27 Fun Amazing, Important Facts about Croatia for Everyone

(Last Updated On: October 11, 2021)

Fun facts about Croatia will really inspire you to visit this European country. Outdoor activities such as touring national parks, offshore islands, and beaches, and discovering Croatia’s amazing history stretching back to Roman times are the two primary categories of things to do in Croatia. The urge to walk through old alleys, past beautiful churches, palaces, and mansions, is strong even for those seeking absolute leisure, fun facts about Croatia. The numerous Roman monuments here, as well as the charming coastal communities built on fishing bays and the gorgeous Adriatic islands with their desolate beaches, are all must-sees.

Shopping at Croatia’s various street markets is a lot of fun, especially when you combine it with people-watching and leisurely wine lunch in a local cafe. For all tourists, nightlife has everything from raucous dance clubs to quiet evenings dining, watching the sunset, and making new friends, fun interesting facts about Croatia.

Pula, located on the southernmost tip of the Istrian Peninsula in a beautiful bay, has been populated since Roman times and served as an important port and administrative hub for the Roman Empire, interesting fun facts about Croatia. The well-preserved amphitheater, which holds concerts and events on a regular basis, the Temple of Augustus, and the Triumphal Arch of Sergius also highlight. When exploring Roman ruins, Pula City Tours provides English-speaking guides to ensure you don’t miss any of the city’s notable sites.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, in Croatia’s hilly karst area, is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its biodiversity and 16 interconnected lakes separated by waterfalls, natural dams, and rapids surrounded by forest, fun facts about Croatia. Depending on what minerals are present beneath the waves, each lake has a different brilliant hue, ranging from azure blue to emerald green. Brown bears, wolves, eagles, wildcats, and a variety of nesting bird species live in the park, which is home to much of the flora and fauna. The National Park Service offers guided tours, and bus and boat transportation inside the park is included in the admission price.

Dubrovnik and its Old Town are a history buff’s dream, as well as one of Croatia’s most beautiful cities. The town has been famed since the 19th Grand Tours of Europe, containing beautiful cathedrals, monasteries, and fountains, and was once an autonomous trade republic rivaling Venice in power, fun facts about Croatia. Mljet and Korcula Islands, off the coast, are ideal for beaches, diving, and snorkeling, while Konavle Valley offers excellent walking and horseback riding routes. Viator provides a selection of excursions that cover all of the area’s highlights.

Fun Facts about Croatia

1. The national drink of Croatia, rakija, is shared with other Balkan countries, but the Croatian method is to sip a herbal rakija, known as travarica, with dried figs at the start of a meal.

2. Rijeka International Carnival: The Rijeka Carnival has a long history, with highlights including ‘ugly masks,’ which are said to ward off demons and evil spirits, street parties, a famous International Parade with participants from all over the world, a Children’s Parade, and large-scale eating and drinking. Hundreds of thousands of people go to Croatia for the five-week festival, which begins on January 17.

3. In 925, Tomislav became the first king of Croatia, establishing the country as a monarchy.

4. The beach at Zlatni Rat on the island of Brac is known for its ever-changing form and color, which is influenced by the wind.

5. Dinner (veera) for Croatians is generally a thin-crust pizza or a shared plate of appetizers, such as evapi (spicy grilled sausage), prut (smoked ham), and cheese, or grilled sardines, which are normally served after 8 p.m.

6. Dubrovnik’s Feast of St Blaise: St Blaise is Dubrovnik’s patron saint, whose birthday has been honored on Candlemas for almost 800 years. On February 2, white doves are released from St Blaise’s Church, and the celebrations include a morning service, a spectacular parade with reliquaries and images carried by lavishly costumed locals, and festivities in the plaza surrounding the church. The historic event is on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

7. With a population of only 17, Croatia is claimed to be home to the world’s smallest town; the tiny and historic town of Hum was first recorded in papers in 1102AD!

8. The Split Summer Festival is an open-air festival featuring plays, concerts, operas, and ballet performances held in Diocletian’s Palace, the Basement Halls, and other sites between July and August. Foreign and Croatian artists and musicians perform on outdoor stages, and the event draws a huge number of international tourists.

