Croatia is not to be missed for gorgeous water views, amazing wines (try the Grk) and vistas featuring the prettiest red roofed buildings.
Day 1:
We started our trip by flying into Split from Lyon, France.
Upon arrival we checked into our hotel, Heritage Hotel FERMAI. The rooms are super tastefully decorated and the location is great, just a couple blocks from Diocletian’s Palace.
Unfortunately our luggage was temporarily lost, so we spent most of the afternoon shopping for outfits and toiletries.
Once we were settled in, and changed into our newly purchased clothing, we enjoyed dinner at Pinku Fish. We had the waiter bring us some of his favorite dishes and requested that each be paired with wine. We had the MOST AMAZING skate fish and discovered a local Croatian wine, Grk, which we instantly fell in love with. From here on out, we looked for Grk on the wine list at every restaurant and ordered it if it was available.
Day 2:
Today we visited the local food market and sampled some local prosciutto, cheese and soparnik, a traditional specialty protected by the geographical origin on the territory of Europe. It’s basically like a massive pastry that’s filled with lots of garlic, greens and cheese. We also sampled some local grappa, including one variety that was flavored with cacao, making it a bit easier to sip on rather that the straight up variety.
After lunch, we walked to Marjan park, which is to the west of the Old Town. The views were beautiful, but unfortunately a storm was blowing in, so we had to cut our trip a bit short.
Tonight we enjoyed dinner at Corto Maltese, which was actually just across the alley from where we had dinner last night. I was eager to try one of the local specialities, Cuddlefish Risotto, and it did not disappoint.
Day 3:
Today we headed to the National Park Krka. Known for its stunning waterfalls, at one point swimming was allowed here, but no longer. Instead, you can walk around the falls, which takes about 30 minutes, and take in the views from all angles. The water is the most amazing color of green and the sound of the falls is just so peaceful.
After Krka, we headed to Bibich Winery for a wine paired lunch.
I can tell you that this is probably the best meal I have ever eaten. Every bite was so unique, and beautifully plated, and the wine pairings just put it over the top. Highly, highly recommend this place! You may have seen it on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations.
After lunch, we headed to Sibenik. What makes Sibenik very special is that unlike the rest of the cities on the coast that were founded by the Illyrians, Greeks, or Romans, this is a true, native Croatian city founded by a Slavic tribe upon their descent into the area.
We visited the Cathedral of Saint James that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a Gothic-Renaissance construction built entirely from stone from the island of Brac. It was built in three phases, by three architects, between 1431 and 1535. Its style started out as Venetian Gothic, but was turned to Renaissance by the two latter architects – Georgius Mathei Dalmaticus and Niccolo’ di Giovanni Fiorentino.
Once back in Split, we enjoyed dinner at Bokeria Kitchen + Wine.
Day 4:
Today we boarded the ferry which took us from Split to the island of Hvar.
We checked into the Adriana Spa & Hotel and our room blew us away with the amazing view of the water and boat docks.
For lunch, we stopped by Dalmatino Konoba and enjoyed some handmade gnocchi and seafood, paired with a bottle of Grk of course.
After lunch, we just spent some time relaxing and getting massages at the spa. Then we enjoyed dinner at Black Pepper.
Day 5:
This morning, we got up early to hike to the Spanjol – a citadel built on top of what once used to be a medieval castle to defend the town from the Turks. The view of the sea is amazing from there and there is a small cafe where you can enjoy some coffee or a cocktail.
In the afternoon, we headed to the Beach Club for some sun. We attempted to swim in the water, but it was still a bit too cold in May.
That night, to celebrate our last night in Hvar, we enjoyed an amazing dinner at Gariful, and we were treated to the most gorgeous sunset view.
Day 6:
We boarded the ferry back to Split in the late afternoon and enjoyed dinner at Konoba Fetivi. This is one of the most down to earth Michelin rated restaurants, in a laid back environment with some of the best, most fresh seafood you will ever enjoy!
Bosnia/Mostar:
On our final day of the trip, we drove from Split to Bosnia and Herzegovina to visit the town of Mostar.
In spite of the terrible scars left in Mostar from the war, it is still a beautiful city. It’s situated in the gorgeous green Neretva river valley, surrounded by mountains. No landmark in Mostar is more beautiful or more loved by the city’s residents than the Old Bridge, spanning the Neretva river. Because the East side of Mostar is predominantly Muslim “Bosniak”, and the west side is mostly the Catholic “Croats”, the bridge is considered to be a powerful symbol of the point where East meets West, a metaphor that very different cultures and religions can live in peace together.
For lunch, we stopped by URBAN grill and gourmet where we ate a variety of local dishes and were treated to the beautiful view of the bridge.
The next morning, we had to catch a plane bright and early to head back to the United States. But we absolutely loved Croatia and cannot wait to return one day.
Have you been to Croatia? What were some of your favorite spots?
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Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, and we paid for our trip out of our own pockets. As always, all opinions are my own.
