TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN CROATIA – PART 2

HELLO TRAVEL FRIENDS

Croatia is bustling all summer long with coffee and booze lovers, sun worshipers, the retired, the families and the backpackers and is never short of incredible scenes. I am back rambling this week with part two of my favourite places and experiences of my time in Croatia to help you plan your trip for Summer 2016 (and you’d be silly not to)

LIFE’S A BEACH – WHERE TO GO

I am not a big fan of the sea, purely because I’m not a fan of deep water but I would have been stupid to have missed out on Croatia’s main attraction – it’s beautifully clear oceans. Every beach day was well spent wherever we went but I would definitely suggest hunting for the smaller rockier beaches to get the best out of your trip. Two of my favs are: 

Stomorska, Solta – The most incredible swimming pool-like water only an hour boat away from Split. Beaches are small but idyllic and usually are free from tourists. Rent a sun lounger for £5 for the entire day and sip a drink from Solta’s beach bar and you are in absolute bliss.

Bol, Brac – Not only is Bol home to the hugely touristy and natural beach, Zlatni Rat, but Bol also has the cutest little beaches and it is by far one of my favourite waters.

 

NB: Stone beaches are a thing in Croatia and many people are put off by this idea but as sand lovers, we were converted. Stones are cleaner and make the sea incredible. Invest in some sea shoes and a foam lounger and bob’s your uncle.

PARTY CAMP NOVALJA, PAG – 

I’ll put it out there before we move on to one of my favourite stays of the trip – Novalja is a party town on the picturesque island of Pag and we went there for three days of boozing and sunbathing and not a huge lot else. Despite Party Camp Novalja fooling us all through its website photos, the campsite remained the most social and down to earth of all the “hostels” we stayed in and the beach, a step away from our tepee tent was insane. The strip of clubs are just a shuttle away and they are lively and amazing value for money but the campsite itself, is pretty but it’s simple. You get a blow up mattress and a blow up pillow and showers in the open air. But it’s a laugh and when you’re coming in at 6am every morning, I’m not sure that any of that really matters and we loved it. The perfect ‘back to basics’  place to stay for a party weekend on Zrche Beach.

CLIMBING MOUNT BIKOVO, MAKARSKA – 

If staying in Makarska, which is a cute holiday town in it’s own right, be sure to take a tour of Mount Bikovo where you can reach the highest point of Sv. Jure @ 1762m. We had such a good excursion and the views are out of this world as you travel the clouds and the ancient ruins and brave the winds at the top. Definitely worth a go.

VISIT THE CAPITAL, ZAGREB 

We spent a good 85% of our trip along the coast but travelling inland meant that we were able to discover some incredible cities with rich history such as Osijek, Varazin and Vukovar. All amazing places but I couldn’t mention any of these places without mentioning the capital city, Zagreb. Think Budapest meets Amsterdam as you stroll through the stylish streets (or take the tram), visit the huge cathedrals or spend your day being nosy in the museums. Be sure to visit the Museum of Broken Relationships which was one of my favourites of the 395861 museums we visited. Also take a trip on the bus to Mirogoj Cemetery or make the most of the capital and spend your days and nights eating at the 28376 amazing restaurants. We ate at the Summer World Food Festival every night so basically lived off noodles and sushi from a box – my faaaaaav. All in all, Zagreb is a perfect getaway for a weekend break and is unexpectedly cheap for a capital city.

It has been impossible to narrow down the top places in Croatia because I can honestly say that it is a country that has it all. When we needed a beach, we were able to find some incredible hidden coasts, when we needed a party, we could head to the islands with the best strip of clubs. When we needed a good night sleep and some countryside peace, we could get that. When we needed history and heaps of it, we were able to find it all, all over the country. Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor saved us so it definitely helps doing your research but I hope that I have given you a little inspiration on some of the top things that should be on your agenda. Hunt down Air BnB for some amazing deals on apartments and just remember to do as the locals do! 

(actually, maybe don’t do that…)

lovelove,

R.

PS. just incase anyone cares or is looking to do a similar trip this was our main desitnation list –

1. Split
2. Bol, Brac
3. Hvar
4. Korcula
5. Dubrovnik
6. Plitvice
7. Rijeka
8. Mali Losinj
9. Krk
10. Hum
11. Pag
12. Zadar
13. Zagreb (+ Bled and Ljubljana, Slovenia)
14. Varazdin
15. Osijek
16. Solta
17. Trogir
18. Mostar, Bosnia
19. Makarska
20. AND BACK HOME TO SPLIT.