Top Croatian Islands for Summer Entertainment

Cheap prices, a crystal clear sea, friendly locals, and a thousand beautiful islands to party on. Yes, Croatia sounds almost too good to be true, but every summer tourists from all over the world come to Croatia’s coastline to explore and marvel at the beauties of Dalmatia by day, and explore the rich island party scene at night. From music festivals and parties on the beaches to art and theater festivals, the islands of Croatia offer a little bit of something for everybody, and we bring you a brief review of just a couple of those islands. Whether you’re young and looking for adventure, or just feel like it, these islands won’t disappoint!

Pag

Pag, Croatia. Photo by Sebbelsandra. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

The island of Pag, located in the northern Adriatic, is one of Croatia’s “hottest” islands during the summer. This picturesque island is full of wild beaches, vegetation, and small towns, but during the summer months the island turns into a party paradise. Dubbed “the new Ibiza”, the world famous Zrce beach on Pag attracts thousands of party goers, old and young, each year. The Hideout music festival held at the beach hosts the top DJs of the world, and ensures that your time on Pag will be a blast. The island is easily accessible, as it is connected via bridge to the mainland.

Rab

Old town center of the town Rab. Photo by Herbert Ortner. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

When you party out at Zrce, the island of Rab is a nice location to cool down a bit. Located close to Pag, this island isn’t without charm itself. Although not as popular as Zrce and the Hideout music festival, the Rab summer festival also offers tourists, as well as locals, a chance to enjoy some quality music. Founded in 2009, every summer during the early days of August, international and local music stars come share their music for free. The festival also brings the whole island to life, as numerous parties are held all over the towns and beaches, especially at Pudarica beach. If you want something a bit different, the Rapska Fjera historical festival, in which the locals present the island’s history to the tourists, is also worth checking out. Unlike Pag, Rab isn’t connected to the mainland, so you’ll have to take a ferry from Pag, Rijeka, Krk or Sitnica to get there or, if you don’t like waiting for scheduled transport, you can always rent a boat from a local charter agency and have your own sailing experience.

Hvar

The town of Hvar and its harbour.

Moving to the South of Croatia’s Adriatic, the island of Hvar is experiencing a rise of popularity in recent years. Although a bit pricier than the rest of Croatia’s islands, Hvar justifies that by having some of the best and most elite bars and clubs in the whole of Croatia. The island especially comes alive during the Ultra Music festival, which although held in Split hosts parties at a lot of surrounding beaches and islands. Getting to Hvar from Split is easily done, as daily ferry lines are organized. With dozens of local parties held during the whole summer, and numerous historical and other tourist attractions, you’ll see for yourself why more and more people are “discovering” Hvar.

Brac

The Golden Horn (Zlatni Rat) beach.

And last but not least, Brac. Located between Hvar and Split, Brac shares a lot of its features with Hvar, but since it is not as touristy as Hvar, it offers a more authentic experience of Croatia. The famous Golden Horn beach located in the south of the island is the most popular spot of the island, and hosts a number of parties during the summer months. Another popular location on the island is Supetar, the largest town on the island, which also contains some beautiful hidden beaches and hosts a number of parties. The island isn’t connected to the Croatian mainland, so you’ll have to take a ferry from Hvar or Split to get there. A plethora of clubs, nightclubs and bars located all over the island ensure that you’ll spend your time on Brac dancing till the early morning hours!