The Most Charming Villages and Small Towns of Croatia

Croatia is no longer a well-kept secret. Every year tourists flock to the Adriatic coast to enjoy the food, the nightlife and the beauty of this small and generous country. But you can escape the growing crowds for a richer and more authentic Croatian experience by going straight to the best small towns and villages of Croatia. To enhance your experience, make sure you visit at least one hilltop village and one coastal enclave.

15Groznjan

Enjoy authentic Italian food in this town in northern Croatia. Groznjan is the only town with an Italian majority in Croatia. This town is home to ancient Roman artefacts, has been ruled by Venetians, Austrians, Italians and Yugoslavs, and has seen many wars and struggles. The whole town is a small fortress that bears the scars of war and abandonment. But in the 1960s, the sculptor Aleksandar Rukavina brought about its revitalisation. Artists began to move here and soon the prestigious Jeunesses Musicales International was opened. Today, you will find artists and musicians colonising this once-forgotten stone town.

14Cavtat

Sitting nine miles from Dubrovnik on the Adriatic Sea is Cavtat. Founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC, ruled by the Romans in 228 BC, and then by the Avars and Slavs in the 7th century, Cavtat has had a turbulent history. But when more cultures rule a town over time, they all leave an indelible mark on the area. You can see the architecture and ruins of every period of this town's violent history. Cavtat is a great escape from crowded Dubrovnik, situated on a harbour with beautiful beaches and crowned by a series of lush hills. Come here to escape the tourist crowds.

13Kumrovec

Fewer than 300 inhabitants make the village of Kumrovec their home. This inland town is a village frozen in time. The village houses, largely built around 1900, have been preserved to turn the village into a kind of living museum. The restoration began in the 1970s and continues to this day. To date, over 40 houses and farms have been restored to their former glory. The former president of Yugoslavia, Marshal Josip Broz Tito, was born in this village. His birthplace has been turned into a museum and the village has been frozen in time to reflect how it looked when he was born in 1892. You will find his house by spotting his bronze statue on the front lawn.

12Parenzo (Poreč)

Young party-goers pour into Parenzo from all over Europe during the summer months. Parenzo has become the centre of a vast tourist resort that stretches for miles along the Istrian coast in every direction. Not exactly the place you want to go looking for an authentic Croatian experience or a quiet holiday, Parenzo attracts a crowd of revelling travellers. There are, however, some places to see when you're not partying, such as an ancient basilica and Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque architecture. The rest of Istria is easily reachable from here and the town has a great tourist infrastructure.

11Skradin

The biggest attraction of this beautiful riverside town is the nearby Krka National Park. This splendid park features a valley full of travertine rock formations that create beautiful waterfalls. The crystal-clear water of the river that feeds the falls invites summer travellers to cool off. The park entrance includes a boat trip to the seventh, the largest and last travertine formation and its most brilliant waterfall: Skradinski Buk. After enjoying the park, return to the town to explore a ruined fortress and stock up on some local dishes.

10Mošćenice

Mošćenice is a typical medieval hilltop town that sits high above the Istrian peninsula. The outer walls of the outer ring of houses serve as fortified walls for the enclosed town. This doesn't leave much space inside for creating a close-knit community, literally. The narrow streets and covered walkways inside the castle give the little town its charm. Get a peek over the walls as Mošćenice sits 170 metres (570 feet) above sea level, giving you a splendid view of the sea and the nearby islands.

9Pučišća

Fewer than 2,000 residents call Pučišća on the island of Brač their home. This little village, with its splendid bay and beautiful white limestone buildings, is often described as one of the most beautiful towns in Europe. The island of Brač is rather surreal. You will travel through fields of boulders to reach Pučišća because of decades of back-breaking work by the women of Brač to clear the land for vineyards, figs and olive trees. It was once a privilege of aristocrats and artists to live here, and you can see why. The island rises quickly from the protective bay to make the town look as if it sits in an amphitheatre.

