Cruising Croatia

This past summer, Evan and I decided that our sibling trip was going to take place in the picturesque country of Croatia! We chose Croatia because for one Evan was already going to be in Europe and two it was a destination in Europe that both of us have never been to. Although Evan had already been in Europe for thirty days by the time I met up with him, he still soldiered on and enjoyed an additional twelve days with me. But to be fair is it really a burden to spend 40+ days exploring Europe…no.

Our trip started in the capital of Zagreb and ended in the famous city of Dubrovnik. Along the way, we road-tripped along the truly gorgeous coastline as we stayed and explored Zadar, Split, and Brač Island. Road tripping is the best way to explore Croatia as it allows for ample time to explore and go off the beaten path. Their highways are insanely nice and this country gets a bonus point for driving on the same side of the road as we do here in the United States (much appreciated!). Without further adieu, here are the details of our third annual sibling trip.

Where We Stayed

Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria (Zagreb) – This was a nice hotel in the heart of Zagreb. It was located one block from the Art Pavilion where large crowds gather to enjoy music during the summer nights. The hotel also has its own secure parking and a daily breakfast buffet.

DeZign Apartments (Zadar) – I found this apartment on Expedia and it ended up being one of the coolest places we stayed in. Old Town Zadar, where everything is located, is walking only and this apartment happened to be located right in the middle of Old Town. Ideal location, beyond modern, and included a kitchen where we could have breakfast. The only downside was that we had to park our car far away which meant having to pull our luggage through half of Old Town before getting to our apartment.

Hotel Luxe (Split) – This hotel was interesting…as I really don’t think I’d stay there again. The parking is extremely hard to find (We drove around for 30+ mins trying to find it.), you have to haul your bags up three flights of stairs and down a busy street to reach the hotel from the parking area, and to top it off the decor is a gross velvet disco theme. On the other hand, it is located extremely close to all that Split has to offer and the ferry station.

Hotel Vrilo (Brač Island) – Loved this hotel located right on the water in a cute seaside town. It was a twenty-minute drive from the ferry and was the only place where I felt like I was staying in a true Croatian town.

Hotel Croatia (Dubrovnik) – This 5-star resort was incredible! Built into the side of a cliff, it was breathtaking, extremely luxurious, and honestly, you could have explored the resort and the surrounding town without ever feeling like you needed to leave. I do need to point out that it was located thirty minutes south of Dubrovnik. There are not a lot of places to stay in Dubrovnik and on top of that all the places that are available are super expensive. I don’t know about you, but driving half an hour to a 5-star resort is more appealing than staying in a cramped apartment.

Eateries Worth Every Penny

Zagreb – Pizzeria Karijola, was the first restaurant we went to the night we arrived. It’s a bit hard to find but well worth the effort. It’s a super cute wood fire pizzeria with great drinks and beers.

Zadar – 4 Kantuna, was recommended to us by the owner of the apartment that we stayed in, and thank goodness she did because it was delicious! The restaurant is located down one of the small side streets and has perfectly chic decor. It’s also a great place to eat food outside of traditional Croatian food.

Slasticarna Donat, this is the best Gelato in town and believe me, there are a lot of options to choose from. This old fashion gelato shop is located right next to the Cathedrale Sainte-Anastasia. They have an array of flavors, more than most shops, and makes for the perfect treat after walking around all day under the Croatian sun.

Split – Bokeria Wine Bar + Kitchen, holy moly was this place AMAZING! Located in a restored bank, this wine bar-restaurant is what a wine lover’s dreams are made of. Instead of each ordering a meal, we decided to share a charcuterie board. This was also the first place where I assembled the best combination of brie, bread, thyme honey, and dried cranberries. Paired with a glass of perfectly chilled Chardonnay, I was one happy girl. We ended this dining experience with lavender vanilla bean cheesecake and panna cotta.

Mano, by sheer luck we ran into this Italian restaurant after realizing the restaurant we originally wanted to eat at didn’t make our taste buds burst with excitement. Want to know what does always make my taste buds do a happy dance…margherita pizza. At this point, I’m kind of a margherita pizza snob, but this restaurant did not disappoint me. This modern and cozy restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a nice dinner in bustling Split.

Brač Island – Stina Winery, although we did not eat here (we spent all our time eating at local village restaurants near our hotel) we did taste and bring home amazing bottles of wine. It’s very easy to walk past so keep your eyes open for the little winery sign because this is definitely a place you’ll want to try. We ended up loving their sparkling wine and rosé.

Dubrovnik – Restaurant Kopun, this was the perfect place to escape the crowded Old Town without ever having to leave it. Kopun prides itself on showing off traditional scents and flavors of Croatian cuisine. Needless to say, they most certainly delivered. Located on top of the monumental Baroque staircase and across from the St. Ignatius Church, this restaurant is worth the climb.

