The perfect beach means different thing to different people. We looked at the quality of the beach itself, facilities at the beach, scenery and surrounding area. While some of the beaches listed here have all these qualities, some other have one aspect much predominant than the other, but overall impression of the beach deserves to be listed here.
The list is completely made by editorial choice. If your favorite beach is missing please contact us and let us know.
Finally here it is, cream of the crop.
Drazica beach
Biograd is a picturesque town that lies on a peninsula surrounded by modern marinas and a promenade from which spreads an unforgettable sight to the Pasman channel and little islands scattered all over it. Swimming in a crystal clear sea is possible only about hundred meters from town center, where beaches spread in the shade of centuries old pine woods.
Series of wonderful beaches stretches along a beautiful paved promenade south of the city center. Above beaches there are hotels and campings.
The first one, at about 10 minutes walking from the center, is pebbled Drazica beach, a beach awarded with a Blue Flag. It is also the most popular beach in Biograd. Rich vegetation surrounds the promenade, so the beach has no direct exposure to the traffic. A parking lot is in the immediate vicinity of the beach. The beach has sanitary facilities, showers, changing cabins, facilities for the disabled, catering facilities, first- aid and lifesaving equipment and lifeguards. Many watersport facilities and a large aquagan are also available. The beach will display environmental information on several boards, including the one in the camp and on the beach itself.
After Drazica, Soline beach is situated. It is also a popular beach situated in a small cove. There is a camping and beach itself is pebbly/sandy.
Those who’d like to avoid the crowd can continue walking toward Kumenat beach. It is a small pebbly beach with a bar, located just under apartment village Kumenat. After Kumenat you can walk all the way to Crvena Luka, a purpose-built resort 5 km south of Biograd. Crvena Luka is situated in a sandy cove. This stretch of the coast, between Kumenat and Crvena Luka is clothing optional. The coast is rocky and pebbly with shallow water with a beautiful sandy naturist beach at the end, just before Crvena Luka complex.
Zlatni rat (Golden Horn) beach
Croatia’s most spectacular is the vast, golden shingle sandbar, almost 580 yards long, known as the Golden Horn. It juts out into the water at Bol on the island of Brac, the large island opposite Makarska.
The beach has a unique shape, like a white tongue stretched into the sea. It is unique also for the fact that it changes shape and position, depending on the wind. With its beauty and offer of various sports, the beach Zlatni rat attracts tourists from all over the world, who enjoy the sun, the sea and water sports.
Offer on the beach: self-service restaurant, cafes, parachute rides, pedal boats, jet-ski, banana boats.
The beach is protected from the sea with safety nets, and only the tip of the beach is free for surfers – many international races and cups are organized here. 4 windsurfing schools, SSI scuba diving school, beach volleyball.
Brela beaches
Brela is south of Split and north of the resort of Makarska. Brela is an attractive village set on a beautiful full six kilometers of white pebbly beach and is surrounded by fig trees, olive groves and lovely pine woods. The beach at Brela slopes gently into the safe blue sea making it an ideal place for family holidays with young children. Setting is spectacular: white pebbles underneath the huge Biokovo maintain.
Forbes magazine recently put it in the top 20 beaches of the world.
The most popular beaches are Punta Rata and Berulija, both awarded with Blue Flag.
Punta Rata is a long, streched, pebbled , resort beach surrounded by restaurants and coffee shops.
The beach has lifeguards, life-saving equipment, facilities for disabled, doctor, sport facilities, catering facilities. The lifeguards are present on the beach from June 1-September 30, from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m.
The beach is located in the vicinity of the Biokovo Mountain Park of Nature, in a pine forest, on the outskirts of Brela community.
There are 3 ways to approach the beach: a promenade from east and west, and a forest walk and road from north.
Berulija is a resort beach situated underneath a hotel in the municipality of Brela. It is a pebbled beach, 400 m long, consisting of 3 small coves. The beach can be approached by stairs and the road that leads from the city center. A ramp prevents the cars from entering the beach. The beach has sanitary facilities and it also offers during the season various catering and rental facilties. 2 lifeguards are present from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Numerous other facilities can be found at the hotel. The beach offers facilities for the disabled.
Lokrum island beach- Dubrovnik
Island of Lokrum is situated in front of the Old city, ten minutes pleasant sail by taxi boat from Dubrovnik. From the Old city port regular taxi boats run during Spring and Automn every hour and during the summer time every half and hour to the island.
It is a popular excursion spot and a great choice to spend a whole day enjoying the sun and the see. The island is a natural resort protected by the Croatian Academy of Art and Science.
