Dalmatian Coast

The Dalmatian Coast is the southern portion of Croatia stretching along the Adriatic Sea. It is Croatia’s most touristic region, attracting sun and beach worshippers from all over Europe. We visited Split and Dubrovnik on the mainland, and the islands of Hvar and Korčula.

All four main cities are ancient fortified towns. The town walls and ancient buildings within them remain mostly intact. All bustle with sidewalk restaurants and cafes. Despite the similarities, each town has its own character.

Split is a large city and major transportation hub. Each time we visited it was buzzing with activity of people coming and going from buses, ferries, planes, trains and cruise ships.

Hvar is a magnet for the rich and famous. Its harbour was full of oversized yachts. It’s also known for its beach parties, so attracts throngs of young backpackers. To get away from the crowds we rented a car and toured the rest of the island on our own. There are lovely villages, UNESCO sites and a death-defying mountain road with spectacular views.

Korčula was our favourite. It is an old fortified town but is smaller than the others and attracts fewer tourists. Though still busy, it had a much more laid-back feel.

Dubrovnik was our final stop. It is the best-known destination on the Dalmatian Coast. Its old city has been well-preserved (or in many cases carefully rebuilt after being bombarded in the 1991/92 war). It was crazy busy with tourists, even in mid-September. Our apartment was in the old town so we had the opportunity to take in all the madness from our balcony.

Dubrovnik is where much of Game of Thrones was filmed. As a result, in addition to the usual tourists, there are countless visitors who visit just to see the Game of Thrones filming locations.

We’ve included a lot of photos in the the post so have not embedded the link to our photo album. If you’d like to see more photos click on the “Photo Albums” tab above and choose “Dalmatian Coast”.

Next Up: Zadar, Croatia