In recent years, Croatia has been getting popular as a less crowded and cheaper alternative to Italy or Greece. And I’m here to continue the propaganda!

I’ve been to Croatia twice now, with both visits being about a month long each, to explore the area. First time, I focused on the interior and the Istria peninsula. The second visit was during my Balkan’s centric trip, as I went down the coastline on my way to Montenegro and Albania.

To date, Croatia is one of my personal favorites out of all the countries I have visited. Croatia has crystal clear water, good food, friendly people, relaxing beaches, and beautiful white limestone shoreline towns. And while I have a whole list of towns I would recommend to anyone visiting Croatia for the first time, I do have three favorites I would visit again and again.

3. PULA

Pula has a long history of being taken over by the nearest conquering empire. Situated on the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, Pula served as a convenient port city for many empires, including Rome and Venice, who both left a visible impact on the city’s architecture, as can be seen with the prominent Pula Arena (which stands at the entrance to the city’s old town), the Temple of Augustus in the center of town, and the Venetian fortress.  

While I did indulge in a very touristic dolphin sunset cruise while in Pula, my favorite memory of the city was upon my return, after seeing dolphins and witnessing sunset on the water, as there was a free concert that was happening in the main square. It’s the random events of travel that delight me the most when exploring beyond the capital cities – stumbling upon the concert on the way back to my room was a highlight of my time in Pula, as the band played both English and Croatian songs.

2. ZADAR

Like many coastal towns in Croatia, Zadar was often ruled by nearby enterprising empires due to its advantageous location on the Adriatic. Though it doesn’t have a blaring Roman ruin like Pula’s amphitheater, Zadar is rich in its historical architecture, which highlights its Roman, Venetian, and Austrian past.

Even with all the ancient architecture, some of which are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was the modern architecture that brought me to Zadar. In fact, I first learned about Zadar and its Sea Organ during lockdown in 2020, and was determined to one day get to Zadar to hear the music myself! The Sea Organ was built as an experimental musical instrument and a sound art object in 2006 on the sea coast of the old town’s peninsula. Beneath the marble steps, tubes were installed and when hit by waves, it creates a random symphony all day and all night.

The town is also a good hub city, as you can easily hop on a ferry to one of the nearby Dalmatian islands or take a short drive to the stunning Plitvice Lakes National Park, another one of Croatia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Honorable Mention: Dubrovnik

It’s hard to talk about Croatia without mentioning Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic. Made especially popular by Game of Thrones fans, this Dalmatian city deserves the hype – the city walls are a breath-taking delight to traverse, and the UNESCO old town is a strikingly unique mix of Baroque, medieval, and Renaissance architecture.  

The town doesn’t rank higher on this short list primarily because of the abundance of people! Dubrovnik’s Old Town isn’t a particularly large space, but it received over 1.2 million tourists in 2022. While visiting during off-season or shoulder season minimizes the crowds, it’s still far busier than any of the quieter towns on this list. And if there’s one thing that will ruin a trip for me, it’s crowds.

1. MOTOVUN

I love a good hill-top town.

There something about looking out from the cliff-edge of a hill-top town and seeing the sprawling fields surrounding you that really triggers that “King-of-the-Castle” instinct. And Motovun triggered this instinct on sight!

Motovun has a modest tourist industry, centered around truffles – as the nearby Motovun Forest is home to both white and black truffles and the town of Livade below Motovun is considered the truffle capital of Istria. I specifically went inland to Motovun for a truffle hunt, and was astounded by how beautiful the medieval town itself was! I was particularly lucky as it was early in the season, so I had a truffle hunt with just one other traveler. There are multiple truffle shops you can do a hunt and tasting with, but I had a blast with Tartufi Istra and they were able to accommodate me last minute.

Motovun was also nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, for its well-preserved medieval town and Venetian architecture! In the town itself, you can still walk along the ancient walls overlooking the Istrian farmland before sitting down at one of the many truffle-focused restaurants with a glass of wine to watch the sun set on the surrounding valley.

The town is easiest to reach if you’re traveling by car as I never figured out the bus situation and taxis to the town aren’t the cheapest. But personally, whatever transport option is available, is absolutely worth it, especially if you’re spending the night.