A Week in Croatia - one of the most beautiful countries in Europe

I visited Croatia last year in July 2014. Before going I had read that the country possesses exceptional  beauty but was still surprised to see so many tourists in such a tiny country. It seemed world has already discovered Croatia.  Left me wondering why such a stunning place is not on our travel radar. Probably, for most of us, when we think of Croatia what comes to mind is a strife-ridden, and not so developed country. A bit of google search would put your mind to rest as the days of civil war are long over and the country is as safe as any other European country.  The pictures will blow you away and the reality, trust me, will not disappoint you.

With 2000 miles of spectacular coastline, gorgeous islands, stunning national parks, and medieval cities, historic ruins, the country has a lot of offer to all, whether they be nature lovers, beach bums, museum combers or party animals.

Basis my experience have jotted down a one-week itinerary. This is the bare minimum I feel one needs to really see Croatia because although a small country it has quiet a few gems to explore. Croatia is not really about just visiting its capital city. I for one skipped Zagreb altogether because considering the limited timeframe of one week there were other places which for me ranked higher in priority.

How to reach/getting your Visa : There are no direct flights from India to Croatia . Fly to one of the nearby Schengen countries – Italy, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia or Czech and then make your way to Croatia by flight or overland or by boat (if coming from Italy). Going via Schengen country has other advantages too - you can obtain a Schengen Visa easily in India and with the same enter Croatia without requiring an additional visa.
Besides, the neighboring Schengen countries (e.g. Slovenia, Hungary, Austria) are gorgeous enough for you to consider spending some time there as well. 

Day 1: Split

I arrived in Split past midnight by bus. The bus stand was right opposite the seaside promenade. I had anticipated that the place would be deserted and it would be difficult to find my way to the hostel late in the night. Bus as I walked towards the taxi stand I saw that city was well awake buzzing with tourists. There were night clubs playing loud music and teeming with youngsters.

Split, the second largest city in Croatia, is a 1700 year old city which emerged as a settlement around a palace built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 3^rd Century. 

The Diocletian Palace ruins are what make up the historical centre and which is where I spent most of my time. It is a UNESCO designated world heritage site. The palace complex faces the harbor so most of the time as you explore the town centre you’ll be enjoying the view of the picturesque blue sea with yachts anchored. 

Don’t expect a palace building. It is a labyrinth of small streets full of cafes, houses, hotels and shops. There are four entrances – with a gate at each entrance named after a metal – Golden Gate, Bronze Gate, Silver Gate and Iron Gate. Walk around from one end to the other 

exploring all the nooks and crannies. 

The area is small enough to find your way about easily.  The palace was built with white stones and the ruins look stunning. Specific points of interest within the palace complex- the four gates ; Peristil , the main open space in the palace complex flanked by colonnades ; Cathedral of St. Domnius , originally built as a mausoleum for Diocletian who was a known persecutor of Christians and ironically converted later into a church. There’s a fee to access the cathedral, unless you plan to climb the bell tower to enjoy city views would suggest skip going inside the cathedral. Just beyond the palace walls is the statue of Gregory of Nin by famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic.

After exploring the palace ruins, head towards Riva , the promenade.  Riva is the heart of the city. Seafront promenade is lined with cafes, eateries and souvenir shops. Have a drink at one of the pubs and absorb the charm of the city.

Now you can either browse souvenir shops, and relax over a cup of coffee, or those with some energy to expend, make your way up to the Marjan Hill to enjoy the sunset and city views. On one side of the hill is the city and the other side is the sea.

There are some nice beaches – but I gave them a miss. One can probably explore if staying an extra day.

Day 2 : Day Trip from Split to Plitvice Lake National Park

Plitvice Lake National Park is incredibly beautiful, comprising of sixteen lakes tumbling into each other as waterfalls. Because of its natural splendor it has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site.

