Zdravo, Croatia!

What started out as a cycling trip around the Dalmatian Coast became a bit of a genealogical odyssey. Full disclosure: my sister Alison lead the charge on this research project and put ALL of the leg-work in. Not usually one to ride coattails - this time - I hopped right aboard.

I started to write this post in early 2020, just after we completed a Vermont Bicycle Tour of the the Croatian Dalmatian Coast (https://www.vbt.com/tours/croatia-dalmatian-islands-guided-bike-tour/). When my sister suggested the trip, I was totally game...I love to travel, I had never been there, and it was close to the heart. I was ALL IN. I prepped for the rides (not nearly enough - some of those hills brought me damn near to tears), I watched copious amounts of YouTube videos on the little villages that we would be visiting, and I readied myself for unscripted adventure. Where I lacked preparation was resisting the magnetic pull that this country would use to lure me in, which ultimately lead to my current status as a bonafide Croatian citizen.

Dubrovnik & Lokrum island

The Bellevue Hotel is an indelible memory (https://www.adriaticluxuryhotels.com/hotel-bellevue-dubrovnik/gallery/). An elevator straight down to a private beachside cove, breakfast buffets that foodie dreams are made of, and subtly luxurious rooms made a completely breathtaking package.

If I hadn't been champing at the bit to get to Old Town Dubrovnik, I could have holed up in that beautiful gem for the entirety of the trip.

But alas! I didn't haul my lenses to Europe for just one (albeit incredible) hotel.

Dubrovnik served as the setting for "King's Landing" throughout the Game of Thrones Series, and the Old Town makes the most of it's celebrity status.

One can find many a tourist reenacting Cersei's "Walk of Shame," practicing a sword fight, or even sitting on a replica of the Iron Throne. As corny as it all

may be, it seems to make people really happy and it's an extra bonus to what is already an impressive Unesco World Heritage Site (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/95/). Seeing everyone have their "Jaime Lannister" moment is somehow sastisfying.

A quick boat ride away, we found the oasis of Lokrum Island (https://www.croatianvillas.com/where-the-peacocks-roam-magical-lokrum-island/).

It was the ultimate picnic day, with a challenging climb around the island followed by a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic. This is my kind of vacation...rife with photo opportunities and a little history lesson at the museum. Personally, the more active the better, and Lokrum provided a perfect balance for my husband's "let's stop and take it all in" mentality, vs. mine which is often "let's shove in everything we can."

the islands via split: brac & Hvar

Croatians are proud of their compact country, and rightfully so...its vibrant seafaring population is full of life and color, and there are so many things that make it special. As a fervent fan of all things edible, many of the things that I think make it special involve tasting. Split has an incredible farmers market, where I bought far too much homemade prust (similar to Italian prsicsioutto). From olive oils, salts, truffles and black risotto, to cheeses, pastas, and cherries...Croatia is a sensory overload in the best of ways.

Fun facts: Croatia is also known as the birthplace of the necktie, fingerprint identification, the mechanical pencil, and...drumroll please...the torpedo.

The island of Brac feels like a Mediterranean dream. It's hilly, and sleepy, and the kind of place you want to sequester yourself for months at a time...dipping your toes into the sea, breathing in sunlit herbs and listening to the clink of cafe cups while you drift into a summer afternoon nap. The cycling is unforgiving (but worth every pedal), and the views are spectacular, and it boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (https://www.bolcroatia.com/bol-beaches/zlatni-rat-beach/).

We tasted local olive oils, had the best Peka (which is THE locals dish) at Kastill Gospodnetic (https://konobadol.com/), and had dinner with a local family which was truly one of the highlights of the trip. There is nothing like an evening of hospitality and incredible family style cooking with people who have been farming the land for generations. I'll never forget that meal. For those of us who are artsy fartsy, there is a beautiful Stonemasonry School in Pučišća (https://myislandbrac.com/attraction/stonemasonry-school-pucisca/) that is well worth the visit.

Hvar was just as dreamy, with a tad more edge and energy. Hvar Town hosts major European yachts and high profile DJs, and the little hub hums with vibrance well into the wee hours of the night. If you want a little more action without compromising that mellow island feel, this is the place for you. It's a classic beauty with cobbled streets and the smell of baking bread wafting through, evoking that old world feel that whisks you away to another time. Cycling, swimming, boating, kayaking...its is a nature lover's paradise. And if you are the partying sort, you won't be disappointed.

At the base of our Hvar hotel was the most delicious little restaurant. So good, that we ate there twice. https://blackpepperhvar.com/gallery/.

Outdoor dining at its finest. Fresh, local ingredients, tiny tables on ancient stairs, and only steps away from the sea.

If you don't want to cycle the island, in the town of Vrboska, you can rent a restored VW Beetle (https://bota-vrboska.com/rent-a-car-or-beetle/) to tour the island. For a more luxurious experience, I highly recommend Mala (https://catamaran-mala.com/). Take a boat for a few days to hit all the hidden gems that only the skippers know about.

next time...

So much time has passed since that inaugural voyage, and as I await my European passport and Croatian birth certificate, I am considering all of the options for the next adventure. My sister was so enamored with our homeland, that she purchased a little stone house on Hvar, which I have yet to take advantage of.

I also have my eyes on Istria. Offering heavily Italian-influenced culture and a plethora of different Croatian experiences, it seems like the next logical step.

For such a narrow strip of land, this country has an unusually rich menu of things to offer, and I cant wait to try them all.

For now, I'll live vicariously through pictures.