Croatia is often described as the land of a thousand islands. Most of it is uninhabited, but maybe that's why it's so beautiful. Of Croatia's inhabited islands suitable for vacation, we've picked the twelve most beautiful, most beloved.
1. Island Brac. Brac is characterized by white limestone rocks, green olive groves and a clear, blue sea. Brac's world famous beach is Zlatni Rat "Golden Horn" next to Bol. Both beaches of the 500 meter long headland are family beaches of fine pebble, shallow and with warm water. The other well-known beach here is in a slightly hidden spot, but it's worth a visit anyway:it's a beach with red sand on the Bay of Lovrecina. The most famous holiday resorts on the island are:Supetar – this is where the ferries and boats moor. To the right and left are Sutivan and Sumartin, in the middle of the island of Brac, the capital with sights and festivals, and Milna, the fishing village with beautiful sandy beaches.
2. Island of Ciovo. Ciovo can be reached from the city of Trogir via a bridge, the island and the city are merged. The island is rich in historical monuments, Mediterranean plants, beautiful beaches and entertainment options. The two towns of Okrug Gornji and Okrug Donji with their protected bays are an excellent place for water sports. Festivals take place here and there are wonderful restaurants and nightlife. This is where the best beach is located, the 2 km long "Trogir's Copacabana", also the naturist beach of Mavarstica. In addition, there are also the Saldun and Kava beach and many small, atmospheric beaches on Mastrinka and Arbanija. Slatine is the harbor town where you can take boat trips.
3. Cres Island. From the island of Krk we can take the ferry to this island that has not yet been really disturbed by the tourists. In the capital Cres there is also only pedestrian traffic! A point of interest is the freshwater lake Vranjsko in the center of the island. The most beautiful beach on the island, Sveti Ivan, is located near Lubenice. There is also a beautiful blue cave here. It is a bit difficult to reach, therefore the beach of the campsite of the small fishing village of Martinscica is recommended for families with small children. This is a sandy beach that slowly gets deeper. From Cres you can visit Losinj via a bridge and sail by boat along the approximately 30 islands around Cres.
4. Dugi Otok. From the port of Zadar you can reach this beautiful island by ferry. As its name suggests – dugi means long – this is a narrow, long island and the entrance to Kornati National Park. It has two larger ports:Brbinj, surrounded by olive groves, where the ferry arrives, and the capital Sali, where passenger boats dock. The island is an ideal place for sea trips and water sports. The beautiful lighthouse of Veli Rat is habitable. There are three lakes on the island. The most interesting is the salty lake in Telascica Nature Park, where bathers arrive daily by boat from all over Dalmatia. The water here is much saltier than the seawater, one cannot sink in it. The island and reserve is full of wild donkeys and exotic plants.
5. Island of Hvar. It is special because of the nice smelling rosemary and lavender fields. From Split you take the ferry to the town of Stari Grad, which is the oldest settlement in Croatia and offers many sights and programs. Important holiday places are Jelsa with its sandy beach Grebisce, the charming fishing village of Vrboska with the Fisherman's Museum and sandy coves. On the southernmost corner of the island is Sucuraj from where ferries leave for Drvenik. We have not yet mentioned the capital Hvar with various options for culture and entertainment. Opposite the island are the "Hel" islands where you can sail around with water taxis or lie on various beaches. On the sea side of the island there are three holiday villages:Ivan Dolac, Sveta Nedelja and Milna.
6. Korcula Island. Many people believe that Korcula is the most beautiful Croatian island. It can be reached from Split by ferry. On Korcula you can find medieval buildings, narrow alleys, lots of greenery, crystal clear sea, tasty wines and excellent sandy beaches. An exciting event is the medieval knight tournament – Moreska – at the end of July. Holiday spots include:the capital Korcula from where you can take a ferry to the Peljesac peninsula or the picturesque island of Mljet, or take a water taxi around the 19 small Skoji islands opposite Korcula. Lumbarda has two well-known sandy beaches (Bili Zal and Przina), the harbor Vela Luka is a real diving paradise and spa with thermal water. Brna and Prizba are on the side of the open seas places for lovers of peaceful holidays.
