Croatia is a classic holiday destination. It has hundreds of miles of coastline, culture left over from Roman, Venetian and Italian rule, over a thousand islands to visit, and gorgeous forests for the hiking enthusiasts. Coupled with all this is a burgeoning gay culture that will entice gay travellers looking for something a little less commercialised than, say, Ibiza or Amsterdam.

Aside from fantastic beaches, Croatia offers gay travellers a mixture of old and new. Gay tourism centres around Dubrovnik, the most tolerant of the coastal areas, though there are no exclusively gay bars, many venues are accepting of gays. The town is also packed with spectacular Baroque architecture, churches, monasteries, museums, and cafes and restaurants. Capital city Zagreb is the home of Croatia’s gay pride parade, and the only place to boast openly gay clubs. Then there is Rovinj, a picturesque fishing town popular with both gay and straight tourists, and Split, Croatia’s second largest city, which offers Roman ruins, museums, a mountainous backdrop and easy access to the many islands of Croatia. There are no exclusively gay beaches in Croatia, but gay tourists flock to the nudist beaches, particularly camp-tastic Koversada in Istria, near Rovinj.

Homosexuality has been legal in Croatia since 1977, and the age of consent for everyone, gay or straight, is 14. Having said this, gay equality in Croatia is still behind that of other states, and there are certain areas of the country where gays and lesbians would be more welcome than others. In all areas, gay travellers are advised to be discreet to avoid conflict.

Croatia has several commercial airports. You can fly in to Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Zadar, Zagreb, Split, and Pula, from several international destinations. From mainland Europe, the Croatia is accessible by car, but motor registration papers and insurance are required. There are regular buses from Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Serbia. You can also reach Croatia by boat from Italy and Slovenia.