From the sunlit walls of Dubrovnik to the hidden coves of the Dalmatian coast, Croatia is having a moment. Awards and accolades are pouring in from across the globe, naming its cities, beaches, and experiences among the very best in the world. In the past year alone, American luxury travellers, British holidaymakers, and Polish beach-seekers have all cast their votes, placing Croatia firmly on the map as a destination that blends beauty, authenticity, and a touch of indulgence.
Photo - Vjeko Begovic/CNTB
There are places in the world that don't just appear on "best of" lists, they dominate them, year after year. Right now, Croatia, with Dubrovnik as its glittering southern star, is enjoying one of those golden moments when the world's gaze is fixed, admiringly, upon its shores. The accolades keep coming, from American luxury travel magazines to British broadsheets, from Polish lifestyle portals to the hallowed pages of Forbes. And each award tells a story, not just of beauty, but of connection, hospitality, and a deep sense of place.
Best Leisure Destination
This summer, the prestigious American magazine Global Traveller named Dubrovnik the Best Leisure Destination for Groups in its 13th annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards. It's a title that places the city above such travel heavyweights as Costa Rica, Los Cabos in Mexico, Italy, and Colombia's Cartagena. For the Director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Miroslav Drašković, the win is more than a line in a press release. "American tourists rank first in terms of arrivals and second in terms of overnight stays," he explained, noting how direct United Airlines flights between Dubrovnik and the USA have transformed accessibility. "This recognition significantly boosts Dubrovnik's visibility in that market."
The award wasn't decided by an anonymous jury in a boardroom, it was the voice of the traveller. From September 2024 to January 2025, Global Traveller readers filled out detailed surveys, both in print and online, weighing in on their favourite destinations for luxury and lifestyle travel. On behalf of Dubrovnik, the award was accepted in the US by Leila Krešić-Jurić, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board's Representative Office in America, who has long championed the city to a discerning North American audience.
Exclusive and Authentic
It is the kind of recognition that speaks to Dubrovnik's rare balance. By day, visitors may wander the marble streets of the UNESCO-listed Old City, gazing up at Renaissance palaces and medieval fortresses. By night, groups can dine under the stars, the Adriatic glinting beyond the ancient walls, before retreating to villas or boutique hotels that are masters in the art of discreet indulgence. The city's magnetic pull is not an accident, it's the product of careful preservation, a flourishing cultural scene, and an instinctive understanding of the luxury traveller's desire for experiences that feel both exclusive and authentic.
And Dubrovnik is not the only Croatian name shimmering on the global stage. Across the Adriatic, The Telegraph's influential Travel Awards 2025 placed Croatia sixth among the best European countries, an impressive position considering the competition from tourism powerhouses like Spain and France. This vote, cast by some 20,000 British readers, is a testament to the enduring love affair between the UK and Croatia. "It confirms Croatia's place as one of the most recognisable Mediterranean destinations, with a broad offer that can compete at the very top," said Bisera Fabrio, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board's UK office.
Focus On Central Dalmatia
The numbers back her up. So far this year, British tourists have logged 420,000 arrivals and 2 million overnight stays in Croatia—an increase on last year—with Dubrovnik, Split, and the islands of Dalmatia topping their itineraries. Their fascination extends beyond history and heritage to the coastlines and coves that are now splashed across glossy travel features. Recently, The Times highlighted Croatia's most beautiful beaches, singling out the peacock-blue waters of Pupnatska Luka on Korčula, the serene Stračinska Bay on Šolta, and the golden arc of sand at Raduča in Primošten. It is a list that speaks to the country's kaleidoscope of landscapes, each with its own devoted following.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Forbes turned its gaze to Central Dalmatia, publishing a lyrical feature by travel writer John Mariani entitled "Away in Dalmatia, On Shore and Into the Mountains". In it, Brela, Makarska, Sinj, and Imotski take centre stage, not just for their beaches, but for their layered character. The piece paints Punta Rata in Brela as one of the world's great pebbled beaches, then sweeps inland to the Blue and Red Lakes near Imotski, and to hiking trails threading through mountain ridges scented with pine and sage.
