What do I want with Copacabana when I have my Split — that's a line from a song by the Croatian singer Oliver Dragojević. No coastline is quite like Croatia's — or more specifically, Dalmatia's. Steep cliffs alternate with bays and small towns, and everywhere: beaches!
Honestly, I hadn't planned on writing a full guide to Dalmatia's beaches. But during my last round of research on the Makarska Riviera, I kept stumbling across so many photos of empty beaches, romantically lit at sunrise, that it became clear to me: okay, an article about beaches in Croatia has to happen.
Since moving to Sarajevo in 2021, my husband Nermin and I have been going to Dalmatia every year. And each year we choose a new place – from Dubrovnik to Split and Makarska or the Pelješac peninsula.
A lot of the information you find online is objectively correct, but I've now tried out countless beaches in Split, Šibenik, Dubrovnik, and the surrounding areas, gotten a sunburned nose, (knock on wood!) never stepped on a sea urchin, and can hardly wait each year to finally smell the scent of pine trees again!
So here's my guide to the best beaches in Dalmatia, all the ones I think are really worth visiting, why I like them, and what "gear" you need for a day at the beach.
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Dalmatia's Beaches at a Glance
Good to know | Aside from the famous Golden Horn on Brač, sandy beaches are rare in Dalmatia. Bring water shoes and something comfortable to lie on — not just a towel.
Best time to visit | Late May to mid-June, the water is refreshingly cool. By late June it can already get almost too warm at the shallower beaches, and it also gets properly crowded with tourists. Mid-September it gets quieter again, and you can still swim through October, after which it cools down.
Beaches for families | | Bačvice (Split), Pantan (Trogir), Velika Raduča (Primošten)
Wild Beaches | Plaza Duba (Makarska), Pasjača (Dubrovnik)
Dog-friendly beaches | Plaza Oseka (Baška Voda), Kašjuni (Split)
Local Spots | Kupalište Prva voda (Split), Mala Plaza (Primošten)
Getting around | Especially for the wild beaches off the beaten path, you really need a car. I compare prices with Discover Cars and always, always choose a car with full comprehensive insurance.
📖 My complete Dalmatia guide | The best sights, activities, and restaurants in Dalmatia — right in your pocket (or beach bag) with my Dalmatia guide.
What You Need to Know About Dalmatia's Beaches
Dalmatia has long beaches, often lined with pine trees that reach almost to the water's edge, but what you won't find here is soft, white sand. Instead, there are pebbles, sometimes fine and almost sandy, sometimes coarse.
This means water shoes are a must. On the plus side, most Dalmatian beaches offer plenty of natural shade under the pine trees. As you can see, a little preparation is necessary.
Dalmatia's beaches are pebble beache. Often you'll find round, fine pebbles you can walk on barefoot, but many beaches also consist of coarser stones or rock. Water shoes are genuinely a must. Partly because of the sea urchins, too, which are found all along the Croatian coast — especially where the water is very clean.
It gets deep quickly. And that's something I love about Croatia! No wading for meters before the water's deep enough to swim in. For families with kids looking for a beach with a shallow entry, the wild beaches aren't the best fit for that reason. City beaches are the better choice there.
The beaches are busy. I only ever see photos of deserted beaches online, but I don't expect that in Croatia during peak season. Even in the off-season, there's already a bit of a buzz. After all, Croatia is one of the most popular coastal regions in Europe.
But there is a quieter season. In early June, we were still able to snag a spot on the beach in Split or Baška Voda late in the morning – even in the shade. But for the best spots, you have to get up early. It gets crowded by 10 a.m.
The wild beaches of the coast. When my husband Nermin and I are looking for a quiet spot, we ask our friends or drive along the coast, keeping an eye out for cars with Bosnian or Dalmatian license plates parked on the side of the road, usually in a rather haphazard state. But they're a reliable sign that a good, wild beach is hidden somewhere within walking distance. We've even had to trek through abandoned olive groves or stumble over rocks, but in the end, it's always worth it.
