Croatia

Croatia is often reduced to a beach, yet its coastline is a long sequence of very different places. Istria has hill towns, olive groves and stone farmhouses; the Kvarner islands of Krk and Lošinj combine pine woods with small harbours; Brač and Hvar are islands of white stone, lavender and quiet bays. Split, Šibenik, Zadar and Dubrovnik are cities where people still live inside walls and palaces built centuries ago.

The way you stay changes the coast as much as the place does. A whole stone house with its own pool suggests slow mornings and dinners outside; a flat in a historic city such as Split or Zadar puts its lanes, markets and evening squares at the heart of the trip. Couples can look at adults-only stays on Krk and elsewhere along the coast, while families may prefer apartments with room for everyone and a kitchen for unhurried days.

Inland lies a quieter Croatia: the terraced lakes of Plitvice, green and forested, and Zagreb with its cafés and upper town. Accommodation in Croatia gathered in our selections ranges from island houses to city flats and glamping near the lakes.