva re ] #

Dubrovnik An exercise in history and heart-stopping beauty (p244)

Mostar

ar \ #

17°E

Korčula

ELEVATION

Metkovic

1500m

\ #

Neum

MONTENEGRO ] #

Mljet

] #

^ #

Trebinje

Nikšic

1000m 700m 500m 300m 200m

Dubrovnik 18°E

Hvar Town Hoity-toity parties on the beach (p230) 17°E

\ #

Mljet Island Heavenly isle with cobalt-coloured lakes (p261)

100m

Herceg Novi ] #

0

OUR STORY

A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London, Oakland and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS Anja Mutić Coordinating Author, Zagreb, Zagorje, Slavonia, Istria, Split & Central Dalmatia It’s been more than two decades since Anja left her native Croatia. The journey took her to several countries before she made New York City her base 13 years ago. But the roots are a’calling. She’s been returning to Croatia frequently for work and play, intent on discovering a new place on every visit, be it a nature park, an offbeat town or a remote island. She’s happy that Croatia’s beauties are appreciated worldwide, but secretly longs for the time when you could head to Hvar and hear the sound of crickets instead of blasting music. Anja also wrote the Welcome to Croatia, 17 Top Experiences, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like, Month by Month, Itineraries, Regions at a Glance, Croatia Today, Culture & People and Read more about Anja at: The Cuisine chapters. lonelyplanet.com/members/anjamutic Vesna Maric Kvarner, Northern Dalmatia, Dubrovnik & Southern Dalmatia Vesna was born in Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina, but has always cherished the Adriatic coast above all other places. Getting a chance to revisit her beloved Dubrovnik and Zadar, and discover the Kvarner coast and islands, has made her fall in love with Croatia all over again, despite the numerous sea urchins determined to make their way into her heels. For this edition, she particularly loved wandering the tiny streets of Rab Town, swimming off quiet coves on the islands of Lošinj and Cres, and tasting sushi in Dubrovnik, all with her two-year-old in tow. Vesna also wrote the Travel with Children, History, The Natural Environment, The Arts, Directory A–Z and Transport chapters.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN 36 005 607 983 Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about 7th edition – April 2013 the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxiISBN 978 1 74220 302 7 mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. © Lonely Planet 2013 Photographs © as indicated 2013 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

22

Itineraries Essential Croatia Two Weeks Take in the heavyweights of Croatia in this two-week journey from the continent to the coast, including the capital city, a pair of national parks and the gems of the Dalmatian coast.

HUNGARY

SERBIA É

Pag Island • # Plitvice Lakes

É

ITALY

É

# Kornati • Islands

National Park Krka National • # Park

BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA

É

# Zadar •

É

É

• #

A D R I AT I C SEA

É

# Solin #• #• Trogir • Split

É

MONTENEGRO • # Dubrovnik

» Start in the capital, Zagreb (p38), and take a long weekend to delve into its simmering nightlife, fine restaurants and choice museums. » Head south to the World-Heritage-listed Plitvice Lakes National Park (p177) and spend the day exploring its verdant maze of turquoise lakes and cascading waterfalls. » Go down to Zadar (p169), one of Croatia’s most underrated cities. It’s a real find: historic, modern, active and packed with attractions. » Take a day trip to Pag Island (p184) and try some of that famous cheese. If it’s the height of summer, go partying on one of its beaches.

Clockwise from top left 1 Dalmatian architecture, Trogir (p216) 2 Church of St Donat, Zadar (p169) 3 Skradinski Buk, Krka National Park (p193)

» Swim under the stupendous falls at Krka National Park (p193) or chill out at the gorgeous Kornati Islands (p194). » Stroll through the pretty streets of postcard-perfect Trogir (p216). » Meander around the Roman ruins of Solin (p216). » Prepare yourself for one of the region’s best sights: Diocletian’s Palace in Split (p197) is a living part of this exuberant seafront city. » Next, take it easy down the winding coastal road to Dubrovnik (p242), a magnificent city whose beauty is bound to blow you away.

IAN SHIVE / GETTY IMAGES ©

# ZAGREB _

SLOVENIA

23 EMANUELE CICCOMARTINO / GETTY IMAGES ©

HIROSHI HIGUCHI / GETTY IMAGES ©

24 CESAR LUCAS ABREU / GETTY IMAGES ©

Cream of the Coast Two Weeks Discover the stunners of Croatia’s coast in two weeks – from Istria’s favourite getaways to the jewels of Kvarner and all the way south to Dalmatia’s greatest hits, both on the mainland and the islands.

