Croatia. A country of stunning landscapes and seascapes. A country where you can enjoy small towns with locals or party with the jetsetters on one of the many islands. A country not long ago ravaged by war but now enjoying such a resurgence in tourism that it is the 18th most visited country in the world. A country that has in the past been ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, The Hapsburgs and Yugoslavia, before finally gaining independence again in 1991. A fascinating country filled with UNESCO World Heritage sites and I have to admit possibly now my favourite country in Europe.

Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is without a doubt the jewel of the Adriatic and most travellers number one highlight of a visit to Croatia. One of the best preserved medieval walled cities in the world, a walk on top of the almost 2km of walls is a must do and provides gorgeous views over the water and the terracotta roof tiles adorning all structures in the old town.

You can swim off the rocks hugging the walls on the east side of town or go kayaking around Lokrum island while getting wonderful views back to the old town from the water. I highly recommend the Game of Thrones walking tour for fans of the show, though there are also regular historical walking tours available. Finally, a ride in the cable car to Fort Imperial on Mount Srd is the ideal way to end the day and watch the sunset.

Hvar
I chose to stay on the island of Hvar for 5 nights for some rest and relaxation after an exhausting 2 months constantly on the move. It looked like the ideal location for some serious beach time. I didn’t research well enough though and missed the fact that at night it transforms into a major party town. Oh well, sometimes partying is a great way to unwind too!

There are a lot of activities available during the day beside beach bumming, including some great boat trips to nearby islands and the blue and green caves, walks around the stunning coastline, and sunset watching from atop the old fort towering over the town.

Split
The old walled town of Split was built in year 305 and is the oldest preserved Roman palace in the world. Known as Diocletian’s Palace, it was built by Emperor Diocletian as his retirement palace (the only Roman emperor to retire!) Wandering and getting lost in the small and sometimes very narrow winding streets is the best way to enjoy the town, but the best way to learn more about the city and its inhabitants (which is a must to fully appreciate what you are seeing) is to take a walking tour with Split Walking Tours (see if you can get Danko as a guide, he was amazing). There are also more Game of Thrones sites here for the aficionado.

Plitvice Lakes
No visit to Croatia is complete without a visit inland to Plitvice Lakes National Park and a walk around the stunning complex of 16 lakes and cascades. At the height of summer it can seem like every tourist in Croatia is there, so try to get there early to avoid the crowds. It got mighty frustrating!

Krka National Park is another option if you can’t make it to Plitvice, and being closer to the coast it can be done in a (long) daytrip from Split. The advantage Krka has over Plitvice is that you can swim in some of the waterfalls. Plitvice is strictly no swimming allowed.

Zagreb
The capital of Croatia is worth a visit for a few days, with a vibrant up and coming restaurant and bar scene and some great museums (including my favourite, the Museum of Broken Relationships). Tkalciceva street and its surrounds is where you’ll find lots of trendy and hip restaurants and bars nestled between historical buildings. The upper town, Gornji Grad, is the historical centre and fascinating to wander around, with views over the rest of the city.