9. Croatia won full independence on June 25, 1991, after years of domination by several governments, notably the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

10. In April 1941, Zagreb was designated as the country’s capital.

11. Dubrovnik Carnival: Held in the center of Dubrovnik every February for the last 600 years, Carnival on Stradun Street is thronged with residents dressed up in fantastic costumes or futuristic outfits, riders in medieval armor wielding lances, street theater performances, and musicians. There are jousting tournaments, masquerade balls, and street celebrations in addition to the main procession.

12. Croatia’s name (Croatian: Hrvatska) is derived from Medieval Latin Crotia, which is derived from the native ethnonym of Croats, older *Xrvate, and contemporary Croatian: Hrvati.

13. Mosquitoes are a common sight throughout the nation, but their numbers spike in the summer as they are drawn to the hot weather and warm water.

14. Croatian Statehood Day: Celebrated annually in June, Statehood Day commemorates the birth of an independent nation from the ashes of a war-torn land. Official and unofficial activities take place around the country, however, this is not to be confused with October’s Independence Day.

15. Vinkovci, in eastern Croatia, is one of Europe’s oldest cities, having been continuously inhabited for almost 8,000 years.

16. The Pula Arena in Pula, Croatia, is the world’s only surviving Roman amphitheater with four side towers. It is one of just three elements of Roman architecture that has maintained its structural integrity. It is the world’s sixth-largest amphitheater.

17. Dubrovnik was home to one of Europe’s first medieval sewage networks.

18. The beautifully adorned Pisanica Eggs, which date back to Slavic pagan origins and were integrated into Christian celebrations in the 9th century, are the emblems of Easter in Croatia. The celebration kicks out on Palm Sunday with nighttime parades of religious symbols in various cities. Coastal residents dress up in traditional garb and sing hymns while reenacting bible stories and gracing the city gates.

19. In the early nineteenth century, Dubrovnik was renowned as the “Adriatic Pearl” because of the English poet Lord Byron.

20. Standard Croatian is the official language of the Republic of Croatia and one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with Standard Bosnian and Standard Serbian. It is also recognized in the Austrian provinces of Burgenland, Molise, and Vojvodina (Serbia).

21. The Full Moon Night in Zadar: The full moon in August is a time of tradition along the shore near Zadar’s harbor. All of the lights are turned out, and candles light the quays and port. Singing, dancing, dining, and seeing the full moon in all its glory are popular pastimes on this lovely evening.

22. Christmas celebrations begin on December 6 in Croatia, with beautiful lights, songs, markets, and performances. Beginning with midnight mass, traditional meals, and cultural rituals, Christmas Day is a family affair. In Croatia, Djed Mraz is Santa Claus, who gives presents on St. Nicholas Day, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Day. New Year’s Eve is a major celebration with fireworks, bonfires, local food, and parties all around the world.

23. For most travelers, a week in Croatia is an excellent decision. You may easily see Dubrovnik, Split, and the Dalmatian Islands in seven to ten days, with enough time left over to visit another area or national park.

24. Sinjska Alka, a knight tournament, has been held in the Croatian town of Sinj every first weekend in August since 1715. It’s a chivalry event in which knights ride their horses down the main street, lances aimed at an iron ring.

25. Many historians think the necktie was developed in Croatia since the Croatian soldiers used knotted neckties for the first time in the 1600s.

26. The Ozijek Worldwide Pannonian Challenge is a must-see for extreme sports lovers, as it attracts international celebrities and outstanding amateurs in stunt riding, mountain biking, skateboarding, and inline skating to perform for a large crowd.

27. Summer is the greatest time for a beach trip, with many low-cost flights available from Europe. The late shoulder season’s sunny, pleasant weather also means cheaper lodging and is ideal for touring and beach activities. March visits to national parks coincide with the melting of mountain snow, making it an ideal period for trekking and appreciating the beauty.

We know you have enjoyed these interesting, fun facts about Croatia!