The 10 most beautiful coastal towns in Croatia to buy property

Porec is the liveliest town on Istria's west coast - and a town with 2,000 years of history. The Euphrasian Basilica with its Byzantine mosaics is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in front of it a riviera of promenades, beaches and marinas stretches for many kilometres to the north and south.

For buyers, the Porec market offers an unusually wide choice: from flats near the beach to new-build villas in the flat surrounding countryside and country houses in the villages of the hinterland. At an average of approx. 4,060 EUR/m², the area is just below the Istrian average - noticeably below Rovinj, but with similarly good infrastructure and the same short journey. All listings: Property in Porec.

Two in one on the quieter east coast of Istria: up on the hill the medieval town of Labin, a former mining town that has become an artists' town with galleries and studios - down below Rabac, once a tiny fishing village, today a harbour town with pebble bays whose water is among the clearest in all of Istria.

In terms of price, the area is one of the most attractive ways into the peninsula: at an average of approx. 3,840 EUR/m², a square metre here costs around 30% less than in Rovinj. If you love Istria but can do without the bustle of the west coast, you will find houses on the east coast with sea views over Kvarner Bay at prices that are hard to find west of Pula. All listings: Property in Labin and Rabac.

Zadar wears its 3,000 years of history with remarkable ease: on the old town peninsula, the Roman Forum and Romanesque churches sit next to cafes and boutiques, and on the waterfront the Sea Organ and the light installation Greeting to the Sun play. Alfred Hitchcock once said that Zadar had the most beautiful sunset in the world.

As a lively university and airport city, Zadar works all year round - a point in its favour for anyone who wants to use their property in winter too or let it long term. At an average of approx. 4,170 EUR/m², the city is above the North Dalmatian average of approx. 3,910 EUR/m², but remains well below the hotspots further south. All listings: Property in Zadar.

Like Rovinj, Primosten grew up on an island that was later joined to the mainland - today the old town juts out into the Adriatic as a round cluster of houses, with beaches on both sides and the famous stony vineyards of the Babic grape. A few kilometres to the south lies Rogoznica with its sheltered bay and Marina Frapa, one of the most modern marinas on the Adriatic.

The area has become the most expensive in North Dalmatia: in recent years, many modern luxury villas with pools and sea views have been built between Primosten, Razanj and Sevid, pushing the average up to approx. 4,390 EUR/m². In return, you get old town scenery, beaches and new-build quality in one place like almost nowhere else on the coast. All listings: Property in Primosten / Rogoznica.

The whole old town of Trogir is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a stone labyrinth of Romanesque churches, Renaissance palaces and the Cathedral of St Lawrence, built on a small island between the mainland and Ciovo Island. Split Airport is only a few kilometres away.

What makes it particularly interesting for buyers is the combination with Ciovo: over the bridge from Trogir you reach bathing bays and a large choice of new flats and houses. At an average of approx. 3,960 EUR/m², the area is one of the cheapest in Central Dalmatia - thanks to the brisk building activity, supply is larger than in most old towns. All listings: Property on Ciovo Island and in Trogir.