Croatia is a beautiful destination and close to Italy: here are ten good reasons to go there on vacation
In recent years Croatia has won the hearts of many travelers, becoming one of the most interesting and popular summer destinations. More and more tourists are choosing it for their vacations, yet that irresistible love, for many, has not yet broken out.
Croatia is often surpassed by Greece which, for Italians, holds the scepter of queen of the summer and by Spain which has always contended for it. Yet there are many reasons, at least 10, why it is worth going on vacation to Croatia and why you should choose it for your next vacations.
Why go on vacation in Croatia
If you are considering where to go on vacation, you are looking for a place that can offer you a little bit of everything, that is: beautiful landscapes, but that offers adequate accommodation facilities; it is close to Italy, but still has a different culture and makes you feel the thrill of ‘travel’; it offers entertainment, but not only discos all night long; it has culture, but not only that; it has good food, it costs little and it has a beautiful sea and beaches. In short, even if you have many demands Croatia can satisfy them all.
Here are 10 reasons to go on vacation in Croatia
It costs little
It has beautiful islands
It offers a lot of fun
It has 8 national parks
It has historical cities on the sea
It has one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe
It has an excellent cuisine
The sea is beautiful
Lighthouses where to sleep
If you are in Italy you can easily dedicate several days to Croatia
Croatia is easily accessible from Italy whether you live in the North of Italy or in the South. If you are in the North, the best solution is to arrive in Croatia by car. Of course, a lot depends on where you have to go in Croatia: getting to Rovinj from Bologna takes 4 hours, getting to the island of Brac is a 10-hour trip. But if you make it an itinerant trip, you’ll be able to see the beauties of Croatia.
Otherwise, there are ferries that leave from various ports in Italy for specific Croatian destinations. The main ones are those from Ancona, Venice and Bari, which run all year round and more frequently, but there are also other direct routes to the islands.
Here are the main routes:
Ancona to Split, Zadar and Stari Grad
Bari to Dubrovnik
Cesenatico for Zadar, Lussino, Rab, Novaglia
Civitanova Marche for Split, Stari Grad, Hvar
Pesaro for Zadar, Losinj, Rab, Pula
Trieste for Rovinj, Porec, Lošinj
Venice for Pula, Porec, Rovinj, Umag,
Civitanova Marche for Split
A low cost vacation
Croatia will save you money right from the trip. In fact, consider that the ferry trip to Croatia costs very little in high season. How much? In August Ancona-Split costs just 19 euros!
The prices in Croatia even in high season never reach the levels that you might find in other European countries, including Greece, and are much lower than in Italy. Despite the tourist boom, prices are still quite low. For example, you can easily find cheap restaurants where a full lunch costs less than 10 euros.
In high season in Hvar there are good facilities even 3 stars at 80 euros per night. Of course, there are also more expensive solutions, but if you want to save money, Croatia gives you the opportunity to do so.
Croatia has beautiful (and many) islands
Do you love islands? Croatia will satisfy you. There are in fact 1244 islands and islets, some of which are completely uninhabited. The largest and most famous are Hvar, Braci, Rab, Pag, Cres and Uglan and are connected by ferry service, then there are those connected to the mainland by a bridge and you can even reach them by car. These are the islands of Krk, Pag, Murter and Ciovo.
It is said that the best way to visit Croatia is by sailing around its many islands. If you have the possibility, consider renting a sailboat with a skipper and see Croatia from the sea.
Nightlife
When you think of summer fun places, Ibiza and Mykonos immediately come to mind. But Croatia has nothing to envy. There are in fact some islands, or parts of them, that are real oases of wild dancing, clubs and music.
Zrce Beach on the island of Pag has parties on the beach day and night, as well as the island of Hvar famous throughout Europe for its clubs; the beach of Split where the UltraEuropa festival is held, twinned with the Ultra Music of Miami.
Do you love nature? Then you must go to Croatia. Croatia offers a remarkable variety of landscapes that will leave you truly amazed and boasts 8 national parks. The most famous is undoubtedly the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A wonder made of 16 lakes and countless waterfalls in lush nature. You can visit it by panoramic train or electric shuttle, as well as on foot following the trails.
Not to be missed is the natural reserve for dolphins on the island of Losinj. Here you can find Mondo Blu, an aquarium and an educational center on the world of marine fauna. But that’s not all, you can cross the Dolphin Trail, a stretch of sea that connects the two sides of the island, where you’ll see many dolphins playing freely in the sea.
