We spent almost all of our lives on the Dalmatian coast, explored pretty much most of its most famous places, swam on the secluded beaches, enjoyed the traditional ways of life on the islands, living the easygoing life overall. That’s how the things go in Dalmatia – southernmost region of Croatia.
If you are thinking about spending your vacation in Croatia this year and thinking about places to visit and stay at, give us a chance to ‘sell’ you a region we live in. This is our list of reasons to go to the Dalmatian coast in Croatia and spend your holidays here.
1. Breathtaking Beaches
We’ll start with the most obvious reason why someone would consider visiting the Dalmatian coast and the one single thing the coastline of Croatia is famous for – its beaches. For the sake of this article, we’ll consider Dalmatia to start at Pag Island near the city of Zadar and end below Dubrovnik. Some of the best and most famous beaches in Croatia can be found on this stretch of the coastline.
And there are many different types of beaches too – long ones, secluded ones, sandy, pebbly, anything you can think of. Apart from living on the Dalmatian coast, we happen to live on the part of it which is considered to be home to the most beautiful beaches in Croatia – Makarska Riviera. It’s only a small stretch of Dalmatian coast, located just underneath the Biokovo mountain, but boy what beautiful beaches can you find here.
Makarska Riviera is famous for both longer and easily accessible beaches, but also because of small and secluded ones. We have always preferred those hidden bays for the best experience on the coast of Dalmatia.
2. Rich Historical Heritage
Moving on to the next thing Croatia is famous for and that’s its cultural heritage. For millennia, Croatia was home to different kinds of groups of people. Some of the oldest remnants of Neanderthals were found in Zagorje (northern region of Croatia) and there is a whole museum dedicated to this archeological site. We have moved on a lot from Neanderthals since then.
Then the different Illyrian tribes came and settled all across Croatia. Did you know that Dalmatia got its name from one of these tribes – Dalmati. Later came the Romans and so on. But you can see where we are going with this here? Each of these cultures living on the land of today’s Croatia left their mark in some way – Illyrian tribes built settlements, some of which are still visible today, scattered all across Dalmatia.
Romans built large palaces like the Diocletian palace in Split. Dubrovnik was the heart of the Dubrovnik Republic, and many of the old buildings still stand today as one of the most preserved historical cities in Croatia.
- Dubrovnik: Probably the single most famous place in Croatia,” Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s famous for its well-preserved medieval walls and Old Town.
- Split: Home to already mentioned Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO-listed Roman complex that was and still is the heart of the busy Split city.
- Šibenik and Zadar: These coastal cities are famous for their historic cathedrals, fortresses, and Roman ruins.
- Korčula: Not located on the Dalmatian coast but on the nearby island of Korčula. Also regarded as the birthplace of Marco Polo, the world’s famous explorer and traveler. Also nicknamed ‘Little Dubrovnik’ because of the well-preserved old parts of the city.
3. Island Hopping Adventures
Now something that makes the Dalmatian coast different from many others – islands. This stretch of the coastline in Croatia is full of islands of all sizes. The whole of Croatia has more than 1000 islands. It’s much when you look at the size of Croatia and its coastline and it’s another one of the things why Croatia is so famous when it comes to vacation in Europe.
Being separate from the land, all these islands have a different vibe and lifestyle than one on the Dalmatian coast, and that’s one of the reasons we love the Croatian islands. One of the main reasons to go to the Dalmatian coast is the opportunities it provides when it comes to the exploration of these islands.
There are many day trips leaving from larger cities on the coastline and visiting some of the most famous places on the islands of Croatia. Here are just a few of them, located just opposite the Dalmatian coast.
- Hvar: Famous for its historic sites, beautiful lavender fields, and rich nightlife. There are many great places to explore too – Paklinski Islands or Red Rocks being just some of them.
- Korčula: The town of Korčula (on the island with the same name) is believed to be the birthplace of Marco Polo and it’s famous for its preserved Old Town.
- Vis: One of the more remote islands we absolutely love. Famous for many things, but also because of the vast underground tunnels that are now abandoned. These were mainly built during the WW2 and Cold War era.
- Mljet: Famous for the Mljet National Park, a beautiful island full of amazing places to visit.
- Lastovo: Furthest inhabited archipelago in Croatia. Visit it if you want to get away from the crowds and enjoy stargazing because Lastovo has some of the darkest night skies in Croatia.