The Most Beautiful Beaches of the Makarska Riviera
Punta Rata
Punta Rata and Punta Rata 2 are the most famous beaches on the riviera. Which here also always means: the most crowded. Since the pines reach almost all the way to the water, there are plenty of shady spots, but it still gets full here, and that's true even early in the morning. If you walk a little further left or right, past the main beach, you have a better chance of grabbing a spot.
Location: between Baška Voda and Brela · Ground: pebble or dirt · Facilities: pine shade; sun loungers and umbrellas for rent, kiosks and supermarkets along the promenade, showers
Plaža Biserka
A long pebble beach between Brist and Gradac, where we even found good space at midday. You always have the mountains right behind you here — which is just a totally spectacular setting! We were here in June and easily found a spot in the late morning, though it got harder to find a shaded spot after that. Best to bring a sun sail or something similar.
Location: Between Brist and Gradac 
Ground: pebble 
· Facilities: the highlight is the mountain view; everything else you need to bring yourself
Plaža Oseka
If you walk from Baška Voda towards Plaža Oseka, you'll pass a dog-friendly beach, the only one we spotted on the Makarska Riviera. Just Google "Plaza za pse". We weren't bothered by the dogs—and thanks to them, it was less crowded.
Location: between Baška Voda and Plaza Oseka Ground: pebble · Facilities: dog-friendly, therefore quieter than other beaches on the Riviera, a short walk to kiosks and supermarkets
Plaža Krvavica
A local beach with a pine forest that stretches right down to the water. Even at the end of June, it was almost exclusively locals swimming here. The water was pleasantly warm (almost too warm for late June) and there's a small beach bar. We were there in the late afternoon and still easily found a spot for our towels. It's best to bring mats or something similar so you can lie down comfortably.
Location: Krvavica Bay Ground: pebbles, dirt · Facilities: pine forest down to the water, small beach bar, showers at a nearby campsite
Nugal Beach
We haven't made it to Nugal Beach yet, but since several locals have told us it's really worth it, it obviously belongs on this list. It's only reachable on foot — one of the reasons it counts among Croatia's most beautiful beaches. You can find a guide to Nugal Beach here.
Plaža Duba
I already mentioned above that Nermin and I are always on the lookout for hidden beaches. This is one of them, even though it's listed on Google. You park by the roadside and walk a few meters through an olive grove down to the beach. Shady spots are a bit harder to find here, and since it's a wild beach, you need to bring everything yourself. But the water temperature was truly perfect. Warning: there are a lot of sea urchins here.
Location: close to Drvenik Ground: pebble · Facilities: none
Plaža Soline
When we were in Brela, the famous Punta Rata was absolutely packed – but we were also late. We finally managed to snag a spot here, and I think this beach is great for families with children. There's a water park, kiosks, and supermarkets nearby. You can rent sun umbrellas and loungers, and they're a few euros cheaper here than at Punta Rata. When we were there (June 2026), sun loungers and umbrellas cost between 10 and 12 euros for a single umbrella and 20 to 25 euros for a set with loungers.
Location: Brela Ground: pebble · Facilities: showers, loungers and umbrellas, kiosk and supermarkets nearby
Špilja Medvidina
If you walk from Baška Voda to Brela, you'll pass this cave – formerly a seal habitat. It offers shade for most of the day and has a small pebble beach. Finding a dry spot can be a challenge, as the tide comes in quite high and the pebbles don't dry quickly due to the shade. However, we were able to spread out our towels at the edge of the cave for a quick dip in the Adriatic.
Location: between Baška Voda and Brela · Ground: pebble · Facilities: none
What about the city beaches?
A few words on Makarska's town beach and all the other city beaches: it kind of goes without saying that those are always the most crowded.
But if you're traveling with kids, you'll find food, drinks, showers, toilets, and everything else you need there. If you claim a spot early enough, you're sure to have a good time at the town beach too.
Here you'll find all the sights and key spots of the Makarska Riviera.
Beaches In and Around Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a must-see. But maybe not for a plain beach holiday. For that, I'd recommend driving a bit further up the coast towards Makarska. Because Dubrovnik is such a tourist magnet, there are hardly any truly undiscovered beaches in the area. But a beach day during your stay is still worthwhile. Spending a few days in Dubrovnik? You can find my perfect three-day itinerary here.
