Croatia's Captivating UNESCO Sites & Traditions

More Than History: Croatia’s Living Legacy

From medieval walled cities to centuries-old lacework, Croatia is a country where tradition isn’t just remembered, it’s lived. With 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 22 protected traditions recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage, Croatia safeguards a remarkable range of human creativity, resilience, and identity.

Croatia’s heritage is very much alive. It’s in the way a village gathers for a silent circle dance, in the way a gingerbread heart is carefully piped with icing, or in the rhythm of a klapa harmony drifting through a seaside square. These sites and traditions are lovingly passed down, woven into everyday life, and proudly shared with anyone willing to slow down and notice.

For travellers, this is where the magic lies. Visiting Croatia isn’t just about admiring stone churches or panoramic views (though there’s plenty of that). It’s about being invited into something deeper—a living story of craftsmanship, ritual, and community that’s still unfolding before your eyes. You’re doing more than sightseeing. You’re participating in a cultural conversation that spans centuries.

That’s what makes Croatia so special. It doesn’t just preserve its heritage, it welcomes you into it.

Lacemaking

Klapa singing

Along Croatia’s sun-drenched Adriatic coast, if you pause in a quiet stone alley or town square, you might hear a cappella voices rising in perfect harmony, singing tales of love, the sea, and local life. This is klapa, a traditional form of multipart singing that’s been an integral part of Dalmatian culture for centuries.

Performed by a group of male or female vocalists (usually between four and eight), klapa emphasizes tight harmonies, vocal purity, and emotional storytelling. There are no instruments, just layered voices.

The roots of klapa trace back to church singing traditions and local gatherings in small coastal communities. Traditionally sung at festivals, weddings, or informally among friends, these songs often speak of love, wine, nature, and the hardships of daily life, all with a sense of heartfelt simplicity and beauty. Over time, klapa has evolved from casual singing in taverns and courtyards to become a celebrated symbol of Croatian cultural identity. It’s a tradition that is still taught orally, passed from older generations to younger ones, keeping both technique and emotion alive.

Travellers can experience klapa in many seaside towns—especially in Split, Sibenik, and Omis, where the annual Festival of Dalmatian Klapa brings together the best vocal groups in a celebration of this timeless art form. You can also read more about klapa singing in our Croatia Dream Magazine.

Licitar

In the heart of northern Croatia, particularly around Zagreb and the Hrvatsko Zagorje region, a sweet and colourful tradition has been delighting generations: the making of licitar hearts, which are handcrafted, ornately decorated gingerbread cookies.

Licitar-making is a craft passed down through families of artisans. Though often called “cookies,” licitars aren’t usually eaten. They’re made to last, cherished as symbols of love, luck, and celebration.

Each licitar is made by hand using honey dough that’s left to dry for several weeks before being shaped with cookie cutters into hearts, horses, birds, or wreaths. Once baked, they’re painted in bold red glaze and hand-decorated with white piping, tiny mirrors, or written messages. The process is time-consuming and entirely artisanal, requiring both precision and patience.

You’ll see licitars hung on Christmas trees, gifted at weddings and festivals, or sold at open-air markets. In the past, young men would give a licitar heart to someone they admired. Today, licitar hearts remain a cherished part of Croatian identity. Just be warned: once you start collecting them, it’s hard to stop.

Spring procession of Queens

Known as the Procession of Ljelje or Kraljice, this unique ritual is a blend of folklore, music, and community celebration. The tradition takes place around Pentecost, when a group of young, unmarried girls dressed in ornate traditional costumes walk from house to house performing songs and ritual dances. What makes the procession especially distinctive is the contrast between two roles: some girls dress as “queens,” wearing white dresses and floral crowns, while others don more martial attire with sabres, representing their “king” counterparts.

Together, they perform ceremonial sword dances and sing blessings to each household, offering good wishes for health, prosperity, and fertility. In return, they are welcomed with small gifts, food, and heartfelt thanks. The entire community gathers to witness this joyful rite of spring, reinforcing shared heritage and intergenerational bonds.

The Ljelje tradition is believed to have roots in pre-Christian Slavic rituals, later shaped by local Catholic customs. It celebrates the power of young women, the renewal of life after winter, and the importance of unity within a village. What makes it truly special is that the tradition is still actively practiced, with costumes, songs, and choreography passed down by local elders who take great pride in preserving it.

Bell Ringers’ Pageant

Loud, chaotic, and impossible to ignore—the Zvoncari, or bell ringers, are one of Croatia’s most energetic and ancient carnival traditions. Every winter in the Kastav region near Rijeka, groups of costumed men march from village to village, clanging enormous cowbells strapped to their backs in a ritual that dates back to pre-Christian Slavic times. Their mission? To chase away evil spirits and winter’s darkness, making way for spring’s renewal.

Dressed in sheepskin vests, white trousers, and frightening hand-carved masks often topped with animal horns or flowered hats, each group performs a noisy, rhythmic procession, stomping and swinging their bodies in unison to maximize the sound of their bells. It’s a sensory spectacle, filled with energy, humour, and an unmistakable sense of local pride.

The tradition is rooted in pagan fertility rites, meant to awaken the land and ensure a good harvest. Over centuries, it merged with Catholic customs and carnival celebrations, becoming a beloved part of the annual Rijeka Karneval and nearby village festivals. Each village has its own twist on costume design and marching style, and participation is often passed down through families.

It’s a loud, raw, and joyfully bizarre celebration of community and resilience, where ancient beliefs still echo (literally!) through the hills.