Alternatives to Croatia's Most Visited Destinations
Same coast, fewer cruise ships
Šibenik over Dubrovnik
Šibenik used to be the city travellers passed through. It now has two UNESCO-listed monuments, four restored Venetian fortresses, a thriving small-bar scene, and one of the most distinctive cathedrals on the Adriatic, built entirely without mortar in the 15th century by Juraj Dalmatinac.
It's also the natural gateway to Krka National Park, an easier day trip than Plitvice. Stay in the old town. Eat at Pelegrini once if you want the tasting-menu version, but the city's strength is its modest konobas.
Trogir as a quieter Dubrovnik
Trogir is a small UNESCO-listed island town between Split and the airport. It has a 13th century cathedral with the Radovan portal, an intact Romanesque street grid, and a Venetian sea-facing wall. It is everything people fly to Dubrovnik for, smaller, and roughly an hour's bus from Split.
Zadar's understated charm
Zadar is the city travellers tend to discover after their second trip. The sea organ on the waterfront plays the Adriatic itself. The Roman forum is still there in the middle of the old town. Sunset over the harbour was, according to a famous quote, the most beautiful in the world. The Kornati islands are a day trip away.
Brač and Korčula for islands
Hvar gets the noise. Brač gets the cycling, the white-stone quarries, and Bol with Zlatni Rat beach. Korčula gets the medieval walled town, the wine of the Pelješac peninsula across the strait, and a much calmer evening pace than Hvar. Both are reachable by ferry from Split.
Suggested itinerary
- Days 1 to 3: Zadar, day in the Kornati islands.
- Days 4 to 6: Šibenik with a Krka National Park day.
- Days 7 to 9: Trogir and Split-area beaches.
Local highlights
- Šibenik's St James Cathedral
- Trogir's UNESCO-listed old town
- Zadar's sea organ and greeting-to-the-sun
- Brač's Vidova Gora viewpoint
- Korčula old town as a quieter Dubrovnik
Nearby destinations
Other places worth combining with this trip: Krka National Park, Primošten, Korčula, Vis.
Related guides
Hidden Mediterranean Coastal Towns
The Mediterranean coast still has hundreds of small towns where the boats are fishing boats, the menus are seasonal, and the rooms are reasonable.
Atlantic Coast Escapes Few Travelers Consider
The Atlantic coast is colder, wider, and infinitely emptier than the Mediterranean. For surfers, hikers, and anyone with a dog, that's the appeal.
Islands Beyond the Tourist Hotspots
If your favourite island has gone the way of Ibiza, there's still a smaller cousin a ferry hop away.