7. Island of Krk. This is perhaps the largest island of the Adriatic Sea. The first place is Omisalj, a real holiday town where life is bustling. Njivice and Malinska are quieter towns. On the beach at Punat is a water center and a huge water slide. The capital Krk offers many sights and is rich in programs. In Baska we find one of the most beautiful pebble beaches in Croatia – the Vela Plaza is two kilometers long. The neighboring municipality of Stara Baska has kept its old character and the beach here is also very beautiful. Vrbnik is a small village on the top of a big hill with a fairytale view. Also known is Silo, the bay with shallow sandy beaches and with black mud that is used for medicinal purposes. The road network and bicycle paths of the island are good, it is recommended to use them and to make discoveries on the island.
8. Island of Losinj. It is known for its health tourism and the nearby dolphin colony. Of the two towns with misleading names, Mali Losinj is bigger and more developed and Veli Losinj has kept its old face with narrow alleys. There are beautiful beaches on the island, although not the kind with palm trees and sun loungers. The very clean, rocky pebble beaches of the two bays – Cikat and Suncana Uvala – also have stretches of sand, and Liski is a brilliant white sand beach. Excellent beaches can also be found on the small islands (Ilovik, Susak, Orjule and Unije) that can be reached from this island by water taxi or boat. For divers, there are caves, benches and a shipwreck to discover nearby. You can also go on hiking and cycling trips on the 30-kilometer-long cycle paths.
9. Island Murter. A popular destination among divers and sailors. Tisno is connected to the mainland by a bridge. It is a good choice for both a quiet and active holiday. Nearby there are national parks (Kornati, Paklenica and Krka) and nature parks (Telascica and Vransko jezero). The island's most famous holiday resorts are Tisno – a modern town with huge squares and parks at the entrance to the island, Betina – which enjoys a beautiful location and boasts three excellent sand/pebble beaches (Zdrace, Plitka Vala and Kosirina), Jezera – from the harbor boats leave for the other islands, from here the whole Kornati archipelago can be reached. The capital Murter – with a beautiful old center and beautiful sandy beaches such as Cigrada, Podvrske and Slanica. Murter is also known for olive oil production and sport fishing. Big game fishing trips are organized here.
10. Island Page One side is completely bare, but plants do grow on the sea side. From Zadar it can be reached both by bridge and by ferry. The white rocks are beautifully reflected on the blue sea. The holiday places are:Pag, the capital is of Italian style, Mandre is for quiet relaxation, Novalja is a bustling town with the famous pebble beach Zrce Beach where the beach party lasts from 4 in the afternoon until the morning and the naturist beach Strasko. Next to the village of Metajna is Rucica, a beautiful, romantic beach with white pebbles. On the island there are two good sandy beaches, the five kilometer long Sveti Duh and Trincel. On the island there are 100 km bike paths, it is worth taking the bikes with you.
11. Pasman Island. From Biograd it can be reached by ferry. It is connected to the neighboring Ugljan by a bridge, the two islands used to be one. The landscape is filled with mountains and hills, flourishing plants and beautiful beaches. There are countless uninhabited islands nearby to discover. On the island there is only one road that connects the places. All sites have at least one nice, shallow sandy beach and are all free. Dobropoljana, Mrljane, Pasman, Kraj (Tratica beach), Nevidane, Zdrelac (Matlovac beach) and Tkon (7 beautiful coves of sand. The best are Vruljica, Juznja and Ugrinic beach. Sovinje is a naturist beach). On Pasman there is no nightlife, this is more a place for beach, relaxation, day trips and sports.
12. Island of Rab. Rab is best suited for a beach holiday. The most famous village is Lopar. The island has 22 beaches of which the shallow Paradise Beach (Rajska Plaza) with fine sand and warm water is a perfect choice for small children. Here is also the Sahara beach, a popular place among naturists. Pudarica about 10 kilometers from the town of Rab is a kind of party beach open day and night and Suha Punta is a very beautiful stretch of coast. On the island there are many smaller holiday villages:Barbat, Banjol, Palit, Kampor, Mundanije, Supetarska Draga, Rab and the aforementioned Lopar. Sights are only available in the capital, but events are also organized in other places during the high season. It is worth taking the boat or ship to the surrounding islets or from glass bottom boats to admire the flora and fauna in the sea.
