Catholic Sites of Croatia
Located in the Balkans, the country of Croatia has witnessed much tumult over the centuries, but has remained steadfast in its Catholic faith. Locked in the bitter war in the late 1990’s, it is now peaceful and welcoming to tourists. It is a beautiful country and rapidly becoming one of Europe’s most popular destinations: the Adriatic Coast, with it’s crystal-clear water and enchanting islands, has become a tourist mecca for many travelers.
Both Split and Dubrovnik are now stops for many cruise lines as well.
As of January 2023, the country has become part of the European Union’s Schengen Zone, which means that travelers won’t need to go through passport control when traveling between Croatia and any of 26 other E.U. countries. Second, Croatia adopted the Euro, which means you won’t need to exchange currency when crossing those borders either.
In addition, Croatia is often the point of arrival for pilgrims going to visit Medjugorje. Most fly (or arrive by overnight ferry from Rome) into either Split or Dubrovnik.
It should be pointed out that Medjugorje is not in Croatia, it is part of Bosnia & Herzegovina (formerly named Yugoslavia).
There are many sites of interest to Catholics in this country, and here are just a few of them (with more to come).
Here are a few highlights in Croatia:
Dubrovnik: “the Pearl of the Adriatic”
Marija Bistrica: Our Lady of Marija Bistrica
Sinj: Our Lady of Sinj
Split: Diocletian’s palace
