Things to do Croatia

Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic, political and administrative center of Croatia as well as one of the leading economic hubs known for its business, congress and cultural tourism, lying on the intersection of important routes between the Adriatic coast and Central Europe.

This charming central-European capital is increasingly chosen by visitors from all over the world, and particularly by business executives seeking a fascinating new destination for their conventions, conferences and meetings.  In spite of the rapid development of the economy and transportation, Zagreb has retained its charm, and a relaxed feeling that makes it a genuinely human city.

Besides being a commercial hub and a popular international conference venue, the capital is a tourist centre with rich historical and cultural heritage dating back nearly a thousand years.

This metropolis is an attractive medieval city with architecture and cobbled streets reminiscent of Vienna, Budapest, Prague and other Central-European capitals, boasting an abundance of museums on many subjects ranging from archeology to contemporary art as well as picturesque open-air markets, diverse shopping facilities, an abundant selection of crafts and green parks and walks, with many places to visit in the beautiful surroundings.

Whether you arrive in Zagreb as business guests or as tourists, you will be surprised by the dynamic changes that continue to occur within the hospitality community and the rich variety of services and amenities on offer.

Archeological museum

The Archeological Museum, founded in 1846, is one of the popular attractions of the Croatian capital. It exhibits a collection of over 400 000 different artifacts organized into various exhibitions. The prehistoric collection is a depiction of the development of many cultures, from the Paleolithic to the Early Iron Age.

In the Antique collection there are Greek and Roman monuments of domestic and foreign origin. This museum holds the Egyptian collection, the only one of its kind in the south east part of Europe, as well as one of the biggest numismatic collections in the world.

An exceptional find is the Zagreb Mummy in linen bands with the world's longest extant Etruscan text. In the courtyard of the museum lies the "Lapidarium" with an interesting collection of Roman stone monuments.

Archeological museum

The Archeological Museum, founded in 1846, is one of the popular attractions of the Croatian capital. It exhibits a collection of over 400 000 different artifacts organized into various exhibitions.

The prehistoric collection is a depiction of the development of many cultures, from the Paleolithic to the Early Iron Age. In the Antique collection there are Greek and Roman monuments of domestic and foreign origin.

This museum holds the Egyptian collection, the only one of its kind in the south east part of Europe, as well as one of the biggest numismatic collections in the world. An exceptional find is the Zagreb Mummy in linen bands with the world's longest extant Etruscan text. In the courtyard of the museum lies the "Lapidarium" with an interesting collection of Roman stone monuments.

Andautonia Archaeological Park

Andautonia Archaeological Park, located near the village of Scitarjevo, is one of the most visited attractions in Zagreb. Andautonia was a prominent administrative, economic, cultural and religious centre about 400 years ago. In this archaeological park one can found the remains of the ancient Roman town: city baths, colonnades, side streets etc. Tourists can also visit the village of Scitarjevo, which offers examples of typical rural farms with their characteristic wooden houses.

The Ethnographic Museum

The Ethnographic Museum, opened in 1919, is one of the most important museums in the city. It has been run by prominent personalities in Croatian ethnography and musicology. There are about 80 000 valuable items collected from all over Croatia as well as neighboring and non-European countries. Its collections mainly consist of textile objects (traditional folk with various colors and styles illustrating the regional diversity throughout Croatia), but there are also numerous collections of traditional economy, handicraft, home inventory, crafts and customs.

Split is the second largest city in Croatia and one of the Adriatic's most fascinating ports with a long and eventful history. It is the economic, business, administrative and cultural centre of Dalmatia province as well as one of the most charming cities in Europe.

This 1700 year old town is a part of UNESCO's world heritage, with its numerous archaeological, historical and cultural monuments among which the famous Diocletian's palace. In addition, numerous museums, art galleries, old churches and other archeological sites make it an important cultural attraction.

Split is a busy port, with an international airport and regular ferry services with the nearby islands, the north and south Adriatic, Italy and Greece. The fertile fields around the city represent a good base for agriculture, while cultural monuments, superb landscapes and unparalleled seascapes make it a tourist's wonderland.

Being a sports metropolis, this destination offers almost all land and water sports, including soccer, basketball, tennis, mountain climbing, archery, fishing, water skiing and rowing. All of this is followed by an increase in the hotel and hospitality industry offer that makes a stay in Split and enjoying its content an interesting and pleasant experience.

Diocletian's Palace

Diocletian's Palace, built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the end of the third century AD, is one of Croatia's top sights and one of the best preserved sights of Roman architecture in the world.

Inscribed on UNESCO's World heritage Sites, this monument is a combination of luxurious villas and roman military camps, divided into four sections by two main streets. The south side of the palace was intended for the emperor and the north side for the imperial army, servants and storage areas. It was built out of stone from the island of Brac, decorative details such as the sphinx, marble, and sculpted adornments, brought from Egypt, Italy, and Greece.

The Palace is really one of the most famous and integral architectural and cultural constructs on the Croatian Adriatic coast.

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological museum, founded in 1820, is one of the oldest archaeological museums in Eastern Europe offering a huge stock of archaeological artifacts from prehistoric times, from the Greek colonization of the Adriatic and from the Roman, Early Christian and early medieval ages.

The collection includes many religious objects used by the people who fled to the palace from Salona during the Avar-Slav invasion in the VIIth century. It also displays heavier stone objects such as sarcophagi outdoors.

The museum provides also a large library with about 30 000 books on archaeology and history.

