Croatian literary heritage spans several centuries. Marin Držić stands as the famous Renaissance playwright of Dubrovnik, whose comedies shaped the theatre of the era. The 19th century is represented by August Šenoa, the great historical novelist of Zagreb's literary awakening, while the 20th century is unthinkable without Miroslav Krleža, often regarded as a Croatian literary giant. The neighbouring literary tradition yields Ivo Andrić, the Nobel-Prize-winning novelist of Yugoslav letters. For younger readers, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić remains the beloved author of fairy tales whose work feels instantly Croatian.
Croatia also has a remarkable record in sport, music, and science. Dražen Petrović is remembered as a basketball legend, while Goran Ivanišević thrilled tennis fans with his Wimbledon title in 2001. The national football team, the Vatreni, won bronze in 1998 and silver in 2018, turning the red-and-white checkerboard into a global symbol. In music, the pianist Ivo Pogorelić remains one of the most distinctive classical performers of recent decades. And in science, Lavoslav Ružička stands as a Croatian-born Nobel laureate in chemistry, recognition that places him among the country's most celebrated figures abroad.
Many Croatian customs anchor community identity. The Sinjska alka, a traditional festival held in the town of Sinj, remains popular to this day and draws visitors from across the country. On the island of Korčula, the Moreška is a traditional sword dance performed in summer. The island of Pag is famous for its paška čipka (Pag lace), recognised as world heritage by UNESCO. Before Christmas, Croatian families burn a badnjak, a Yule log, on Christmas Eve — an old Slavic rite still widely practised. Croatia also preserves glagoljica, the Glagolitic alphabet, visible on old stone monuments along the Adriatic coast and representing a unique Slavic heritage.
In the 21st century, Croatia has integrated with the wider European mainstream. Hrvatska joined the EU in 2013, and in 2023 the euro replaced the kuna, completing a long monetary transition. The national broadcaster HRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija) remains a leading public-TV voice, while popular culture includes shows such as Brak na prvu (Married at First Sight), one of the country's most-watched programmes. Together with the country's success in sport and its preserved heritage, these markers complete the picture of a modern Croatia.