🇭🇷 Croatia
Hej! I’m sharing a glimpse of my experience visiting enchanting Croatia. I was there in 2025. Below are some notes on what I tasted, saw and listened to.
Important: I only share my own experience and recommend the things I personally tried and liked. Therefore, everything written below is extremely subjective, and does not cover all the wonderful local features and places ☺️.
🗺 Places: Zagreb, Zadar, Dubrovnik.
🏛 Top sights visited:
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- Zagreb
- Ban Jelačić Square (Trg Bana Jelačića)
- Croatian National Theatre (Hrvatsko Narodno Kazalište)
- Church of St. Mark (Crkva Sv. Marka)
- Zagreb Cathedral (Zagrebačka Katedrala)
- Art Pavilion in Zagreb (Umjetnički Paviljon u Zagrebu)
- Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square (Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog)
- Oktogon (Oktogon)
- Dolac Market (Tržnica Dolac)
- Stone Gate (Kamenita Vrata)
- Lotrščak Tower (Kula Lotrščak)
- Maksimir Park (Park Maksimir)
- Zadar
- Narodni Square (Narodni Trg)
- Sea Organ (Morske Orgulje)
- Church of St. Donatus (Crkva sv. Donata)
- Zadar Cathedral (Katedrala Sv. Stošije)
- Museum of Ancient Glass (Muzej Antičkog Stakla)
- Five Wells Square (Trg Pet Bunara)
- Park Vladimira Nazora (Perivoj Vladimira Nazora)
- Dubrovnik
- Old Town Dubrovnik (Grad)
- Stradun Street (Stradun)
- Large Onofrio Fountain (Velika Onofrijeva Fontana)
- Fort Minčeta (Tvrđava Minčeta)
- Fort Lovrijenac (Tvrđava Lovrijenac)
- Pile Gate (Vrata od Pila)
- Walls of Dubrovnik (Dubrovačke Gradske Zidine)
- Franciscan Friary (Franjevački Samostan)
- Church of St. Blaise (Crkva sv. Vlaha)
- Rector’s Palace (Knežev Dvor)
- Dubrovnik Bell Tower (Gradski Zvonik)
- Old Harbour of Dubrovnik (Stara Luka)
- Uvala Lapad Beach (Plaža Lapad)
🎧 Local musicians:
- 🇭🇷 Miach (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇭🇷 Gibonni (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇭🇷 Silente (band). Genre: pop-rock
- 🇭🇷 IDEM (band). Genre: pop-punk
- 🇭🇷 Valentino Bošković (band). Genre: pop
- 🇭🇷 Jelena Rozga (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇭🇷 Nika Turković (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇭🇷 LELEK (band). Genre: folk pop
- 🇺🇳 Baby Lasagna (singer). Genre: pop punk
- 🇺🇳 Matroda (DJ). Genre: bass house
- 🇺🇳 Lost Sky (singer). Genre: future bass
🍽️ Local food & drinks:
- 🥓 Češnjovka Sausage (Češnjovka)
- 🥘 Sataraš (Sataraš)
- 🥘 Fritaja (Fritaja)
- 🥘 Croatian Rižot (Hrvatski Rižot)
- 🥘 Black Rižot (Crni Rižot)
- 🥘 Skradinski Rižot (Skradinski Rižot)
- 🥘 Rižot s Tartufima (Rižot s Tartufima)
- 🥘 Gregada (Gregada)
- 🥘 Brudet (Brodet)
- 🥘 Pašticada (Pašticada)
- 🍰 Kroštule (Kroštule)
- 🍰 Uštipci (Uštipci)
- 🍰 Bajadera (Bajadera)
- 🍰 Međimurska Gibanica (Međimurska Gibanica)
- 🧀 Pag Cheese (Paški Sir)
- 🍶 Maraskino (Brand: “Perković”)
- 🍶 Travarica (Brand: “Velebit”)
Zagreb - Regional Special: - 🥘 Zagrebački Odrezak (Zagrebački Odrezak)
- 🍰 Štrukli (Štrukli)
Zadar - Regional Special: - 🥘 Buzara-Style Seafood (Morski Plodovi na Buzaru)
- 🥘 Buzara-Style Scampi (Škampi na Buzaru)
- 🥘 Buzara-Style Squids (Lignje na Buzaru)
- 🥘 Buzara-Style Mussels (Dagnje na Buzaru)
- 🍰 Zadarska Torta (Zadarska Torta)
Dubrovnik-Neretva - Regional Special: - 🥘 Peka-Style Octopus (Hobotnica ispod Peke)
- 🍰 Rožata (Rožata)
🎬 Local movies:
- The Constitution (Ustav Republike Hrvatske). Year: 2016. Genre: drama
- Ministry of Love (Ministarstvo Ljubavi). Year: 2016. Genre: drama / comedy
- Safe Place (Sigurno Mjesto). Year: 2022. Genre: drama
- The Priest’s Children (Svećenikova Djeca). Year: 2013. Genre: drama / comedy
- The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Čovjek koji nije Mogao Šutjeti). Year: 2024. Genre: short / drama
🪔 Authentic features:
- Authentic Concept: Fjaka (Fjaka)
- Ojkanje Singing (Ojkanje)
- Story of Klepetan & Malena (Klepetan i Malena)
- Zvončari Costume (Zvončari)
- Glagolitic Script (Hrvatska Glagoljica / ⰳⰾⰰⰳⱁⰾⰻⱌⰰ)
- Sicanje Tattooing (Sicanje)
- Title of Župan (Župan)
- Croatian Lace (Čipkarstvo u Hrvatskoj)
- Croatian Pre-Romanesque Architecture (Starohrvatska Arhitektura)
- Croatian Folklore (Hrvatski Folklor)
- Authentic Musical Instrument: Tamburica (Tamburica)
- Authentic Garb: Cravat & Šibenik Cap (Kravata i Šibenska Kapa)
- Legacy of Illyrians (Iliri)
- Heritage of the Kingdom of Croatia (Kraljevina Hrvatska / Regnum Croatiæ)
Zadar - Regional Special: - Klapa Singing (Klapa)
Dubrovnik-Neretva - Regional Special: - Linđo Dance (Linđo)
- Neretvanska Ladja (Neretvanska Lađa)
- Konavle Embroidery (Konavoski Vez)
- Authentic Musical Instrument: Lijerica (Lijerica)
- Heritage of the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovačka Republika / Republica de Ragusa)
🎊 Authentic holidays & celebrations:
- Statehood Day of Croatia (Dan Državnosti). Month: May
- Rijeka Carnival (Riječki Karneval). Month: February or March
Zagreb - Regional Special: - Samobor Carnival (Samoborski Fašnik). Month: February to March
Dubrovnik-Neretva - Regional Special: - Ladja Marathon (Maraton Lađa). Month: August
- Festivity of Saint Blaise (Festa Svetog Vlaha). Month: February
💐 National flower:
- Croatian Iris (Hrvatska Perunika)
🦉 Local wisdom: “To get warm from the fire, you must suffer the smoke.” / “Tko se dima ne nadimi, taj se vatre ne nagrije." — Croatian proverb
👨🎓 The oldest university: The University of Zagreb (Sveučilište u Zagrebu), Zagreb, est. 1669.