On the island there is a Botanic garden with tropical and subtropical plants. On the highest peak there is a Fort Royal built in a shape of five pointed star by French army in 1806; it gives a magnificient view of Dubrovnik, Cavtat and the island itself. Walking through pathways you can easily reach the old Benedictine monastery preserved and partly restored into the Maximilian of Habsburg palace in 19th century; now serves as a restaurant and café bar.
On the island there is a small lake linked with the open sea, called Mrtvo more – Dead Sea, very suitable for children and non swimmers to bathe in.
Lokrum’s beaches are rocky and back onto groves of pine trees.
Gornja Vala beach
After Makarska, Gradac is the biggest settlement on Makarska Riviera. It is situated on a mild slope covered by olive-groves and pine forests, on the southern end of Makarska Riviera, 40 km away from Makarska and 13 km east of Ploce, halfway on the road from Split to Dubrovnik. It is an attractive tourist resort, with one of the most beautiful and longest beaches not -only on the Makarska Riviera but also on the entire Adriatic coast.
South of the harbour is Gornja Vala, with one of the largest and most beautiful white pebbles beach on the Makarska Riviera. The harbour is protected from all winds; smaller yachts may be berthed on the inner side of the breakwater; larger yachts are docked south of the harbour or in the Bosac Cove (northwest of the harbour). In the vicinity of Gornja vala there are numerous sports facilities, tennis courts, water sports, diving center, cycling and walks paths etc. Nudist beach is near by.
Milna & Dubovica beaches
Located just off the Dalmatian coast and perfumed by the scent of lavender, Hvar is one of the most hyped and beautiful of all the Croatian islands and has been a favorite getaway ever since the Romans.
Southern coast of the island is full with perfect little pebbly bays. It is a favorite destination for many swimmers and sunbathers from Hvar town. Beaches can be reached by the road from Hvar or you can take the boat service regularly operating during Summer from Hvar’s harbor. Obviously those beaches closer to Hvar town (Milna, Dubovica) are more popular, and those a bit further – like Zavala and Sveta Nedjelja - are more peaceful and relaxed.
Milna is a small village, 4 km south-east from Hvar town with which is connected by a street road. There is an organized transportation by boat from Hvar port. The boat drive takes about 25 minutes. It is also reachable by car, bus or foot.
Milna is blessed with four lagoon-shaped beaches surrounded by a woody and gentle coast where pine-trees, agaves, vineyards and orchards overgrow. Two beaches are situated in the village itself and two in its immediate vicinity. Beaches are pebbly and forest between them is offering nice shade. Orientation to the south provides protection from northern winds and the sea is warm and crystal clear.
The largest beach on the southern coast of the island is Dubovica, located 4 km east of Milna. Again it has a lagoon-like shape. The beach is made of white pebbles and it has beautiful submarine scenery. At one side of the beach there is a small village with just a small church and several stone houses. In one of them there is (sort of) a restaurant. The beach is so beautiful it is hard to resist not to dive into the blue waters and have a swim. Like Mlini, you can reach it by a boat, bus or car.
Between Milna and Dubovica, another beach has found its place. There is a long lagoon with a wide pebble beach beneath a small, abandoned village of Zarace, situated on the very top of rocky cliff.
Hvar island, Hvar town-Pakleni islands
Located just off the Dalmatian coast and perfumed by the scent of lavender, Hvar is one of the most hyped and beautiful of all the Croatian islands and has been a favorite getaway ever since the Romans. Once a town of turbulent history, today it is one of the most prominent and visited tourist centres in the Adriatic.
The most popular beaches of the town Hvar are situated on the Pakleni islands. The name of this tiny archipelago (about twenty islets right opposite the town of Hvar) which extends undulating along the south side of Hvar comes from the word “paklina” (melted pine resin for ‘rasping’ boat plating). This archipelago is the most beautiful part of the Hvar riviera and can be easily reached by frequent taxi boats from the harbour, just outside the Arsenal.
Pakleni islands have numerous bathing places and a myriad of small, secluded beaches.
The most popular ones are:
Sv. Jerolim - is a well-known and long-established naturist beach. The coast of the island of Sveti Jerolim is predominantly rocky, with also nice small shingle beach. The vegetation, which comes almost right down to the shore, is a mixture of shrub and pine groves, so if you pick your spot carefully you can have plenty of shade in the heat of the afternoon, with the sea at your doorstep when you need to cool off. There is a good restaurant and showers.
Marinkovac - The island is partly nudist and has three popular coves.Stipanska is the first one where taxi boats stop. It is the same taxi boat as for Jerolim. A short walk trough the pinewood will take to a restaurant. Stipanska has a small shop, showers and naturist section. West of Stipanska, Zdrilica cove is located with a very fine restaurant often visited by yacht crowd. Mlin cove to the south is a wonderful bay with a pebbly beach. Marinkovac is pretty much everywhere clothing optional so you can choose to loose your swimsuit or not.
