Gay Croacia

No — same-sex marriage is not currently recognised in Croacia. Croatia decriminalised same-sex relations in 1977. A 2013 referendum wrote the man-woman definition of marriage into the constitution, but the Life Partnership Act of 2014 gives same-sex couples almost every right of marriage, and court rulings in 2020 and 2022 opened foster care and then adoption to life partners. The Anti-Discrimination Act has covered sexual orientation, gender identity and expression since 2009, hate crimes on those grounds are criminal, and legal gender change was simplified in 2013. In 2023 the Constitutional Court declared life partnerships fully constitutional and read sexual orientation into the constitution's equality clause. Public opinion is the weak point: Eurobarometer 2023 found only 35 percent support for equal rights, and there are periodic assaults, including a gay man beaten in Split in 2021. Zagreb Pride has run since 2002, Split since 2011, and Pula held its first in 2024. Along the coast, Hvar, Split, Dubrovnik and Rovinj see large numbers of LGBTQ tourists every summer and the hospitality trade is welcoming.

The cities listed on this page have the most active LGBTQ+ scenes in Croacia — typically the capital and the largest tourist cities. Each city page lists verified LGBTQ+ venues.

Many hotels in tourist areas of Croacia welcome LGBTQ+ guests without explicit marketing. International chains in central districts are the safest choice; smaller boutique hotels vary. See each city page for verified LGBTQ+-friendly options.

Pride events do take place in Croacia — see the events calendar for the current schedule and each city page for local specifics. Attendance sizes and dates vary year to year.