Your guide to packing for Croatia really starts with how the weather is looking when you are visiting and which part of Croatia you are visiting. When you think of Croatia, you automatically think of warm, sunny weather. However, know that winters can get chilly, especially near Zagreb and inland.
Our packing guide is focused on the Dalmatia region, most notably Split and Dubrovnik. Check the weather before you go!
Essential Items
Most of the time, the weather is mild to hot in the Dalmatia region along the coast. We were in Split and Dubrovnik in October and I never used a jacket. I wore jeans comfortably in Split, but in Dubrovnik I wore shorts and short-sleeves the whole time. We even went swimming at the Blue Lagoon! Packing for Croatia must include:
- Water-friendly shoes
- My go-to are usually my Chacos. I know they’re on the more pricey side, but I know they will be comfortable and last the trip
- Comfortable walking shoes
- I have been using my reliable white Nike shoes. Liz and Frances went with the Vans that worked for them!
- Swimsuit
- No recommendations here. I just linked one that I thought was cute below 🙂
- Sunscreen
- Don’t forget sunscreen! There are travel-sized sunscreens now, but TSA now approves full-sized bottles of sunscreen if you need more!
- Umbrella
- Don’t get caught in an unexpected rain shower. We lucked out with all sunny days, but you never know!
- Comfortable shorts or jeans
- Whatever style you like, but I advise wearing them for a full day before your trip to make sure you won’t die and be uncomfortable. Comfort over beauty for me while I travel!
Other Items I packed for Croatia
- Sundress to wear over swimsuit and/or during the day
- I find t-shirt dresses to be so useful while traveling! They look decent and can be dressed up or down or double as a swimsuit cover!
- Compression shorts to wear with sundresses to prevent chaffing and flashing anyone 🙂
- With a dress comes compression shorts for me. I don’t want to a) chafe or b) worry about wind blowing my dress up!
- Comfy sandals to walk in when my feet got hot
- I brought my ol’ reliable Birkenstocks 🙂 )
- Black jean skirt
- Not necessary obviously, but it is nice to get to wear something a little more nice than my typical travel clothes!
- Graphic t-shirt
- Great staple. Comfort is key 🙂
What you can likely leave behind
If you are visiting Croatia anytime besides winter, you can likely leave behind your coat. We experienced only sunshine and didn’t even need a rain jacket or umbrella, although I think we just got lucky. I would recommend having an umbrella or light rain jacket at hand; nothing worse than getting caught in the rain with limited outfit options.
Luggage
One thing you’ll notice quickly is that there are a LOT of stairs in Dubrovnik. I kind of wish I had kept count of the flights of stairs we climbed in just two days in Dubrovnik. With that being said, USE A BACKPACK. Leave your rolling suitcase at home. They are not friendly with the terrain of Dubrovnik. Our AirBNB was up SEVERAL flights of stairs and we had to park our car nearly a mile from the AirBNB; and this isn’t uncommon.
I’ve linked my backpack on the main Croatia page here.
Packing for Croatia
Luckily packing for Croatia can be pretty straight-forward during most times of the year due to a pretty mild climate along the Adriatic coast. No significant weather changes throughout the day or the week! However, with that being said, if you plan to visit during the winter, BRING WARMER CLOTHES. It WILL cool off in the winter. Check the weather and pack accordingly.
For a full guide to Croatia, click here!
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