Croatia – April 2019

Our cousins went to Croatia a few years ago, and piqued our interest with their reports of the beautiful coastline. We watched some travel videos and did some reading and decided that a spring break could be a great way to escape the daily grind of bad news and the decline of democracy.

Diocletian’s Palace

Over the years, we’ve come to a “less is more” travel planning framework, so decided to only focus on southern Croatia, starting with Dubrovnik, going only as far north as Split, and then visiting islands on the return to Dubrovnik. We booked apartments in each place to give ourselves the opportunity to meet some locals and to have a kitchen for leisurely morning coffees.

Our overnight flight to Dubrovnik (via Dublin on Aer Lingus) was uneventful, and the bus from the airport left us directly at the Pile gate to the Old City. It was a wonderful way to start the trip. While Dubrovnik is full of tourists, nothing can take away from the magic of walking through a thick stone gate and seeing the preserved medieval and Renaissance architecture and the polished white marble of the Stradun, the main street of the old city. Most of Dubrovnik is perched on two hills on either side of the Stradun, but our apartment was just a few blocks off the Stradun on a quiet street in the “flats” of the city. For our first evening, we just wandered, taking in the Venetian influence on the architecture and celebrating only having to wear light jackets. Many of the tour groups visit from cruise ships during the day, so the town is peaceful before 9:00 AM and in the evenings – at least in April. During the summer all accommodations are double to triple in price and there are long waits at restaurants, so we were very happy to be traveling off season.

On our first full day of Dubrovnik, we got up early and walked the walls that surround the old city. While the distance around is less than a mile (the city is surprisingly small) it took us nearly two hours, as we had many stops to see the vistas over the red tiled rooftops, with sun shining on the limestone buildings and the sparkling blue Adriatic. We had also stopped to read some of the placards identifying the damage done to Dubrovnik in the early 1990’s during the war with Serbia, and from the walls could see how many new roof tiles had been needed. We visited several of the city’s museums, including one which still had visible damage from the war.
It didn’t take long to discover Croatian pastries. Croatia’s cuisine is influenced by its many invaders – Turk/Ottomans, Hungary, and Venice. Savory flakey boregs, filled with cheese, became a favorite. Apple and cheese strudels reminded Phil of his Hungarian grandmother. Fresh grained breads with local sheep’s cheese were a favorite lunch.

Our pace was, for us, pretty sluggish, with daily stops for morning cappuccinos and evening drinks on terraces watching the world go by. On our second day, we fortified ourselves at a terrace restaurant on the main square with coffee and a delicious almond cake before climbing up the many stairs to a fort just outside of Pile Gate. We have never seen Game of Thrones, but it is filmed in Dubrovnik and it was amusing to see some of the props inside of the fort.

We ended our Dubrovnik stay with a seafood dinner overlooking the harbor, watching boats come in under swooping gulls and swallows. It was so very peaceful and beautiful.

We traveled by bus to Split. Estimates for the trip were 4 hours, but clearly that didn’t include the border stops. Bosnia-Herzegovina has a small bit – just 6 miles – of sea access that bisects the road from Dubrovnik to Split, and relations between the two countries appears strained. At each border, a border agent got onto the bus, collected all passports, took them off to be checked, and then redistributed them, carefully checking photos to be sure everyone got the right passport. This added a 25-30 minute stop at each border.

After checking in to our apartment, just two blocks from the Golden Gate of the old city, we began exploring. Split’s old city is within the walls of what was originally Roman Emperor Diocletian’s retirement palace. Now, 3,000 people make their home within the palace ruins. We went through every corner of the city, sometimes to catch the early morning light and sometimes in the evening, amazed each time at the preserved Roman ruins intertwined with centuries of new buildings. Layer upon layer of history, with sphinxes that the Romans brought from Egypt in corners just to make it even more historical. Really magical.

