Long gone are the days when Dubrovnik utilized to be among Europe’s best-kept tricks. Considering that it featured as ‘King’s Landing’ on Game of Thrones, and given that it went Insta-famous, the fortified city has actually almost been engulfed by the crowds.
It now ranks amongst a few of the most overtouristed locations in the Old Continent, up there with Venice, Santorini, Barcelona and so on, and eventually, the appeal would subside.
Luckily, Dubrovnik is not Croatia’s only middle ages gem by the sea: these 4 alternative areas are just as quite, and though they aren’t exactly crowd-free– like all over in the Adriatic country these days– they still feel even more laid-back:
Korčula Town Called a’mini Dubrovnik’, Korčula Town is the capital of the name island. Picture a walled settlement dating back countless years, with standard Dalmatian houses and Romanesque churches, but no big cruise ships lining the harbor, nor packed piazzas.
If you’re wondering what to see around town, begin with St. Mark’s Cathedral, integrated in the 15th century: whether it’s walking down the atmospheric nave or climbing the belfry for views of the townhouses and the blue-green Adriatic, it will take your breath away.
Korčula Town likewise claims being the birth place of Marco Polo, and disputed as they may be, you can check out the local Marco Polo House. This is one of Croatia’s numerous paradisaical islands, after all, and some beach time is due: for beautiful pebbly strips hugged by crystal-clear seas, try Banje Beach.
< img width="1200"height="1200 "src ="https://www.traveloffpath.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nin-In-Croatia.jpg.webp"alt ="Nin In Croatia"/ > Nin, Croatia A tiny town on the North Dalmatian Coast, Nin is
located on a little islet, around 500 meters throughout, connected to the mainland by a stone bridge. It’s somewhere you go mainly for relaxing, experiencing a more agrarian side of Croatia, and slowly taking in the culture.
Small as it may be, Nin is mighty: as one of the earliest settlements in all of Croatia, it has no lack of fantastic sights, from the older-than-time Church of the Holy Cross, often referred to as the smallest cathedral in the world, to a destroyed Roman temple.
The town itself is extremely stunning, with winding pathways leading to cafe-bordered squares, and if we’re being honest, there’s genuinely no better beach setting in Dalmatia than Nin Lagoon: it has a long, sandy beach, which is uncommon to see in Croatia, and it’s never ever that congested in some way.
Rovinj Something that many individuals might not know is that, prior to Croatia’s integration, this stretch of the Adriatic had actually been under Venetian guideline for centuries. Yes, as in the floating city over in Italy– and if we’re talking faithful daughters of Venice, Rovinj would certainly be up there:
It has no canals, sure, however the architecture is indisputably Venetian. Instead of the usual ochre-stone homes with green shutters that are so common in Dubrovnik or Split, Rovinj is colored a tasty pastel, and the sole-standing bell tower is clearly similar to St Mark’s Campanile in Venice.
Contrary to its parent city, however, Rovinj continues to fly under the radar for many. Although popular, with outdoor coffee shops and pebbly beaches brimming with people in the high season, it’s a vibrant, inviting, and hectic location, rather than frustrating or suffocating.
Pula A 40-minute drive from Rovinj, Pula is the crown gem of Istria, and as it has been truly dubbed by Travel Off Course,’Rome by the Sea’. With a Roman arena, nearly-intact temples, and indisputable Italian vibes, it’s simple to see where the comparisons originate from.
Pula’s leading tourist destination is, without a doubt, its significant ‘Colosseum’, which unlike the arena over in Rome, has not had its elliptical shape partially-damaged– we know there’s only one Colosseum, so let’s not get too technical here.
It’s a must-see website for History lovers, and even if you’re not especially enthusiastic about the Roman Empire, you can value the fact it has none of the actual Colosseum’s huge lines. Plus, it hosts concerts and movie celebrations in summertime! How cool?
The arena is Pula’s focal point, however it’s far from being its only landmark: don’t miss out on the 1st-century Temple of Augustus, the commemorative Arch of the Sergii, set up around the same time, and Kaštel, an enforcing hill fortress overlooking the town.
< img alt=""src ="https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/670a9f78091c16bd874672b1cb939f4e22e64fe6c391eb68b0f897b10dbfd49e?s=96&d=mm&r=g"height ="96" width="96"/ > Vinicius Costa Vini, our senior lead author at Travel Off Path, has more than 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into helpful stories that will have you loading your bags.
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