The park is approx. 240km from Split. While public transport is available from Split to the park, it takes too long to manage the whole trip in a day. I joined a small group excursion of 15 people organized by the hostel I was staying in. They charged us 80 Euro per person including transfer, guide, park entry fee and lunch. We started at 7:30am and it took us 3 hours to reach by an air-conditioned mini-van. There were long queues to buy the tickets but we didn’t have to stand in them as our guide bought the tickets for us. And he was very quick too – not sure if tour groups get preference over solo visitors.

Inside the park there are well-defined trails along scenic waterfalls, lakes and streams. We took about 5 hours to explore the park on foot, supplemented by one 20 minute boat journey and a 5 min shuttle bus journey. There were comfortable stops with restrooms and cafes.

The biggest waterfall there was 78 meter high, and during our trek we got to see it both from the above and the bottom of the waterfall. The lakes were simply stunning with water color ranging from blue to green. Most of the time we walked on wooden footbridge and well paved paths.

Wear comfortable walking shoes/non-slippery flip-flops which you don’t mind getting wet as at times small streams trickle over walkways. Do note- swimming is not allowed inside the park.

On way back from the park we stopped for a late buffet lunch (at 4pm) at a restaurant. Not many options for a vegetarian but manageable. The day trip ended with a short stop at Klis Fortress, the setting for many of the outdoor scenes of Mereen in Games of Thrones.

Day 3 : Hvar Island

Touted as the most beautiful of Croatian Islands, it is probably the sunniest place in Europe.

 

I took the morning Jardolinija catamaran from Split to Hvar which took about one hour to reach the island. Tickets can be bought directly at Jardolinija office along the Split promenade. During the high season, the boats run full so buy the tickets a day in advance. There are some who just do a day trip to Hvar , returning by evening ferry to Split. Rather than return to Split I had decided to continue to my next destination – Dubrovnik, and since the ferry from Hvar to Dubrovnik is only in the morning, decided to stay a night in Hvar.

There are two main harbors on the island – Stari Grad and Grad Hvar. I disembarked at Grad Hvar right next to the Hvar town centre. It was about a 200m walk to the bus station and from there I was picked up by the hostel van. The hostel was perched on a hilltop with fantastic views of the bay and town.

I was first apprehensive that it was too uphill a walk from the town centre but was shown a short cut which made the walks easily manageable.

The town looks like as if from a fairy tale with its wonderful Venetian architecture.

A short walk from the promenade is St. Stephen’s Square , the largest square in Croatia. It is dominated by St. Stephens Cathedral, and bordered by stone houses and open air cafes.

There are numerous side streets off the piazza to explore.

In the backdrop of the town centre looms the centuries old walls of the fortress Fortica. I made my way up to the Fortress in the evening to enjoy the sunset.

The island is known for growing lavender and I purchased a bunch from one of the many shops around the square.

The island also has numerous vineyards and is supposed to produce some of the finest Croatian wines. Sit in a roadside cafe and enjoy the house wine produced locally instead of ordering a known wine.

After sunset the town square got beautifully lit up and I marveled at the beauty of it all over again.

With several luxury yachts anchored along the promenade the island was obviously a party destination for the rich. One of the most famous clubs there is the seaside ‘Carpe Diem’ –swanky and pricey. Make your way there if you are in mood for late night partying.

Day 4: Dubrovnik

Morning 9am I took Kapten Luka catamaran to Dubrovnik. The journey took three hours.

Dubrovnik is considered to be one of the best-preserved walled cities in the world, and not surprisingly chosen as ‘Kings Landing’ for Games of Thrones.

It’s relatively a large city, and if you are not staying in Old Town you’ll need to use public transport to get around. There are regular buses connecting old town to different parts of the city.

After settling in my hostel, first thing I did was to pick up a 3 day Dubrovnik Card. It cost 180 HRK (USD27 approx.) and included access to City Walls, 8 museums/galleries and ten bus rides. Along with Dubrovnik Card you’ll get a map of the old town pinpointing all the monuments.

 

The old town is completely surrounded by enormous stone walls, magnificent fortifications, and monumental gates. The main entrance to the city is through Piles Gate.

A few steps down is the Onforio Fountain which has been providing drinking water to the city since the 15^th century.