Opatija Rijeka

CROATIA

É

É

# Pula •

RUTH EASTHAM & MAX PAOLI / GETTY IMAGES ©

• #• #

É

Poreč • # # Rovinj •

Lopar

• # • # Rab Town

É

BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA

• # Zadar

É

» Start your journey in the town of Poreč (p113), admiring the World-Heritage-listed Euphrasian Basilica. » Head south for the Venetian-inspired architecture and cobblestone streets of Rovinj (p106). » Move on to Pula (p98) to tour the evocative Roman ruins and amphitheatre, and enjoy some beachside R&R. » Go north, making a pit stop in the old Austrian resort of Opatija (p139) for a stroll along the seaside promenade and killer views of the Kvarner coast. » From nearby Rijeka (p133), Kvarner’s capital, you can take a catamaran to pretty Rab Town (p161) on Rab Island. After wan-

Clockwise from top left 1 Old Town, Split (p197) 2 Diving at Vis Island (p238) 3 Opatija (p139) 4 Euphrasian Basilica (p114), Poreč

‚

Dubrovnik É

ITALY

Split • # É Brela • # Pakleni É • # É Bol Islands • # • # Hvar Island Vis Island # Mljet • É

A D R I AT I C SEA

• #

dering the ancient town, relax on the aptly named Paradise Beach at Lopar (p166). » Next, visit historic Zadar (p169) for its wealth of museums, churches, cafes and bars. » Travel south to Split (p197), a buzzing city and a great base to explore the beaches of Brela (p224) and the nearby islands. » On Brač, visit pretty Bol (p227). » Hop over to chic Hvar Island (p230) and the Pakleni Islands (p232) for some clothing-optional sunbathing. » For a few days of real rest, great food and plenty of diving, Vis (p237) is your island. » From Split, drive down to Dubrovnik (p242) to explore the city’s gleaming marble streets, vibrant street life and fine architecture. » Don’t miss a hop to the gorgeous island of Mljet (p261), where the verdancy, salt lakes and tranquillity heal the soul.

FRANCO BANFI / GETTY IMAGES ©

STUART BLACK / GETTY IMAGES ©

26 JOHN ELK / GETTY IMAGES ©

City & Country: Zagreb & Around One Week Soak up the delights of the pocket-size capital of Zagreb and then head off for green pastures, old towns and fairy-tale castles.

• #

É

Varaždin

É

• #

É

Krapina

• #

É • #

• #

Klanjec

Marija Bistrica

É

# Kumrovec •

# Zagorje •

É

CROATIA

É

• #

Samobor

# ZAGREB _

» Start off in Croatia’s dynamic capital, Zagreb (p38), to enjoy its museums, art and nightlife. » Head to charming little Samobor (p66) for top-class cakes and countryside treks. » Go forth and explore where not many tourists have gone before in Zagorje (p68), a bucolic landscape of forests, pastures and farms. Start with Klanjec (p80) and discover the art of Antun Augustinčić in the town museum. » Don’t miss the birthplace of Croatia’s most famous son – Josip Broz Tito – at Kumrovec (p80). It’s not a communist site but a fascinating examination of traditional village life.

Clockwise from top left 1 Samobor (p66) 2 Zagorje (p68) 3 Dining in Zagreb (p55) 4 Trakošćan Castle (p76)

» To get acquainted with your Neanderthal ancestors, visit the swanky Museum of the Krapina Neanderthal in Krapina (p77). » If you have a thing for the mystery of times past, you’ll revel in Trakošćan Castle (p76) and its verdant grounds. » For more history, head to the beautifully restored castle-fortress at Varaždin (p69). Immerse yourself in the town’s baroque architecture for an afternoon. » On the way south, stop at the pilgrimage site of Marija Bistrica (p80) for heady views of the surrounding region.

JOHN ELK / GETTY IMAGES ©

Trakošćan Castle

SLOVENIA

KEN GILLHAM / GETTY IMAGES ©

TRISH PUNCH / GETTY IMAGES ©

28 ADAM JONES / GETTY IMAGES ©

East to West: Slavonia & Istria 10 Days Explore the bucolic region of Slavonia in Croatia’s east, then head southwest to the Istrian peninsula for hilltop medieval towns, top food and rural hotels.

HUNGARY

Karanac

‚ ‚

Grožnjan Motovun # Buzet • # • • #• # Hum • # Pazin # Istria • #• • # Svetvinčenat Bale

CROATIA

• #

• #

• #

É

SERBIA

Osijek

É

É

‚ ‚

Kopački Rit Nature Park É

SLOVENIA

BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA

É

A D R I AT I C SEA

» Start your trip in Slavonia, on the eastern edge of Croatia. Explore the Hungarianinfluenced town of Osijek (p84) on the Drava River. » Move on to Kopački Rit Nature Park (p90), with its profusion of birdlife and lush waterways. » Next, spend a day in the ethno-village of Karanac (p91), enjoying local food specialities and traditions. » Head southwest towards Istria (p95). The Istrian peninsula carries the foodie crown for its delicate truffles, air-dried ham, yummy olives and excellent wines. Stop for a meal and a wander around the world’s smallest town, Hum (p127).

Clockwise from top left 1 Bale (p113) 2 Motovun (p128) 3 Croatian olive oil and preserves

» Explore the truffle epicentre of Buzet (p125) and its scenic surroundings. » Head towards Pazin (p123) to walk through its famous chasm, which inspired Jules Verne. » Drive on to the gorgeous hilltop settlements of Motovun (p128) and Grožnjan (p130). » On the way south, stroll through scenic Svetvinčenat (p122), which has a Renaissance-era main square with a castle. » Unwind in captivating Bale (p113).

MARTIN CHILD / GETTY IMAGES ©

AUSTRIA

29 WAYNE WALTON / GETTY IMAGES ©

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’