Istria vs Dalmatia: Contrasting Croatian Coastlines

Experience the beauty and culture of Croatia's Istria and Dalmatia. Compare charming coastal towns, picturesque countryside, and delicious local cuisine. Book your trip now!

Do you see the difference?  

It seems like an eternal battle on a Facebook group (Croatia Forum), a group set up by someone who never actually came to Croatia but rented out caravans on Lake Garda; maintained by Jo Wynant, an old man who knows a lot about his holidays in Croatia but hasn’t been here for years. But he knows how to get a lot from other forums and internet sources.

But apart from that, a battle seems to have started between the Istrian peninsula and Dalmatia. We had to believe from (Croatian) friends that the experience in Dalmatia would be different. But now that we have been here a few times in recent months, up to Omiš and further we cannot speak, we do indeed think that there is a big difference between the 2 areas.

I think the people from the Netherlands who love Dalmatia come from a very group area and maybe even a big city. I think people like being in an area where everything is clear. So few forests, large mountains, bare plains with lots of herbs, and centered behind a large mountain ridge you can celebrate your holiday. The fact that you have to sit or lie on a square meter with 2 people on a beach where there is almost no tree for shade is your ultimate holiday feeling. And maybe I’ve seen it completely wrong or it’s because of everyone’s panic holiday because a lot of fear has been made in many media where everyone goes on vacation at the same time. But I find it very busy. A few days ago I was in Biograd na Moru and I didn’t even sit on the beach there but on a terrace on the side because it was just massively busy. And that for such a place. NOW I have to say that in Istria in the big places you can now also walk over the heads, but you can still find a quiet beach there. But today Omiš is back on the schedule and we will see if it has become massively busy there as well.

What is your experience?

Price difference  

An iced coffee at Omiš costs 48 Kuna and the same iced coffee costs 25 Kuna in Sveti Filip i Jakov. Because of that difference it tastes much better to me in Sveti Fillip i Jakov. But In Omiš on the beach Škampi na bazaru costs 140 kuna (the best dish I ate so far) in Sveti fillip i Jakov this choice costs 200 kuna and in Vrsar it costs 100 Kuna. This may of course be due to the restaurant, but on average eating out in Dalmatia is 20-30% more expensive than Istria.

Is this bullshit?  

I was told a comment if I was beating Dalmatia now? But no, this is absolutely not the case and/or the intention. I just can’t understand how the differences are so great. When I was in Vinišće I also found the prices there to be 30% more expensive than in Istria. For example, a pizza that costs 70 kuna there and 40 kuna in Istria I think is a big difference. And because I don’t get it is the fact that I compare prices in small places in Dalmatia with prices in Istria in big places on the coast.

The antourage  

But the view you experience in Dalmatia is actually great. I do understand that people fall for this. And of course all those islands off the coast that also give that extra holiday feeling. And maybe that will be it. The culture in Dalmatia is also slightly different from Istria and we have been living in Istria for over 5 years now and we are getting to know the people better. And therefore our antourage feeling is many times higher than the feeling we receive in Dalmatia.

Example: I made a direct booking with an apartment. And I had to pay €50 down. I didn’t think that was a problem but, I’m still waiting for the account number ;) ;)

It’s the little things that make all the difference to the ultimate feeling and that can change when a person is having a bad day.

What I’m trying to tell with this story is that there really shouldn’t be any conflict at all between choosing Dalmatia or Istria, but that everyone should just find their own place and enjoy their well-deserved holiday. Because before you know it you will be put in a lockdown again.

Enjoy your stay in our beautiful Croatia

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