Coming to a Close in Croatia

Our time here in Croatia has come to a close and we have to say that we were both pleasantly surprised at what Croatia has to offer. We’ve been told by a few friends that this place is beautiful and that we should absolutely visit but in the grand scheme of places to go and explore, it always seemed to be less renowned as other destinations in Europe such as Italy, France or Greece were always at the forefront and Croatia always came as a distant second. Fortunately for us, we had the time to explore all of the aforementioned countries as well as Croatia so we put that on our list of places to go and we are so elated that we did.

Once we decided to add Croatia to our list of places to visit, we checked out some online resources as well as travel documentary shows that featured Croatia and this got our excitement going as it looked fantastic! We saw photos and videos of the pristine waters and the well-preserved buildings in the old towns and thought that this was going to be such an amazing experience. We took one of the easily accessible buses from Vienna to Croatia’s biggest city, Zagreb, and upon arrival into the city, we were somewhat taken aback as the main drive in was not very spectacular. The residential apartment buildings were not as grand as they had been in Vienna and it seemed a tad more “rundown” as many of the buildings seemed as if they were there more for function rather than form; as well, they were often covered with graffiti which only added to their lack of appeal. Needless to say, we were not blown away by our first impression of Zagreb as we rode into the city’s bus terminal and took the tram to our hotel; however, we would come to develop a soft spot as well as an appreciation for this city as we began to explore its inner perimeter and returned for a second time before leaving the country. It does in fact sport some unique architecture the further you go into the city centre and the tram lines run seamlessly through the city along with its daily traffic, pedestrians and seemingly endless onslaught of food delivery cyclists. There are several streets that seem to be dedicated to tourists as they are lined with restaurants and cafes with menus in multiple languages to accommodate a number of tourists from varying countries. Here you will also find the narrow streets and footpaths surrounded by older buildings that possess character reminiscent of the city’s rich past blended with some modern appeal but no matter how you look at it, it will begin to garner your attention and leave you in appreciation for the city’s charms.

From here, we rented a car to allow us the opportunity to explore more freely and we are certainly glad they we did this. Our initial reticence to drive in a foreign country was high, especially seeing how much more aggressively they had driven in other parts of Europe. Our anxieties lessened the more we drove and it became less of an issue but we still needed to be extra vigilant as one can never be too complacent driving in another country.

Our first stop was a 7 hour drive across the country to Dubrovnik which, if you’re a big Game of Thrones nut, will know that several scenes were filmed here. This place was amazing and one of the highlights for us as it’s Old Town and its city wall pressed against the landscape of the open sea made for a surreal sight. Walking through the extremely narrow streets of its old town only to be ushered into larger plazas and open areas made for an exciting adventure as there is much to explore here. You do come to the realization that it isn’t as big as you had initially thought especially once you take a ride up the cable car and can see Dubrovnik’s beauty in its entirety but you do see the appeal of the city and can take it all in while soaking in its charms.

Moving along, following the advice of several online sources and friends, we stopped in Split. Now although it too had an Old Town, it paled in comparison to that of Dubrovnik and we found ourselves not spending as much time here than we did at our previous Old Town. Instead, Split boasts a long promenade that borders on the marina and it makes for a scenic stroll or break at one of its numerous restaurants or cafes. In addition to this, the numerous islands that one can visit are amongst Split’s offerings as we partook in one of their island day cruises. With many companies offering their vessels, there is no paucity of options to choose from and with similar pricing at each, any of the companies seem to be a good option; however, travelling at off-season meant that the majority of companies were closed so our options were quite limited but that’s not to say we had a bad experience as we did manage to get out on the open sea along with 10 other passengers and we explored some of the surrounding islands which were all quite beautiful. Not seeing the bombardment of boats on the water was a bonus too and oftentimes, we could just relax and watch the scenery move past us as we skimmed across the open waters.

Although our Airbnb was only a 15 minute walk to the city centre, we were not completely happy with it and this led to us cutting our stay short by 3 days. We found another location just outside the city centre and this was a godsend as it was right on the beach with an amazing view of the sea. This was the relaxing and untainted stay we have been wanting and because it was outside of the city, it gave us the feeling of serenity and calm that we needed. Looking at prices, it was more than 50% off because it was in the off season and this was apparent as we strolled along the beach only to find virtually every shop, cafe and restaurant were abandoned for the season. If you crave the party life, you would be disappointed as it’s desolation might have you feeling isolated but on the other hand, it was an extremely satisfying feeling for us that this was our own private beach.

The benefit of having a car allowed us to stop at Krka National Park to check out the waterfalls there. This was also accessible by bus but having the car made it that much easier as the drive was free flowing and almost deserted. These waterfalls were absolutely stunning and although not as grand as others we have seen around the world, they will still captivate you with their beauty. This side trip was well worth the drive and did not take that long to visit.

Making our way north, we headed to Zadar. Here we also stayed outside of the city centre in a small village called Bibinje which usually boasts hoards of tourists but once again because of the off-season, had us feeling that we were the only ones there. Our Airbnb overlooked the water once again for a fraction of the cost and this was the million dollar view that we craved. Once we mustered enough strength to pull ourselves away from the balcony, exploring the city centre was finished in a day’s time as firstly, it was empty and secondly, it too is quite small. Many shops were also closed but we were still able to walk through the old streets as well as the waterfront and enjoy its beauty. There are many older buildings and monuments that will take your breath away and the narrow footpaths are consistent with the rest of the county’s old towns but it does however have its own charm here that is distinct from Croatia’s other cities.

We also managed to take another side trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park and this visit just affirmed how egocentric we sometimes can be. Living in Alberta, Canada, we have the Rocky Mountains at our doorstep and we often think that nothing can be more beautiful. Entering this national park just left us speechless. The leaves were changing colours and shedding their coats and it simply added to the already picturesque backdrop of the mountains, waterfalls and lakes. This park is an absolute must when visiting Croatia and the varying hikes that the park offers, leaves something for everyone.

Returning back to Zagreb made us realize just how beautiful this country is and how under the radar it is when compared to other European countries. Driving showed us how mountainous parts of the country are but still, only a stone’s through away from the sea. I cannot recommend enough how Croatia should be on the top of counties to visit but apparently many already know this as countless locals have articulated just how busy each tourist site gets during the summer. Again, we can thank the pandemic for the lack of traffic as well as tourists on our visit during the off-season but despite the quiet atmosphere, many shops, restaurants and businesses closed for the season and the cooler temperatures, this visit has been perfect for us as there was still plenty to keep us more than busy and we would be back in a heartbeat if only there weren’t so many other unexplored countries on our list of places to see and experience. For now, Croatia will be an extremely heartfelt memory that will be difficult to top but the world is full of surprises and we are hoping it only gets better as we move on.