This map is all about Croatia! What dishes to try, and where to eat like a local in Zadar, Vis Island, and Split, including helpful information on visiting the natural parks of Krka or Plitvicka, and other fun activities to see/do.
or Cevapi for short, are little sausages of minced meat - ideally a beef/lamb mix - wrapped in a flatbread, and are a staple in the Balkans. They are a very popular street food or you can find them also in standard restaurants.
Burek
These layered pastries filled with cheese, meat, or some stuffing variation can be found everywhere! They are perfect for an afternoon snack, or a morning bite. I recommend trying a cheese-and-spinach burek!
Pašticada
This Dalmatian dish has roots to southern France. Pašticada is a stew of marinated beef, prunes, figs and alcohol of some sort, wine or prosecco. A proper pašticada requires some 24 hours of preparation, including giving the meat an overnight soak in vinegar, garlic and usually bacon. Served with gnocchi, it’s a dish served on certain saints’ days or at weddings.
Pag Cheese
This type of cheese comes from local sheep grazing in the salty air, Bura wind and on vegetation particular to Pag produce milk of a flavor specific to this island in northern Dalmatia. Matured for up to 18 months, similar in texture to Parmesan.
Crni rižot
Crni rižot or 'black risotto' is on almost every menu in Croatia. This black squid ink risotto is a must try!
Ispod peke
This is not a dish, but rather a method of cooking. Ispod peke is translated to "under the bell" and is a classic dish featured on many Dalmatian menus. This cooking method involves slow- cooking under a dome-shaped lid, covered in hot ashes. For a proper peka meal, you should order from the restaurant that morning or even a day in advance. You will often see octopus, lamb, or veal as options for this cooking.
Fish/Seafood
Being along the coast, Croatia is known for fresh grilled fish dishes or seafood, such as shrimps, scampi, calamari, octopus salad, smoked mussels, tuna pate, and more! I highly recommend trying the restaurant's fish starter platter under the appetizers to try a bunch of little bites.
The Sea Organ is an architectural sound art object that plays music by the waves of the sea hitting these tubes, located under a set of large marble steps. Have a seat, watch the boats jet by while you listen to the fascinating sounds of the Sea Organ during the day or at night.
Located right next to the Sea Organ, a visit to the architectural sound-art object, the Greetings to the Sun, makes for a perfect destination for an evening stroll.
The monument is dedicated to the sun, and consists of three hundred, multi-layered glass plates placed on the same level as the stone-paved waterfront. It consists of a 22-meter diameter circle, with photovoltaic solar modules underneath, thus solar power-charging the plates so that by nighttime, they light up with a beautiful lights show.
Add to
Details
Sunset Boat Tour
We had a great time on this small group sunset boat tour. Alfred Hitchcock said "The sunset of Zadar was the world’s most beautiful" so what better way to experience it than on a boat?
Krka National Park is the smaller of the two famous national parks, but don't be thinking this is a small park you can quickly visit. Spend some time and enjoy! We rented a car, and came around 5pm (the park closes at 8pm). Depending what you want to see, depends on which ticket you need to purchase. The most famous waterfalls are the Skradinski Buk, which to see those, you must buy the full ticket. (There are student prices!)
We arrived at the entrance of Skradin where we took the boat to Skradinski Buk (the easiest/most scenic route in my opinion). After walking around that park for an hour, we then went back to the car and drove to Roski Slap.
Save time and get your ticket in adv (link below)
This place is where you should come to try Ćevapi, a grilled dish of minced meat found traditionally in the countries of southeast Europe. It is considered a national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and is also common in Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Albania.
We took a day trip to visit the coastal town of Trogir. It's a preserved old town, known for its mix of Renaissance, baroque and Romanesque buildings. It lies on a small island connected to the mainland and the island of Čiovo by bridges.
Add to
Details
Take a ferry to one of the many surrounding islands!
Located about an hour and a half directly off the coast of Split, it makes for a perfect few day getaway for beautiful coastal views and utter relaxation.
Add to
Details
We chose Vis Island, for a more relaxing, small town vibe with gorgeous beaches, crystalline waters, and not to mention, as a super fan of Mamma Mia, a location so flawlessly gorgeous, that it is the backdrop of many scenes in the Mamma Mia sequel.
I hear a lot about the islands of Hvar and Brac, but let about Vis and let me tell you - this is the island to come to if you want a combination of relaxation, crystal clear beaches, stunning waters, exploration, and adventure. Hvar and Brac are probably considered a bit more popular and so are ‘touristic’ islands, but Vis I found less tourists, crowds, and an overall more calm atmosphere.
Vis Island is divided into two parts, Old town Vis and Komiza.
You will hear mainly about these two towns, which are in fact connected by bus. We had rented a car, which I suggest, to visit more of the island, especially the lesser crowded beaches.
Once arriving by ferry, we walked around the port town of Vis, admiring the views, and one of the first Mamma Mia 2 shooting locations: the harbor/ferry pier!
We had a really nice seafood dinner here with very kind, sweet service.