There is also the Brijuni Park with its 14 islands, the Kornati Park with 140 islets and the Paklenica and Velebit Parks.
Cities near the sea
Croatia has a long history behind it and its cities are there to tell the tale. It is dotted with villages and towns by the sea made of medieval walls, towers, churches, historical palaces, cobbled alleys and terraces from which to enjoy a spectacular view of the sea.
If you visit Croatia by car from North to South you will have the opportunity to visit some of these beautiful cities such as Pula, Split, Zagreb and the inevitable Dubrovnik. This city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the wonders of this country.
Staying in a city is also the best way to get to know Croatian culture, relax in a less chaotic environment of the islands and also a good way to save money. Sleep in the city and then leave every day for an excursion.Croatia has a long history behind it and its cities are there to tell the story. It’s dotted with villages and seaside towns made up of medieval walls, towers, churches, historic buildings, cobblestone alleys and terraces from which to enjoy spectacular sea views.
If you visit Croatia by car from North to South you will have the opportunity to visit some of these beautiful cities such as Pula, Split, Zagreb and the inevitable Dubrovnik. This city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the wonders of this country.
Staying in a city is also the best way to get to know Croatian culture, relax in a less chaotic environment of the islands and also a good way to save money. Sleep in the city and then leave every day for an excursion.
One of the best beaches in the World
In Croatia there is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. A truly spectacular beach, which seems a paradise on earth made of white sand, blue sea and around the lush green of the Mediterranean. This is the beach of Zlatni Rat on the island of Brac.
It is also called golden horn because of its particular shape: a triangle of sand and gravel in the blue sea. The shape of this beach changes according to the tides and the wind with the extreme tip moving to the east or west depending on the weather conditions.
The sand composed of pebbles and gravel is very clear, the sea is very clear and the water is fresh. Around the pine forest that offers shady shelter and where there are many bars and clubs. In addition there are the remains of an ancient Roman villa.
The beach is very popular and is suitable for everyone. Families like it, because of the shallow waters, and sportsmen because of the possibility to practice many water sports. There are services and establishments, but also stretches of free beach.
The Sea and the beaches
A vacation in Croatia is definitely about the sea and beaches. In Croatia you will find beautiful ones, surrounded by lush nature. The sea in Croatia is very clean all along the coast, even near the port cities. On the entire coast, 98% of the sea is safe for swimming. Particularly beautiful is the sea that bathes the islands spoiled by currents that make the water even more crystalline.
Another characteristic are the nuances that the Croatian sea boasts. From deep blue to turquoise: a wonder that you can best admire with a trip on a sailing boat. But even in Punta Kamejak on the island of Istria you can see these wonderful colors of the water.
Many beaches in Croatia are rocky and pebbly, but that doesn’t make them any less beautiful. Punta Rata beach in Brela is a pebble beach and has been named one of the most beautiful beaches in the world by Forbes. There is no shortage of sandy beaches such as Zlatni Rat or Zaton a long sandy beach over 1.5 km long.
Good Croatian cuisine
The best way to get to know the culture of a place is at the table. Tasting the typical dishes allows you to get in touch with the traditions of the place. Croatian cuisine is a particular blend of Mediterranean flavors. It must be said that inland cuisine is different from sea cuisine, although fish is very common in both.
In Croatian dishes you will also find Italian flavors, for example among first courses risottos are the most common, especially the one with squid ink and shrimps. Second courses include fish, from clams to the catch of the day, accompanied by vegetables and potatoes. There are also traditional Central European dishes such as ljublianske, an enriched version of Austrian schintzel.
See and sleep in a lighthouse in Croatia
Croatia like few other countries in the world has a huge number of lighthouses. They are one of the most beautiful places to shelter if you want to escape from the crowds, enjoy the silence and the sea. Many of these lighthouses are located on islets really far from everything. In Croatia there is the oldest lighthouse in the Adriatic Sea is the Savudrija lighthouse where you can sleep.
In many of the lighthouses in Croatia it is also possible to stay. Undoubtedly one of the most romantic places to spend a vacation. Particularly scenic is the Porer Lighthouse that stands on a completely uninhabited islet in front of the coast of Pula. There is the Tajer Lighthouse in front of the Kornati Islands and the isolated Susac Lighthouse and the Veli Rat Lighthouse on the island of Dugi Otok not far from inhabited centers and beaches.
So there are 10 good reasons to visit Croatia and surely once you discover this country you will find one more, your own and personal one, that will make you fall in love with this land.