Croatia Travel Guide

Konoba Gusar, Dubrovnik

When people think of Croatia they usually immediately think of the narrow stone streets of Dubrovnik thanks to Game of Thrones. Soccer fans however, think of Luka Mondrić one of the greatest soccer players of all time and travel enthusiasts of course think of the crystal clear waters and thousands of islands dotting the coastline. When I was growing up and I would get asked what my cultural background was no one had ever heard of Croatia but thanks to TV shows using the beautiful historical towns of Croatia as their backdrop and the world’s most popular sport, Croatia has become a major travel destinations.

First Photo –  Hvar Island

DRESS || SHOES || STRAW BAG ||

 Bellevue Beach, Dubrovnik

If you chose Dubrovnik as your one place to see while in Croatia I wouldn’t blame you. I have been all over the country and still love Dubrovnik for so many reasons. It is arguably defined by its walled-in Stari Grad (old town) which of course you have to experience but there is so much more to it. My family and I stayed in old town the two times we were there together but this last time my cousin and I stayed a little further north at the Apartments Marangun which you can book through Booking.com it was a gorgeous two bedroom apartment with a kitchen, laundry and a wraparound terrace with fabulous views of the mountains and sea. It’s  very perfectly located so you can walk to old town or to this incredible little cove (see photo above) which is directly below the apartment. The beaches in Croatia tend to get a bit crowded because they are typically quite small but most have a restaurant or two close by you can retreat to.

I traveled to Croatia frequently as a child, my parents emigrated to Canada before I was born but were still drawn to their homeland and visited often. This trip was my third time visiting my motherland in the last ten years and despite the small physical size of Croatia there is still so much to discover. This photo was taken in Hvar, an island off the coast of Split one of the biggest cities on the Croatian coast (and where my father is from) This was my first visit to Hvar and I fell in love with the narrow stone walkways, the marina, beautiful beaches and amazing food. Something I didn’t know about Hvar is they are famous for their lavender so I made sure I loaded up on oils and sachets full of lavender that made my suitcase and everything in it smell amazing.

We stayed at the cutest B&B called Hotel Dea Hvar – the rooms are fresh and new even though its an historic building, the bathrooms are modern and the prices are very reasonable by North American standards (considered pricey for locals) The owners will help you get your luggage through the no drive streets and they serve breakfast in the morning and cocktails all day. Its located one street up from the marina so things can get a bit noisy at night, but it’s all part of the charm.

WHITE MAXI DRESS || WHITE BAG ||

Palmižana Beach 

 Being close to the marina does have its perks since the easiest way to the best beaches is by boat – it was 100 Euros for four of us to get to and from a local island with this beautiful beach and several restaurants above so you can enjoy lunch, drinks and bathroom access as well as the refreshing sea. It was 50 Euro to rent two chaise longues on the beach and lunch/drinks are not cheap. When you get to major tourist destinations prices definitely go up so if you’re on a tight budget this is not the spot for you. I heard there are other beaches on this island that are much more budget friendly.

View from Bistro Revelin of the Dubrovnik Marina & Michelin Star restaurant 360°

 

The clear, clean, beautiful waters at Palmižana Beach – Hvar

SWIMSUIT || SIMILAR BUCKET HAT||

 

The Marina at Hvar Town – This is where we boarded our boat to the beach in the morning and walked around at night for cocktails, dinner and/or gelato. 

Our daily lunch spot – my cousin liked it because she could keep and eye on her kids in the water and I liked it because of the amazing local wines – and full disclosure: there was a Boston Terrier that hung out there and she looked just like the one I lost last summer.

BIKINI TOP || LINEN SKIRT || GOLD CHAIN BELT || ZODIAC NECKLACE ||

 

All the delightful details in Hvar – just down from our hotel and my favorite coffee spot

WHITE CARDIGAN || BLACK SHORTS || SLIDES || STRAW BAG ||

 

On one of my nightly gelato runs with my seven year old cousin we were lucky enough to catch this sunset over the marina  – sunsets and gelato, it doesn’t get much better – Hvar

I had the opportunity to wander around Zagreb alone on a Sunday morning, the best way to get to know a city in my opinion. I didn’t have a lot of time but it was enough to give me a feel for the city and make me understand the draw to this lovely capital city. With cafés and their famous Pekaras (bakery) everywhere there’s no lack of places to sit, grab a coffee or Spritz and people watch. I recommend checking out Upper Town (old town) where you can check out the Museum of Broken Relationships and St Mark’s Cathedral, a very important structure in the Croatian culture. It was unfortunately damaged during the earthquakes a few years ago and is currently being rehabilitated. Although I didn’t make it there this time Tkalcićeva Street is a walk only street filled with colorful shops and restaurants and definitely worth checking out.

I have lots of family in Zagreb and had the pleasure of meeting up with a bunch of my cousins on the Trg, pictured above. It’s the city square and its surrounded by shops and cafes – we grabbed drinks at Johann Franck which gives you a great view of what you see in this photo and surrounding area.

Hotels in Zagreb are very reasonably priced, I stayed at the newly opened Hilton Canopy and loved the location, walking distance to everything I just mentioned and the modern amenities made my stay super comfortable.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my travels and hope it helps if you have plans to visit beautiful Croatia!

xoxox Zia

 

WHITE CROP TOP || STRIPED SHIRT || WHITE SNEAKERS ||