With half a day left I first decided to explore the City Walls. During the busy season city walls are open for tourists till 7:30pm. 

Dubrovnik Card or individual ticket, both allow access to city walls only once, so utilize it only if you have at least 3-4 hours in hand. Early evening is probably the best time when the sun is not so harsh and you get to see the city both in day time and at twilight when it gets lit up. The walls run uninterrupted for 1.9 km and at some places they are up to 25 meters high. As I walked I could see beautiful squares, streets and monuments of the old town from different angles. Most of the buildings have a canopied red roof and from the top look highly picturesque.

The walk revealed four protective towers - Minceta in the north , Lovrijenac to the west , Bokar to the south and Revelin to the east

Enjoy the magnificent views of the sea and the old town surroundings.

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After a tour of the city walls, climb down and saunter along Stradun, the main thoroughfare street in old town running from Piles Gate to Ploce Gate.

For vegetarian food, a good option is Nishta restaurant in the Old Town. A bit on the expensive side but was totally worth it to satisfy my craving for paneer makhni and naan J Along with Indian, they also serve veg Italian, Mexican and Lebanese food.

If you are in the mood for excellent Croatian and International wines, head to D’Vino in a tiny lane off Stradun.

For late night partying try one of the nightclubs – ‘Culture Club Revelin’ or ‘Eastwest Beach Club’

Expect long queues at the Old Town bus stop at night when most of the tourists head back to their hotels.

Day 5: Dubrovnik

Make your way back to the old town, this time to explore the many monumental buildings housed within the city walls – Rector’s Palace, earlier Town Hall but now a museum showcasing valuable historic exhibits; the Franciscan Monastery – one of the oldest pharmacy in Europe in operation since 1391 ; Orlando Column, located in Luza Square at one end of Stradun, a popular point for crowds to sit and relax ; Sponza Palace, home to the city archives; Church of St. Blasius in Luza square, dedicated to the patron saint of Dubrovnik ; The Cathedral housing many important paintings including one by Titian.

Early evening, walk out of the old town and head towards Dubrovnik Cable Car. A three-minute ride will take you to the top of Mount Srd from where you can enjoy the sunset and breathtaking views of the city.

Day 6 : Day trip to Mostar

If  you can manage to tear yourself away from Dubrovnik , take an easy day trip to one of the neighboring countries of Bosnia & Herzegovina or Montenegro. For both the countries Schengen visa suffices even though neither of them are part of Schengen. Both the trips can be easily booked a day or two in advance after reaching Dubrovnik.

With Dubrovnik’s location at the thin southerntip of Croatia, Montenegro is just a 1.5 hour away by road and day trip usually comprises of visit to the coastal town of Kotor combined with a couple of other smaller towns. Mostar in southern Bosnia & Herzegovina border is a bit of a journey –about 3 hours from Dubrovnik. I decided to visit Mostar, as it seemed more interesting with its Turkish heritage and co-existence of different cultures. Arm yourself well with sunscreen, hat and goggles as Mostar is considered to be one of the hottest places in Europe.

Interestingly, on way to Mostar, we crossed the Croatian border thrice, as there is a small part of Bosnia & Herzegovina which is flanked on both sides by Croatia.

Walking through Mostar you’ll see building ruins gutted by the ethnic civil war in 1990s. City is divided by river Neretva with Muslims and Christians living on different banks of the river. City’s most famous landmark is the Old Bridge connecting the two banks. The bridge was originally built in 16^th century ,destroyed during the civil war and re-built in 2004 with efforts from UNESCO. At both ends of the bridge are the watchtowers - Halebinovka and Tara Towers. If you hang around for some time on the bridge, you are bound to see one or two local men who’ll jump off the bridge in lieu of tips from the tourists. 

After taking in views atop the bridge, continue on to Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque – its interiors very colorful and different from other mosques. The mosque area also provides excellent views of the Old Bridge. Walk down to the bottom of the Old Bridge where river Neretva is, to enjoy the city from a different angle. In summer, many people will be swimming and tanning by the water.

