Coastal Croatia

Forth new country in a row for me, when crossing the border to Croatia and staying four days in Dubrovnik, the richest and most expensive city in the country. It stretches over a couple of rocky headlands, with the very old ring walled city centre on the farthest one.  

My first two days in Dubrovnik were sunny and exactly the kind of weather you wish for a holiday in coastal Croatia. I did a lot - a lot - of walking. Dubrovnik actually reminded me of Venice in some ways, but instead of canals you here find stairs. Even with a map it was hard to find the best ways to get around before I had learnt the narrow short cuts.

A popular and not very cheap tourist tour in Dubrovnik is walking on top of the town wall the whole way around the city, experiencing fantastic views of the old town and the surrounding stunning scenery of sea and mountains. 

The old fortress on its own cliff. Enthusiastic kayakers beneath.

The main street through the old town was a lively walk even on a Sunday, with tourists and locals on their way through and around the ancient little alleyways and narrow stairs that stretches out like arms along the sides of it. A folklore traditionally dressed man had his parrots for show. I was happily making friends!

I also made some other local friends, because on my way home the first evening I got a little lost and decided to rest for a while in a bar. The one I first passed was different to all the others I had seen, it was pop-arty and played a good mix of rock, alternative hiphop and disco-hits from the 1980's. Irresistible for me, of course. And in this bar I met my three Croatian friends, the bartender, the DJ and the pizza guy. No use going to any other bars in a touristy city when you find the best local one at once... So I kept going to this bar every day, for a smoothie or a beer, the guys also took me out for drinks at another place and recommended me good pizza places to eat (Croatia has probably the highest pizza-per-capita in the world...)

On a cloudy, half-rainy day I took the boat to lush nature forest reserve island Lokrum, only ten minutes by boat from the old city port, and home to a large population of peacocks. Here ways aren't paved and you can walk around in the woodlands, see ruins of old monasteries and castles, and this is also where the botanical garden of Dubrovnik is located.

In Dubrovnik I rented a private room and was both picked up on arrival and driven to the bus on departure by my very friendly host Miro. A glass of local liqueur with him was the welcoming ceremony.

The I spent three days in Split - a similarly beautiful, old seaside city further North along the coast. From here you can reach a lot of islands, so the several ports and diversity of boats form a hallmark for the city. An old town, not as well preserved as Dubrovnik but still hinting of ancient glorious times and blocks of winding steep streets and stairs, is also part of the charming, well-visited but still very calm city. The more modern part and along the seafront has all the splendor and rich art in its architecture, and as in Northern Montenegro and Dubrovnik, you can clearly see, taste and feel the Italian influences.

 

To my disappointment - but relieving my over-worked foot - one day in Split was all rainy. I therefore stayed in, in the cozy hostel where I stayed, did some work and socialized a bit. My last day I took a long walk around the large park Marjan, spread over a green forresty hill just next to the city centre.

Split was nice, beautiful and a little less expensive than Dubrovnik. Next time I go to Croatia, however, I want to visit later in the year, when the Adriatic water glittering as jewelry is warm enough to swim in, and the weather more stable. I have heard from my local friends that September is the absolute best month to go, so maybe another year...