Croatia has long held a special place in my travel dreams.
For years, I have ogled over pictures of its sparkling Adriatic Sea coastline and ancient cities brought to present-day glory through television shows such as Game of Thrones.
I finally had to visit this bucket-list destination. I spent four glorious weeks in Croatia.
The sea views I had long dreamed about lived up to my expectations. But for me, the greatest joy in traveling is discovering the unexpected, and Croatia was full of surprises.
In fact, the surprises began before I arrived.
I planned to start my journey in Rovinj, located on the Istrian Peninsula of Croatia.
My husband and I were to take a 4-hour ferry crossing the Adriatic from Venice, Italy, to Rovinj. After several hours of air travel from France, we arrived in Venice at a deserted ferry port about an hour before the ferry’s scheduled departure. “Hmm”, I said to my husband. “I know it’s the shoulder season, but it sure seems like there should be more people traveling on this ferry than just the two of us.” Just about that time, an elderly German gentleman appeared who said he was taking the same ferry and, in fact, had used it several times. His presence comforted me; we were in the right place, and thus, we patiently waited for the ferry to arrive, chatting with our new German friend.
At the scheduled time of departure, with no ferry in sight and no other passengers waiting to board, we approached a port agent and inquired about the ferry. She gave us a quizzical look and told us there was no ferry scheduled today. “But I have a ticket for today, and so does he,” I said, pointing at my new German friend. At this point, the man looked again at his ticket and sheepishly said, “Oh, my ticket is for tomorrow,” and quietly disappeared. He is no longer my friend.
How did this happen? I had bought the ferry tickets through a third-party site, Ferry Hopper. The ferry schedule had changed at some point, and Ferry Hopper failed to notify us. So, there we were at 6 p.m. on Friday night in the heart of Venice with no hotel room and no way to get to Rovinj.
After a medium-scale meltdown, we secured a very pricey hotel room for the night and booked a ferry ticket for the next day.
The first surprise of Croatia? Ferry travel can be unreliable. And the lesson learned is to always book travel directly with the carrier, not a third party.
After the drama of the first night, we arrived in Croatia the next day and started our adventure in the Istrian Peninsula.
The Istrian Peninsula is in the northwestern part of Croatia. Italy and Slovenia border it to the north, the Adriatic Sea to the west, and the Kvarner Gulf to the east. Based on my research, the peninsula was known for its picturesque coastline and hilltop historic towns. I was most excited about Istria's proximity and deep ties to Italy, which I hoped would be reflected in the region's food and wine. Because, well, who doesn’t love pasta and good wine?
Our first stop was the seaside town of Rovinj.
Rovinj is truly a gem of the Adriatic and quickly became one of my favorite places in Croatia. Charming cobblestone streets, worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic (seriously, they are like an ice-skating rink when it rains!), fall gracefully from the hilltop lookout to the pristine harbor below. It is quite a popular tourist destination in Europe. Still, its shallow harbor protects it from the overwhelming over-tourism of the cruise ship industry, which we would come to appreciate later in our travels.
A series of walking paths extend for several miles past 5-star hotels, gorgeous beaches, and natural forests. The city has a sophisticated air with top-quality restaurants and bars nestled into the stone cliffs surrounding the western side of the town. The fresh fish and pasta were delicious, but the star of the show each evening was, hands down, the golden sunsets.
Moving inland, about an hour from Rovinj, our next stop was the village of Motovun.
Motovun is a well-preserved medieval village located high on a hill in the middle of the peninsula.
I heard that the views from the top of Motovun were most spectacular when the morning fog was in the air. It seemed odd that fog would improve the views, but maybe I was in for another surprise.
I woke up early one morning to see dense fog in the air. “This is my chance”, I thought.
I jumped out of bed and quickly scrambled up the steep cobblestone streets.
As I reached the top of the town, I peered over the stone walls surrounding it. I was awestruck by the view. Beneath me lay a perfect river of soft, white, fluffy clouds flowing between the town's ancient buildings and the distant mountains. Standing there with the warmth of the morning sun on my face, the stillness in the air, and this spectacular view was a moment I will never forget.
As if that morning view wasn't enough, Motovun had more surprises in store for me,
The area surrounding Motovun is also a culinary mecca for truffles. We were lucky to be there during truffle season and participated in a truffle hunt with some adorable dogs.
Truffles are incredibly difficult to “farm” and are mainly found in the wild with the help of trained dogs. The dogs can smell the truffles beneath the soil and begin to dig for them gently. The truffle master must act quickly, though, as it turns out the dogs enjoy the truffles just as much as humans do. Our truffle dog bolted off with the unearthed delicacy in his mouth, only to be swiftly recovered by his master.
Once harvested, truffles last only about a week, which is why they are so expensive in the U.S. However, they are abundant in Croatia during truffle season, and people love to add them to everything, including dessert!
Our final stop on the Istrian Peninsula was the seaside town of Opatija, located on the bay of Kvarner. Although Opatija was not high on the list of travel destinations in Croatia, it was a convenient place to stop on our way to our next destination, so we decided to spend a few days there. What a wonderful surprise that decision turned out to be!
Once a small fishing village, the area was discovered by the noble Hapsburg family in the 1800s. They recognized its beauty, built luxury villas, and developed the town into a health retreat for wealthy Europeans. Walking along the 7.5-mile seaside promenade, I was transported back in time to the era of grand galas on the villas’ terraces and men and women wading in the crystal-clear waters in their “bathing costumes.”
