When thinking about where to spend summer in Europe, Croatia instantly came to mind. Offering both a beach trip and walking holiday, with parks, forests and mountains for hiking, as well as plenty of history, Croatia has it all.
Split
Split is a great base for exploring Croatia. I’ve visited before so didn’t feel the need to hit as many of the ‘must-see’ tourist sites this time around, read my post on summer in Split if you’re looking to explore the city itself. These are the top things to do in Split that I loved this time around:
Marjan Park
Marjan Park is the real gem of Split, a lush pine forest park in the heart of the city, with trails to run, walk and bike (available to hire at the gates). There are small rocky beaches and coves to stop off at for a dip and if you climb the 314 steps to the highest point you’ll be rewarded with views across the city. We stayed right next to the park and really made the most of early morning runs and bike rides along the waterfront.
Kasjuni beach
There are lots of rocky city beaches in Split, popular with locals and tourists alike, so if you’re looking for a quick dip in the sea and a spot to read your book you’ll be spoilt for choice. However, further outside of the city centre is ‘hidden gem’ Kasjuni beach. The pine backed stony beach is a really lovely spot to spend the day. Arrive early to beat the crowds!
Old town
Wandering through Diocletian’s Palace at night is nothing short of magic. The Roman structure, built between the third and fourth century A.D, makes up about half of the old town so you’re walking through a little slice of history. The harbour area is a great spot for sunset and people watching, with lots of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Hvar & Brac
Split has direct links to many of the other islands that make Croatia such a popular holiday destination. We took a ferry from Split to Hvar by booking tickets online the day before (you can also do this in person at the ticket office at the port).
Hvar took around an 1.5 hours on a small passenger-only ferry. You arrive in the main town and return by hourly ferry from the same drop-off point. The port town of Hvar is really beautiful, with a long sea-front promenade that wraps around the island, and lots of winding narrow streets. We decided to visit the castle and enjoy the views out across the sea before heading to Bonj beach for a swim in the warm, sheltered water.
Brac is accessible by car ferry from Split in around 50 minutes and you can buy tickets in the same way. The island is home to the iconic Zlatni rat beach, known as the Golden Horn, which was our main reason for the day trip. Spend a day relaxing on the beautiful beach, walking through the pine forests and cooling off in the sea. The area is hugely popular and will be busy in the summer but if you walk far enough it’s possible to find a little slice of paradise.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
I’m going to write a seperate guide to the lakes because it was the absolute highlight of the trip. The Plitvice Lakes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest and oldest national park in Croatia. Visitors are treated to beautiful walks through the pine forests to see the unique lake system with its brilliant blue water and cascading waterfalls along the trail.
When you arrive you’re given the choice of which route to walk through the park and you’ll see that the shorter routes, which offer a boat trip across the lake and panoramic train ride, are incredibly busy even if you arrive early. We walked the longest route, which was 17.5km and definitely worth doing, as we got away from the crowds and took our time to enjoy the views. The walk was around 4.5 hours, including lots of stopping to take in the stunning scenery, take photos and eat our packed lunch lake side (top ten most beautiful places I’ve eaten a sandwich?). It felt like every corner we turned offered another breathtaking view – a feeling almost impossible to sum up in words so I’ll leave you with some photos instead.
Where are your favourite summer destinations? Is Croatia on your travel bucket list?
