Croatia Road Trip

My first major trip in Europe was a road trip across Croatia. I don’t know where the inspiration came from, but a friend selected this east European country and decided it was going to be the main destination of our highly awaited trip. When it is the firsts of many trips you are going to plan, the choice of destination does not matter, for good company and excitement are more than enough. But a destination as versatile as Croatia made our ten days a truly memorable experience that I cherish till date.

It was easy to plan driving with its nicely built highways, panoramic sea views, and easy accessibility to reach small cities and even islands. We drove from North to South part of the country shifting through mountains, beaches, and ferrying across oceans. I liked that there was a nice diversity with lush forests, mighty waterfalls, a coast beaming with sunshine and charming cities with historical rich sites. The islands too provided their own share of adventure with water activities, hidden caves, and a bubbling night life.

I am glad we planned this vacation with a leisure time in hand, so that we didn’t need to rush through many places that we wanted to cover. We stayed overnight at almost all places so we could really absorb the local vibe. One advice I would give out is if you have lesser number of days, trim down on the list of places and please do not rush through like sight-seeing a bunch of cities.

In 9 days, we drove through Zagreb – Plitvice – Split – Dubrovnik – Hvar – Split – Zadar – Zagreb.

Sharing a personalised map that really helped us to picture our route and select out of the vast number of cities.

Zagreb

On reaching Zagreb, we directly rented a car from the airport and began our journey towards Plitvice. It is a short two-hour drive, where we stopped at Rastoke village on the way for lunch. A delightful place between mountains and rivers and nice spot to start off the road trip, and have a meal enjoying waterfall view.

Plitvice Lakes

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We reached a village near Plitvice Lakes one day before, and stayed in a cottage overnight. After watching a beautiful sunrise, we packed some snacks and reached Plitvice National Parks at around 8AM. We are not super early risers but everywhere we read, it recommended us to avoid huge crowds that come in during afternoon. 

We entered from the north most entrance, and explored the beautiful park at our ease. It is ironic that it is called a park, but is nothing like it. It is basically a forest turned into a tourist spot without ruining its beauty. Its magical with its glorious waterfalls and trails along the lake and is a must-see place.

A catch is that tickets can only be purchased in advance. And there is a limit of people allowed, so reach on time to not be refused entry. It was a bit cold even for summer weather, so do check weather conditions before travelling.

Split 

Next stop, Split! We spent 2 nights at this much hyped party town of Croatian coast. We parked our car because most of the centre is a car-free zone and it is best explored walking.

We started with a guided tour of Diocletian’s Palace and nearby spots to familiarize ourselves. And then spent all our time at the promenade bubbling with life and sunshine from an array of cafes, bars, and tourists. The promenade felt like the essence of the town, it stretches across with one end at a beach and Marjan hill (which you can climb) on the other. There are numerous boat tours to explore the islands and surroundings. One could spend days here wandering in the narrow alleys branching out of promenade and explore local cuisine, cute cafes, and artsy bars. During evening, it gets better with beach clubs and luxury dining restaurants on the Riva.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik was the southern-most tip of our road journey. It is again a car-free zone and finding an affordable or free parking space has its challenges. We tried to find parking with our accommodation, and stayed approx. 1km from the center. I also want to mention that the public bus service is very convenient if you are not staying within the city.

One thing that was on our list was the City Walls tour, and rest we were flexible about. It closes early in evening and we didn’t want to rush through, so we got tickets for next morning. Walking through these walls is like visualizing history in a bright monochrome tone contrasting with the vast ocean in background.

Dubrovnik, I felt had the best views and activities to offer, also the most crowded of all the places we had been. As proud game of thrones fans, we did a guided tour of some of the locations included in the TV show. Many of the important moments in the show like the walk of shame for instance are shot here. But apart from just the locations, the tour guide did a really nice job telling us stories about how the show had a big impact on the place and its residents. We also went for a history walking tour because we felt the city had so much more to offer other than GOT. 

We had one sunset here which we very happily marveled at sitting on a hill at the Hole in the Wall café and watching people cliff jump. The steep stairs and narrow alleys leading to this almost secret café was a journey on its own, taking us through souvenir shops, eateries, and local residences all mingled together.

There was one more eye-catching activity we wanted to do but couldn’t get time for – Kayaking to Lokrum Islands. From literally any top view we could always see kayaks in water, and just wished we had more time to do this. But I am sure there would be a next time.

Hvar 

The reason we cut short our time in Dubrovnik was because we wanted to spend more time in Hvar. And for all it was worth, it was the highlight of our trip!

If someone asks me who really designed Hvar, I would certainly say an artist. Like someone carefully selected all the best elements and painted them together in this paradise island. 

There are old medieval buildings showcasing the best of venetian architecture, paths lined with cobblestones, a harbor with all shades of turquoise and blues, and sunsets that can be enjoyed swimming in nature with finest cocktails. To add another level to it, nights are driven by enthusiasm of tourists and locals partying on land and sea alike.

Among the activities standing out for us was a full day sailing tour around the blue caves, green lagoon and some hidden coves. And ending it with dinner at Pakleni islands. 

We also saved our energy for a pub crawl at night that started with unlimited drinks on a boat docked at a distance overlooking the gorgeous island, and I couldn’t pause and think how lucky I was to be there with my friends who made the trip possible.

I could go on and write more about the hospitality of locals, restaurants delivering a plethora of cuisines, to-go bakeries for all our quick sugar boost and the ease with which this island proves how luxury need not always go with modernism, that it can spring out of the most basic foundations.

Zadar 

Zadar is a tricky place to articulate about. It has nice elements- a pretty waterfront, relaxed vibe, a sun salutation where everyone gathers together in evenings, an open market shadowed by the castle walls and roman ruins, and some very nice not-so-crowded beaches around that you can have to yourself. In short, despite not having something exclusively special, it makes you feel special in its own way.

Zagreb

We did a full circle and ended our trip at Zagreb, this time staying in the city for 1 day and exploring the old town. I got amused by the popular Museum of broken hearts, strolled around the historic old town, did a walking tour, and just wandered at how different this metropolitan city compared to the Adriatic Coast.

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At the end of the journey, I was content, grateful for my friends who came all the way from India, proud of having planned this complicated itinerary, and just incredibly lucky to have explored this place the way I did – covering all dimensions, slowing down, learning a great deal about history and culture, and love at first sight with Mediterranean coast (which only grew fonder with coming years).

Hope this guide was of some use. Drop in any comment or message if you would like to know more!

Renting a car

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• We rented a car from Sixt, as they have many outlets in the country, provide a good support and is well trusted and hassle-free.
• Croatia is relatively cheaper than rest of Europe for car rent, so we could get a nicer car in the same budget. 
• We also took full car insurance, because it’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Road conditions are great with most freeways having been constructed within the last 15 years.
• No special permit is needed to drive here. We drove on our respective European and Indian driving licenses.

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