Explore Carsija, the markets on both sides of the river, bustling with souvenir shops and cafes. If you don’t have Bosnian mark to make purchases, do not worry as euro is accepted everywhere.

The tour company would most likely combine a couple of other small towns with Mostar tour, none very remarkable.

Day 7: Dubrovnik

If you are up early visit the Green Market in Gundulic Square for fresh fruits, homes made liqueurs, and sachet of lavender to carry home as souvenir. Check out city’s most popular beach ‘Banje’. It’s a pebbled beach so bring your flip-flops. Or spend a refreshing half day at the nearby Lokrum island. 

The island is a UNESCO National park. You can swim and sunbath along the coast, visit the Botanical Garden and check out ruins of Benedictine Monastery built in medieval times. Lokrum also has a nudist beach (marked FKK). Getting to Lokrum is easy – boats leave every half hour from Porporela, the Old Town port. The journey takes 15 minutes and costs about 5 euros.

Fans of ‘Games of Thrones’ can opt for one of the guided walking tours which usually run for 2-3 hours.

Back in town in the evening, catch a concert or a play or try bar hopping in the old town.

Getting back home – Both Dubrovnik and Split have flights to many capital cities in Europe, from where you can take connecting flight home. There are frequent buses from Dubrovnik to Split (four hour journey), and from Split bus station there’s a bus for the Split Airport every half hour. If you want to take a train out of the country, you’ll have to make your way to Zagreb. Dubrovnik to Zagreb by bus will take around 12 hours. You may want to use this option if you wish to spend a couple of days in Zagreb.

Where to stay

Split : staying within Old Town would probably not be very restful because of the tourist crowds. Within 1km radius of the Old Town, there are quiet a few accommodation options in every budget as the place is popular both with backpackers and luxury travellers. I stayed at two hostels -  Tchaikovasky Hostel and Split Guesthouse & Hostel. Both were nice but I like the former better – more professionally run and closer to the Old Town.

Hvar Town : the accommodation at the island can be a bit expensive especially if you want to stay close to the old town. I stayed at Earther’s Hostel- it had a welcoming staff and stunning views. They provide free pick up from the Hvar bus station. It’s a lively place with ample opportunities to mix with other guests. They also organize small group tours.

Dubrovnik : As the most popular tourist destination in Croatia, it is also the most expensive. To find a reasonably priced accommodation, find one away from old town, but close to a bus stop with direct connectivity to centre. I stayed at Dubrovnik Backpackers Club. It’s a small family run place. They provide free pick up from bus station and the ferry port. Theres a small movie room where guests can interact. I was pleasantly surprised to see people enjoying ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ one day J

Useful websites

For ferry/catamarans  -

www.jadrolinija.hr/en/ferry-croatia ;

http://www.krilo.hr/en/

http://www.blueline-ferries.com/

http://www.snav.it/

For bus travel –

http://www.buscroatia.com/

http://www.orangeways.com/en (bus from Budapest to Croatia)

http://www.eurobusways.com/

http://www.ap-ljubljana.si/eng/ (bus from Slovenia to Croatia)

Best time to visit

The Mediterranean coastal towns in Croatia experience warm summers and mild winters. At the peak of summer, the temperature outside can be roasting. July and August are the peak tourists months, and best time to visit if you wish to enjoy beaches and lively cafe culture. The water temperature during this time is ideal for swimming. During this period you can also the enjoy the Dubrovnik Summer Festival held annually every year from 10 July to 25 August. Close to 2000 artists gather to perform theatre, music, ballet, opera, and visual art programs.

More relaxing time to visit is during the shoulder months of June and September with milder temperatures and lesser crowds.

Currency : Croatia is in EU but not on Euro. Official currency of Croatia is Kuna.

Fun fact : Croatians invented the necktie! During the war in 17th century some of Croatian mercenaries would wear a type of scarf around their neck. For some reason this aroused the interest of the Parisians and soon became a fashion accessory.

Please Note: Details regarding visa and prices/timing as mentioned in the article were valid at the time of my visit and may have changed subsequently. Please confirm these details afresh before visiting.