Peppino’s Ice Cream Shop, oh my gosh was this place to die for! Located right next to a year-round Christmas boutique, is the most popular ice cream shop I saw during our travels. Well worth waiting in line (while sweating like pigs, I might add) for this ice cream as it was rich, creamy, and beyond refreshing. You can’t go wrong when it comes to choosing flavors, and we liked this place so much that we went out of our way to go to it not once but twice.

Adventuring Around

Zagreb – Upper Town, includes St.Mark’s Church, Museum of Broken Relations, and Mirogoj Cemetery. I loved exploring all of these locations and happened to be where all my insta worthy pictures were captured.

Tkalciceva Street, is located right off of Jelacic Street and is a lovely pedestrian street lined with cafes, restaurants, and small shops.

Dolac Farmer’s Market, just behind the main square this market is spread out over two levels. The upper level features an open-air green market, souvenirs, clothes, an enclosed fish market, and bars and restaurants. The ground level is enclosed and it features butcheries, bakeries, specialty food stores, and a dairy section. Although this market was fun to explore and experience shopping like a local, it was very hard to not be frightened by all of the pigeons flying around.

Art Pavilion, during the summer nights this Art Pavilion is used as the backdrop for outdoor music concerts. Thousands of people gather on the grass while enjoying drinks and snacks, to enjoy music by the Zagreb symphony. The night we went happened to be Latin themed and included some songs from West Side Story.

Zadar – Explore Old Town, almost all of Zadar’s main attractions are located in Old Town. It’s very easy to walk around and explore this condensed area. Indulge in gelato, shopping, local cuisine, and Croatian history.

Sea Organ, located on the edge of Old Town is a beautiful art installation that pedestrians can sit on and enjoy the sounds of the sea. It’s also a popular place to watch the sunset. Stay until it gets dark to witness the Salute to the Sun art piece.

Kolovare Beach, there aren’t tons of beaches within walking distance from Old Town. That being said, this beach was about a ten-minute walk from the city center and contained a bar, water polo pool, diving boards, and lots of places to sunbathe.

Krka National Park – When you make your way from Zadar to Split you MUST stop at this national park (Pro Tip: get there extremely early as it’s the best way to enjoy the park and beat the crowds). This is the only national park where you can actually get into the water and swim close to the waterfalls. After enjoying the water for a bit we walked the paths to explore the other parts of the park before stopping to have lunch at the beer garden.

Brač Island – Lovrecina Beach, is one of the only sandy beaches on the island. The sand on the beach and in the sea stretches for almost 100 m. You can reach this beach by car, but it’s an adventure, to say the least. Picture a very very skinny one-way windy road and absolutely nowhere to turn around. We spent five hours soaking up the sun and swimming in the enchantingly blue water.

Zlatni Rat Beach, also known as the “Golden Horn” is one of the most famous beaches in Croatia and definitely the most popular destination on the island. This beach is unique because it naturally changes the direction of the top of the horn-based on the strong sea currents. This is an extremely pebbly beach so shoes are highly recommended and so is paying the money to rent a beach lounger and umbrella. Believe me it, it’s well worth the money! The sun in Croatia is so harsh that I got my worst sunburn at this beach and I was under the umbrella almost the entire time. To top it off, this beach contains numerous eateries, bars, restrooms, and showers. It really is such an amazing place to enjoy some fun in the sun!

Dubrovnik – City Walls, this experience is a must when visiting this famous town. My number one piece of advice would be to get there right when it opens. Walking the City Walls is pretty much the #1 thing to do in Dubrovnik, which means that everyone and their mother is trying to buy tickets and experience it for themselves. Another great reason to do this excursion early in the day is to beat the heat. There is absolutely no shade when walking the City Walls which can really drain some people out. Add in all the stairs you’ll be climbing and as you can imagine the experience gets quickly unenjoyable. Overall, this is the best way to see all of Dubrovnik from up above. (Pro Tip: Although the ticket to walk the City Walls are a bit pricey, they do guarantee you access into Fort Lovrijenac).

Fort Lovrijenac, is located a short walk away from Old Town. Most visitors love to explore this fort because it’s where a lot of scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed. It also hosts theatre performances that can be enjoyed. The fort contains many lookout points where you can capture amazing pictures of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, part of the City Walls, and the amazing Adriatic sea that surrounds it all.

Mount Srd, is the best place to get a full panoramic view of all that Dubrovnik has to offer. You can access it by taking a cable car ride to the top. Once you’ve reached the top, there are restaurants, a gift shop, and many lookout points. This is also a famous spot to watch the sunset in the evenings.

Lokrum Island, is a fifteen-minute ferry ride from Old Town. This was by far my favorite thing we did while in Dubrovnik. The island can only be accessed during the day and is the perfect place for adventure seekers. We spent our day hiking parts of the island, finding the window to the Adriatic Sea where I had to get a photograph, tanning amongst the large slabs of rock, and jumping into the sea. (Pro Tip: Wear shoes that you don’t care about getting wet. Most of the rocks are beyond painful to walk on and are extremely hot).