8Primošten

Just off the coast, in the Adriatic Sea, lies the beautiful little Primošten. The Turks threatened the town in the sixteenth century, so the citizens of Primošten made this little cove and the island connected to the mainland with a drawbridge. The fortified walls remained and the little town survived. The island has been turned back into a cove with a causeway but the walls remained. Unfortunately, you will have to visit this little tourist pearl during the high season in the summer months. The cobbled streets come to life during the warm season with music, parties and local vendors.

7Veli Lošinj

Slow down in Veli Lošinj. This tiny community on the island of Lošinj, in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, in the western part of Croatia, is a collection of authentic houses, restaurants, hotels, shops and bars on a picturesque harbour. Rovenska, another beautiful bay, is just a 10-minute walk from here. The main attractions of Veli Lošinj are the old sea captains' houses adorned with exotic plants collected as prizes from long voyages. The houses line the main street towards the bay. Be sure to look out for the dolphins playing in the harbour in April and May.

6Rovinj

On the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, Rovinj juts into the Adriatic Sea. More than 15,000 residents crowd into this tiny town wedged at the edge of the peninsula. Unlike many other old Croatian towns, Rovinj has no fortified walls; the outer ring of houses has front doors that open directly onto the sea. A popular tourist destination, the old town is dotted with four-star hotels and restaurants where you will find excellent seafood. Rovinj is still an authentic fishing port. Take a boat trip to the nearby Rovinj archipelago to escape the crowds for a day.

5Motovun

White buildings with salmon-coloured roofs seem to spiral up a hill to a double-walled castle in the town of Motovun. Sitting inland in Istria, this medieval town might remind you of scenes from Game of Thrones. Modern houses and shops lead you up to the gates of the old town. Fortified in the 14th century by the Venetians, the old town has been turned into a cloister of artists' studios, restaurants and shops. This is a popular destination where tourist buses regularly drop crowds of visitors at the base of the 275-metre hill.

4Hvar Town

Hvar is an island in the Adriatic Sea just off the coast of Croatia and the largest town on the island is Hvar Town. You won't find cars on the marble streets of this fortified town, but during the high season you will find up to 20,000 visitors a day. The Gothic palaces are embellished by formidable 13th-century walls and just outside those walls are beautiful crystal-clear water beaches. A short boat ride takes you to the nude beaches of the Pakleni islands. This town has a wild side. Known for parties at all hours of the day, Hvar Town has a reputation for madness and a younger crowd.

3Rastoke

Rastoke looks as if it has come straight from the pages of a fairy-tale book. Old wooden bridges cross living rivers with waterfalls ideal for kayaking and rafting. Around 100 permanent residents run over 22 mills on the weirs of rivers that cross the landscape. The locals are happy to help you with river and waterfall adventures. For the daring, there are class-three rapids. For the sporty, there is single kayaking. A hotel with about 100 rooms awaits those who stop here on their way to the Plitvice lakes.

2Trogir

Among the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, Trogir stands proudly on the Adriatic coast. Stroll along the seafront to admire the lavender covering the hills of the harbour islands. Run through the winding old alleys to find bucolic restaurants and hidden art galleries. Observe incredibly well-preserved buildings from the 13th to the 15th century. You can also find Roman ruins, Romanesque and Renaissance architecture and the splendid Venetian cathedral of San Lorenzo. Connected by three bridges to the mainland, the nightlife of the walled island lines the stone promenade of the seafront.

1Korčula Town

Visit Marco Polo's birthplace while in Korčula Town on the island of Korčula in the Adriatic Sea. It is a legend that he was born in this splendid seaside fortress, but it is certainly a compelling theory. The old town is a fortified citadel that seems to float on the ocean. There is an open-air theatre in the old town where you can watch free performances during the warmer months. The fortress has been turned into a lovely collection of shops, galleries, bars, restaurants and boutiques, making Korčula Town a very popular destination for locals and tourists alike.