Castles Fortresses & Palaces to Visit in Croatia

There are various castles, fortresses and palaces to visit in Croata, including some by the sea. Many of these are smaller castles that have fascinating histories. Some castles like Trsat Castle are by the seaside with wonderful sea views.

Some palaces in Croatia date from the Roman era and are rather special to see. Other interesting fortresses relate to the protection of the Habsburg empire from the Ottomans.

Castles & Palaces in Croatia

The various castles and palaces that I’ve visited while travelling to Croatia.

Trsat Castle a Beautiful Place Overlooking the Adriatic Sea

Trsat Castle

Trsat Castle is one of the most visited attractions in Rijeka. The castle is on a 138-metre high hill overlooking the city and Adriatic sea. Trsat Castle dates back to the 13th century and its ruins are a fantastic thing to see.

Trsat Castle Ruins

Visiting the castle is free where you can walk around the fortifications and climb turrets to enjoy the spectacular views below. The castle also hosts events and also has a restaurant on the viewpoint. They also host events at Trsat Castle, which is fun. On my visit, there was a food truck festival.

Trsat Castle Front

Getting to the castle from the city is a leg burning walk up a steep stairway. They built the stairs to help pilgrims to visit the neighbouring church. As a bonus, one of the best restaurants in Rijeka is very close to the castle.

Dubovac Castle in Karlovac

Stari grad Dubovac Walk

Overlooking Karlovac in Croatia is Dubovac Castle, a 45-minute walk from the centre. The castle is small. However, it is lovely to have a mooch around the exterior and some parts of the inside.

Stari grad Dubovac Courtyard

The countryside views from the castle tower are nice too. To enter the castle it costs 20 kuna, which is just over £2. It’s more a place to enjoy the views, see some art or have a meal rather than learn about its history.

The Castle of Ogulin a Fairytale Castle

Ogulin Castle

The Castle of Ogulin is a lovely small castle to visit in Croatia. In approximately 1500, they built the castle above the canyon of the Dobra river, upon the orders of feudal lord Bernardin Frankopan. They constructed the Castle in the time of great danger following the destruction of the Modruš fortress by the Ottomans. They built this to serve as a military stronghold against the Ottoman conquest.

Castle Dog

In 1553, the troops of King Ferdinand I occupied the fortress of Ogulin. Subsequently, in 1570, it became the seat of the 13th Frontier Regiment.

Ogulin Heritage Museum

They considered the most important regiment in the Croatian Military Frontier. This was from 1746 until the demobilisation of the Military Frontier in 1873. They then converted the castle into a prison in 1865 and subsequently the museum that is housed there today.

Diocletian’s Palace in Split

Golden Gate at night

Diocletian’s Palace is an ancient palace built for the Roman emperor Diocletian in the fourth century AD. The Diocletian’s Palace forms about half the old town of Split and is a fantastic place to visit. Back in the day, half of the Diocletian’s Palace was for Emperor Diocletian’s personal use, and the rest housed a Roman military garrison.

Saint Domnius Cathedral at night

They have preserved the palace, and it’s wonderful to look around and see what a Roman palace was like. It’s historically significant and in 1979, UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site.

Vestibul Palace

Old Town Split is within the palace fortifications. Thus is a beautiful place to explore and is also interesting too. The Diocletian’s Palace has many Roman features, narrow side streets and picturesque archways. Diocletian’s Palace has some beautiful gates to get in or out, the most picturesque being the gold and silver gates.

Vestibul

Other key parts, including the cathedral and the bell tower next door. You can climb the bell tower for fantastic views from above the fortress. There are various parts to visit, including a fascinating museum about the palaces history. The Vestibul and cellars are also wonderful to explore and underground. This Roman palace is one of the top places to visit in Croatia for good reasons.

Tvrđa in Osijek

Tvrda View

In Osijek, a city in the east of Croatia, you can visit Tvrđa, a citadel/fortress. Tvrđa dates from 1712 and they built it after defeating the Ottoman army. The fortress became the most advanced Habsburg fortress on the Ottoman Empire’s border.

Tvrda Bastion

It’s a nice place to visit and one of the top sights in Osijek. The site also has a few museums, churches and options for restaurants.

Gripe Fortress In Split

Tvrđava Gripe

During their rule over Dalmatia, the Republic of Venice built Gripe Fortress or Tvrđava Gripe in Split in the mid-17th century. Their principal adversary was the Ottomans. The Venetians built the fortress to defend the east of the Split.

Castles in Croatia

Interestingly, the ottomans briefly took control, but that didn’t last long. Today you can visit the fortress, most of the site is now a naval museum which is interesting. The views from Tvrđava Gripe out to sea are lovely too.

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