Before you buy in Croatia I would suggest that you visit the country and take a tour around the various areas available to you. It is a lot easier to get a feel for an area when you have spent time there on a short vacation. There are several regions in Croatia each of them beautiful but in a different way.

The area you choose will depend on several things including:

* Your budget

* Whether you are looking for beach property for a holiday home/holiday letting or an inland property for rental all year round

* Length of season

* Ease of access by air, sea and car

There are several regions in Croatia as follows


Istria
This is a very popular area with tourists especially Germans and Italians. Its closer proximity to western europe has made the area into a leading area of tourism especially in the attractive town of Porec. Pula and Umag are also popular tourist destinations in Istria. Istria is the largest peninsula in Croatia located on the far West. An airport is located in Pula for easy access. Budget airline Ryan Air fly direct from London to Pula and they provide a free shuttle bus to Porec.

Dalmatia
Dalmatia is located in the far south of Croatia so the climate is warmer. You will find lemons, oranges, kiwi and figs growing here and the season is typically longer than further North. There are also hundreds of island scattered around the Dalmatia coast. Split, Trogir, Zadar, Sibenik and Dubrovnik are notable cities located on the Dalmatian coast. Dubrovnik property is extremely expensive being a popular and well established destination. Split is the 2nd biggest town in Croatia and the most important Dalmatian city. It is also the main transit point to catch ferrys to the many Croatian islands such as Hvar, Brac and Korcula. Airports are located in Split and also in Dubrovnik. Budget airlines Easyjet and Germanwings operate here as well as British Airways and Croatia airlines.

Kvarner
The Kvarner Gulf borders Istria and is also a popular tourist destination due to its close proximity to Germany, Austria and Italy by car. There are several popular destinations in Kvarner including the beautiful Krk Island that can be accessed by bridge. Krk also has its own airport providing easy access for visitors. Budget airline EasyJet fly direct from London to Krk Island. Pag, Rab and Cres are other islands found on the Kvarner Gulf. Rijeka is a major Croatian port town located in the centre of Kvarner also popular with locals owing to larger companies being centred around this area of the region.

Slavonia
Slavonia is located in the north east of Croatia. This area is completely different to the coastal regions with more farming and forest areas. There are also nature parks found here.


Central Croatia
Zagreb the capital of Croatia is found in the Central region of Croatia. The capital is a good place to capitalise if you are looking for long term property rental to local residents rather than holiday rentals. Zagreb is well served with transport links and has international flights via Zagreb airport.

To get a feel for these areas the first step is to get into Croatia and experience the different regions from the ground. This is the best way to soak up the areas and make a conscious decision of where you would like to purchase property.