Croatia has more than a thousand islands, islets and reefs, around fifty of them inhabited. Each has its own character: some are reached by bridge and fully developed, others lie hours offshore with hardly any cars. This overview helps you choose – by holiday type, access and atmosphere.
Islands by holiday type
For families Krk, Rab (sandy beaches at Lopar), Brač (Supetar, Sutivan), Korčula (Lumbarda), Silba
For peace-seekers Silba, Olib, Lastovo, Zlarin, Prvić, inland Cres
For night owls Hvar Town and Novalja/Zrće on Pag
For food and wine lovers Korčula (Grk, Pošip), Hvar (Plavac mali, lavender), Vis (Vugava), Krk (Žlahtina)
For active travellers Brač (windsurfing in Bol, Vidova Gora), Lošinj (hiking, dolphins), Mljet (cycling, kayaking)
For nature Mljet (national park), Kornati, Brijuni, Lastovo, Dugi otok with Telašćica
Bridge or ferry?
Krk, Pag (in the south), Čiovo near Trogir, Murter and Vir are reached by bridge – ideal if you want flexibility. All other islands are reached by ferry or catamaran, mainly run by Jadrolinija. In high season book car ferries early or arrive at the port in good time; catamarans carry foot passengers only.
North, centre, south
The Kvarner islands (Krk, Cres, Lošinj, Rab) are the quickest to reach from Central Europe. The North Dalmatian islands off Zadar and Šibenik are smaller and quieter. Central Dalmatia has the best-known islands, Brač, Hvar and Vis, while the south has Korčula, Mljet and Lastovo – greener, further away and often more unspoilt.
Honest verdict
Many small islands have only a few shops and limited timetables out of season. Without a car, pick an island with good catamaran links and short distances. Island-hopping from Split is convenient but takes time – two or three islands in a week is realistic.
Note: To protect the personal rights of people shown and to respect third-party copyright, some images on this page are AI-generated. They show typical impressions and may differ in detail from how the places actually look.
