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Croatia is one of the most picturesque countries in Europe. Here you can find everything: stunning waterfalls, nature reserves, mountains, beautiful beaches and crystal-clear sea, countless unique islands, rich history, medieval towns, ancient fortresses, delicious food, welcoming people, and a high level of safety.
Our journey began in Zagreb. Next, we will head to the country’s most scenic national park, see breathtaking waterfalls, cozy villages, and unique natural spots.
To start, I’ll share a few key facts that are useful for travelers:
When to go? Like in many other European countries, the most pleasant time to visit Croatia (in terms of climate) is late spring or early autumn. BUT during this time the sea is cold. We could only travel in the summer, during school holidays. It’s a hot season, but we still got to enjoy the beautiful sea
Currency and prices. Since 2023, Croatia switched from its local currency (kuna) to the euro. The country is not cheap. Prices were roughly comparable to Canada. Fuel and accommodation (hotels) are more expensive
Accommodations. Hotels were completely out of our budget. We rented apartments everywhere through Airbnb or Booking
Language. Most Croatians speak English. With those who don’t, you can still communicate quite well in Russian and understand each other at least 50%
Getting around. Since we planned to travel a lot across the country, we rented a car. I know many people also use public ground transport as well as boats
Safety. Croatia is considered one of the safest countries in Europe with a low crime rate. During our two-week stay, we never saw police officers, homeless people, or drug users, and everywhere we felt completely safe
And now, let’s go step by step.
Day 1. Arrival in Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital of Croatia. The city is located in the center of the country, which makes it a convenient starting point for traveling both to the north and south of Croatia. In fact, after Zagreb we traveled along the coast all the way to Dubrovnik, and it would have been convenient to fly home from Dubrovnik, but in that case the flight tickets were very expensive. While preparing for the trip, I read many reviews, and a lot of people advised not to stay in Zagreb. We liked Zagreb, even though it was the only city not on the coast. It is cozy, interesting, and the cheapest (I recommend buying souvenirs or other things there). The city airport is also very comfortable and convenient. In Zagreb we rented accommodation right in the city center, so we didn’t need a car there. We took Uber and in 20 minutes arrived at the apartment
We settle in and head out for a walk in the park
By the way, performances like this accompanied us throughout the entire trip. They took place in the most unexpected corners of the cities, even on weekdays.
Jelačić Square is the main square of Zagreb. Just a short walk away is Zagreb Cathedral, one of the city’s symbols, which is almost 1,000 years old
We head to the city’s “most delicious” street — Tkalčićeva Street. It’s lined with countless restaurants. We get to try the local cuisine. We ordered ćevapi — traditional Balkan kebabs. All the cafés and restaurants are full of people
Day 2. Zagreb
Early in the morning, we head to the local market. This is where you can buy fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and flowers
And this is what we saw in a coffee shop — different shampoos, liquid soap, and household cleaning products sold on tap
Cool graffiti right on the pavement and on the walls
And this is the Uspinjača — a funicular connecting the Lower and Upper Town. It is the shortest funicular in the world (66 m). Nearby is Lotrščak Tower — a historic 13th-century tower with a cannon that fires every day exactly at noon (in the past, it was used to signal the time of day and the closing of the city gates)
You can climb the tower to enjoy views of the city from above. Nearby is the beautiful Saint Mark’s Square, with St. Mark’s Church, famous for its striking roof decorated with the coats of arms of Zagreb and Croatia
We continue walking through the city. In one of the parks, there was some kind of festival taking place. We move on and arrive at the National Theatre
We pass a deli shop and realize it’s time for lunch. We try another traditional dish — štrukli. It’s a kind of baked casserole, similar to lasagna, made with dough, cottage cheese, eggs, and sour cream. Depending on the recipe, štrukli can be sweet or savory. We also stop by a bakery
Good news for those watching their diet — bread in Croatia isn’t very tasty. The selection of baked goods is quite limited and mostly consists of various kinds of burek-like pastries. It’s rare to find cafés with croissants, and we never really came across classic pastry cafés with delicious cakes.
We stop by a shopping mall and then take a walk in the park near the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel. It’s a luxurious hotel located in the historic city center
And this is the Gric Tunnel — an underground tunnel built during World War II as a shelter for civilians from bombings
And now it’s time for us to hit the road, because the most exciting part of the journey begins. In the morning, we arrive at the airport to pick up a rental car, and just an hour and a half later we find ourselves in an incredibly beautiful place.
We are heading to Croatia’s most scenic national park — Plitvice Lakes. Here, 16 turquoise lakes at different levels are connected by countless cascading waterfalls. On the way, we stop in the village of Rastoke, known for its beautiful waterfalls and old water mills. Then we continue to the city of Zadar, where we will see and hear the unique sea organ.