Sv. Klement (St. Clement) is the largest island in the Pakleni archipelago. It takes about 20 minutes to get there by taxi
boat. People often reffer to Sveti klement as Palmizana which is a spacious and island’s the most popular cove with a shallow fine shingle beach. In the bay of Vinogradisce the family of the botanist Eugen Meneghello began to build summer houses and also to plant trees. Nowadays, it is a veritable arboretum with tourist facilities.
Palmizana is surrounded by a thick pine forest, fragrant heather and rosemary shrubs and a number of exotic plants.
Vela Plaza, the Graet Beach (Island Krk)
The beach is located in rich cultural heritage of the town of Baska on the island of Krk. The island of Krk is the biggest Croatian island and is known as an all-round island for families with children. Beautiful sandy or pebbly beaches and water slides for kids and wine for their parents. The northern and western parts of the island are high, barren and windswept. The sheltered areas nearest the southern coast have the island’s forests and the best of its beaches. Krk is connected with the mainland by a spectacular long bridge and there is also international airport.
Baska is located on Krk’s southern shore and abounds in beaches. Some thirty pebbled beaches accessible to swimmers of all ages, while some of them have to be reached on foot or by boat. Still, the biggest and one of the most beautiful is Baska’s Vela Plaza, the Great Beach, right in the centre of town, surrounded by bars, restaurants, pizzerias, cafes, hotels, private flats and other things all of which are an integral part of the place’s attractions.
Vela Plaza is a a natural pebble beach, combination of pebbles and sand, and it is 1800 m long, which can take several thousand swimmers with ease. It’s particularly suitable for children and non-swimmers. The beach has many facilities including water sport equipment, lifeguards, life-saving equipment, first aid, facilities for disabled people, catering facilities.
Since 1999, the European Blue Flag has waved on Baska’s Great Beach.
Suncana uvala, Sunny Cove (Mali Losinj)
The Island of Losinj is part of the Cres-Losinj island group, inside the Kvarner Bay in northern Adriatic. Mali Losinj is not only the biggest settlement on the island of Losinj but also the biggest island town in the Adriatic.
The Veli zal beach in the Suncana uvala cove is in front of the Aurora hotel which is approximately 50 m from the sea and about 1 km from the town center. It is situated on the southwestern side of town of Mali Losinj and it forms a wind-protected cove. The beach and the hotel are surrounded by thick pine forest. The middle of the beach is covered with pebbles and the rest are smooth rocks with easy access to the sea. The area around the hotel contains sports facilities, children playgrounds, rental facilities and the beach itself has a restaurant, a coffee bar, access for the disabled, lifeguards, etc.
The beach can be approached by the road and promenade which passes along the whole south- western side of the island and ends in the town.
Makarska Riviera beaches
Makarska is located in the middle of Dalmatian coats and has some of the most beautiful beaches along whole Croatian coast. Makarska is a center of long Makarska Riviera stretch of the coast.
To the north of Makarska are the resorts of Krvavica, Bratus, Promajna, Baska Voda & Brela. All are worth a visit but one can note Baska Voda & Brela for their quiet marinas and superb restaurants, and both are particularly well known for their beautiful idyllic coves and white beaches.
To the south of Makarska are the coastal resorts of Tucepi, with its beautiful long stretch of white beach, Podgora, with its lovely quiet marina, Drasnice, Igrane, Zivogosce and Drvenik, from where one can get a ferry to the island of Hvar. Furthermost south are Zaostrog, standing amidst pine trees and olive groves, and Gradac, the largest town in the Riviera after Makarska.
From Brela to Gradac (cca 40 km) there are a hundreds of beaches, for everyones taste. Many of them are very popular and sometimes crowded during the peak of the season, but you can find enormous number of hidden and intimate small beaches between rocks all around the coast. The biggest beach, in one part, is in Tucepi town – 2 km long. Second one is in the town of Makarska and it’s long 1,5 km.
Ninska Laguna (Nin’s Lagoon)
Nin is situated in the shallow lagoon just 18 km north of Zadar, far from traffic and industrial zones. As the sea is shallow and cut into the land, the temperature of the sea is 2-3 degrees higher than in the open sea, which creates higher salinity and aerosol.
Nin is the destination of many tourists. Many also stay in the near Holiday Village Zaton and visit Nin for it’s beaches and cultural monuments.
The whole area around Nin is an osais of shallow and long sandy beaches. Beaches are located in a large, from winds protected bay with a magnificent view on mountains. The water is always clean and warm.
The most known is Ninska laguna beach (Nin’s Lagoon). It is a long sandy beach ideal for families with children and elderly people. Recently Ninska laguna has been put on the top of the list of the most beautiful Dalmatian sandy beaches by German auto club ADAC. The beach is also known for areas with medicinal mud (peloid and liman). Medicinal mud serves for treatment since the Roman times.