Sveti Jakov
Considered one of Dubrovnik's most beautiful beaches on almost every recommendation list — a small bay east of the Old Town, framed by rocks, with views of Lokrum and the city walls. Getting there involves a long staircase, but it's quieter here than at Banje Beach as a result.
📍 Location: east of the Old Town, about a 20-minute walk including a staircase 🏖️ Ground: fine pebble, partly sandy ⭐️ · Facilities: beach bar, small restaurant, loungers and umbrellas for rent, kayak rental in high season
Šulic Beach
If you want to get in the water in Dubrovnik itself, you have two options. In my opinion, Banje Beach is the weaker of the two, and I'd recommend Šulic instead. Both spots are, of course, crowded — they're Dubrovnik's city beaches — but here you get an even cooler view of Dubrovnik's fortress, in my opinion. You can't really lie down comfortably here though, since the beach is surrounded by concrete. So expect to dry off in a beach bar rather than on a towel after a swim. Most kayak tours in Dubrovnik start from here. When I first visited Dubrovnik with a friend five years ago, we did a tour along the city walls, and I can genuinely recommend it..
📍 Location: right outside the old town city walls 🏖️ Ground: concrete platforms ⭐ · Facilities: bar on the cliff, no classic lounging area, popular for cliff jumping, toilets and showers
Pasjača Beach
Pasjača, about 30 kilometers south of Dubrovnik, is one of those spots that's been called a hidden gem so often it's no longer really hidden. Still, it's a beautiful beach that's not entirely easy to reach. It's one of the most spectacular settings on the entire Croatian coast: a narrow bay of fine pebbles and sand, framed by steep, reddish cliffs. Check Google Maps before you head there to make sure it's open — rockslides happen occasionally, and in 2024 the beach was inaccessible for a while.
You'll need a car (or a taxi/Uber from Cavtat). From the parking lot above, a steep path, partly cut into the rock, leads down to the beach — sturdy shoes and water are essential. Because of the limited space, it gets tight in high season despite how remote it is.
📍 Location: Popovići/Konavle, about 30 km south of Dubrovnik, 12 km from Cavtat 🏖️ Ground: fine pebble-sand mix ⭐ · Facilities: none
Mrtvo More
Not a classic, idyllic seaside beach, but the "Dead Sea" on Lokrum Island is fed from below by seawater, forming a small salt lake here. Many travelers don't realize you can swim on Lokrum and so don't bring swimwear — which is why the lake is often half-empty. The shore is rocky, so definitely bring something comfortable to lie on if you have it, and water shoes for the slippery rocks.
You can take the ferry to Lokrum from Dubrovnik, or combine a visit to the island with a day trip.
📍 Location: on Lokrum 🏖️ Ground: rocky ⭐ · Facilities: beach bar nearby
The Most Beautiful Beaches in and around Split
As a port city, Split may not be especially famous for its beaches, and yes, the prettier beaches are perhaps further up the coast — but you still don't have to give up your beach holiday here.
Plaža Kaštelet
Kaštelet Beach sits at the foot of Marjan Forest Park. The area was recently redone, so there's now a generous parking lot, palm trees, and pebble sunbathing areas. There isn't a huge amount of shade, though, so I'd definitely bring an umbrella. The parking lot also fills up quickly, even early in the day, so come by bike or public transport if you can. Right next door is also Kupalište Jezinac — it's often a bit quieter there.
📍 Location: Marjan Hill Forest Park 🏖️ Ground: pebble ⭐️ · Facilities: toilets, changing cabins, showers, parking
Plaža Kašjuni
Located on the south side of Marjan Hill, Kašjuni Beach is almost still a bit of a hidden gem — if you can call it that. Because as I said: it's crowded everywhere in Dalmatia in summer! But here you can still find a spot even in the late morning, especially if you walk a bit further toward HOG Beach. There's plenty of shade under the pines. Kašjuni is also one of the few dog-friendly beaches in Croatia.