We took a day trip to Trogir, just a short bus ride from Split, after a visit to the extensive vegetable market in Split. Trogir is a UNESCO Heritage Site, a perfectly preserved medieval city. We had a coffee in the square and were lucky enough to catch several performances of traditional klapa singers in the medieval loggia of one of the palaces. From Trogir we took a bus to the Kastela – small towns along the water, each with a fortified “cottage” that defended the harbor at various points. We were able to find excellent pastry shops to keep us going.

On our last day in Split, we visited the cavernous basement that is the foundation of Diocletian’s palace, which gave a sense of the scale of the building. We walked along the waterfront, the place to “see and be seen” in Split, backed by the remains of one of the walls of the palace, and found the ferry company that would be our means of transport for our next sites.

From Split, we took the ferry south to Hvar. During high-season, Hvar is the playground of the wealthy – it is the island where Prince Andrew apparently partied his way into infamy at some point. However, we arrived on Easter morning, and it was very quiet. The ferry sailed into the picturesque Mediterranean harbor, with stone houses and terracotta roofs winding up the hills from the dock. Hvar has a large public square that ends at a medieval cathedral, and it is a stunning small town. We had an apartment quite a few stairs up the hill from the plaza, so got a good workout during our Hvar stay. Our apartment owners were lovely, and greeted us with a homemade Easter bread and chocolates. Once we got settled, we wandered back down to the plaza, and watched the families leaving church services, with all the mothers carrying their children’s Easter baskets. Most of the shops were closed for the holiday, so we were able to wander around and enjoy the aromas of orange blossoms and honeysuckle as we walked around the coat line. Hvar is known for its wine and cheeses. We did our duty.

On the next day, we got up early for a 500-foot ascent up a hill to the fortress that overlooks the town. There were few other people around, so we had the beautiful vistas to ourselves. As the afternoon wore on the winds started up, and our landlady informed us that there was a chance that our ferry onwards to Korcula could be cancelled. It was good that she warned us as we would have carried our bags all the way down to the ferry landing the next day; instead we called in the morning and learned that the boat was cancelled. We notified our Korcula hostess and decided to explore the other “major” city on the island, Stari Grad.

Kocula surprised us. The old cityis tiny, located inside a renaissance fort that stuck out into the Adriatic on a peninsula. The peninsula is so small that ferries use both sides of peninsula, whichever side is free at the moment. The village is also beyond sleepy. It has only one main street, with tiny alleys branching off it. The village is frozen in time.

The village dates to the 12th century – or perhaps to Greek times – depending on the history one reads. The primary entrance is via a 14th century former drawbridge, up a flight of picturesque steps, and then stepping into “Trg Antuna i Stjepana Radića”, the town’s central square. The square is tiny, and is dominatedby the Cathedral of St. Mark, (14th C.), decorated with all types of animals, withmedieval buildings on the other side of the small street.

Korcula is supposedly the birthplace of Marco Polo – at least according to local lore (which Venetians dispute). Nevertheless, his supposed birthplace is now a museum (unfortunately closed for renovations while we were there). The Town Museum, near the Cathedral of St. Mark, provided an understanding the history of the city of Korcula and its relationship with Venice.

The village is surrounded by the remnants of the city’s walls. The circumference is now the home to numerous restaurants. We sat on the north side watching a massive cruise ship disgorge boatload after boatload of tourists into smaller shuttle boats, giving us a taste of the summertime hordes that descend on this amazing place.

Notes:
We based our trip partially on Rick Steve’s video on southern Croatia. Traveling by ferry is definitely nicer than by bus, but the ferries have no outer deck and the windows are obscured by the saltwater spray. Croatian food is heavy on grilled meats and fish/shellfish. The fish is mostly monkfish and dory from the Mediterranean and not too exciting. Proximity to Italy means excellent pasta and gnocchi, and some of the best pizza we’ve ever had, particularly at the Mizarola restaurant in Hvar.

The Dubrovnik card is a good deal! Walls are 200 kuna per person; if one orders the card in advance, it is 180 kuna, and includes the walls, multiple museums, and discounts on buses and some restaurants.
To get groceries at a discount, pick up a free “MultiPlus Card” at any Konzum. We never sent in the form, we just presented the card at the cash register.

