Croatia things to see and do

Visit Hvar Town for its Venetian-era architecture, waterfront promenade and hilltop fortress overlooking the harbour and nearby Pakleni Islands. Beyond the town, the island has vineyards, olive groves, lavender fields, secluded coves and historic villages. Near Stari Grad, an agricultural landscape first laid out by Greek colonists in the 4th century BC survives in the UNESCO-listed Stari Grad Plain.

Sail among the stark limestone islands and clear waters of the Kornati archipelago, one of the most distinctive landscapes on the Croatian Adriatic. The national park encompasses dozens of islands, islets, and reefs, many of which are largely barren and uninhabited. Boat excursions depart from several coastal towns, particularly Murter and settlements around Zadar and Šibenik.

Mljet National Park centres on two saltwater lakes, Veliko Jezero and Malo Jezero, surrounded by pine and Mediterranean woodland. A small island in the larger lake contains a former Benedictine monastery, reached by boat from within the park. Much of the surrounding landscape is densely forested, with walking and cycling trails following the lakes and coastline.

Follow wooden walkways through Croatia's best-known national park, where a succession of lakes spills over natural barriers in a landscape of waterfalls and dense forest. The lakes are renowned for waters that appear in changing shades of turquoise, green and blue. Plitvice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can become extremely busy during the summer months.

Pula has one of Croatia's finest Roman monuments – a remarkably preserved amphitheatre that dominates the city centre. Built during the 1st century AD, the Pula Arena once hosted gladiatorial contests and is still used for concerts and cultural events. Other Roman remains include the Temple of Augustus, the Arch of the Sergii and surviving sections of the city's ancient gateways.

The historic centre of Šibenik is a maze of stone lanes and stairways rising from the waterfront. Its outstanding monument is the UNESCO-listed Cathedral of St James, constructed entirely from stone and decorated with a distinctive frieze of sculpted human heads. Above the old town, St Michael's Fortress offers views over the city and the offshore islands.

Explore Trogir's exceptionally well-preserved historic centre, occupying a small island between the mainland and Čiovo. Its street plan dates back to the Hellenistic period, while Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings reflect centuries of subsequent development. The Cathedral of St Lawrence, with its richly carved Romanesque portal, is the architectural highlight of this UNESCO-listed town.

Zadar's compact old town is where Roman ruins stand alongside medieval churches and later Venetian architecture. The circular 9th-century Church of St Donatus is one of the city's most recognisable landmarks, while remains of the Roman Forum lie nearby. On the waterfront, the Sea Organ uses the movement of waves to create sounds through pipes built beneath the promenade, beside the light installation Greeting to the Sun.