With Croatia being one of the top American destinations for European travel, especially in winter, there seems to be an endless flow of reasons to visit Croatia. That might make Miami tourism a little nervous since Croatia is no longer under wraps with New York travelers.
It’s no wonder English poet Lord Byron described the Croatia town of Dubrovnik as the “Pearl of the Adriatic.” You’ll find a pleasant Mediterranean climate and over 1000 islands (1246 islands if you’re counting), many of which are uninhabited. Croatia is a place that will take you back to simpler times, which is a great reason in itself to visit Croatia.
Why Visit Croatia?
A spectacular countryside to partake in.
A top reason to visit Croatia is that almost 10% of Croatia is made up of 11 nature parks, eight national parks, and two nature reserves. So this country is a visual feast. You won’t want to miss the waterfalls in Plitvice National Park.
Along with their stunning beaches with more sunshine annually than in Australia, you can tour most of this unique Mediterranean country by bicycle. Simpler times, remember?
World-Class Croatian Cuisine.
Croatia also has 7 restaurants with a prestigious MICHELIN star, and 52 restaurants in the country now bear the Michelin Plate label. This is a foodie’s paradise!
Croatia also produces some of the finest olive oil around. Following the age-old tradition of washing the olives in the sea. Creating olive oil began here several thousand years ago, and some olive groves in Croatia let you wander about picking your own olives to crush.
The town of Istria produces one of the most esteemed olive oils in the world, all thanks to its perfect taste, fragrance, and color.
This is corroborated by the Flos Olei – the most comprehensive guide to the world’s best extra virgin olive oils. Olive oil from Istria is ranked number one for 2021 which incidentally, happens to be their sixth win in a row!
With ancient archaeological sites to visit, museums, and medieval towns, This country’s got game when it comes to being one of the top places to visit, and the olive oil alone is a great reason to visit Croatia.
Game Of Thrones Location Walking Tour
Speaking of medieval, Croatia is one of the most recognizable locations in the Game Of Thrones TV series. Whether you’re a fan or not, these locations set your imagination on fire, taking you back to the days of both chivalry and debauchery.
These locations are mostly in the town of Dubrovnik, a city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. You’ll start at the large Onofrio’s Fountain and visit places that should look familiar like Pile Gate, Kolorina, Fort Lovrijenac, and Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola amongst others.
Pile Gate was used as a spectacular backdrop in seasons 2 & 3, this was where the royal procession including King Joffrey is subjected to the jeers of the starving crowds. That didn’t end well for the crowd.
The Croatia village of Kolarina is the beach where the royal entourage including King Joffrey, Queen Cersei Lannister, Tyrion, and Sansa Stark are all at the docks seeing off Princess Myrcella to Dorne.
Fort Lovrijenac is built on top of a 121-foot sheer rock that overlooks the sea and is the location used as the Red Keep, a castle that overlooks the Blackwater Bay in King’s Landing, and the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
As any Lannister will tell you, this is by far the best reason to visit Croatia, although probably biased.
A Paradise for Bicycle Touring
They say all roads lead to Rome, but ancient Rome could never have imagined how well their roads were really built. You’ll want to choose the “History Trail”. It starts in Skradin, once an ancient settlement of Scardona.
This takes you through the Stari Grad field, where the trail your riding on is 24 centuries old. Riding the remains of these Roman roads is an attractive destination for cyclists because they take you to ancient Roman places.
This includes the Roman camps, sacral buildings, and numerous fortifications. One of these is the can climb to the Fortress of Klis, also used in the Game Of Thrones.
Vučedol Culture Museum & Archeological Site
Located in the village of Vukovar, This stunning and interactive museum is buried into a hillside and encompasses the archaeological sites of the Vučedol culture.
Designed by Radionica Arhitekture + Vanja Ilic and opened in 2015, you’ll get up close and personal with an archeological dig, exploring an advanced culture dating back to 6000 BC that was skilled in copper and shipbuilding.
For some reason, this museum is very proud of the skulls they found, but if someone were to put us on exhibit, this is a first-class act all the way.
Skulls aside, this is one lovely museum. If you’re a fan of beautiful architecture in other public spaces, check out these amazing libraries around the world.
Croatia Is A Haven For Digital Nomads
What’s a digital nomad?
Digital nomads are third-country nationals who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living and conduct their life in a nomadic manner.
So if you love to travel and just need the internet to conduct your business, this is a great way to dive into new cultures.
Croatia wants you to hole up there as a digital nomad and has streamlined the application process to get you your permit.
What are the rules to be a digital nomad in Croatia?
Firstly, you need to work for a company or have your own company that is not registered in the Republic of Croatia and does not perform work or provide services to employers in the Republic of Croatia.
A temporary stay is granted for up to a year and it cannot be extended, although you can re-apply. This can all be done online here. On a side note, English is widely spoken so you shouldn’t have any problems immersing yourself into the Croatian lifestyle.
You have a ton of great choices where you can stay as a digital nomad which makes this one of our top reasons to visit Croatia.
This includes private villas, beachfront properties, and even work from a yacht. If you want to splurge on yourself, hire a skipper. It’s as close as you’ll get to a personal butler, just like we see at these London hotels.
The Dubrovnik Cable Car
There’s no better way to get a bird’s eye view of Old Town and some of those Game Of Throne locations than to hop aboard the cable car for the short 10-minute ride to the top of the surrounding hills.
Go up hungry, because at the top you’ll be rewarded with the Panorama Restaurant overlooking the town and sea. Serving up Mediterranean cuisine and with an exquisite wine list, you may become an ex-pat sooner than you think.
From the top of the hill, you can also go for a hike 400 meters above sea level. Part of this hike takes you through a lush forest and since you’re on a hilltop, the hike is relatively flat and easy.
Conclusion
Our top reasons to visit Croatia are backed by some heavy hitters, including Forbes magazine which highlighted Dubrovnik as one of the 20 best places for Americans to live, invest and work.
Per the Europeans Best Destinations, Croatia is a top-ranked place for American ex-pats to live, invest, retire, and create new projects.
With the quality of life, a solid health care system, internet connection, and proximity to airports with international flights, Croatia is easy to get to but will take you back centuries, a time when you’re biggest worry might be if your head would ever be on display in a museum.
