Come rain or sun, Croatia’s culture always shines
Croatia’s rich history of art and creativity is not fully appreciated, and
its cultural institutions offers some incredible days out, whatever the weather. Ellie Swain looks at how you can ensure every day you spend here is a work of art
Come rain
Go back to prehistoric times
The Krapina Neanderthal Museum in northern Croatia welcomes visitors to a site where the largest collection of Neanderthal fossil bones in Europe was uncovered in 1899. Visitors can glimpse exhibits that shine a light on early life on this planet. And if that intrigues you, then you should also pay a visit to the Vučedol Culture Museum, near Vukovar, an indoor archaeological site showcasing the remnants of a 5,000-year-old settlement.
Visit Croatia’s cultured capital
Zagreb has plenty to do when it’s raining, thanks to a variety of innovative museums. For example, the touching and truly inventive Museum of Broken Relationships turns heartbreak into art (try not to cry when reading its personal stories), while the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art in Zagreb became the first museum in the world to be devoted to this titular art form when it was founded in 1952. Then there’s the City Museum, housed within a 17th-century convent, which shares the capital’s past through interactive exhibits.
For something quirkier, head to the Museum of Laughter (or HaHaHouse), which is filled with playful installations or pay a visit to Zagreb’s Mushroom Museum, home to more than 1,500 freeze-dried fungi. The Museum of Hangovers will make you laugh with its tales of people who’ve had too much to drink and woken up with unexpected items the following day.
Lose yourself in art
Croatia is not short of great galleries. In Rijeka, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art hosts bold art exhibitions and works from local and international artists. And over in Split, the Meštrović Gallery honours one of the most renowned artists of the early 20th century, Ivan Meštrović, presenting some of his more eye-catching 20th-century creations, fashioned from marble, bronze and wood.
Come sun
Admire Croatia’s street art
Zagreb’s walls and surfaces are adorned with many colourful and intriguing works of graffiti and street art. The different textures and colours make it exciting to wander down the streets and into hidden corners, inviting you to learn more about the city’s stories and people.
Vukovar shares the story of its challenging past through its striking murals. These have breathed new life into the town, intertwining historical reflections with modern creativity.
Over in Istria, the stone walls of the medieval town of Vodnjan have also been given fresh life by international and local artists, who have introduced modern expression to these ancient alleyways. The hues of its murals really pop under the Adriatic sunlight, making a simple stroll feel like you’ve stepped into a living art exhibition.
Go back in time at Trogir
The UNESCO-listed harbour town of Trogir is best explored on foot under sunny skies. Meander the cobblestone streets past Romanesque churches, Renaissance palaces and age-old stone houses. Take a break from the heat at one of the cosy cafés spilling out onto the square to see local people go about their day. Or sit outside Trogir Cathedral and watch the sunset, its golden hues streaming down on the town’s pale limestone buildings.
See the fortifications of Šibenik
Šibenik’s four fortresses are fine places to combine sea views with stories of the town’s history. St John’s Fortress is the largest and highest of the quartet, and on warm days you can sit beneath its pincers with a coffee and enjoy the city views. But these ancient sites are best enjoyed on summer evenings when the open stage at St Michael’s Fortress hosts local shows and Barone Fortress puts on jazz concerts and open-air movie nights.
