Two Croatias

One country, two moods

Croatia stretches along the Adriatic like a long, curved coastline, and its two best-known holiday regions feel surprisingly unlike each other. In the north, Istria is a green, rolling peninsula of hill towns, vineyards, olive groves and truffle woods, with a long Venetian and Italian past. In the south, the Dalmatian islands are bare, bright limestone rising out of deep blue water, reached by ferry and lived at an island pace.

This site puts the two side by side, in words only: no photographs, just what each place is like and how to decide between them.

Choose a doorway

• Istria, the green north

  Hills, truffles, olive oil, stone towns on hilltops and a coast that still echoes Venice and Italy.

• The Dalmatian islands

  Hvar, Brač, Vis and Korčula: pale stone, lavender, sea air and ferries.

• Side by side

  Landscape, food, history, pace and getting around, compared directly.

• Travel feel

  Seasons, mood and a few questions to help you choose.