Sug Restaurant, Split
We usually use Tripadvisor to identify interesting places to eat. When we saw the amazing reviews that Sug had, we knew we had to try it. The reviews are right – this restaurant is exceptional. Items ordered: Hard & Soft Cheese Appetizer, Venison Stew, and Beef Risotto. Each dish exceeded our expectations, being perfectly prepared and presented, with rich flavors and normal portions. The service was also perfect; and the prices were quite reasonable. The entire evening was wonderful, and we strongly recommend dining here. It is just a few blocks outside of the old city.

Portun Restauarnt, Dubrovnik
A family-owned small restaurant with delicious Croatian food just off the Stradun– and where we met a charming waiter from North Macedonia. He gave us complimentary aperitifs, made by the grandmother of the establishment’s owner.

Mizarola Restaurant/Pizzeria, Hvar
We had read that pizza in Croatia was good, but until Hvar we didn’t think to try it as we were sampling other Croatian specialties. We picked the perfect pizza place – this was WAY BETTER than we had been expecting! We ate here twice: one night, we split the Quatro Staggioni, which set an impossibly high bar for any pizza in our future. Every ingredient, including the artichoke hearts was fresh and deeply flavorful. Two nights later, we returned for the Caprichosa which was equally amazing. We are not sure what the secret is to their pizza… but we’re now spoiled. The service was also excellent; the beer and wine were good and reasonably priced. There is both indoor and patio seating.

Gradska Kavana Arsenal Restaurant, and
Dubravka 1836 Restaurant & Café
Split
Apparently owned by the same folks, these two restaurants have the BEST locations in Dubrovnik by far – at the two ends of the Stradun. The Gradska Kavana also has a café facing the plaza, with amazing pastries, especially the almond cake. On the other side of the building, their seafood restaurant faces the harbor. The Dubravka is right outside Pile Gate, with views of the fort and a small bay. We dined here a number of times, enjoying their pasta specialties, and each meal was perfect, as were the wines and the service.

Home » Croatia - April 2019 » Croatia - April 2019 » Croatia - April 2019
   
IMG_20190425_180757 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_181001 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_083504 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_083525 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_084053 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_084217a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190415_175112 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102012 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102053 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102138 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102303 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102624 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_104250 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_104306 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_110038 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_112158 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_115851 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_120620 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_150708 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_151707 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_182541 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_183224 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_183239 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_183321 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_183740 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_090224a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_090258 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_090358 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_090408 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_091137 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_103041_1 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_104017 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_113221 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_113954a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_114701 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_143807 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_143941a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190417_144042 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_082924 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_162226a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_162250 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_162458 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_163908 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_202639 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_203543 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190418_204038 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_074236a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_074239 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_074319 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_074518 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_085532 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_085544 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_085713 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_094827 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_095419 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_103147 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_120903 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_153536a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190419_154335a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_081428 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_081536 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_081803 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_090352 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_092300 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_092504 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_092756 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103104 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103250 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103306 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103423 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103647 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103712 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103726 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_103836 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_104537a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_104549a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_104650 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190420_174316 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_080714 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_132418 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_132605 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_152959a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_152959b (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_153451 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_174622 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_174631 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190421_180428 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190422_093924 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190422_095104 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190422_095212 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190422_120923B (Large).jpg
IMG_20190422_134232 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190423_132649 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190423_132757 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190423_151643 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190423_170515 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190423_170548 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_082846 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_085755 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_110309a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_110750 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_110814 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_115258a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_120033 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_124702 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_124733 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_174407 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_174524 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_192544 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_192604 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_192727a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190424_192741a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_165158 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_165211 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_165854 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_171423 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_172240 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_175049 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_180730 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_180737 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_180757 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190425_181001 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_083504 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_083525 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_084053 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190426_084217a (Large).jpg
IMG_20190415_175112 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102012 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102053 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102138 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102303 (Large).jpg
IMG_20190416_102624 (Large).jpg
 
Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.