📍 Location: Marjan Hill Forest Park, south side 🏖️ Ground: pebble or dirt ⭐ · Facilities: beach club, loungers and umbrellas, dog-friendly area
Kupalište Prva voda
Located right next to the town marina, this beach is a genuine local tip. And not really a proper beach, actually. Here you simply lie right between the pines, but directly on the water! Many locals come here before work for a swim. Watch out, though: there are a lot of sea urchins, and because of an underground spring, the water is colder.
📍 Location: Spinut, right by the marina 🏖️ Ground: forest floor, rock ⭐ · Facilities: none
Planning a trip to Split? Find my guide for three perfect days here.
Beaches in Trogir
Trogir is absolutely worth a day trip from Split! If you have a bit more time or you're traveling by rental car, there are also a few lovely spots on the neighboring island of Čiovo, reachable via a small bridge.
Labadusa Beach
Here you'll find several beaches and several beach bars — you have your pick of whichever suits you best. The water here is incredibly clear, and there are enough pines to lie in the shade. There's a campsite nearby. When we were there in June, though, excursion boats arrived around lunchtime, and suddenly the beach was completely packed. Next time I'd rather come in the late afternoon, once the boats have left again.
📍 Location: 15 minutes from Trogir 🏖️ Ground: pebble ⭐ · Facilities: pine shade, beach bars, family-friendly
The Most Beautiful Beaches in Šibenik and Primošten
Banj Beach (Šibenik City Beach)
Šibenik's town beach, Banj Beach, also offers the most beautiful panoramic view of the town itself, making it the best choice if you're after a beach day.
📍 Location: Šibenik town center 🏖️ Ground: pebble ⭐ · Facilities: most beautiful panoramic view of the Old Town, parking, beach bars
Plaža Mala Raduča
Primošten, located between Trogir and Šibenik, is one of those sweet little Dalmatian villages you really shouldn't just drive through without stopping. A stroll along the promenade and a quick dip in the water should be a given. We were here late in the year — late September or early October — and had the beach entirely to ourselves. The beach bars were already closed, but since the beach sits in a small bay, the water was still pleasant. There's also plenty of shade.
📍 Location: Raduča Peninsula, opposite the Old Town 🏖️ Ground: pebble ⭐ · Facilities: pine shade, good infrastructure, family-friendly shallow entry
Mala Plaža
Just search it on Google — the name simply means "small beach." A semi-wild beach, with a rough gravel track leading to it. Best to leave the car and walk the last 500 meters. But with beaches that are a bit harder to reach, the odds of fewer people are always good.
📍 Location: about 10 minutes from PrimoštenGround: pebble ⭐ · Facilities: none
Hvar, Brač, Vis, and Mljet Islands
I honestly haven't been to Croatia's islands yet. I know — hard to believe, and something I really need to make up for! But we simply have too much fun exploring the mainland and seeking out lesser-known spots, like the Pelješac peninsula. But for beaches like the famous Zlatni Rat on Brač, I can recommend Olivia's blog, Inspired by Croatia. She lives in Zagreb and has written extensive guides for many destinations in Croatia.
Getting There and Rental Cars
With a rental car, you're much more flexible on your road trip through Croatia, especially if you want to reach the remote beaches along the coast. Ever since a trip to Thessaloniki where someone hit our parked car, I always book my rental car through DiscoverCars— thanks to full comprehensive insurance, they reimbursed us for the damage within just a few days! You can compare rental car prices for Dalmatia here.
Where to stay/base yourself?
For city life, base yourself in Split or Šibenik. If you want it a bit quieter, Baška Voda or Brela are good options. And for truly relaxed beach living, head to Orebić on Pelješac or the tiny villages of the Makarska Riviera, like Brist.
Your Beach Holiday in Croatia
Water shoes, something soft to lie on, and a little patience while hunting for the best spot — those are the key ingredients for a summer holiday on the Dalmatian Adriatic coast. You're now well prepared for your trip, and if you still need some inspiration, you'll find my 10-day road trip route here..
