Fairytale Bled, Slovenia
A fairytale town in a picture-perfect location, Bled, Slovenia is comprised of 3 jewels – Lake Bled, Bled Castle, and a tiny island with the beautiful church of St. Mary. The walk around Lake Bled is a highlight. It is only 6.5 km (4 miles), and mostly flat, with scenic views the whole way, and plenty of places to stop for refreshments. (They are known for their cream cakes!) I was fortunate to spend 6 days here, and walked around Lake Bled every day, twice on one day, as I never tired of the views, and they change with the light as the...
read moreTime to Split, Croatia
Split is a vibrant town on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, which is known for Diocletian’s Palace, a fortress-like structure erected by the Roman emperor in the 4th century. Now it’s full of restaurants, shops, cathedrals, hotels, and tourists. Note that the cruise ships dump huge crowds here, but if you see the tour guides holding up a flag followed by the masses, just head the other direction. They usually go for the area with the most souvenir shops. If you’re in the old town at the right time, you might bump into some...
read moreHeavenly Hvar, Croatia
If Korcula was the sleepy little sister island, Hvar is the glitzy high-rolling big sister, where the yachting crowd comes to see and be seen. On Hvar, you might go for a morning stroll and be so mesmerized by the scenery, that you’re still in the same spot at sunset! The Hula Hula Bar offers comfy lounge chairs for a pittance, with a view to die for. I stopped for a breakfast orange juice, stayed for a salad for lunch, and found myself sipping a glass of wine watching the sun sink into the sea several hours later… …and I...
read moreRainy Days on Korcula, Croatia
One of the advantages of long-term travel is that less than perfect weather doesn’t throw you into a frenzy of frustration – you have several days to hang around (6 in my case on the island of Korcula) so good weather is likely to find you at some point. You can relax and enjoy the moment, raindrops and all, and the bottle-green sea-glass color of the ocean makes a lovely contrast with the gray of the sky. If all of your photos were sunny it would get boring! So what’s there to do on Korcula in the rain? (Pronounced...
read moreCroatian Island Hopping – Mljet
With over 1000 islands off the coast of Croatia, I thought I’d give you a little series of posts on a few of my favorites. Since they all have such different personalities, this may help you choose where to spend your time, should you put Croatia on your bucket list. Let’s start with Mljet (pronounced Meeyet – in Croatia, J’s are pronounced like Y’s), which means “honey” and is the greenest island on the Adriatic – over 72% is forest. The crystal clear water surrounding the island, as well as in...
read moreDay Tripping – Montenegro & Lokrum
Not far from Dubrovnik, Croatia, is the country of Montenegro, so it’s easy and inexpensive to go day tripping there. Montenegro is known for it’s beaches, and the old city of Kotor, and they’re both worth a look, although on the day I was there, so were 3 cruise ships, and thousands of other tourists, so not the ideal circumstances for my visit. In Kotor, you will find inside the city walls, plenty of places to shop and to dine – it’s quite touristy… But you will also see some interesting...
read moreDubrovnik – Quintessential Croatia
Dubrovnik is delightful, an amazing walled city with much to offer the traveler, so I suggest staying for at least a few days. It has become well known recently due to the filming of the show Game of Thrones here, which I haven’t seen, but you can take theme related tours if that’s your thing. Best advice – go in May or September, as June, July and August get super busy and hot, and also, get going early in the day before the cruise ships dump their hordes. You’ll see beautiful churches… …and...
read moreZadar & Krka – Captivating Croatia
Renting a car in Croatia is one of the best ways to see the countryside and get around. The roads are good, and directions are easy to follow. My friend Beth and I drove from Plitvice Lakes National Park a couple of hours down to the small city of Zadar, which is near another national park called Krka (yes, that’s how it’s spelled, although it may seem to us English speakers to be missing a vowel or two). Zadar is filled with beautiful churches and other old buildings, as well as some interesting Roman ruins. It’s lovely old...
read morePlitvice Lakes, Jewel of Croatia
Plitvice Lakes is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. It is one of Croatia’s 8 national parks, a series of 16 stunning turquoise lakes strung together by a series of cascading waterfalls. The colors of the water are reminiscent of jewels – aquamarine, blue topaz, emeralds and sapphires. Plitvice Lakes is the largest of Croatia’s national parks, as well as the oldest, and it’s included in the UNESCO list of World National Heritage sites. There’s an incredible diversity of plants and animals,...
read moreFrom A to Zagreb – In Love With Croatia
Welcome to Croatia, one of my new favorite countries, and its Capitol, Zagreb. Zagreb is a gateway into a country full of beautiful scenery, interesting history, and kind people. It’s a great mix of old and new, including old peeling walls… …beautiful churches… …and a bustling square. Art appears everywhere, spilling out into the streets… …and great graffiti graces the walls. It’s also a city full of museums. If you’re looking for something a little different, check out the Museum of...
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