4. Delicious Local Cuisine
One of the reasons to go to the Dalmatian coast for all you food lovers out there. A vacation without great food is not so great vacation. And you’re lucky if you’re planning on having your vacation in Croatia since our country is famous for its delicious local cuisine.
Every of the Croatian regions has different specialities and Dalmatia is no exception. Logically, it’s mostly famous for its seafood, but there are many other culinary delights you can try in different parts of the Dalmatian coast. Take the Neretva Valley as an example, as this part of Dalmatia is known for its Eel and frog specialties.
- Seafood: What’s better than freshly caught fish, octopus, or shellfish prepared in traditional ways.
- Dalmatian Prosciutto and Cheese: Add a bit of local wine into the equation and the result is even better.
- Peka: A slow-cooked dish usually made with meat or seafood and vegetables under a bell-shaped lid. You’ll see a lot of these when traveling on the Dalmatian coast and we suggest you try it.
- Local Wines: Dalmatia is famous for its wines too, Plavac Mali and Pošip being some of the most famous ones in this region.
5. National and Nature Parks
Something for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts visiting Croatia. All of Croatia is beautiful and there are a total of 8 national parks on a relatively small territory. Dalmatia is home to a few of them and these are must-visit places if you are staying in Croatia and have the urge to explore its natural wonders.
Here are just a few of the national and nature parks located in Dalmatia.
- Krka National Park: Located near the city of Šibenik and famous for its waterfalls. Somewhat Similar to Plitvice Lakes National, but still different.
- Mljet National Park: National park located on the Mljet island, famous for its 2 lakes with saltwater – Veliko and Malo Jezero.
- Paklenica National Park: Located in the Paklenica canyon of Velebit mountain. The most famous place for rock climbing in Croatia.
- Biokovo Nature Park: Located near the city of Makarska on the Makarska Riviera. A paradise for hikers and all sorts of adventurers.
- Lastovo Nature Park: As already mentioned Lastovo Island is also a part of the nature park and the place with the darkest skies in Croatia. Perfect for stargazing and thinking about the vastness of the universe.
6. Outdoor Adventures
We used to run an adventure travel agency in Croatia for a long time and we organized different adventure tours in southern Croatia. Some of our most famous adventure tours were the Baćina Lakes kayaking tour and the Makarska Riviera kayaking tour, but we had many more of these adventures of all sorts.
So you know what we are talking about when it comes to adventure travel in Croatia. This would be among our main reasons to go to the Dalmatian coast if we were in your position. Dalmatia offers so much when it comes to different adventure activities and we suggest you some of the best experiences you have to try when visiting Dalmatia and Croatia.
- Kayaking and Paddleboarding: Great activities for exploring the Dalmatian coast and finding the best and secluded beaches that couldn’t be reached by land.
- Hiking: Dalmatia is full of mountains that are perfect for all kinds of hiking adventures in Croatia.
- Cycling: Paved, Unpaved, Gravel, Dalmatia is full of all kinds of cycling trails perfect for exploration on 2 wheels.
- Snorkeling and Diving: Finally, where you have the sea, you have the possibility of underwater exploration. Adriatic sea is great for diving and snorkeling, especially if you are visiting some of the islands in Croatia.
7. Warm and Welcoming Culture
At last, what’s the country without welcoming people when it comes to tourism and traveling? Not much, you would agree. Well, Croatia has a rich tourist history and it’s known for its welcoming people. Most of the people living on the Dalmatian coast live off the tourism and they’ll do anything in their power to make your vacation as memorable as possible.
Dalmatian coast is also famous for:
- Traditional Festivals: Great way to experience local culture through music, dance, and food festivals that are being organized all year round and in all regions of Croatia.
- Old Villages: Dalmatia is full of old villages and many of them are abandoned nowadays, but you can still explore them and imagine how the living back then looked like.
- Vibrant Nightlife: From beach clubs to more traditional Taverns (konobas), Dalmatia has it all.
Before you venture to the Dalmatian Coast
So what do you think about our reasons to go to the Dalmatian coast for your next vacation in Europe? We hope we’ve helped with your decision whether to visit this region of Croatia or not. Dalmatian Coast is a place that provided us with so many great memories throughout our lives, and we hope it will provide you with great memories of your vacation in Croatia.
Enjoy your stay on the Dalmatian coast, eat local, and embark on some adventures!
