Southeast Europe · Europe

Croatia

Discover Croatia - a crescent-shaped nation with over 1,000 islands, medieval walled cities, Plitvice's waterfalls, and the Adriatic's most stunning coastline.

Where Is Croatia?

Croatia is a country in Southeast Europe. Its capital is Zagreb.

Where Croatia isSoutheast Europe · Capital Zagreb

Capital Zagreb
Population 3.88M
Area 56,594 km²

Croatia has one of those coastlines that makes you wonder why it took the rest of the world so long to notice. Over 1,200 islands dot the Adriatic, Dubrovnik's medieval walls look like they were built for a movie set (Game of Thrones certainly thought so), and the Dalmatian coast serves up some of the bluest water in the Mediterranean. But Croatia isn't just a beach destination - inland, you've got the surreal turquoise waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes, the rolling hills of Istria with its truffles and wine, and Zagreb, a capital that doesn't try too hard and is better for it.

The country adopted the euro in 2023 and joined the Schengen area the same year, making it even easier to visit. Croatians are intensely proud of their coast, their football team (World Cup runners-up in 2018), and their claim that the necktie was invented here - the word "cravat" comes from "Croat." The food is Mediterranean on the coast and Central European inland, the wine is underrated, and the whole country empties onto the beaches in July and August like it's a national obligation.

At a glance

Language

Croatian

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Calling Code

+385

Drives On

Right

Internet

.hr

Timezone

CET (UTC+1)

Script

Latin

Government

Parliamentary Republic

Independence

1991

By population

Largest cities in Croatia

Zagreb

The capital, mixing Austro-Hungarian architecture with a thriving cafe scene, museums, and the colorful Dolac farmers market

684,000

Split

Built in and around the enormous 4th-century Diocletian's Palace, a living Roman ruin and UNESCO site

178,000

Rijeka

Major port city and European Capital of Culture 2020, gateway to the Kvarner Gulf islands

128,000

Dubrovnik

The Pearl of the Adriatic - a walled medieval city on the sea, UNESCO World Heritage site and Game of Thrones filming location

42,000

Zadar

Ancient Dalmatian city with Roman ruins and the Sea Organ, a musical instrument played by the Adriatic waves

75,000

People

Famous people from Croatia

Nikola Tesla
Science
Born to Serbian parents in Smiljan, Croatia - pioneered alternating current electricity and wireless technology
Luka Modric
Sport
Won the 2018 Ballon d'Or, led Croatia to the World Cup final, and became a Real Madrid legend
Goran Ivanisevic
Sport
Won Wimbledon in 2001 as a wildcard entry, one of tennis's greatest underdog stories
Slavenka Drakulic
Literature
Acclaimed journalist and novelist whose books explore life in the former Yugoslavia and post-communist transition
Faust Vrancic
Science
Renaissance polymath who designed an early parachute and published a five-language dictionary in 1595
Mate Rimac
Business
Founder of Rimac Automobili, maker of the world's fastest electric hypercar, now majority partner with Bugatti

Food

Traditional cuisine of Croatia

Peka: Meat or octopus slow-roasted under a domed iron lid covered with hot embers, a Dalmatian tradition
Black Risotto (Crni Rizot): Squid ink risotto from the Dalmatian coast, dramatically black and intensely flavorful
Strukli: Zagreb's signature dish - rolled dough filled with fresh cheese, boiled or baked, served savory or sweet
Buzara: Prawns or mussels cooked in wine, garlic, breadcrumbs, and olive oil, a coastal classic
Pag Cheese: Hard sheep's cheese from the island of Pag, aged with Mediterranean herbs and sea salt
Istrian Truffles: Istria is one of Europe's best truffle regions - the white truffle from Motovun forest rivals Italian Alba

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Croatia

Plitvice Lakes National ParkNational Park: UNESCO World Heritage site with 16 terraced lakes connected by waterfalls, in surreal shades of turquoise
Dubrovnik WallsLandmark: Nearly 2 km of medieval walls encircling the old town, offering stunning views of the Adriatic
Kornati IslandsIsland: National park of 89 uninhabited islands and reefs, one of the densest island groups in the Mediterranean
Krka National ParkRiver: Seven spectacular waterfalls along the Krka River, crowned by the terraced cascades of Skradinski Buk
Hvar IslandIsland: Sun-drenched island famous for lavender fields, medieval architecture, and one of Europe's sunniest spots
Velebit MountainMountain: Croatia's longest mountain range along the coast, home to two national parks and deep cave systems

Sport

Sports in Croatia

Football: Runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and third place in 2022, punching well above their weight for a nation of 4 million
Tennis: Goran Ivanisevic, Marin Cilic (US Open 2014), and Donna Vekic have all won Grand Slam titles or reached finals
Water Polo: Olympic gold medalists and multiple-time world champions, one of the sport's dominant nations
Handball: Olympic gold in 2004, consistently one of the world's top handball nations
Skiing: Janica Kostelic won four Olympic gold medals in Alpine skiing, the most by any female skier at the time

Facts

Did you know?

The necktie was invented in Croatia - the word 'cravat' comes from 'Croat', referring to scarves worn by Croatian soldiers
Croatia has over 1,200 islands, but only about 50 are permanently inhabited
Dubrovnik's old city was a filming location for King's Landing in Game of Thrones
The Dalmatian dog breed is named after Croatia's Dalmatia region
Croatia's Zadar has a Sea Organ - a musical instrument played by the waves of the Adriatic Sea
The country has the shape of a crescent or boomerang on the map, curving around Bosnia
Plitvice Lakes change color throughout the day depending on sunlight, minerals, and organism levels