Croatia

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Entry posted by korver · October 7, 2020

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Our journey through Europe continues on today with a visit to Croatia - a country at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, on the Adriatic Sea. Officially the Republic of Croatia, it borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro to the southeast, sharing a maritime border with Italy. Croatia is a country that's renowned for it's natural beauty - boasting almost 1,300 miles of rocky shoreline and more than a thousand islands, many blanketed in luxuriant vegetation, - there's countless sights here that are well worth a visit. From off-the-beaten-track islands, quiet coves and stone-built fishing villages - you feel as if you’re visiting Europe at its most unspoiled. Croatia is also home to many impressive cities and towns along its beautiful shoreline, and we'll be visiting a few in today's update.

Our trip to Croatia begins with a visit to one of the country's most prized natural wonders, the waterfalls of Krka National Park. The Krka River flows through the heart of the park, and a series of 7 grand waterfalls attract tourists from around the globe. Here we see one of the Krka's most famous waterfalls - