January 10, 2021Europe

Croatia's Hidden Gems: 9 Places Away from the Crowds 2026

Croatia's hidden gems: 9 places off the beaten track on the map

Croatia insider tipsCroatia and "hidden gem", do those terms still go together? Dubrovnik has been overrun since Game of Thrones, Split is overflowing with cruise ship tourists, and the Plitvice Lakes have waiting times like an amusement park in summer. But: Croatia has 1,244 islands, 1,778 kilometers of coastline, and a mountainous hinterland that 95% of tourists never see. I spent three weeks finding precisely these hidden gems, with the camera in deserted mountain villages and in a rental car on roads that end as grey lines on Google Maps.

Here are my 9 insider tips for Croatia, places that aren't at the top of any travel guide.

1. Vis: The island that was closed for 50 years

Vis was a Yugoslav military base until 1989 and completely closed to tourists. As a result, while Hvar and Brač were overdeveloped, Vis remained unspoiled. No hotel chains, no high-rise hotels, no party scene. Instead: two small villages (Vis Town and Komiža), vineyards, olive groves, and some of the clearest waters in the Adriatic.

Stiniva Bay on the south side is the highlight. Two high cliffs form a natural gateway, behind which lies a small pebble beach with turquoise water. It's only accessible via a steep 30-minute descent or by boat. Both are worthwhile. From a drone, the bay looks like a natural amphitheater, the cliffs, the narrow gateway, the shimmering water beyond. One of my best Adriatic photos.

2. Lastovo: The most isolated inhabited island in Croatia

Lastovo lies far out in the Adriatic Sea, a 90-minute ferry ride from Korčula. It has about 800 inhabitants, no traffic lights, no ATMs (bring cash!), and no fast-food chains. The entire archipelago is a nature park. At night, it boasts some of the lowest light pollution in all of Europe, the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye as a luminous band.

I spent three nights on Lastovo and was cooked for by a local family who rent out guest rooms. Fresh fish, homemade wine from their own vineyard, olive oil from the neighbor. No Michelin star, but the best food of my entire trip to Croatia. The island has a few marked hiking trails through maquis shrubland and pine forests, and around every corner you'll find secluded coves that you have completely to yourself.

3. Učka Nature Park: The forgotten mountain range above Istria

While everyone heads to the Istrian coast (Rovinj, Pula, Poreč), they forget the mountains just beyond. Učka, at 1,396 meters, is the highest mountain in Istria and offers a panoramic view that, on a clear day, stretches from Venice to the Slovenian Alps. I was at the top at sunrise, a sea of clouds below, the peaks above like islands. It's reminiscent of Madeira's Pico tour, only without the tourists.

The ascent from Lovran takes about 3 hours and leads through beech forests and across alpine meadows. Alternatively, you can drive to the Vojak summit (gravel road, but doable) and simply enjoy the view. I made extensive use of my drone here, the contrasts between the blue sea below and the green mountains above are spectacular.

4. Ston: Europe's Little Great Wall of China

Ston lies on the Pelješac Peninsula, 50 kilometers northwest of Dubrovnik. Most tourists speed past it on their way to Dubrovnik, missing one of the most impressive fortifications in Europe. At 5.5 kilometers long, Ston's city walls are the second longest in Europe (after the Aurelian Walls in Rome) and were built in the 14th century to protect salt production.

You can walk along the walls, about 45 minutes for the complete circuit, with magnificent views over the peninsula, the salt pans, and the Adriatic Sea. At sunset, the salt in the pools turns pink. The drone footage of the walls, which snake across the hills, is breathtaking, you can't even begin to grasp their scale from below.

Bonus: Ston is famous for its oysters. The oyster farms in Mali Ston Bay produce some of the best oysters in Europe. A dozen costs €8-10 directly from the fisherman, served with lemon and a glass of white wine from Pelješac. It doesn't get any better than that.

5. Trakošćan – fairytale castle in Zagorje

Northern Croatia, Zagorje, hilly, green, with thermal baths and castles. Trakošćan is the most photogenic of them all: a white castle on a hill, surrounded by an artificial lake, nestled in dense forests. In autumn, when the leaves change color, it looks like a painting. From a drone: the lake as a perfect mirror, the castle in the center, the forests all around in orange and red.

Inside, there's a museum with furniture and weapons from the 14th to the 19th centuries, interesting, but the real reason to visit is the location. There's a walking path around the lake (30 minutes), and in the nearby village of Trakošćan, a restaurant serving homemade Zagorje cuisine: Štrukli (filled dumplings), Purica z mlincima (turkey with flatbread), accompanied by a local sparkling wine.

6. The Kornati Islands: 89 uninhabited islands

The Kornati National Park consists of 89 islands and reefs, and not a single one is permanently inhabited. From a drone, it looks like another planet: Bare, white karst cliffs rise from turquoise water, interspersed with narrow channels where sailboats look like toys. No vegetation, no houses, just rock and sea.

Accessible by boat tour from Murter, Zadar, or Šibenik. Day trips cost €40-60 and include swimming stops in secluded bays, lunch (grilled on the island), and snorkeling. Those who can charter a boat (with or without a skipper, from around €200/day) will have the islands almost entirely to themselves, especially in the shoulder seasons.

7. Pag: The moon island with lace and sheep's cheese

Pag is an island that looks like it's fallen from the moon, barren, rocky, and windswept. The Bora (a cold, katabatic wind from the Velebit Mountains) has blown away the vegetation over millennia. What remains is a bizarre karst landscape that resembles a Martian colony. From a drone, the contrasts are extreme, grey-white rocks, scattered olive trees, and turquoise sea.

Pag is famous for two things: Paški Sir (Pag sheep's cheese, one of the best cheeses in Europe) and lace (Pag lace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In Pag's old town, you can watch women making the lace by hand, a single pattern can take weeks or even months to complete. To the east of the island lies Novalja with Zrće Beach, the Croatian Ibiza. My tip: the east for parties, the west for peace and quiet. Pag's old town and the saltworks in the south are rarely visited and offer fantastic photo opportunities.

8. Motovun: Truffle Capital on the Hill

Motovun is a medieval town perched on a hill in the Istrian hinterland. It has 500 inhabitants, a town wall that you can walk all the way around, and a view of the Mirna Valley, considered one of the best truffle regions in the world. The white Istrian truffle is hunted here from October to January, with dogs, not pigs.

In Motovun's restaurants, you can get truffle pasta for €15-20, in Italy, you'd pay three times as much for comparable quality. My favorite: fuži with white truffle and a glass of Malvazija (local white wine). Add to that the view from the city walls at sunset, the Mirna Valley bathed in golden light, the Istrian hills stretching to the horizon.

9. Biokovo Skywalk: 1,228 meters above the Adriatic Sea

The Biokovo Skywalk only opened in 2020 and is still largely unknown to German tourists. It's a glass viewing platform suspended 1,228 meters above the Makarska Riviera. Looking down through the glass floor is not for the faint of heart, the coastline drops almost vertically into the sea directly below. The Adriatic islands (Brač, Hvar, Vis) lie before you as if on a tray.

Access is via the Biokovo High Road in the nature park of the same name. A rental car is recommended, the road is narrow and winding, but manageable. Once at the top, in addition to the Skywalk, there are hiking trails through the karst landscape. Definitely bring a drone, the view from above of the platform with the coast in the background is magnificent.

Costs for 3 weeks in Croatia off the beaten track

Croatia has become somewhat more expensive since the introduction of the Euro (2023), but is still reasonable outside the tourist hotspots. On the coast, you'll pay €10-18 for a main course in restaurants, while inland it's €8-12. Accommodation booked through Booking.com or directly with the owner (look for "Sobe/Apartmani" signs by the roadside) costs €30-60 per night for a good apartment.

Best time to travel to Croatia: Sights & insider tips

May/June and September/October, without a doubt. In July/August, even the best-kept secrets are no longer secret, prices rise by 30-50%, and temperatures climb to over 35°C. In May, everything is in bloom, the sea is 20-22°C (perfect for swimming), and the tourists haven't arrived yet. In September/October, the sea has warmed up from the summer (24-26°C), the tourists are gone, and the autumn colors in the hinterland are stunning.

Travel well prepared: Which travel gadgets have proven their worth is listed in the Best travel gadgets of 2026.

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Discover Krk away from the well-known island resorts

In short: Krk offers tranquil alternatives between the southwest coast, the island's interior, and the northern tip. Stara Baška, small mountain villages near Dobrinj, the olive trail near Vrbnik, and the Glavina lighthouse complement the island's well-known attractions with very different landscapes.

Stara Baška is a fishing village on the southwest coast. Small pebble coves line the winding road leading there, while the island's interior near Dobrinj, with villages like Sužan and Dolovo, reveals a completely different side of Krk. Those who prefer to explore on foot will find an olive trail near Vrbnik, winding through centuries-old groves. The three-kilometer path offers stunning sea views.

At the northern tip, the Glavina lighthouse offers a peaceful retreat. It's a 20-minute walk from the parking area. Above Omišalj lies an abandoned military base dating back to the Yugoslav era. From there, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Kvarner Bay. These locations can be chosen based on scenery and activity.

Campsites as a starting point for Croatia's insider tips

Several of the islands and peninsulas presented can be combined with a simple camping trip. On Vis, Camping Modra Špilja is located in Komiža. The campsite is small and basic; from Komiža, the Blue Cave on the neighboring island of Biševo can be reached by boat. This makes the location suitable as a base if the focus is not on a large holiday resort, but rather on the island itself.

On Pag, Camping Šimuni is located on the quieter western side. The spacious grounds have their own marina and pitches in an olive grove. This location complements the island's stark, white rocky landscape and offers a contrast to the party beach of Zrće. On the Pelješac peninsula, there are two different options: Camping Adriatic in Orebić overlooks the island of Korčula, while Camping Kalac is situated directly on the pebble beach of Trstenik. Kalac is a small, family-run campsite without a pool, restaurant, or entertainment program.

The Kornati islands can also be reached from a campsite. Camping Park Soline in Biograd na Moru is a large site with a pool and children's entertainment, located directly on the sea with views of the Pašman Channel and the islands offshore; boat trips to the archipelago depart from there. This creates convenient starting points for exploring Vis, Pag, Pelješac, and the Kornati islands without overwhelming the tranquil towns themselves with a long list of additional attractions.

Krk as a compact addition to a Croatia tour

Krk can be included in a round trip without using an island ferry, as a bridge connects the island to the mainland. Rijeka Airport is even located directly on Krk. Three days are sufficient for a compact overview, while five to seven days allow additional time for excursions to neighboring islands such as Cres or Rab.

A route via Krk effectively connects the diverse landscapes: From Malinska, the route leads first to Vrbnik and then on to Baška. Vrbnik sits atop a rocky outcrop, while Baška combines a two-kilometer-long pebble beach with rugged mountains. To the southwest lie Punat and Stara Baška; the road to this fishing village winds through a particularly striking coastal landscape. Krk Town completes the circuit, encompassing the city walls, cathedral, and old town.

For an additional quiet stop, Košljun, just off Punat, is a great option. The small monastery island is a ten-minute boat ride away. Those who venture inland will find small mountain villages and quiet roads around Dobrinj. The complete island loop from Malinska to Vrbnik, Baška, Punat, and Krk Town covers approximately 80 kilometers. It can be driven in a day; however, with several days, there's plenty of time to explore the various side trips to bays, villages, and short footpaths, rather than just passing through.

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Max Haase

Travel Content Creator · Drone Photographer · Visual Storyteller

Since over 10 years I have been a professional travel creator with over 4 million followers; I specialise in high-end tourism board collaborations and visual travel stories.

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