Leaving the Istrian Peninsula, we headed south to Plitvice Lakes National Park.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s poster child for nature lovers. The park covers 114 square miles and features 16 stunning interconnected lakes with crystal-clear waters ranging in color from emerald green to deep blue. A vast network of dramatic waterfalls connects the lakes, and well-marked trails meander through the watery maze. The pictures say it all.
After two days of exploring Plitvice, we headed back to the coast to Split.
My first observation of Split was that it was filled with tourists. Split is home to a well-preserved 3rd-century Diocletian’s Palace, which has appeared in several movies and television shows. Split is also a popular stop for many large cruise lines, with up to six arriving daily. We made the mistake of taking a midday tour of the palace, and it felt as if we were stuck in a Guinness World Records event for the most simultaneous tours happening in one location. Wall-to-wall people and tour guides relaying the same story in multiple languages certainly dampened the mystique of this hallowed ground.
However, not all was lost during our time in Split. Just outside the old town, but still very walkable from the city center, there was a fabulous park featuring beautiful, wooded trails overlooking the ocean. The tranquil sunset views of the 16th-century monastery provided a perfect balance to the chaos of the old town.
The beauty of travel is that different things appeal to different people. Split did not appeal to me much, but others have enjoyed it immensely.
After 4 days, we escaped the swarms of tourists in Split and set sail for Hvar.
Hvar is an island in the Adriatic Sea, about an hour away from Split by ferry. A popular tourist destination, we were delighted to find very few tourists when we arrived in late October, at the very end of the season. The downside of our late arrival was that many shops and restaurants had closed the week before. In another week, Hvar would have been a ghost town.
The weather was amazing, so we rented a car and set out to explore the island. The coastline and small beaches were stunning. The island’s terroir and climate are perfect for growing grapes, and we discovered a few local wineries eager to welcome unexpected visitors at the end of the season.
Our favorite surprise, however, was discovering an abandoned village down an overgrown dirt road. The village of Malo Grablje was completely abandoned by all its residents in the 1960s when disease destroyed the olive and grape vines, which were the primary sources of the community's livelihood. Wandering through the remnants of the buildings, some with furniture still in place, you could almost feel the presence of the people who once lived there.
It was time to say goodbye to Hvar and travel by ferry the next day to Dubrovnik.
On our final evening, we casually stopped by our hotel's concierge and asked when we should have our luggage in the lobby to be transported to the 9:30 a.m. ferry. Like déjà vu all over again, the concierge looked at us and said, “There’s no 9:30 a.m. ferry to Dubrovnik tomorrow. It has been canceled due to rough seas.”
Cue another medium-level meltdown. Thank goodness the concierge quickly helped us devise an alternate plan to take an early ferry back to Split the following day and rent a car to drive to Dubrovnik.
Did I mention that ferry travel is unreliable and never book tickets through a third party?
One moment is a crisis, and the next is a golden opportunity. The drive from Split to Dubrovnik was incredibly beautiful. Who knew Croatia had such a large citrus crop? We drove through groves of orange trees, heavy with ripened fruit, against a backdrop of crystal blue waters. How lucky were we that our ferry was canceled?
We finally arrived at our last stop in Croatia, the city of Dubrovnik.
Croatia has many hidden gems, but Dubrovnik is truly the crown jewel. The walled city featured in “Game of Thrones” was primarily constructed between the 12th and 15th centuries. The 1.2-mile pathway along the ancient walls provides stunning views of the Adriatic Sea and the historic town within. Unlike the bustling crowds in Split, we explored the ancient city on a non-cruise ship day and found ourselves nearly alone during our early morning stroll around the walls.
Though our time in Croatia was ending, we still had a few surprises left to experience.
After touring the city walls, we descended the stairs to the old town below. Like a mirage, a massive table stretching several blocks appeared before us, laden with the most beautiful food you could imagine. After some quick research, we realized this was not a mirage but the grand finale of a two-week food festival. For $8.50, we received a plate that we could fill with generous portions of any food we chose. I headed straight to one of the many dessert tables while my husband made his way to the pasta table.
As we feasted on our delicious bounty, I could hear the strains of the song from the musical, “Oliver.”
“Food, glorious food, we're anxious to try it. Three banquets a day, our favorite diet.”
Yes, the beauty of Croatia was all that I had dreamed it would be and more.
But beneath its stunning landscape, Croatia is facing significant challenges to its future related to economic and population growth. From shop owners to taxi drivers, many lamented the current state of affairs.
Croatia joined the European Union (EU) in 2013. Since then, it has benefited from various EU initiatives, including infrastructure investments and crisis management assistance, and received substantial support during two major earthquakes. However, it has also experienced a significant population decline, especially among young people who are leaving for better career opportunities in more developed EU countries. This drain in population significantly limits future economic growth and strains the retirement system, which relies on contributions from current workers to support retirees' benefits.
The tourism industry is the most significant contributor to Croatia’s GDP, yet it is highly seasonal. Many hotels, restaurants, and shops close from November through March. Many tourism workers are not from Croatia but from nearby Serbia, Slovenia, and Bosnia, returning to their home countries in the off-season, further shrinking the population.
As with many highly touristic places in the world, the locals can no longer afford to live within the beautiful old cities. Generational family homes have been turned over to become short-term rentals for tourists.
Without significant intervention to expand the population, the future of the country for its native residents is uncertain.
Croatia will, however, undoubtedly remain an idyllic tourist destination.
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