Croatia is a beautiful country that has one of the rockiest coastlines in the world and has over 1,000 islands (1,244 islands, islets and rocks to be exact), 48 of which are inhabited. Discover the most popular and appreciated by tourists islands in Croatia.
1. Island Hvar
The island of Hvar, located along the coast of Croatia, is one of the most beautiful places on the Adriatic Sea. The island of Hvar is famous for its lavender fields and lavender products, as well as its sandy beaches with hot sun. Despite the tourist greenery, it retains its peaceful atmosphere.
Discover the best attractions of the island of Hvar:
– St. Cathedral Stephen
– Sveti Nikola – the highest peak on the island
– Franciscan Monastery
– Hvar theater
– Spanish fortress
– Dubovica Beach
– Paklin Islands
– Sveta Nedjelja
– Jerusalem Island
– Brusje and Velo Grablje – lavender capitals
– Old Town of Hvar
– Jelsa – an atmospheric village
– Blue Cave
– Green Grotto – Green Cave
2. Island Brač
The island of Brač is the highest and third largest island in the Adriatic Sea, which combines a rich cultural and historical heritage, natural beauty and wonderful beaches, and houses a stonemasonry school where stone turns into art. Visit the magical Blaca Desert and see the wonderful panorama from the top of Vidova gora.
Attractions:
– Trip to Vidova Gora
– Zlatni Rat Beach
– Škrip – the oldest village
– Murvic’s dragon cave
– Splitska Quarry
– Blaca Hermitage
– Supetar cemetery
– Paklina Beach
– Selca- Stonemasonry Museum
– Supetar – Cathedral of St. Peter
– Postira town
– Pučišća – stone school
– Sutivan – Nature Park and Mini ZOO
3. Pag Island
The island of Pag is a unique island with a beautiful landscape, old tradition and wild modernity. Tourists who cross the bridge from the mainland to come here for a holiday full of relaxation and nature, find enchanting beaches washed by the blue sea and a harsh but extremely impressive natural landscape formed by Corsican rocks and areas of Mediterranean scrub. Young people come to Pag to spend long nights in clubs listening to the hottest summer music or to take part in popular electronic music festivals on the Zrće party beach. hot beaches invite people everywhere, including families with children, to lazy bask in the sun.
Island attractions:
– Metajna – A picturesque, quiet and peaceful town known for its crystal clear waters and peaceful beaches.
– Mandre – a town with beautiful views of the neighboring islands, providing excellent conditions for rest and relaxation.
– Pag City – The old town is full of monuments and cultural attractions.
– Pag cheese factory
– Ancient salt pans in the city of Pag
– Veliko and Malo Blato Ornithological Reserve
– Lace Museum in Pag
– Life on Mars Path
– Mount Sv. Vid
– Povljana – A place with beautiful beaches and a rich tourist offer, ideal for families with children.
– Šimuni – a small, picturesque fishing village, offering peace and direct contact with nature.
– Novalja – an entertaining town, known for the wonderful Zrće beach.
– Lun – Famous for the oldest olive groves in Croatia, ideal for history and nature lovers.
4. Korčula Island
Korcula is one of the largest islands in Croatia and is located opposite the Pelješac Peninsula. It is a quieter island but has a large range of tourist and entertainment services. The mild Mediterranean climate, the beauty of the natural environment rich in pine forests, the presence of vineyards and pristine beaches with a clear, azure sea and wonderful monuments make Korčula an ideal holiday destination. A wide range of luxury hotels and delicious cuisine make tourists like to come back here.
Island attractions:
– Old Town
– St. Cathedral Mark
– City Museum
– Saint’s Hill Antoni
– Beaches: Lumbarda, Proizd, Banje
– Nightclubs in Stari Grad, Vela Luka, Orebic
– Marco Polo’s house
– Vela Špilja Cave
– Smokvica
5. Losinj Island
The popular island of Losinj is famous for its lush green vegetation. The tourist area is centered around the bays which are well known for their beautiful beaches and good windsurfing opportunities, and are a small paradise for sailors and tourists with their own boats. The festival “Lošinj sails around the world” is held here every year. The town of Veli Losinj is quieter and easy to reach. During the summer, musical events and the famous “Osor Musical Evenings” turn this small town into one of the most wonderful places on the island.In the northern part, the island of Lošinj is connected to the island of Cres by a small swing bridge.
