Fifteen Days in Croatia – turtle or hare?
Posted on June 11, 2016
Croatia Two Ways
We grappled with our Croatia vacation decision to spend more time in fewer places, right up until we our first cocktail on the Island of Vis. Was this the time to ditch our itinerary and be spontaneous, or should we stick to our plan? Croatia’s diverse culinary regions, wines, beaches and beauty to be had in such a small geographical swatch makes it very tempting – and doable – to blast along the entire coast and experience both the Dalmatian and Istria regions, before zipping inland and onward to other parts of Europe. But when we removed our FOMO (fear-of-missing-out), from the planning process and acknowledged that our priority was relaxing down time on beaches, our itinerary made the most sense even though it would mean missing the Istria region (all the more reason for a return visit!). This was an important lesson learned for traveling – remember your reason for trip.
The Itinerary:
Starting with Two days in Dubrovnik
We landed in Dubrovnik and rented a car from Sixt Rental company at the airport. Please see the bottom of this post for more information about renting the car and other travel tips for Croatia.
We walked the perimeter of the walled old city of Dubrovnik, purchased beautiful wax prints in the merchant market, and ate the first of many incredible fish meals. In the photo of the walled city, you will notice the old terra cotta tiled roofs (dull coloured) and some buildings/houses with new terra cotta tiles (brightly coloured).
The new roofs represent the rebuilt areas since the bombing of Dubrovnik in 1991. The walls are also the backdrop to King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. Dubrovnik is by far the most expensive city in Croatia, so our stay was limited to two days which luckily is plenty of time to take in the sights there.
Makarska for three days, a half day in Split
From Dubrovnik, we drove north along the Dalmatian coast to Makarska. Makarska is known as the Croatian Riviera, and it does not disappoint. We ate at Konoba Kalalarga and this is a must. I still dream of the bread. We had what was being served which was a fish stew with beans, and a fish platter with potatoes. This meal was incredible, fresh and about $20usd included beer.
After three days exploring, we continued to Split where we spent the afternoon eating ice cream and drinking coffee in the Diocletian palace courtyard. Just like that, you are strolling through open air markets and passage-ways that are thousands of years old. The palace (which feels more like a walled city) was built in the 4th century by the Roman Emperor, Diocletian. Be sure to go to the Billa Supermarket which has ancient Roman columns in the deli section.
Our best meal in Split was at, Konoba Matejska. Order the whole fish and a bottle of white wine. If you need supplies (beach gear, cases of beer, snacks etc) – there is a mega-mall on the skirts of town.
Four days in Serget Donji (just North of Trogir)
Serget Donji is a tiny fishing village with a pebble beach and camp grounds. We rented a private apartment with a view of the ocean and a small kitchen for cooking. Paradise found. Serget Donji is smaller, quieter and cheaper than Trogir though I recommend going to Trogir for a day trip of wandering around. Eat the pizza, drink the beer.
Five Days of Bliss on Vis Island
There are two main areas to stay on Vis – Vis Town and Komiza. The ferry docs in Vis town which is convenient, but Komiza is only 15 minute drive. Oddly, there is only one adventure company and it’s located in Komiza, so if you’re looking for a new business idea…
We had the most romantic dinner of our lives at Roki’s. The meal was the traditional Croatian Peka dish of seafood cooked under a clay bell with the coals on top. This fantastic dish was accompanied by wine grown and vinted on the property. The best part – they have a van that picks you up from your accommodations and drops you back home after the meal, so drink up!
From Vis to Plitvice Lakes National Park
We took the crack of dawn ferry ride from Vis to Split, and drove inland to Plitvice Lakes National Park which is a must see. Plitvice’s crystal clear lakes and majestic waterfalls are unparalleled in beauty. This UNESCO protected sight is often jammed up with tourists, but you can get some quiet time by going early in the morning. Please help keep Plitvice in pristine condition by packing out all trash and keeping out of the water (your sunscreen and bug spray have grave effects on the ecosystem). We had little over a day in the Park and I easily could have spent two more days basking in the unspoiled beauty of this magical place.
Lastly, 1 1/2 days in Zagreb
Zagreb is a hip city with great food. It’s more affordable than Dubrovnik, but a little higher priced than other places in Croatia. We splurged and dined at Istrian hot spot, Vinodol, which is a bit pricy but superb and memorable. We had limited time in Zagreb, but it’s a small enough city that three days tops would suffice.
Some Helpful tips:
Your passport – when you get to your rental accommodations, the owners usually request your passport to take a photocopy or to write down the details. This is normal and necessary for the tourist tax. It’s a protection for you too as it confirms you are staying in a legitimate rental.
Water shoes are necessary – sea urchins are everywhere.
Pebble beaches – sand beaches are few which is nice cause you don’t get sand in your butt! But in case you where hoping for sand beaches, you will not find them as readily as other kinds of beach tops.
Travel during the shoulder season – if you can avoid going to Croatia in the summer months you will save money and be spared the vacation crowds. It’s highly desirable to visit in the May/June shoulder season. We visited in June and it was that perfect timing of places open for the season yet not over-crowded.
Budget for a car – you can co-ordinate the buses and the ferries, but a car is the way to go and since most other expenses on your trip will be affordable (especially if you are visiting in the off-peak months) it’s worth budgeting for this expense. If you read the online reviews about car rental companies, you may be nervous about renting a car. We used Sixt rental company without issue. Sixt was more expensive than other companies, but we didn’t experience any of the shenanigans that other travelers reported from cheaper companies. I would still recommend you take photos of the exterior and interior of the car as proof of what your car looked like when you rented it. This is especially important if you are returning the car to a different location than where you rented it. I took pictures that showed I was still on the lot in the Dubrovnik airport, that way if there is any dispute, I would have proof that I did not cause the damage. Lastly, some of the drivers on the windy Balkan roads are insane, so watch for lane changes that will make your eyes bug out of your head.
A note about exploring – there are still active field mines so, the general rule is to not explore abandoned buildings or fields. There should be signs warning you of mines, but don’t rely on that fact, just stay on the main roads and paths for your own safety and peace of mind.
Global neighbour – be a good global neighbour and be sure your garbage goes in cans ideally away from the beach so wildlife nor the wind does not scatter the trash onto the beach and into the water.