Croatia Road Trip: From Istria to the Islands

Croatia is a country that stretches on the Adriatic Sea. It is a mix of manicured cobbled streets and breathtaking azure sea. What impresses a person who visits this country is the welcoming nature of its people and the excellent quality of its restaurants.   Our journey began in Zagreb with a bicycle tour of its old town and a dinner in one of the many restaurants nestled in the Uptown district. We spent the rest of our time in Zagreb exploring its central park and visiting its many museums, of which, the Museum of Broken Relationships is a MUST VISIT). Our stay at the Hotel Westin in the city Centre was splendid and the service here was exceptional.   Our next stop was Rovinj. One of the highlights of this stop at this beautiful seaside town was a sunset kayak tour. It was here that we were able to see the cleanliness of the water and the many islands that adorn the coast. This village also has a mesmerizing old town with many cobbled streets, restaurants and beachside cliffs. For those who prefer comfort, there are also beach clubs with sunbeds available at the foot of the bay.   Plitvice Lakes was the next stop. A full day of walking took us around crystal-clear lakes, forests and waterfalls. Make sure to book your tickets for this experience ahead of time. We stayed for 2 nights at a beautiful hotel called Lyra Hotel about 10kms away from the entrance of the Plitvice National Park so we could enjoy the National Park at leisure. Croatia is known for its eight breathtaking National Parks and Plitvice Lakes is one of them. A visit to Plitvice Lakes was a must for us on the itinerary as we couldn’t have given it a miss to see and experience one of Croatia’s most iconic natural wonders.

Our third stop on the itinerary was Primošten, a small village leading into the Dalmatian coast which is very close to the city of Šibenik. Buildings of white limestones with red tiled roofs cover every inch of the Old Town making Primošten so picturesque. We decided to stop over here for a few nights to break the journey on our way to Split from Plitvice. There are not many hotels in Primosten instead you will find a lot of holiday homes or apartments run by the locals.

Our next stop was Split. This city was our gateway to the Dalmatian islands of Vis and Hvar. We stayed at the Hotel Atrium which is a 20 mins walk from the Riva Promenade. Besides exploring the narrow alleys of the Diocletian’s Palace we also took a day trip to Trogir and Blue Lagoon and had a chance to wind down for a day by the pristine waters of Kasjuni Beach. My son (9 years old) had his first white water rafting experience on the Cetina River which we did as a day trip from Split and he highly recommends it.

Our ferry to the island of Vis was from Split. For the most authentic experience, we chose to stay at one of the Croatian houses run by a local. The apartment overlooked a scenic spot of the bay in Komiza. There are some places that resonate with your soul and the island of Vis was just that. The island is raw and untouched as it was not open to tourists until 1989 due to its military past. A day trip to the Blue Cave is a must when visiting the island of Vis. Unfortunately, we were not able to go on this tour due to weather conditions during our time in Split. Instead, we did the Military Tour on the Quad bikes and had an amazing time exploring the military bunkers, and tunnels, riding the quad around the island's countryside and vineyards with the spectacular views of the Dalmatian Coastline.

Our last and most picturesque stop on the trip was the island of Hvar. Although there are a handful of nice hotels around the old Town of Hvar many choose to stay in the apartments run by a local or choose to explore the islands on a boat charter that comes with a skipper. Hvar is known for its Lavender production. Walking around the streets of the Old Town of Hvar you will be surrounded by the fragrance of Hvar from the pop-ups managed and run by the locals that sell Lavender products as souvenirs for tourists to take back home. And finally, we were able to tick off the Blue Cave from our wishlist as a day trip from Hvar. I must say that the experience is absolutely worth it. What made the Blue Cave experience thrilling and adventurous was that we had to make ourselves really small while on the boat so that the boat could squeeze through a small hole into the cave.

“Because the greatest part of the road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.”