Latest UpdatesCountries Why Join?IL MagazineFree Daily E-LetterVideoOur ExpertsTestimonialsFAQsTopics Hannah Lawrence left North Carolina for the UK in her 20s and spent a decade in Europe chasing castles There was a certain stony austereness that came to mind But I’ll happily admit I’ve never been more wrong about a place than Croatia With over 1,100 miles of coastline along the eastern Adriatic and an archipelago of thousands of islands (1,246 cobbled roads bake under the ever-glowing sun; locals ooze a sense of peace with their place in the world But Croatia is much more than its coastline It slingshots around Bosnia and Herzegovina and taunts its landlocked neighbors by claiming ample lush inland to complement its sweeping coast After traveling for almost two years across the sunny parts of Europe Croatia remains one of my top travel destinations but I lived in the United Kingdom from 2012 to 2021 I was sure of only one thing: sunnier climes were calling looked up the upcoming weather forecast (warmer than Italy) the Airbnb prices (less than half the price of every place we had been thus far) Learn more about the best places in the world to retire in our daily postcard e-letter Simply enter your email address below to sign up for our free daily postcards and we'll also send you a FREE report on The World's Top 10 Retirement Havens They were beaming and bustling in all their sunshiney glory we were not the only people that had woken up to the possibilities of Croatia It was during our third stint in Dubrovnik that we decided we needed to get out more So much of the country that lies outside of the humming metropolises is spilling over with natural beauty (like the Plitvice lakes) good food (Istrian extra virgin olive oil is otherworldly) and the friendliest people (tied with the Greeks) Croatia’s official currency became the euro and transportation is still half the price of Italy and other major Mediterranean destinations—and it’s equally Croatia off the beaten path is easily even less than half the price Get away from the crowds and you’ll discover that Croatia is one of the last bastions of authentic Below are three of my top picks for experiencing Croatia like a local that you’ll find the tiny but bustling village of Duga Resa you might even think you were in Switzerland The population is made up of about 96% Croats Duga Resa is a self-sufficient little village with all the expected mainstays though expect to do a lot of gesticulating as typically people do not speak English there But locals are always happy to communicate with you using the three words of Croatian you memorized Andrew and I always seek out Airbnb rooms in someone’s home as it provides the opportunity to live among the locals… inside the bubble There’s so much magic inside that bubble—hidden spots For example, immediately upon our arrival to our Airbnb in Duga Resa we were scooted back out the door in haste as our Airbnb host had it on good village authority that this would be the last proper day for swimming of the year The beating heart of Duga Resa is the colossal We weren’t prepared for the idyllic scene that unfolded before us: families swimming it all hit me like a forgotten memory; laughter This is the spot that all of Duga Resa orbits around Whether it’s picnicking or fishing or grilling this is where you’ll find locals and many folks from the surrounding villages as well Deep in the pastoral landscapes of Croatia is a gentle balmy peace impossible to find in the bustling It wasn’t unlike a scene straight out of the Tuscan countryside The chance to bask in a halcyon simplicity is but one offering of Duga Resa and the surrounding villages There are countless local festivals dotted throughout the year markets bursting at the seams with fresh fruit and smiling locals who are always pleasantly surprised to see a non-Croatian exploring Croatia beyond the obvious destinations the great fortified city of Dubrovnik—probably the most famous city in Croatia Knežica is just over the mountain range that frames Dubrovnik and it sits low and quiet in a cool It has a lively population of 148 people and is entirely residential so if long walks and long naps in the sun are your idea of a good time so Knežica gave us the opportunity to work from a big balcony overlooking a mountainside I know Knežica simply as "Marija’s village." Marija was our Airbnb host and she made it her solemn and sacred duty to look after us (Knežica is brimming with the friendliest Croatians I’ve ever met) you have no choice but to be "inside the bubble," as there are no hotels crumbling farmhouses and a kaleidoscope of jungle sounds humid forest stretches from the valley to the mountain peak above This village is for both the most hardcore isolationist travelers and those who want to marry peaceful nights with bustling days as it’s only a 10-minute drive around the mountain Srđ (pronounced serg) to the hubbub of Dubrovnik as there’s no bus service between Dubrovnik and Knežica But we stayed for five weeks with no car and survived We Ubered to and from town whenever we needed to Ubers in Croatia are unbelievably cheap (about €5 [$5.35] or less to the center of Dubrovnik) Mostly my days were filled with walks to the old farmhouse next door wild white horses graze in the overgrown gardens But on other days, we whisked into Dubrovnik, where we had champagne overlooking the marina, spent hours in the city’s museums, ate the best pasta of our life at Trattoria Carmen and bought the ugliest Game of Thrones shirts I’ve ever seen The Kaštela Riviera would be the crown jewel of most coastlines But it sits like a forgotten lover next to the largest city on the Croatian coast Split—a beautiful historic city with gleaming white marble everywhere; a lively port; and the feel of an open-air museum You can find me sipping wine and sopping up cold-pressed olive oil with freshly baked bread along the endless seaside promenades of the neighboring Kaštela Riviera Kaštela is actually a region made up of seven towns all of which are centered around either a fort or a castle built in the 15th or 16th century glittering beaches frequented by just a few locals and dozens upon dozens of waterfront restaurants make these 10 miles of coastline a mecca for seaside splendor their young love was cut short by their warring Kaštela noble fathers in the 17th century They chased each other all over Croatia and Italy to be reunited and ultimately paying the eternal price to be together again Their joint gravestone is in the church of St These swashbuckling dramas are woven into the fabric of the Kaštela Riviera It’s a place for lazing among the olive groves in the mountains feeling the sea spray gently on your face as you watch rowboats bob to the rhythms of the sea outside your window 4 Coastal Cities in Croatia Perfect for Part-Time European Living Rovinj: Croatia’s Lesser-Known Coastal Hideaway Explore Zadar: Croatia’s Coolest, Quirkiest Seaside City This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Croatia The city of Karlovac has come alive with the installation of the latest in a string of colourful new murals. This latest mural, by artist Leonard Lesić, can be seen on the side of the city's Hrvatski dom building. It marks the start of a bold new redesign and repurposing of the formerly neglected building. The artwork was commissioned via competition by KAoperativa Alliance, a network of NGOs from Karlovac who are collaborating to renovate the building. Originally built in 1926 and a centre for arts, recreation, culture and community. It now requires some work intended to return the building to its original purpose. Around 20 artists submitted designs for the wall, with the jury choosing one by Leonard Lesić, who is from nearby Duga Resa, as the winner. His mural measures 28 metres by 4 metres. The mural sits above an open space which is about to undergo landscaping which will turn it into an urban park. In warmer months, the park will be used for exhibitions, workshops, performances and community activities. 'I chose to make the mural using bright colours, so they would contrast with the surroundings,' artist Leonard Lesić told Time Out Croatia. 'There's quite a lot of greenery and nature near the building. Also because the park is intended to be used by all ages, including young people. The design is made up of elements that are recognisable to all Karlovac residents – the city's star, the nature and the rivers.' The scheme to revitalise Hrvatski dom Karlovac is a joint project between KAoperativa and the City of Karlovac. The total value of the project is almost two million kuna, with 85% of funds being provided by the European Union' European Social Fund. The project is planned to be completed by November 2020. facebooktwitterinstagramAbout us