Croatia Surprise
Chris Cimino
7/25/20255 min read
In July of 2021 we found ourselves getting very restless to travel. That in itself was an understatement. The world was trying to find some semblance of normalcy again working through the pandemic.
We had done some investigative exploring on parts of the world that were not as hard hit by the pandemic nor still carrying very tight restrictions.
Croatia kept coming up on our search. We had talked a bit about it before, but we had so many other places on our wishlist to travel that we never pursued it in earnest. Now seemed to be the time.
Looking back now on this journey, to this day Croatia was the most amazingly surprising destination for me. It so far exceeded our expectations that four years later we talk about it and seriously contemplate returning as always we did not have enough time to see everything.
Sunset high above Dubrovnik, Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
In July of 2021 we found ourselves getting very restless to travel. That in itself was an understatement. The world was trying to find some semblance of normalcy again working through the pandemic.
We had done some investigative exploring on parts of the world that were not as hard hit by the pandemic nor still carrying very tight restrictions.
Croatia kept coming up on our search. We had talked a bit about it before, but we had so many other places on our wishlist to travel that we never pursued it in earnest. Now seemed to be the time.
Looking back now on this journey, to this day Croatia was the most amazingly surprising destination for me. It so far exceeded our expectations that four years later we talk about it and seriously contemplate returning. As always we did not have enough time to see everything.
To the journey. We landed in Split and checked into our Airbnb. It was a little bit off the beaten path of the center of Split, but we managed. I would perhaps recommend a place closer to the waterfront of Split.
From our first meal moving forward I knew the food was going to be a positive in Croatia. The vibe of Split was one of peace and ease in a European Tropical-esque environment.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Promenade of Split, Croatia
Knowing we were short on time we booked a tour to Plitvice Lake National Park. It's a huge stunning park in northern Croatia with an array of waterfalls and lakes in different hues of green and blue and colors in between. The link for the park is below.
The tour we took to the National Park was through Viator, which we have always found to provide us with reliable guides and tours. You choose your methodology of getting to Plitvice Lakes but I highly recommend it if experiencing one of those unique nature moments is on your list of desires.
We had a small group of 8 people on the tour, three of which we became friends. The tour guide was very funny and loved music and to sing along to tunes. He took requests and the singing began on the journey back to Split. It was one of the funniest and joyous moments I've had while traveling.
In addition, he asked if their were any Game of Throne fans onboard. Edmi & I are personally not, but others were. Apparently a particular castle on the way back was used to shoot some scenes for the show. It was not scheduled to be part of the tour, but he decided to treat us.
Below are some pictures of the castle and its gate, as well as the views looking back into town.
Klis Fortress from Game of Thrones
Cathedral of St. Domnius
The Cathedral of St. Domnius is also worth the visit in Split. It was consecrated at the turn of the 7th century AD and is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that remains in use. A climb up to the bell tower and above is definitely worth the view.
For more info go to smn.hr and for a link to the Diocletian palace it's www.diocletianspalace.org
Tight fit getting around.....
Warning: Be ready to cover your ears in the bell tower
View of Split from atop the bell tower
Worth a short climb up steps and paved walkways is Marjan Hill. The hike in its entirety is about 2 miles climbing nearly 600 feet above the town of Split. Doing the hike a little before sunset made for spectacular views and colors reflecting off the distant mountainside.
You don't have to complete the entire trek, but there are beautiful areas of trees and cactus along the way making for some fun photos. It's a good way to work off an early dinner or late lunch.
I highly recommend strolling through Split at night. Walking through the old town and finding little streets with beautiful old buildings and the street stones glistening in the evening lights as if they were polished. It really often felt as if I was on a movie set .
Saying good-bye to Split..... on to Dubrovnik!