8 of the best places to visit in Croatia for natural beauty

Stretching between the hulking Velebit mountains and the pebbly Dalmatian coast, Croatia’s landscape is as diverse as it is dramatic. To help with your planning, we’ve found some of the best places to visit in Croatia to experience the country’s natural beauty.

Zlatni Rat’s pointy peninsula makes it Croatia’s most recognisable beach. Jutting out from Brač Island’s pine-forested coast, the ‘Golden Horn’ pulls in sunbathers, snorkellers and surfers. 

Also, the headland’s natural shelter makes this one of the best places to visit in Croatia for windsurfing. 

For shimmering Adriatic scenery, you can climb up Vidova Gora mountain and survey the beach’s angular form from above.

These lakes in the Split-Dalmatia County were formed by collapsed caves, leaving huge karst sinkholes on the edge of Imotski village – sure to leave you awestruck. 

During spring, melting snow fills the 220-metre-deep Blue Lake, creating a stunning cyan surface, while in summer you can hike down to the dried bed and watch locals play football on it. Then there’s the Red Lake, whose corroded cliffs stretch 280 metres deep.

In the vast and verdant Krka National Park, the teal-tinged Skradinski Buk Waterfall is the star attraction. Admire its 150-foot cascades, limestone terraces and mini lakes from wooden walkways.

More than 60% of the river at Krka National Park houses diverse flora and fauna and the park also shelters over 220 bird species. So, if you’re a nature enthusiast, the biodiverse landscape is enough reason for this waterfall to feature on your list of places to visit in Croatia.

You may even decide to take a guided boat tour to hear how Skradinski Buk once powered Europe’s first hydroelectric station. You can also change into your swimwear and wade in to experience the fall’s majesty up close.

If you’re in search of one of the most beautiful places in Croatia, look no further than Blue Cave. There are many grottoes carved into Biševo Island’s limestone coast, but the 24-metre-long Blue Cave is truly special. 

When sunlight hits the water below its natural chamber, the grotto glows in celestial aquamarine and electric blue – turning everything beneath the surface silver and pink.

To bask there in peace, hop on the small boats that depart Mezuporat Bay first thing in the morning.

Croatia’s most famous waterway resembles a picture plucked from a fairy tale, making it one of the best places to visit in Croatia for outstanding scenery. 

Located around 90 miles from Zagreb, the magical Plitvice Lakes comprise 16 lakes and 90 waterfalls that tumble gradually down stepped deposits of moss-clad tufa rock. 

Waters flow at full tilt during spring, but you can venture onto the larger Gavanovac and Kaluđerovac lakes in a rowboat in summer. Even in low season, the autumnal tones and icy cascades are worth the venture. 

If you love all things nature, this spot is sure to wow you. Watch lynxes, grey wolves and brown bears roam the landscape.  Also, if you’re in search of some of the biggest waterfalls in Croatia, you’ll find the country’s tallest waterfall here. Veliki Slap translates to ‘great waterfall’, and its name certainly matches up to its size. Stretching for around 256 feet, you’ll find this giant spectacle of nature at the end of the Lower Lakes.

Renowned for its rocky crags and rich biodiversity, Northern Velebit National Park in Lika-Senj County is the youngest of all the National Parks in Croatia. 

Perfect for an adventurous break, here you’ll come across meandering trails, jagged limestone grooves and ancient grassland pastures. For sweeping vistas of valleys, peaks and coastlines, head up to Zavižan weather station beneath the 1,644-metre-high Vučjak summit.

Only a short boat ride from Dubrovnik, the thickly forested Mljet Island is a lush idyll. Mljet National Park engulfs the north-western part, where hiking and cycling trails encircle two glistening saltwater lakes called Veliko (Great) and Malo (Small). 

Rent a kayak and paddle out to the pretty 12th-century Benedictine monastery on Veliko Jezero, then cool off in the lagoon-like Malo Jezero. 

If you fancy a cycle around this spot of natural beauty, be assured that there are a variety of winding paths. 

Pedal through the shorelines and woods and take in the views that look like something straight from a postcard.

Nicknamed ‘Lovers Island’, Galešnjak’s heart-shaped outline was first noted by Napoleon’s cartographer in 1806. 

The shape of the island alone makes it one of the best places in Croatia to experience natural beauty. Shape aside though, you’ll also find secluded pebble beaches and turquoise waters in Zadar County, enticing travelling couples to take desert-island dips and romantic picnics.

If you dare to pop the question, the only onlookers will be wild rabbits skipping through rows of olive and fig trees.