WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN CROATIA

The old city of DUBROVNIK, known as Ragusa during the Middle Ages, was once a maritime city-state with wealth and influence rivalling that of Venice. Today, with its still intact Medieval city walls and its many churches, monasteries, and palaces, it is quite possibly the most picturesque place in Croatia. Dubrovnik’s maze of little side-streets is fun to explore, though don’t expect any grand discoveries here apart from maybe some stray cats and a few more tourist restaurants. The city is used regularly for location shoots for TV shows and movies, most famously starring as King’s Landing in Game of Thrones.

A cable car can take you up Mount Srđ, from where you’ll have a superb view of the orange-roofed city. Hiking to the top can be pleasant, although the hills are fully exposed so the heat can become intense on a clear summer day.

Split is Croatia's second-largest city and the perfect place to see Dalmatian life as it’s really lived. Although it might not appeal to all this exuberant city strikes a good balance between tradition and modernity. It's very pretty with its palm-lined boulevard along the harbour and its small historic center built around the remains of a Roman palace. When you stand surrounded by the palace’s remarkably intact Roman arches you will get a real sense of the ancient history of Split. The Diocletian's Palace is more like a walled town, and it has served as the center of Split's cultural and political life for centuries - even as conquerors and empires from the Byzantines, the Venetians, the Austrians, and Italians raised their flags over the city. In addition to enclosing a swelter of ancient ruins and medieval churches, the sprawling 700-year-old residence is now bursting with trendy shops and stylish bars.

HVAR is a popular port of call for the rich who come here to see and be seen. The island town is known for its nightlife, some of it expectedly well-heeled. Nevertheless, beautifully unspoiled and pitted with a wealth of bays and coves, the island of Hvar still has what it takes to enchant the seclusion-seeker. Despite the presence of the well to heed in their super-yachts, many restaurants serve great seafood at a still-reasonable price and the nightlife can basically be as high- or as low-brow as you want.

Although Hvar can be a little flashy there's a lot to enjoy and appreciate for any traveller. The rich mostly hang out in the luxury resorts and private coves, leaving the town itself to a diverse mix of visitors. Hvar is also a great base from which to take day trips to smaller surrounding islands.

Although only the sixth largest Adriatic Island stretching nearly 47km in length, Korčula is the most populated island in the Adriatic. Rich in vineyards, olive groves, and small villages, and harbouring a glorious old town, tradition is alive and kicking on the island which the ancient Greek settlers once called Korkyra Melaina (‘Black Corfu’). Luckily, Korčula has so far managed to avoid the tourist trap tendencies of its original Greek namesake to the south.

Šibenik does not feature on many tourist itineraries although it's located right between Split and Zadar. Considered to be the ugly duckling of Adriatic tourism, Šibenik’s had a recent urban makeover which served to cast new light on its remarkable ancient fortresses and its contemporary music festivals.

The city itself quaint, not heavily crowded, conveniently located near the Krka National Park, and a great alternative to some of the more famous towns of Croatia. You’ll find a beautiful UNESCO-listed cathedral, some remaining city walls from the Venetian era, as well as two hilltop forts from where you get an amazing view of Šibenik and its bay.

Smaller than Split and Dubrovnik, ZADAR is home to a historic town of Roman ruins, a selection of medieval churches, cosmopolitan cafes, and quality museums set on a small peninsula. You’ll find the quaint historic main town on a little peninsula bounded by Venetian city walls, and it’s small enough to cover easily by foot. It’s a favourite among backpackers as Zadar has plenty of charm and isn’t as busy or expensive as Dubrovnik. You can stroll the atmospheric old streets, have a drink on the riverfront, and enjoy some good seafood.

Besides a slew of cathedrals and Venetian-era buildings, the sound-and-light spectacle of the Greeting to the Sun and Sea Organ needs to be seen and heard to be believed. Built during 2005, it is basically a set of steps along the seafront where strategically placed holes create a constantly changing melody from the waves flowing into them. Alfred Hitchcock raved about the sunsets in Zadar, and you will be bowled over too, especially now that it's accompanied by the complimentary sound-and-light effects of the famous Greeting to the Sun and Sea Organ art installations.

A bewitching sequence of foaming waterfalls and turquoise lakes, hemmed in by forest-clad hills. Chances are, you’ve already seen Plitvice Lakes National Park. Maybe not in person, but very likely on Pinterest or Facebook. The waterfalls are super photogenic and well-deserving of all the hype. Paths and boardwalks take you along all the moss- and fern-covered cascades and you can also make your way up the hills for some overhead shots of the crystal-clear waterfalls. As it’s a protected area you can’t swim in the inviting azure waters - but you can go kayaking! For swimming, you will need to head to Krka.

The waterfalls at Plitvice are Croatia’s most famous for a reason, but the smaller ones at Krka National Park are equally worth a visit. From the town of Skradin, it’s about an hour’s hike along the river to the waterfalls and as a bonus, you are allowed to take a swim in the lower lake. Once you get to Skradinski Buk, you will find a wide cascade of small lakes and waterfalls, with a number of paths snaking through the area.

In Karlovac, you’ll get to see a different slice of Croatia, as it is a place without a major tourism industry where you can more easily rub shoulders with the locals. Most people go to Croatia to see Instagram-worthy historical towns along the Mediterranean coast, not an unassuming town in the temperate hinterlands and away from the allure of Venetian history, Karlovac places you in a decidedly lumpier Eastern Europe. The city of Karlovac itself is not always the prettiest but it offers great value and is surrounded by some great lesser-known attractions, forest trails, and multiple rivers inviting kayaking and swimming excursions.

Pelješac peninsula - Explore rugged mountain scenery, quiet coves, and unspoiled seaside villages in a region renowned for its robust red wines and fantastic seafood. With no shortage of craggy mountains, sweeping valleys, and fine wines, it’s a wondrous place to visit. The two historic towns of Ston and Orebić borders the peninsula and the winding drive between them is highly recommended. Trpanj on the northern coast is the peninsula's third-largest settlement and is also from where the car ferry leaves for Ploče.

The Elaphites, is an archipelago of 13 small islands stretching northwest of Dubrovnik, into the Adriatic Sea. With a total land area of only 30 square kilometers the easy-to-explore, largely car-free islands offer hiking amongst evergreen vegetation, pristine sandy beaches, and plenty of peace and quiet.