DAY 1-5: DUBROVNIK AND HVAR ISLAND
The church bells toll at random times…8:25am one morning, 6:15pm and 7:52pm that evening, then 10am the next day. Kevin has a theory that for €20, anyone can pay to ring the bells and thus, the random nature of it all. I think that it just adds to the charm of Stari Grad, a small, medieval town on the island of Hvar in Croatia where we’ve spent the last few nights.
However, we actually started off our trip about 2 ½ hours down the coast in the medieval seaside town of Dubrovnik. Our first morning there, we rose early to beat the crowds walking the very touristed, but not to be missed, medieval city walls which encircle Old Town and its ancient harbor. The 2 kilometer circuit of massive stone walls treated us to views of the town’s old stone buildings which formed a sea of orange peaked roofs from which church domes and steeples emerged against the backdrop of the brilliant blue Adriatic Sea beyond.
Dubrovnik was scorchingly hot due to a heat wave that, according to locals, had originated in the Sahara in Africa, then crossed the Mediterranean to coincide with our arrival, sand in the air included! Go figure, right? While effective at keeping enemies out, the thick walls of the old stone city unfortunately couldn’t do the same with the heat. Instead, it was like a sauna made worse by the crowds who have descended in droves upon the town ever since scenes from Game of Thrones was filmed there.
So, we were happy to have visited, but also glad to pick up our rental car, and head up the coast to hop the car ferry out to the Island of Hvar, where we hoped the sea breeze would knock a few degrees off the heat. Most people stay in the main town, also known as Hvar. But as you all know, I prefer the less sought out places, which is how we found ourselves in Stari Grad on the other side of the island.
Our Stari Grad Airbnb was in a nicely renovated 16th century stone building along one of the many narrow alleys of the village, just steps from the main waterfront. Our hosts were a British couple who lived there permanently and who knew every nook and cranny of the town including where to eat and what to do. All we had to do was mention that we were staying with “Amanda and Chris” and tables would be specially set out for us at the local, family owned restaurants.
I found a local skipper, born and raised in Hvar, to take us out for the day to explore the coast and nearby islands. He took us to his favorite scenic coves, caves, and beaches (many of which he admitted were used to woo girls in his youth). The waters of Croatian beaches are crystalline clear with 60+ feet of visibility. But that’s in part because there is little sand in Croatia. The majority of beaches consist of either silver dollar sized light gray pebbles or large flat shelf like boulders just below the surface. Too bad there are no coral reefs nor much fish life or this would be a Mecca for scuba diving! It was still fun to snorkel into some caves and enjoy interesting rock formations.
Having explored Hvar and a few nearby islands by sea, we then took to exploring it by e-bike the following day. The scenery was beautiful: Acres of vineyards separated by 12th century stone walls, the quaint little villages of Dol and Vrbanj in the hills, the seaside towns of Vrboska and Jelsa, and a beautiful coastline boasting bright blue seawater coves where anyone could stop and swim (we did :-)). Amanda even booked us into a restaurant she described as “Swiss Family Robinson architecture” accessible only by a 15 minute water taxi ride just outside Stari Grad’s harbor! Definitely off the tourist track!
DAY 6-9: SPLIT AND MOSTAR
Visiting the old town of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a day trip from Split, Croatia, seemed like an opportunity not to be missed. The old town was full of history dating back to the Ottomans and characterized by stone buildings, winding alleys, a lively Bazaar, and a UNESCO bridge joining the Muslim side of the river to the Christian side. So we arranged for a tour guide, grabbed our passports and got on the road early for the 2+ hour drive. What could possibly go wrong????
Well, apparently thousands of others got the memo that it was a cool adventure and throngs upon throngs of tourists emptied from huge tourist buses from Split and Dubrovnik. The charming windy alleys? Filled wall to wall with people. It was like leaving a huge concert as we shuffled along slowly behind the people in front of us past one tourist shop after another. It was the antithesis of an off the beaten path day!
On another day off season or perhaps leaving an hour earlier I think the day trip would have been great. Lesson learned. It was still worth it in the sense that we have a much greater understanding now of the formation of Yugoslavia after WWII and the breakup that happened after the war on the early 90’s that I remember living through. For the most part, things have been rebuilt, but there still remains some bombed out buildings and shrapnel damage to walls.
Split has also been quite crowded but because it’s bigger, it’s able to handle the masses better. We had a great private tour of Trogir and Split which gave us deep insight into the history of the area, especially Diocletian. We’ve enjoyed just wandering the endless maze like alleys with no destination, just a “how about we go THIS way now!” One highlight has been our Airbnb that looks right out at the center peristyle of Diocletians Palace and the bell tower of the church. It’s crazy to think that we are looking upon 3000 year old history, the palace itself being over 1700 years old! I’ve spent every evening out on our terrace listening to the music below and looking at the bell tower which is “only” 500 years old. lol.
DAY 10-11: PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK
I’ll let you in on a little secret… if you really want to know how to get me out of bed at the crack of dawn, just promise me a tourist-free adventure filled with dozens of majestic waterfalls cascading into bright aqua-colored lakes and you’ll have a deal!
Determined to beat the daytripping crowds on their double decker busses, we overnighted at a rustic B&B just outside of Plitvice Lakes National Park so that we could enter the park right when it opened at 7am. I know I know, getting up at 6am is NOT that big a deal, but I am not a morning person!
The early start was totally worth it. We were able to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the park without tons of people being there with us. The park consists of 16 lakes staggered at different elevations so the water runs from one lake to the next in successive waterfalls. The larger falls look like a scene from Jurassic Park as water cascades out of dense foliage and vines into the bright blue water. Other falls cascade down broad terraces of rock stepping down bit by bit between trees and shrubs as the water flows from one lake to the next. Elevated wooden walkways take you alongside the lakes and often along the edge of the falling water and gurgling brooks.
We did it all in 4 hours which according to our guide was the fastest she’d ever completed the circuit! She also had never gotten there so early. So, I think she’s just usually held up by slow moving people and crowds that often jam up the 4 foot wide elevated wood plank paths.
DAY 10-11: ROVINJ
Since the city of Rovinj was part of Italy only 80 years ago, so much of its vibe and architecture is distinctly Italian. The colorful buildings are built right up to the very edge of the Adriatic Sea, and restaurants serving pizza and pasta abound.
We only had one full day there and spent it on backroads and mountain bikes exploring the scenic inland areas. The region is filled with wineries and olive groves, dotted every 5 or so miles with a quaint medieval village built atop a big hill. We visited two, Grosjan and Motovun, and truly appreciated their authenticity, scenic views, and lack of rampant tourism. The twin walled, cobblestone street towns were connected by an old railroad grade turned biking path that took us through the countryside for leisurely views of vineyards, lush canyons, and other hillside villages.