Add to
Details
Komiza
Komiza is a very cute village on the island, and is the second biggest town in Vis. If you have a car, I highly recommend staying there, as there are many cute restaurants with great seaside atmospheres and views over there.
This beach is beautiful and comes at a cost -- it's only accessible two ways: by boat, or by quite a hike. I read a lot online about this beach, and it seemed totally worth it, which it was. However, the websites are not lying when they warn you of the hiking conditions. PLEASE make sure you are wearing sturdy, comfy shoes that have grips as the rocks can be very slippery and you are going steep down hill.
Stiniva Beach is one of the most picturesque swimming spots throughout my travels. This small pebble beach is surrounded by canyon walls and incredible emerald waters. Not to mention the gaping hills behind you, or the small glimpse of ocean just beyond the gap in the canyon. Stiniva Beach is one that will leave you speechless. You have probably already seen photos of Stiniva Beach when researching Croatia, as it often appears on lists of some of the ‘best beaches of Croatia’ and ‘top beaches in Europe’, AND it was featured in Mamma Mia 2.
HOW TO REAECH THE BEACH:
To get down to the beach from the road is about a 30-60 minute walk, but with a HEFTY incline. The trail has a gravel and rock path which rapidly descends down the cliff to the beach below. You need good walking shoes (sandals will not do it), and an ability to climb up/down uneven terrain. Despite the short length in nature, it was a bit scary, as the descent is steep and the gravels are slippery. The trail has no safety barriers, and the rocks on the steep decline can be slightly loose, so be aware of slipping. However, the reward for your hard work will be far worth it with wonderful views on the descent, and the heavenly beach to immediately dip into upon arrival.
OR you can rent a boat/arrive via a boat tour.
All of the major town centres of Vis, Brac, Hvar and Split will offer private and group tours to this beach. However, in this case, the beach isn't free and you have a determined amount of time there to appreciate its beauty. Usually the boat tours show up after 11am, and stay for about 15-30minutes.
There is a little beach bar at the bottom of the hill, where you can order drinks and food. You will likely pay a higher price as it’s the only cafe/bar on this remote beach.
Another Mamma Mia 2 filming scene is here in the waters of Srebrna Beach. This beautiful pebble beach is super clean, and there are some big flat stones on the left side that are perfect for laying down on and relaxing.
There is also a beach bar, where you can rent beach beds or buy drinks.
There is an unpaved road leading up to something like 300 m away from the beach. Here there was plenty of parking, even some in the shade. After parking it will take about 5 minutes to get to the beach, walking on the unpaved, flat road.
This quiet little beach spot was practically our own, with maybe one or two others spread out on the sand. The water was super clean, crystal clear, and not to mention, was one of the Mamma Mia 2 filming locations.
If you're stationed on Vis, head to Komiza and take a simple boat tour from Komiza to the Blue Cave. You'll pay significantly less leaving from Komiza, than if you go from Split, as the Blue Lagoon is very close to Vis.
Talk about extremely remote-feeling beach spots, where there isn't a single other soul. Well, that is how I would describe my experience here. Granted, we drove over in the late afternoon, but this little beach inlet was so peaceful.
This restaurant is located right on the water, with incredible views. I had lovely octopus braised in a red wine sauce, and a fantastic starter of different fish appetizers.
Another great restaurant with fantastic views. This restaurant was famously used as one of the filming locations of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, in the scene where Harry fell from the table into the water. You can reserve this exact table, just make sure to call in advance. This restaurant is actually a lobster farm, and under the restaurant you can see the live lobster in the crates of the water.
This place was great for a pastry and coffee, and right on it's leftside is another cute little bakery for bureks and sweets.
Add to
Details
Thank you for your support!
I hope you have a great trip! If you appreciated this map at all, please consider leaving a tip and spreading the word to anyone you know about this service. Thank you so much for your support!
Want more travel tips?
Give us a follow and check out my instagram https://www.instagram.com/awakened.by.adventure/
Ciao! My name is Danielle and I'm a Californian from San Diego, who's been living full time in Florence, Italy since 2020. I studied in Florence in 2016 and absolutely fell in love with the food, culture, and history, and made it my mission to move back. I moved right before the pandemic, and staying here through all the lockdowns and pandemic life really helped me discover slow travel and find all of Italy's beauty, including lesser known gems, and off the beaten path travel spots.
During my three years in Florence, I have wrote for publications like The Florentine, done freelance marketing with restaurants and a travel agency, giving me high insight into the best destinations, foodie spots, and more.
I am here to help you make the most of your vacation in Italy with curated itineraries for every type of traveler and digital maps to help you enjoy THE BEST food each region has to offer. Let me do the work so you can just relax and enjoy, without any stress! I've had a very unique experience living in Italy the last 4 years, as I made my official move right before the pandemic, after visiting for years. Because of this I learned to travel locally and deeply throughout the numerous incredible destinations in Italy and for that I cater my travel services to finding the most local and mindful experiences, keeping true to discovering and appreciating Italy's culture.
