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John Malkovich does not want to be in Croatia. That is the premise of “I Hear It’s Beautiful,” the Croatian National Tourist Board’s new promotional video, in which Malkovich — playing an exhausted, perpetually skeptical version of himself — is dispatched by his agent on a tourism assignment for a country he knows almost nothing about, but has just learned is connected to his own family heritage.
He arrives reluctant. He remains reluctant, more or less, through some of the most visually arresting landscapes in Europe. He grumbles at Roman ruins, at crystal clear waters, at kindly grandmothers who appear to know everything about him before he’s even introduced himself. But by the end, a trip to Croatia has done what his Hollywood career apparently could not: It’s made him slow down. His verdict is a short six words, and about as good a compliment as he’s ever willing to give: “Not bad. Not bad at all.”
The video is a genuinely funny and insightful introduction to a country whose scope and richness often surprise American travelers.. Croatia runs from the Adriatic coast (and its more than 1,000 islands) to inland national parks, Roman amphitheaters, medieval walled cities, and some of Europe’s most distinctive wine and food regions. Here is what Malkovich found, region by region — and what travelers can expect when they plan visits of their own.
Dubrovnik and Southern Dalmatia
Malkovich begins his journey in Dubrovnik at the city’s medieval walls, arriving with a charmingly reluctant energy that Malkovich musters so well. Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a fully intact medieval city on the Adriatic coast with Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture that has been the site of many film shoots, including Game of Thrones. The 1.2-mile city wall circuit is one of the primary attractions, taking roughly two hours to walk and offering incredible views. The city is extremely popular in summer; shoulder season visits in spring or fall are significantly less crowded and a very comfortable time to visit.
South of Dubrovnik, the Konavle Valley offers a quieter and more local experience. Traditional family-run households here serve homemade food and wine from their own land, providing a direct look at how Dalmatians have eaten for generations. The wines of the nearby Pelješac peninsula — primarily Plavac Mali, a red varietal native to Dalmatia — are among Croatia’s most respected, with several well-established family wineries offering tastings.
Istria
Istria is Croatia’s northwestern peninsula, and its food and wine culture reflects a rich blend of Mediterranean and Central European influences. Istria is one of Europe’s premier truffle regions, with white truffle season peaking in October. Local operators run truffle-hunting experiences in the forests near Buzet and Motovun that include the hunt itself, preparation, and a meal built around the day’s findings.
The peninsula’s other culinary exports include Istrian Malvasia — a white wine produced here for centuries — and a spicy olive oil that regularly places in international competitions. It is also in Istria where Malkovich has his most memorable encounter with what the video calls the “Croatian CIA” — the network of local grandmothers who appear to know his schedule, his preferences, and possibly his childhood, before he’s said a word.
Historic towns worth visiting include Rovinj, a fishing town built on a small peninsula on the western coast; Motovun, a hilltop medieval town surrounded by truffle forest; and Hum, which holds the designation of smallest town in the world, with fewer than 30 residents. Pula, at the peninsula’s southern tip, contains a Roman amphitheater built in the first century AD, one of the best-preserved in the world that is still used today for concerts and events.
Split and Central Dalmatia
Malkovich’s journey continues to Split, Croatia’s second-largest city, built around -- and inside -- the retirement palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, constructed around 305 AD. He wanders the palace’s ancient stone corridors looking appropriately bewildered by the fact that people live, eat, and run shops inside a 1,700-year-old imperial complex. Diocletian’s Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers about seven acres. It’s best explored on foot through its maze of narrow streets, restaurants, apartments, bars and shops occupying the former imperial chambers.
The Meštrović Gallery, housed in a seaside villa designed by Croatia’s most celebrated sculptor, Ivan Meštrović, is one of the better art museums on the Dalmatian coast. The Split region is also where travelers are most likely to hear klapa singing — a form of traditional Dalmatian male vocal harmony recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
The Dalmatian Islands
The islands featured in the video include the resort town of Hvar, Brač, and the more remote Kornati archipelago. Malkovich surveys the Adriatic from a boat with the expression of someone who has run out of objections but refuses to say so. Hvar is the most touristically developed island, with a well-established restaurant and nightlife scene, but its interior — particularly the Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO-listed agricultural landscape — offers a very different character. The island also produces wine from the Plavac Mali and Bogdanuša grapes, with several boutique family wineries operating on the island.
Malkovich ends his journey having discovered what may be Croatia’s finest export: A particular feeling of satisfaction of enjoying the simple things in life without hurry or stress. The trip to Croatia accomplishes something his Hollywood lifestyle never could — it makes him slow down. It might just do the same for you.
Watch the full campaign video: I Hear It’s Beautiful
Ad paid for by Croatia National Tourist Board.
