60 Photos of Croatia that Inspire Wanderlust

Croatia is a country that has so much to offer. The coastline is striking with some of the most beautiful water I’ve ever seen. There are waterfalls, mountains, stunning buildings and more to see! So, we wanted to share some of our favorite photos of Croatia to spark a wanderlust for this gorgeous Balkan country! Believe it or not, 60 is cutting it down – Croatia is that photogenic! We left so much unseen and putting this post together has also inspired me to want to go back, dig deeper and see even more of Croatia!

Kicking Off the Croatian Adventure in Zagreb

We only had a couple of weeks in Croatia, so we had a whirlwind day of sunup to sundown explorations in Zagreb.
Zagreb’s famous St. Mark’s Church was a favorite – I love the tiled roof!
Everywhere you look around Zagreb it’s a feast for the eyes. The terracotta roofs, small markets, pastel facades, statues and so much more.
Something I love to check out when traveling is the details. Luckily, Matt is the same way because he’s always sure to capture the beauty in the little things. Like a fortress tower against the trees and a scrolly door down the side of a church. The photo below is one of my favorites. It isn’t a major site or anything, but I love the angles and colors and when I see it, I think Croatia. I loved this church so much, it made the cut twice. I loved this panoramic-style shot Matt did. It shows off even more of the stunning facades all around St. Mark’s.
 
Traveling in the spring has its own form of magic. The grass is green, the flowers are blooming and the trees are starting to bud. Tulips are my very favorite flowers and they were blooming all over Zagreb. The gardens around the National Theater are unreal and a sensational place for a picnic. It’s a great place to people watch.

Road Tripping Croatia

After exploring Zagreb for a bit, we picked up our rental car and headed toward Plitvice Lakes National Park – the whole reason I was dying to visit Croatia. Along the way we passed the small town of Slunjčica which has a whole slew of waterfalls itself. We had to check in to our guest house near Plitvice first, so we came back during golden hour to explore this area.

How quaint is this mill/cottage/bridge/waterfall combo?!

Speaking of our guesthouse, it was in a dimly lit tiny neighborhood off a teeny street. Our room was super cozy, and had a darling little patio. So, Matt woke up at 3am to capture the Milky Way when he realized that it was going to be right over our patio. I’m so glad he did.
The next day we started to explore the stunning Plitvice Lakes National Park. We, in true Wunder-travels-form, were there during  a flood, so many of the boardwalks were closed. That said, we still enjoyed our time there! We saw several waterfalls and enjoyed the turquoise waters.
I loved the trail above the waterfalls. It made for some of my absolute favorite photos of Croatia.You can see some of the turquoise pools that collect at the bottom of the falls.
In addition to the lakes and waterfalls, there are beautiful trails through the trees. We spent Earth Day exploring this park and it was an amazing place to love and celebrate earth!
We took the boat across the lake to get to the trail that leads to the “Big Waterfall”. Which is quite aptly named – it’s big! The photo above is looking down over the big waterfall. If you look closely, you can see parts of a rainbow cast by the mist. The photo below shows off just how big the waterfall is.

Continuing Our Road Trip to Dubrovnik

Shortly after leaving Plitvice Lakes you get to the coastline and follow breath-taking views of the blight blue Adriatic and small islands and coastal towns. We found ourselves pulling over again and again to take in the beauty. Also, fun fact, there’s a really small section of the coast that’s part of Bosnia + Herzegovina!
This coastal town is so striking. We pulled over in a perfect spot to catch this view! The ocean was so calm, so beautiful and blue. Next time we’re in Croatia, I’m going to make coastal town hopping a priority.

The roads are winding and offer up some insanely gorgeous views.
There are even roadside beaches you can stop in on the route. I think a slow, coastal road trip is just the ticket for our next trip! Think of all the photos of Croatia we’d have then!  

Exploring Dubrovnik’s Old Town

We had a super cozy AirBNB just above the steps that lead down into Old Town. Be ready for cardio when you visit Dubrovnik, especially if you stay outside of Old Town. You have to takes sets of stairs up and down all over this city.

The churches in Old Town are striking and look very different from every angle.
We went to a cliffside bar that you get to from a hole in the wall, literally. It’s gorgeous and you can cliff jump, swim, watch the sunset, have a beer or cocktail and just enjoy.
We didn’t partake in cliff jumping, but it certainly is a good spot for it!
This was hands-down the cutest door we saw in Dubrovnik. I loved the plants arched over door.

Dubrovnik was the last stop on our Croatian adventure. We didn’t end up doing a lot of the typical tourist stops because we found them to be a bit more expensive than the rest of the country. However, we greatly enjoyed our strolls through town and even a day trip to Bosnia and a day trip to Montenegro.

I hope these photos of Croatia have either inspired you to take a visit or reminded you of your own beautiful trip to Croatia. Croatia is a country that allows you to do anything you want: get your Game of Thrones on, hike, kayak, explore old fortresses and so much more. Croatia is a destination you’re sure to enjoy and remember for the rest of your life.

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