Lisa
My yearning to visit the beautiful country of Croatia began when on a cruise celebrating our daughter Miranda’s graduation. On that Caribbean voyage, we met Joni Ulla, a cruise ship employee. Joni was to end his cruise contract on the same day we were leaving the ship, and he was excited to return to his native country, Croatia. Through the magic of social media, Joni and I kept in touch. He was one of those people that you bond with immediately, a soul connection.
Fast forward to years later, Steve and I book a Cruise from Venice (yes, that city is coming later) that has three ports of call in Croatia, including Joni’s home city of Split. I arranged with Joni that the three of us would meet when we docked.
But, before that excitement, our first taste of Croatia was the city of Zadar. What I had researched about Zadar was the only sea organ in the world, so we had to experience that phenomenon. The sound of the ocean though what looks like unassuming concrete is amazing. Check it out. We enjoyed that for quite a while, then went on a city walk, culminating with lunch at a place we overheard a guide telling her group was her favorite. Beautiful day, beautiful old city, beautiful sounds.
Our next port was Split or Joni Day! He met us at our ship with a big smile and gave us the most incredible walking tour of the area around the waterfront and Diocletian’s Palace. We then loaded into Joni’s car and spent the day driving to Klis Mountain. At the time of our visit, Game of Thrones was immensely popular and Steve wanted to view one of the filming locations. The mountain views were green and lush but unfortunately, the skies opened up right after we arrived and we were drowned in a deluge. The spirit of the mountain still pervaded even as I sulked. But, I got over it quickly.
After the rains and coming back to Split, we walked a bit more (12 miles that day) and settled back to the Palace and lunch at a true local restaurant. This trip was where we learned how very lucky we were to experience the city with a local. Joni was that special connection to where the locals eat and the true beauties of his country. He ordered our meal and we were happy to eat the delicious feast in front of us. This day was magical and Joni made it so.
Day three - Dubrovnik. What a gorgeous city! We are always early risers, and this city is where we benefitted from that in a big way. We arrived to the gated city to grab an early ride to the top of the city view via cable car. In the short line we chatted with a young man who was to begin his shift at the restaurant at the mountaintop. His lovely manner set the tone for the day. Steve and I toured, snapping photos and admiring all vistas then on our return back we noticed the line was unsurmountable. We timed it right.
We leisurely walked the walled areas of this city (another GOT site), toured several churches and waterfront areas and settled on a restaurant with a gorgeous view and a message in a bottle. 😊
Just the little we saw of Croatia in three days made me want to return again and spend much more time exploring and enjoying. See you again, Joni!
Steve
I have had the good fortune to visit Croatia during an Adriatic Cruise out of Venice and it was one of the most beautiful countries I’ve seen. I was pleasantly surprised by the charm and history behind each of the cities we visited.
Our first stop which was in Zadar, the oldest and most northern city of the stops we made. We took a cab from the port to the city area. The Zadar waterfront is clean and extremely well kept and to me a modern touch set against the backdrop of Old Town which is teaming with ancient architecture in the form of churches, homes, shops and monuments.
The first site we witnessed was the Greeting to the Sun. This is an outdoor floored area of glass panels that have solar modules underneath used to convert the sun’s rays into electricity. Unfortunately, we weren’t there in the evening to see the lighting. Still, it is an interesting site.
On this same waterfront is the Sea Organ, an amazing piece of architecture that produces musical notes and sounds from the interaction with the ocean waves rolling into the marble steps. There are tubes under the ground that produce the sounds when the waves interact with the Sea Organ. What is produced is a soothing ocean symphony that I found mesmerizing. You really have to hear it to believe it.
Our second stop in Croatia was in Split. This was my favorite stop but I have a good reason for that. We had our own personal tour of Split from our friend Joni. We met Joni on a cruise we had taken and we struck up a friendship with him and kept in touch over the years. Joni, being the wonderful person he is, set aside his entire day to escort us through his home city.
I would say that Split is like the Riviera of Croatia, it’s a vibrant city bustling with activity. The only negative to our stop was that it poured on us during most of our day. Joni drove us around but we also did a lot of walking around the city proper. There is much to see and take in around Split. Beautiful parks are interspersed with urban areas and I found the transition between nature and city seamless. It was nice to have a local take us around as we were able to see places that we would never have possibly seen on our own or as part of a tour. Joni even drove us to Klis Mountain on which GOT was filmed. I felt bad for everyone with me as this is when it really started to pour and we all got drenched but the scenery was stunning never the less.
We finished off our visit with Joni with more touring Diocletian’s Palace and lunch from a local eatery that a traveler would never find on their own. Thanks to Joni we had a delicious sampling of Croatian cooking. I would definitely visit Split again and know that anyone visiting would not be disappointed.
Our third and final stop was in Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic and of the three Croatian ports this was the busiest. There is much to do and see in Dubrovnik whether you want to take pictures of the Walls of Dubrovnik overlooking breathtaking views of the ocean or shopping and eating in Old Town you will not be lacking for adventures. It is much like Zadar as far as architecture and scenic ocean views, but much more expansive.
We spent our day in Dubrovnik walking and sightseeing and enjoying the sights and sounds of this beautiful city. Like Split, this is another city to host scenes for GOT and you can tell why. We had a wonderful lunch here on the water, watching the passersby.
I loved Croatia and would also love to revisit and see more of its gorgeous nature, beauty and charm. Put this country on your travel bucket list.
Steve and Lisa's top 7
- Get out early to beat the many tourists visiting the country.
- Ask locals where to shop and dine.
- The Sea Organ in Zadar
- Dubrovnik's waterfront fortress
- Visit local farmers markets and coffee shops for a taste of the culture.
- Walk wherever you can.
- Get a local tour guide - or better yet, make friends!
