4 Best Sights in Southern Dalmatia, Croatia

Located in an industrial factory in Gruž, the Red History Museum tells the story of the rise and fall of communism in Croatia. Founded by a young group of entrepreneurs in 2019, among them a designer, a historian, and a couple who worked on film sets, it is a fun and fresh museum designed to be touched and explored. Taking a steadfastly neutral approach, the exhibits focus largely on everyday life under communism, from the clothing of the era to kitchen sets to sex education, with historical information weaved effortlessly throughout the colorful displays.

Located in a 16th-century stone palace on the main square, this charming museum contains items from all eras of the island's history, from Neolithic stone knives to vessels excavated from Greek and Roman shipwrecks to wooden ship models built in the 1960s. Don't miss the replica of the Lumbarda Psephisma, a striking 4th-century-BC stone tablet that details the establishment of a Greek colony in Lumbarda. There are also quirky objects in the original kitchen in the attic, such as gadgets for making macaroni and kneading bread.

One of the most significant buildings along the Croatian coast, this was the administrative center of the Dubrovnik Republic. It's where the Grand Council and Senate held their meetings and the chief citizen, the Rector, lived and did business during his one-month term. It also held a courtroom, prisons, meeting halls, and a gunpowder room, which exploded twice in the 15th century. The explosions, plus the earthquake of 1667, required the building to be reconstructed over the years in varying Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic styles. The palace is now home to the Cultural History Museum, containing exhibits that give a picture of life in Dubrovnik from early days until the fall of the Republic.

This charming museum is worth the visit for both the building itself (built in 1590, it was used as a grain storage during the time of the Republic), as well as the collection of 6,000 heritage pieces from around Croatia and neighboring countries, including tools, folk costumes, lace, and other handiwork. Rupe means "holes," which refers to the underground grain storage pits carved out of tufa below the building.