Best places to run in Croatia

The hill above Dubrovnik reached by a switchback walking trail, with sweeping panoramas over the old town and Adriatic.

Croatia's highest summit at 1831 m, a long exposed grassy ridge climb on the Bosnian border with vast panoramas.

The deep emerald source of the Kupa river in a lush valley nicknamed the Enchanted Butterfly Valley, reached on foot.

At 879 m the highest peak of the Samobor hills and a paragliding spot, a popular short climb from Šoićeva kuća.

A dramatic emerald-green river canyon where steep cliffs rise above the Cetina near Omiš, with riverside paths and rafting.

A 200 m deep canyon carved by the crystal-clear Zrmanja river, with waterfalls and trails before it meets the sea.

A distinctive 1182 m rock dome rising from the Ogulin plain, a steep hike with sheer climbing cliffs and far-reaching views.

An ancient stone village perched on a 378 m clifftop above the sea, with a steep trail down to the hidden Sveti Ivan beach.

Split's pine-clad peninsula hill park with stairways, lookout terraces and coastal paths to beaches, the city's green lungs.

A walled hilltop town circled by a panoramic rampart walk overlooking the vineyards and truffle forests of the Mirna valley.

River park threaded with riverside trails and boardwalks past a chain of travertine cascades and the islet of Visovac.

Forested island park with shoreline trails looping two saltwater lakes and a Benedictine monastery on St Mary's islet.

Dramatic limestone gorges and pine forest below Velebit with 150-200 km of trails from easy canyon walks to alpine climbs.

Croatia's flagship national park where wooden boardwalks weave between 16 terraced turquoise lakes linked by countless waterfalls.

Densely forested mountain park in Gorski kotar, home to bear, wolf and lynx, with trails to the 1528 m Veliki Risnjak summit.

Rugged karst wilderness of the northern Velebit with the Premužić trail, the Hajdučki kukovi crags and the Lukina jama abyss.

A former narrow-gauge railway turned greenway through Istrian vineyards, tunnels and viaducts linking hilltop towns like Grožnjan.

Zagreb's grand 19th-century landscape park with shaded avenues, lakes and meadows, a favourite city running and walking spot.

A steep coastal massif of bare karst above the Makarska Riviera, with rugged trails and a glass-floored skywalk lookout.

A vast lowland floodplain of oak forest and wetland famed for storks and old wooden villages, with flat birdwatching trails.

Zagreb's forested home mountain laced with trails, caves and the Veternica show cave, ideal for weekend runs and walks.

Coastal park where cliffs plunge 160 m to the sea on one side and a sheltered bay and salt lake Mir lie on the other, with clifftop trails.

A forested coastal mountain park above Opatija with oak and chestnut woods and panoramic ridge trails over the Kvarner bay.

Rolling forested highlands near Zagreb, cradle of Croatian mountaineering, with well-marked trails, huts and small waterfalls.

A famous 57 km drystone hiking path through Northern Velebit, gently graded yet wild and remote with no water between huts.

A 'mini-Plitvice' village where the Slunjčica tumbles in cascades between old watermills and houses, a short scenic stroll.

Wide curtain of gentle cascades on the Krka river with quiet riverside paths and a stairway up to Oziđana cave.

The wild southern tip of Istria, a nature reserve laced with trails through scrub along dramatic low cliffs and coves.

A spectacular 17-step travertine cascade circled by an easy 2 km boardwalk loop, the most photographed spot in Krka park.

The 1035 m summit of Medvednica above Zagreb, a classic local hike on forested trails with a viewpoint over Zagorje.

A hidden pebble cove framed by towering cliffs that nearly close over the sea, reached by a steep descending footpath.

At 1762 m the top of Biokovo, rising straight from the Makarska Riviera with dizzying views over Brač and Hvar.

The highest peak of Hvar at 628 m with a 15th-century chapel on top, a steep climb with views across the central Dalmatian islands.

At 1757 m the highest point of the Velebit range, a long demanding climb rewarded with views over Dalmatia and the islands.

A deep limestone canyon with towering walls beloved by climbers, the main gateway trail into Paklenica's high country.

At 78 m the tallest waterfall in Croatia, reached by a scenic boardwalk trail through the Lower Lakes canyon.

At 778 m the highest point of the Adriatic islands, a hikeable climb above Bol with iconic views over Zlatni rat and Hvar.

At 1401 m the highest point of Istria, with a stone lookout tower and trails descending through forest toward the Kvarner coast.

High Velebit peak and weather-station hut at the start of the Premužić trail, with a botanical garden and sweeping sea views.

Croatia's iconic golden-horn pebble spit, reached by an easy pine-shaded coastal path from Bol town.