Today’s post is dedicated to the beautiful country (and islands) of Croatia. This place truly is heaven on earth. I’ll share with you the towns that we visited, the incredible experience that was ‘Sail Croatia’ and the sights and tastes of Croatia that won my heart. If you are planning a trip to Europe and are indecisive about whether or not to add Croatia, please please please add it to the itinerary and allow at least a week to explore, I am yet to meet anyone who has regretted their time in Croatia. It has definitely secured its place as one of my favourite places in the world. Read more of today’s post and I’m sure you will soon discover why.

For ease of presenting//writing, I’m breaking today’s post into Croatia’s plethora of destinations (rather than chronological order of our trip). But, for the purpose of logistics, it’s perhaps worth knowing that our itinerary was – 2 days Split; 1 week Sail Croatia and 5 days Korcula.

Here’s a few things that are good to know about Croatia before we start –

Number 1 – It’s situated in SouthEastern Europe and lies to the east of the Adriatic Sea. It became a member of the EU in 2013.

Number 2 – It has its own currency and actually (true testimony of the headstrong Croatian pride) often refuses Euro! Their currency is Croatian Kuna (at the time of travelling the AUD was buying 1:5 Kuna).

Number 3 – The national language is Croatian. There are some slight differences, in dialect, between the islands and mainland. Never fear, basic//functional English is pretty much found at most places, especially within tourist heavy areas. Just know that Hvala (h-farla) is ‘thank you’ – use it often and with a smile!

Number 4 – Croatians are beautiful, proud and kind people. Get chatting to the locals, share smiles freely with everyone you meet and get out to the smaller countryside towns if you can – a beautiful and different side of Croatia. 

// SPLIT //

Oh holy seaside beauty. I adored Split. It has the rustic appeal of old school Croatia with the city sort of existing//established around the amazing Diocletian Palace; with a modern fusion of boutique stores, lovely restaurants and hip seaside bars. We hired a car and drove from Split to the small town of Vodice – about an hour’s drive north of Split. Car hire is easy (best to tee up an International passport before you leave) and relatively cheap – and an incredible opportunity to see the coast. We stayed at, what I believe to be, the most perfectly located little apartment which I found during a late night stalk of airbnb! If you’re wanting the specific link to this apartment (or any other for that matter) just let me know via email or comments below and I will scoot them over to you!

The Diocletian palace is an incredibly busy, thriving and wonderful centre of the old city. It’s made up of restaurants, apartments, cafes, stores and bars. I could have wandered the inner lane-ways of the old Palace for hours and hours on end. I believe it to be an absolute must see (and must experience) for all Croatian bound travellers.

// HVAR //

Hvar boasts arguably the most stunning views of any island on the Dalmatian coast. The 20 – 30 minute uphill stroll (although don’t be fooled, your ass muscles will burn), clearly marked from the town centre, leads you up to the most stunning lookout. As we got to the top, we found local children playing and laughing, imitating battle behind the cannons and bricked walls. Very old school Croatia feel with a new, hip, ‘down with the kids’ fusion. And speaking of ‘hip’, which naturally stirs reminders of ‘hip hop’, Beyonce and JayZ are reg-a-lars on Hvar, with their daughter rumoured to have her name inspired by the Blue Ivy tree on the island. Fun fact – the people of the island were so touched by her naming that the Carters were named ‘honorary citizens’ of Hvar!

The nightlife is vibrant, even in the quieter time of year that we headed over in, with the gorgeously spirited people of Hvar being so incredibly welcoming. Welcome shots and complimentary drinks went down a treat.

// KORCULA //

Ah, home. This island is near indescribable and, in fact, my words will never seem to do this incredible location justice. The island is stunning. We stayed in the old town centre, right behind the cathedral, and the apartment was phenomenal.  We explored the island three ways – by foot, by bike and by car. By foot is, obviously, self explanatory. We explored restaurants, shops, beaches and scenery with ease. EVERYTHING you could possibly need is located nearby. We booked bikes through the tourist information centre for a very reasonable 90Kuna (approximately 18AUD) for the day and head off to Lumbarda, a beautiful beach about 40 minutes from Korcula town centre. The coast-side ride was phenomenal and one of the best experiences of my entire European trip. Seriously – see Korcula on two wheels and you will not be disappointed. We then headed back to town and took our bikes uphill (far too uphill for my glutes’ liking) to another stunning lookout over Korcula town.

During our Sail Croatia week, we stopped in Korcula on the Sunday afternoon and left Monday morning. Dave and I opted for the ‘added experience’ of hiring buggies to explore the dirt roads and backstreets of Korcula. I felt like Donkey Kong circa Mario Kart. SO. MUCH. FUN! During our five day stay, we hired a car, and drove the 30 minutes to Blato. The views, energy and vibes of this beautiful town was phenomenal.

If you are umming and ahhing about whether or not to add this place to your Croatian itinerary, not more thinking please, just book it.

That’s it for today’s instalment of BTM’s European Adventure Series! Keep your eyes peeled over the next few days for the recap of Dubrovnik; Makarska; Mljet and our Sail Croatia experience.

Blessings and ‘hvala puno’ x