The action of the medicinal peloid can be seen through the physical, mechanical and chemical effects, especially for different rheumatic diseases, and particularly for different spine deformations (sciatica, lumbago, pyriarthritis …) and for the problem of infertility of women as well as for different skin diseases. The therapy takes place in the pleasant natural environment, and it includes bathing and swimming in the warm sea after the treatment with the medicinal mud which is under the supervision of the medicinal stuff.
Zrce Beach
Novalja is the main tourist centre on the island of Pag, with a long tradition in tourism. The island of Pag is the fifth largest island in the Adriatic Sea and its well-indented coastline is the longest in the Adriatic. It is 270 kilometres long, full of bays, coves, capes and beaches.
Zrce is a long, streched, pebbled beach, close to the town of Novalja, situated in the north-eastern part of the island of Pag and the beach is a cove opposite the town of Pag. The beach is urban and well visited by the local population and the tourists.
Zrce beach can be reached by car or by shuttle bus which operates regularly from Novalja.
The beach is surrounded by woods, through which many paths lead to the beach itself, and there is a parking lot in front of the beach area. The beach has various facilities such as life- saving equipment, life-guards, first aid, facilities for the disabled, catering facilities, rental facilities, phones, recycable waste facilities, showers, source of drinking water, canoes, paddle boats, windsurfing boards, motorboats and speedboats etc. There are windsurfing and water skiing courses available and also a gym at your disposal. The life-guards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The beach has zoning of different activities and areas for children and non-swimmers.
The beach is known as the party beach of Croatia
Petrcane’s most popular beach is situated on the natural peninsula near Pinija hotel. It is also known by the name ofPunta Radman. Beach is pebbly and rocky and one part is sandy suitable for children. One part of the beach belongs to Pinija hotel and there is a small entrance charge for all other visitors. Along the beach there is a pine forest and many facilities including sport and watersport opportunities.
A bit further there is Nela Beach Club. It is a pebbly / stone slabs beach with volleyball on sand, bar and gym on beach. It has a pirate camp feel, latino, pop and rock music. The beach is well attended, mostly by young people. Entrance is free of charge.
On the nearby flat peninsula a tourist settlement Punta Skala is situated, ideal for family holiday. It is a densely wooded peninsula with beautiful natural beaches (rocky beach, sandy beach and cliffs). The beach is fairly attended, but privacy is also possible. Tool entrance. One part of the beach is reserved for naturists. Further away there is unoccupied natural coast (Visevica) with medium attendance and possibility for nudism and privacy.
Crveni otok (Red Island) beach
Crveni otok is a small island, 15 minutes by taxi boat from Rovinj. There are approx. two boats an hour.
The Red Island is really a piece of earthly paradise, a summary of everything astonishingly beautiful adorning Rovinj and its fascinating surroundings. By a magical game of nature – through a fanciful story – ennobled by the human hand, this pearl surrounded by the sea put together two tied islets – St. Andrea and Maškin. The fact of more than 180 kinds of various plants growing there witnesses the richness of the nature’s gift.
The island is covered with lush pine woods, it has idyllic bays and a nice cape with rocky beaches.
On St. Andrea island Hotel Sol Club Istra is located while the Maskin island is reserved for naturists. St. Andrea offers many facilities within the hotel, while Maskin has an attractive terrace and al Carte restaurant, showers on the beach and volleyball court.
Rajska plaza (Paradise beach)- Rab Island
Lopar is a picturesque tourist place, the furthermost village on the island, situated in a fertile valley approximately 14 km away from the old town of Rab.
Lopar’s 2km long sandy Paradise Beach (Rajska plaza) is one of the most famous beaches on the Adriatic. The finest of sand, shallow, crystal clear and warm sea water (up to 28°C in the Summer months), the greenest pine forest which offers protection and shade are surely just some of the reasons why numerous guests are attracted. Due to the shallow sea level, the beach is perfect for inferior swimmers, children and elderly people. Near the beach there is San Marino hotels village and the biggest camping on the island, as well as many private apartments to rent.
Sandy shallow waters are long and it takes about 500 m until the sea comes half the waist of an adult on this, in summer quite crowded beach. In the vicinity there is a large sports centre containing a variety of playing fields and courts (tennis, football, basketball, volleyball), minigolf, table tennis, water slide and a variety of other water sports activities. The beach has restaurants, bars, life-guards, life-saving equipment, first-aid equipment, facilities for the disabled, rental facilities, recycable waste facilities, catering facilities, phones, etc. The life-guards are present from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The beach has been honored by Blue Flag award.
A short walk from Lopar there are other sandy beaches, some of them used by naturists, with Sahara, Ciganka and Stolac being the most beautiful and popular.