Photo - Julien Duval
Mariani's article also lingers over the food, Makarska's seafood, Sinj's hearty inland specialities, arguing that Croatia's gastronomic landscape is as rich as its scenery. For Leila Krešić-Jurić, whose office in the USA has worked tirelessly to expand Croatia's profile beyond the summer coast, the Forbes coverage is a major coup. With the magazine's 78 million monthly readers, it reaches travellers who are as likely to seek out mountain villages as they are seaside resorts.
US Travellers Discovering All Angles Of Croatia
It's paying off. The American market remains Croatia's most important long-haul source, with more than 496,000 arrivals and 1.4 million overnight stays so far this year, a double-digit increase on 2024. And while Dubrovnik is still the crown jewel, US travellers are increasingly venturing to Split, Hvar, Rovinj, and Zagreb, building itineraries that showcase Croatia's diversity.
Further north, in Poland, another audience of devoted travellers has been celebrating Croatia's natural beauty. The popular portal Travelist, with more than 6 million users, has released its own list of Croatia's best beaches, categorising them for families, active travellers, party-seekers, and the Instagram-obsessed. In the coveted "top five" most beautiful beaches in the country, Travelist included Zlatni Rat on Brač, famed for its shape-shifting golden spit of sand, Stiniva on Vis, Punta Rata in Brela, Prapratno on the Pelješac Peninsula, and the wild, hidden cove of Nugal on the Makarska Riviera.
For Małgorzata Kowalska, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board's office in Poland, the recognition underscores the country's broad appeal. "Our coast and its unique gems are highly valued in the world," she said, noting that Polish arrivals have already surpassed 812,000 this year. These visitors gravitate towards destinations that marry natural beauty with high-quality family accommodation—be it in Zadar, Makarska, or Baška Voda.
Croatia Being Celebrated
What's striking in all of these accolades is how they overlap. From the American luxury market to the British heritage-seeker to the Polish family holidaymaker, the vision of Croatia being celebrated is one of contrasts in harmony. It's a country where medieval cities meet contemporary gastronomy, where pristine beaches lie within day-trip distance of wild mountain trails, where the same table might serve just-caught fish alongside centuries-old recipes.
In Dubrovnik, those contrasts are heightened by the city's scale: intimate enough to navigate on foot, yet with the cultural weight of a metropolis. For groups—the very category in which Global Traveller declared it best in the world—it offers a rare combination. There are the iconic experiences: walking the city walls at sunset, cruising the Elafiti Islands, exploring filming locations from Game of Thrones. But there is also the joy of wandering without agenda, turning down a narrow alley to find a candlelit wine bar, or stumbling upon a string quartet playing in a courtyard.
Beyond Dubrovnik, the other destinations in these award lists weave into a tapestry of experiences that make Croatia not just a one-stop trip, but a repeat addiction. You might start in Dubrovnik, then drive the Pelješac Peninsula to Prapratno beach, take the ferry to Korčula for Pupnatska Luka, swing north to Split and Makarska, detour inland to Imotski's lakes, and end in Zadar or Rovinj. Along the way, you'd taste the country's wines, olive oils, and seafood, hike through national parks, and find yourself in conversations with locals whose hospitality is as much a draw as the scenery.
Croatia Should Be On Your List
As the travel world keeps handing out its laurels, Croatia is collecting them with quiet confidence. These aren't one-off flukes, they're the result of decades of careful positioning, investment in infrastructure, and a tourism philosophy that prizes quality over quantity. In a competitive global market, the country has managed to preserve what makes it special while opening itself to the world.
For the traveller, the message is simple: if Croatia isn't on your list yet, it should be. And if it is, well, perhaps it's time to bump it to the top. Because right now, whether judged by glossy magazines, international surveys, or the world's most seasoned travel writers, the verdict is unanimous: Croatia, and Dubrovnik in particular, are not just beautiful, they're unforgettable.
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