Day 3. Driving towards Plitvice Lakes and visiting Rastoke
We leave Zagreb and drive along country roads. In one of the villages along the main road, we see many stork nests. At first, we thought they were artificial decorative birds, but that was before they started moving and flying:)
On the way, we spot a little shop selling truffle products — the Truffle Shop. Croatian truffles are considered among the best in the world. Traditionally, truffles are found with specially trained dogs, and sometimes even pigs are used. The smell is definitely quite distinctive...
And here we are already approaching the small village of Rastoke, near the town of Slunj. The village is absolutely charming. It’s also a lovely place to stay overnight
Or, like we did, you can spend a couple of hours there just walking around and enjoying the views
The most beautiful part is for a fee (20€ for us)
We were already getting hungry. Up on a hill, we spotted some ruins with a restaurant inside, and we headed there. It was incredibly delicious!
It’s time to move on. And just half an hour later, we arrive at our next place to stay, about a 10-minute drive from Plitvice Lakes
A wonderful place in the village of Grabovac. There was a large plaza nearby with different shops. We always bought groceries for breakfast (wherever we stayed, there were good kitchens). During the day we would grab a quick bite somewhere, and in the evenings we went out to restaurants.
Day 4. Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes are the most visited national park in Croatia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a unique natural complex of 16 lakes connected by more than 90 waterfalls. The elevation difference between the highest and lowest lake is 134 meters. The park covers a very large area, most of which consists of forests and meadows.
Entry costs 40€ for adults and 15€ for children. Tickets must be booked in advance (in high season, several weeks ahead) for a specific entry time. Tickets can be booked here. The earlier you arrive, the fewer people there are. You can choose different routes ranging from ~3 km to ~8 km. The most convenient option, in our opinion, is to park at Parking No. 1 and take Route B. This route starts from the lower waterfalls and goes up to the upper ones, so the waterfalls gradually reveal themselves along the way.
Almost at the beginning of the trail, you see the tallest waterfall — Veliki Slap
The weather was wonderful, +25–27°C. But even if it had been hotter, there was plenty of shade in the park. Now we head along the little bridge visible in the photo above and get very close to the waterfall. Waterfalls were everywhere — big ones and very small ones
In the crystal-clear water of the lakes, we could see fish swimming, and we continued on our way
We reach Parking No. 3. This is a stop where you can sit down, take a break, grab a coffee, and also take a boat to continue the route. And we keep going
Somehow, we got off the planned route and instead of the intended 3 km, we ended up walking roughly twice as much. We had already gotten used to the sound of the water and to the constant stream of new waterfalls appearing along our path
And that’s how we reached another stop, where we could take a bus back to the starting point of the route. It was a wonderful day! Just for this park alone, it was already worth visiting Croatia. But we still had many more exciting places ahead...
For now, we set off toward the city of Zadar. When I was planning the trip, I tried to break the route into shorter drives so we wouldn’t have to spend too long on the road, and the longest stretch we had was about 3 hours. Zadar was one of those stops, just for one night, to avoid a long drive to the next destination.
Day 5. Zadar
Zadar is a true tourist city. It’s one of the cities popular with young people, with lots of bars, clubs, and nightlife. There is also the sea, beaches, and water activities. We only had one day in Zadar. Here’s what we managed to see: a marina with boats, a charming poodle, and beautiful teens
The Roman Forum — Roman ruins in the city center, as well as the city promenade. It is quite long. We were very surprised by the lack of any barriers. And the sea along the promenade was quite deep
We walked along the cobblestone streets, enjoyed delicious food, and in the evening listened to a classical music concert together with other enthusiasts
We really liked a gelato chain, not only in Zadar but also in other cities, as well as traditional Croatian fritule doughnuts
Along the promenade, we reach the light installation “Greeting to the Sun” (Pozdrav Suncu), which lights up the square in colorful patterns. During the day, the panels collect solar energy and convert it into electricity. At night, this energy is used both for the installation and for lighting up the entire waterfront.
Day 6. Zadar, drive to Podstrana
Early in the morning, we head to Zadar’s waterfront and walk to the famous Sea Organ (Morske orgulje). It is located right next to “Greeting to the Sun”. The Sea Organ is built into the promenade and consists of marble steps leading down to the sea. Under each step there are pipes of different lengths, diameters, and inclinations that function like organ pipes. When waves hit the shore, water and air are pushed through the pipes. Each pipe is tuned to a specific note, and as a result of the interaction between waves and wind, music is created. The stronger the waves, the louder the sound
And this is what “Greeting to the Sun” looks like early in the morning
Early in the morning, the city is still asleep. This is when we liked it the most
It’s time for us to hit the road again. This time we are heading to relax — simply to rest and swim in the warm waters of the Adriatic Sea. Of course, just relaxing probably won’t be that simple:)
On the way, we stop at a shopping mall, because there is no Bershka in Canada, and the younger child absolutely needed it!
After that, we enjoy a beautiful drive. Soon we arrive in the village of Podstrana, where we will spend a few wonderful days by the sea and beyond. But that’s a story for 2nd part
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