Gallery of Fine Arts

The Gallery of Fine Arts, founded in 1931, is one of the finest museums in Croatia. It offers a permanent exhibition of paintings and sculptures from the XIVth century to the present day including works by major Croatian artists such as Vlaho Bukovac, Mato Celestin Medović, Branislav Dešković, Ivan Meštrović, Emanuel Vidović and Ignjat Job.

The gallery also has an extensive collection of icons from the XVth to the XIXth century, and holds special exhibits of works by contemporary artists.

Zadar, located in central Dalmatia, is one of the Adriatic's most historically interesting towns with a wealth of sightseeing and exciting nightlife. Thousands of international travelers come from across the world to see the large number of tourist attractions in Zadar.

This destination is a quaint town that offers a lot of history and opportunities for relaxation and preserves very old network of narrow and charming city streets, as well as a Roman forum dating back to the first century AD.

Tourist attraction is also based on the combination of yachting tourism, various types of accommodation and catering services, atmosphere, charming beaches and promenades, excursions to closer and farther surroundings, as well as interesting cultural, artistic and entertainment events and programs.

In addition, Zadar provides top conditions for sports and recreational activities. It has numerous tennis courts, football field, basketball and handball courts and great opportunities for water activities, such as sailing, windsurfing, rowing, scuba diving, and angling.

Church of Saint Donat

Church of Saint Donat, dating from the beginning of the XIth century, is one of the most outstanding monuments in Dalmatia. It was built on the remains of an old Roman forum, which was constructed between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD, and some aspects of this are still visible such as 2 massive pillars that stand erect in the church itself and old Roman podiums inscribed with Latin script. This round pre-Romanesque church is one of the largest examples of Byzantine architecture and has become a sort of symbol of Zadar.

Plitvice National Park

Plitvice National Park is Croatia's most popular tourist attraction as well as one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe. This wonderful park, added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979, has always enchanted the interest of tourists from different corners of the world. The beauty of the National Park lies in its sixteen lakes, inter-connected by a series of waterfalls, and set in deep woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species.

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum, founded in 1832, is one of the oldest museums in Croatia. It displays prehistoric archaeological material from the Old and New Stone Ages (Paleolithic and Neolithic), the Metal Ages (Bronze and Iron Ages), the Roman and Byzantine Periods, as well as archaeological remains from the VIIth to the XVth centuries. There are more than 100 000 various items coming from all cultural and historical periods.

The ground floor displays archaeological remains from the VIIth to the XIIth centuries, most related to the material and spiritual culture of the Croats. The first floor exhibits numerous objects illustrating life in northern Dalmatia in the time of the Romans. The second floor houses prehistoric archaeological material from the Stone and Metal Ages (from 10 000 BC to the arrival of the Romans).

Dubrovnik, situated at the edge of the Adriatic Sea in the south of Croatia, is one of the most attractive and prominent tourist resorts of the Mediterranean, thanks to its pleasant climate and sunny days.

This charming city, known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic", was founded in the 7th century as a fortress town. It enjoyed its greatest growth in the 15th and 16th centuries, which is reflected in the impressive architecture.

Dubrovnik is rich in history, natural beauty, beaches, steep cliffs and dense woodland areas. It is home to many famous poets, playwrights, painters etc. Its gorgeous old town became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

The walls are themselves Dubrovnik’s greatest attraction. It is a city of summer festivals, an international parade of top musical and theatrical achievements etc. These values have turned Dubrovnik into a place that offers a rich selection of various experiences and excitement, but also a complete holiday in a quiet and calming, mild Mediterranean ambience and wonderful seaside landscapes.

Dubrovnik city walls

Dubrovnik city walls, built between the 13th and 16th Century, are the most recognizable and defining feature of the town. With a total length of 3 km and a height of 25 m, the walls were built to protect Dubrovnik from invaders.

This impressive Middle Age architecture is one of the most stunning and strongest fort systems in Europe. A wonderful way to experience the city history is to walk around the walls and visit some of their most impressive features.

In fact, the walls encompass five fortresses, sixteen towers and bastions offering a breathtaking panorama views from the top over the Old Town, Island of Lokrum and the sea.

Stradun (Placa)

The main street of Dubrovnik’s old town, called Stradun or the Placa, is the largest and most famous street in the city dividing the core of the old town on northern and southern part.

Dating back to the 12th century, this pedestrian zone becomes one of the busiest places in Dubrovnik. The houses on each side date from the 17th century.

With numerous cultural attractions, trendy cafés, restaurants and shops, the street is a great place to relax and enjoy. At the end of the Placa is the clock tower being built in the 15th century.

The Church of Saint Blaise

The Church of Saint Blaise, located at the eastern end of Stradun, is Dubrovnik's most beloved church. It was originally built in the 14 century; however it was damaged in the 1667 earthquake.

The church was rebuilt in its present baroque style between 1706 and 1714. In fact, it is dedicated to Saint Blaise, the protector of Dubrovnik; Citizens celebrate him for more than a thousand year since the time he saved Dubrovnik from the invaders.

During the days of celebration people are reminded of freedom and hospitality, and the most interesting thing is that criminals were set free from prosecution, according to the law of Dubrovnik Republic.

Inside, there are amazing works of art and sculptures saved from the earlier church most notably a gold-plated statue of Saint Blaise holding a 15th-century model of the city which is brought out each year during the Festival of St Blaise.

This baroque style, domed church has a wide staircase and terrace that attracts tourists to watch numerous important events of the city’s life including New Year’s Eve and the opening night of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.