The beaches in Croatia are a highlight of the country and an absolute magnet for visitors from all over the world. You will find countless of them on the 2,000-kilometer coast of the Croatian Adriatic Sea and more than a thousand islands. Here are our top 7!
1. Banje Beach, Dubrovnik
Banje Beach is the popular city beach of the famous southern Dalmatian city of Dubrovnik and is one of the most spectacular beaches in Croatia. Plaza Banje is a fine light pebble beach with beautiful turquoise sea colors and wonderful views of the historic old town.
There is a cool beach club on the beach and the atmosphere is always exuberant. If you like, you can borrow a kayak right on the dream beach and admire the city of Dubrovnik from the sea.
2. Punta Rata, Brela
Punta Rata is a bigger beach in the area, known for soft sand and clear water. You can expect plenty of tourists, locals, and families. Take your pick of bicycling the unpaved trails or running the coast by foot.
Because of the location, you’ll have views of the Biokovo mountain range from Punta Rata, and if you walk long enough, you’ll come across the Brela Stone. This is what everyone takes a photo in front of, so get your phone ready to pose with a giant boulder that somehow grows pine trees.
3. Zlatni Rat Beach, Brac
The Golden Horn on Brac Island, also known as Zlatni Rat Beach, is probably one of the most famous beaches in Croatia. The Zlatni Rat, which is often thought of as a sandy beach, is actually a pebble beach, which stretches like a giant golden horn 500 meters into the azure blue sea.
Due to the unique shape of a sickle, it is world famous and has become a very popular destination for a beach holiday in Croatia. The next village to the dream beach is Bol, a lovely place for holidays with plenty of accommodations.
4. Pasjaca, Popovici, Konavle
Backed by plunging cliffs (a nesting spot for pallid swift birds), this wild and isolated rock-and-pebble beach is approached down a steep, narrow, winding path and through a small tunnel carved into the rocks. Looking out across the inky blue Adriatic, this beach is a back-to-nature experience – nothing is provided, so bring water, a towel and a roll-up beach mat.
To get here, drive 40 minutes south of Dubrovnik to the village of Popovici, passing through rural region Konavle, its vineyards and olive groves surrounded by rugged slopes that are dotted with old stone farmhouses and cypresses.
5. Sunj, Lopud
One of Croatia’s loveliest sandy beaches is a dreamy day trip from Dubrovnik by boat to this chilled-out island in the Elaphiti archipelago. Once you set foot on Lopud, you’ll understand why Renaissance nobles from Dubrovnik built their summer palaces on this beautiful island.
Walk from the main port through the pine woods to the wide sandy beach at Šunj, where you can set yourself up for the day on the soft sands or on a shaded sunbed. There’s a simple restaurant too, and if you can’t face the 25-minute walk from the harbor, hire one of the golf cart taxis to take you there.
6. Stara Baska, Krk
Situated on the southwest coast of the Island of Krk, Stara Baska is a small Croatian village situated at the end of the island’s main road. Once known for its locally grown and milled wheat, today, Baska’s major draw is the pebbly beach located around one mile from town.
The beach lies in the sheltered cove of Oprna Bay. By foot, the beach is accessed by hiking down a steep path. While there are facilities at the Skrila campsite located above the beach, there’s nothing more than a small bar on the beach itself, so visitors must trek in their own supplies. The beach can also be reached by boat from Stara Baska.
7. Sveti Ivan, Lubenice, Cres
Remote and largely undeveloped, the island of Cres is known for sheep farming and griffon vultures. On the west coast, the hilltop city of Lubenice is a huddle of medieval stone cottages and chapels. From here, a steep winding footpath leads down to a secluded bay – it’s a 40-minute walk, so good walking shoes are recommended.
The reward is a blissful white-pebble beach that looks out across the sparkling Adriatic, and the Blue Cave, which you can swim into, in the nearby Žanje Bay. There are no provisions here, so bring water and a towel. Rather than hiking, you can also get here by boat.
If you need any help with itinerary planning, get in touch with us at info@dubrovnikprivate.tours. We’ll be more than happy to lend a hand!
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