I went this year for the first time of my life to Croatia. It is a beautiful country, that luckily for me recently changed its currency and adopted the euro. Unfortunately, this change came with major price hikes, confirmed by locals. Some items saw their prices double! Of course, the inflation that is currently hitting the Euro area did not help.

Croatia is a very touristy country. I got to visit multiple places, some are traps for tourists, abandonned by locals, others maintain a good balance. Many cruise ships stop in Croatia for a few hours, so it's not uncommon to see waves of tourists fill the streets of any city in minutes. We've been told many times that July and August are hell months, there's just too many tourists, it becomes a nightmare. I went in May and it was already decently crowded.

The sea water is crystal clear and pretty warm. In May, it was definitely swimmable, the temperature must have been close to 20°C.

Traveling thoughout the country

There are many ways to explore the country and go from city to city. But I found Croatia not so train-friendly, having few options to offer. Renting a car sounded like a viable option, but we opted for ferries and buses. They have many regular ferries that travel between major coastal cities, like from Split to Dubrovnik, multiple times a day, stopping along the way at every island, for less than 50 euros. The ferries travel really fast (lots of people got sick, myself included!). Most ferries are operated by TP-line or Krilo. Some bigger ferries will accept pedestrians AND cars.

FlixBus and other local bus companies are also other popular means of transport in Croatia. Going from Zadar to the Plitvice lakes on a bus is very convenient, for instance.

Split

Split is a lovely city, with a historical city center surrounded by walls that they call a palace. It's full of history, and you'll have no problem finding a walking tour. It's fairly crowded, but it's liveable, and you'll meet plenty of locals. Prices are ok-ish: expensive for locals, but affordable compared to Dubrovnik for example.

Some scenes from Game of Thrones were shot there, so if that's your thing, you can follow a guide and embark on a GoT walking tour.

Besides the palace, there is not much to do in Split. There is a park on a hill, that offers a nice view over the city. I would recommend to spend two full days in Split, not more.

Dubrovnik

Like Split, Dubrovnik is famous for its historical city center, also surrounded by walls, that you'll pay 35 euros to visit. Speaking of which, I recommend buying a daily city pass, which costs exactly the same price (35 euros), but includes a visit of the walls.

Besides the historical city center, there is nothing of interest outside the walls. Dubrovnik was bombed and very much destroyed in the 90's, so the popularity of the city is very recent. But it has gained so much popularity in so little time that every shop owner went crazy. Prices are insane. Any main course in a restaurant is at least 15 euros, most being around 20-25 euros. Margins on drinks are also ridiculous. It's common to get a glass of "house red wine" for 8 or 10 euros (which 90% of the time will be pretty bad).

Dubrovnik is loved by old people, visiting the city in massive groups. Most restaurants are open from 8:00 in the morning until 23:00 or midnight. No locals live in the historic city center. Souvenirs are ridiculously priced too: any mug sells for 20 euros, Game of Thrones pints for 90 euros (not joking).

However, I highly recommend joining a Game of Thrones tour. They last 2 hours, are not so expensive, and will take you everywhere in the city, in major filming locations of the series (the shame stairs, the place where Geoffrey celebrated its name day, and many others).

Hvar

Hvar is the party island of Croatia. They nickname the town Hvar the "Saint-Tropez of Croatia". You'll see many young and/or rich people, well dressed at night, partying. Prices are very high there too, you can easily find cocktails for 20 euros. Just enjoy the sea and the nature, and go out at night if you're in the mood.

Zadar

Pretty nice city, quite similar to Split, albeit less touristy and more reasonably priced. Locals are very nice, the city is lively and has a few nice beaches. The historical city center is small but nice to explore. 2 maybe 3 full days there will be enough. But while you are there, you should consider spending a full day at the Plitvice lakes, since they're not far and easily reachable by car or bus.

Plitvice lakes

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is a marvel! It's a park made of multiple clear blue lakes, on different levels (different heights), waterfalls, full of thriving life. You'll see fish, snakes, birds, ducks, frogs... The color of these lakes is out of this world. And they take every measure to preserve the park and protect it. There are multiple trails one can follow, with some segments taken on boat or bus. 100% recommended.

That's it!