Dubrovnik
The BAR can be summed up in three words: classy, cosy, cocktails! With retro armchairs, photo displays and a rug-covered floor, its spacious (nonsmoking!)…
Must-see nightlife in Croatia
Split
D16's baristas are serious about coffee and they've got the beards to prove it. Hidden away in the back lanes of Diocletian's Palace, this hip little…
Zagreb
This chic black-and-red cafe is a popular hang-out for families and big groups of friends. For top-notch people-watching, you really want to snag a table…
Zagreb
A rather-blah cafe during the day but at night Funk comes into its own. Head down the spiral staircase and you’ll see why this cult spot has locals at its…
Pula
A statue of James Joyce greets you at the entrance to this bar named after his famous novel (which occupies the ground floor of a building where Joyce…
Zagreb
The front of Zagreb’s oldest cinema, dating from the 1920s, houses a fun cafe–wine bar–grapperia that attracts a diverse crowd in the evening. The coffee…
Dubrovnik
For a quiet coffee or a relaxed breakfast in a romantic neighbourhood setting, sit at the Kop's upper terrace. For mind-blowing views of Fort Lawrence …
Dubrovnik
Named after the white wine produced in the neighbouring Konavle region, this tiny bar is a good spot to sample the local drop. The delicious cheese and…
Zagreb
This boutique craft brewery and bar is worth the schlep out to the industrial east of Zagreb. Inside an old red-brick factory, it offers craft beer made…
Split
Bad techno and tacky cocktails don't stop St Riva being a great place to hang out. Grab a perch on the narrow terrace built into the walls of Diocletian's…
Rijeka
Tucked into a tiny lane in the old part of town, this is Rijeka's coolest cafe-bar. Grab a seat on the oversized white wooden furniture on the covered…
Vis Island
The service can be offhand, but there's no better place to watch the sunset on a summer night than the terrace of this old fort, built by the British in…
Makarska
Right on the main square in front of the church, this outpost of a famous winery from Imotski (the wine region directly behind the mountains, right on the…
Zadar
Ledana's gorgeous garden setting and cheesy music choices make it a good place for a trashy night out. Party nights see guest DJs, dancers and …
Hvar Town
Walk almost to the end of the seaside promenade and you'll reach this adorable hideaway among the pines, just above the beach. It's an unpretentious…
Rijeka
A cafe-bar with luxurious decor, comfy sofas and a VBZ – Croatia's biggest publisher – bookshop at the back, Filodrammatica prides itself on specialist…
Poreč
Poreč's hippest bar is a dimly lit den with oddball art, mismatched chairs, little round tables, big metal-dome lamps, mezzanine seating, a fridge full of…
Zagreb
Tucked away inside a courtyard, this sweet cafe serves excellent organic and fair-trade coffee – roasted on-site by Cogito – and tea. There are occasional…
Zagreb
Stylish spot for a good (but pricey) cup of java and a quick bite amid the minimalist-chic interior decked out by owner Saša Šekoranja, Zagreb’s hippest…
Northern Dalmatia
The heart and soul of Sali, this bar has a vibrant buzz about it, rain or shine. It’s got plenty of character, with a long wooden bar and photographs of…
Rovinj
Rovinj's rowdiest live-music bar has the most rarified of settings, occupying a grand old building with a very pleasant front yard. In summer there's a DJ…
Zagreb
Down a passageway, this tiny ultracool Berlin-style cafe serves up coffee roasted by the local Cogito Coffee Roasters at Cafe u Dvorištu. There's…
Pula
The name marks it as one of a dying breed, but this colourful, art-strewn cafe is no digital dinosaur. Yes, there are a couple of free internet terminals,…
Split
Split’s most bohemian bar has ancient Roman walls, a large courtyard with a trickling fountain, a chandelier-bedecked piano lounge and a small red-walled…
Zagreb
This low-key bar is hidden in an alleyway off Kačićeva, with a big Guinness sign marking the entrance. A gathering point for Zagreb's boho-intellectual…
Hvar Town
Hvar's best wine bar is an unpretentious little place lurking in an alley behind the main square. Sink into the couch by the bar and feel as if you're in…
Poreč
This sweet little wine shop has a clutch of tables on an atmospheric lane, where you can try local wine varietals such as malvazija and refošk, cure any…
Hvar Town
Set behind the cluster of phoenix palms on the waterfront, this large terrace bar is Hvar's main locale for live music. In summer there's something on…
Istria's West Coast
Facing the water on the old town's southern edge, this hip bar has a good selection craft beer, photos of Bowie and Lou Reed on the wall, and a collection…
Zagreb
Home to some serious retro flair, this old-school cinema has been revamped into a colourful, two-floor cafe-bar and a small basement club (weekends only)…
Rab Island
Among the pine trees lining the eastern end of Paradise Beach, this open-air beach bar has been quirkily sculpted from bits of scrap metal and chunky…
Lošinj Island
The best bar in town, this atmospheric little place has harbour-facing tables and an eclectic playlist of Western and Croatian music. It can get very…
Zagreb
Smoky basement hang-out where live music and DJ-spun tunes happen every night. On warm nights, take your pick from 70 different types of rakija (grappa)…
Zagreb
Cafe by day, rollicking bar attracting an arty, mixed gay-straight crowd by night. Whatever time you walk down the stairs into this basement bar expect to…
Split
With a waterfront terrace and two floors inside, Split's top nightclub cranks up several notches in summer, with nights such as Monday Trash and Friday's…
Krk Island
Located right on the main square in the erstwhile entrance of the historic town hall, this is the place for a bit of people-watching and a delicious…
Poreč
There's no more atmospheric place for a glass of wine in winter than the cosy, candlelit interior of this medieval tower. In summer take the steep stairs…
Zagreb
The award-winning coffee made from 100% arabica beans is tops. If you're a caffeine-addict don't leave town until you've tried the triestino (a Trieste…
Zagorje
This cafe-bar does a roaring trade with its seating taking over the square on sunny days. Service is on the ball and there's a huge variety of drinks to…
Opatija
A very sleek bar ideal for a cocktail session, with cool seating and distant views of the Rijeka skyline. It’s the original venue of what’s now a…