6. Mljet Island
Mljet is one of the greenest and most beautiful islands in Croatia. The island is located close to Dubrovnik, the Pelješac peninsula and the island of Korčula. The pleasant Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers makes the island of Mljet an ideal tourist destination. Crystal clear water and a wealth of fauna and flora as well as wonderful monuments are the reasons why visitors choose this island as a place to relax.
Main attractions:
– Mljet National Park: Big and Little Lake and kayaking
– Polače: ruins from Roman times
– Saint Island Mary on the Great Lake
– Odysseus’ cave
– Benedictine monastery from the 12th century
– Solina Canal and Solina Gate
– Beaches: Saplunara, Blaće and Sutmiholjska
7. Island Krk
The island of Krk is connected to the mainland by a toll bridge. It is the largest Croatian island and also one of the busiest – in the summer hundreds of thousands of tourists come here for vacation. Vrbnik on the east coast is a charming village away from the tourist crowds. The northwest coast of the island is rocky and steep, with few settlements due to the strong bora (cold northeast wind) that whips the coast in winter. The climate is milder in the southwest and can be hot in the southeast.
There are various types of beaches here, from sandy, through rocky, gravel, concrete and rocky. There are several sandy beaches on the island, including the beach in Soline Bay, known for its healing mud. Some of them are also hidden in secluded bays, accessible only by boat or on foot along narrow paths full of diverse vegetation typical of the Croatian climate.
Attractions:
- Baška Tablet
- Frankopan Castle in Krk
- Biserujka Cave
- City Walls and the Old Town of Krk
- Old Town of Vrbnik
- Islet of Košljun
- Plateau of the Moon and the Road to the Moon and Back
- Fulfinum Mirine
- Gradec Castle
8. Rab Island
Rab is an island known as the island with the most sandy beaches on the entire Adriatic coast. Surrounded by other larger islands (Cres, Lošinj, Pag and close to the Dalmatian coast). Wonderful crystal clear water and rich cultural heritage and, above all, a perfect location. The island is a very sunny island with excellent conditions for relaxation. A varied landscape, the Velebit Mountains, wonderful views, lots of greenery, numerous restaurants and bars located near beautiful sandy beaches and a wide range of water sports attract tourists.
Island attractions:
– St. Square Christopher
– Dominis Palace
– Franciscan nunnery
– trip to Straza Hill
– Medova Buza Cave
– trip to the nearby island of Goli Otok
– Beaches: Livačina, Zalaz, Ciganka and Stolac
9. Kornati archipelago
The Kornati archipelago is the most diverse group of islands in the Adriatic, numbering 150 islands and islets, and within the borders of the Kornati National Park there are 89 islands, islets and rocks, which are rightly called the most beautiful sea labyrinth. The underwater world of Kornati is a paradise for divers. Crystal clear water and a coral reef full of life make diving in the National Park a pure pleasure. A wonderful landscape of sea straits created by nature itself. The remains of Illyrian settlements, the Roman fish pond, the Tureta fortress, the church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the stone lace of Suhozid walls are true monuments of island life and Dalmatia.
The biggest attractions of Kornati National Park:
– Kornati island
– Levrnaka Island
– Commemorative crosses: Spomen-Križevi
– Pastures in the Kornati Islands –
Eagle Owl – Sova ušara – an endangered bird
– Gospa of Tarca – a picturesque church
– Kornati underwater world
– Picturesque cliffs
10. Palagruža Island
The island of Palagruža is the largest of a small group of islands, small islets and cliffs. The rocky coast is difficult to access. The island is characterized by a lighthouse which is located at the highest point of the island 91. An anchorage for fishing boats is located in the bay of Stara Vlaka and Zalo. The sea surroundings is a rich fishing ground for blue fish in the Adriatic Sea, it is also famous for catching white fish and crayfish. In the southern part of the island of Galiju there are small pebbly beaches.
Attractions:
– Vela Palagruža with a lighthouse
– Mala Palagruža island,
– Kamik island,
– Tarmuntona Island,
– Pupak Island,
– Kunj island,
– Baba island,
– Gaće island.
