Croatia in Bloom: Hvar Lavender, Trsteno Gardens and Plitvice Lakes

Most people choose Croatia for the sea, but it is just as rewarding for plant lovers. It has a lavender island, one of the oldest gardens on the Adriatic, lakes in beech forest and olive trees that have stood for centuries. Here are places worth visiting between beach days.

While you travel, we can deliver flowers to your loved ones: large rose bouquets and flowers in a box.

View full-size photo

Five green places in Croatia

• Hvar. Long known as the lavender island. The fields usually bloom in June and early July, and villages sell oil and sachets of dried flowers.
• Trsteno Arboretum. Near Dubrovnik, a garden laid out in the Renaissance survives with old plane trees, palms, a Neptune fountain and sea views.
• Plitvice Lakes. A national park of cascading lakes and waterfalls, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wooden boardwalks run right over the water.
• The Lun olive gardens on Pag. A grove of wild olives, many of them several centuries old.
• Zagreb Botanical Garden. A small garden in the centre of the capital with ponds and a collection of native plants.

View full-size photo

What grows in Croatia

The Mediterranean climate of the coast lets rosemary, oleander, bougainvillea and agave grow right in the streets. In spring the hills turn yellow with broom and purple with sage, and in the mountains you can find an endemic, the Croatian iris (Iris croatica), regarded as the national flower.

• Best time. May and June: the greenery is fresh, lavender and oleander are in flower, and there is less heat and fewer crowds than in August.
• What to bring home. Lavender oil and sachets, olive oil, dried herbs.
• Remember. In national parks you may not pick plants or leave the trails.

View full-size photo

If you like travelling for flowers, see also the world’s great flower parks and plantations and lavender gift ideas.

FAQ

When does lavender bloom on Hvar?

Usually in June and early July; the exact timing depends on the weather that year.

How long do you need for Plitvice Lakes?

The main routes take 4–6 hours, but many visitors stay two days to see both the upper and lower lakes.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

About the author →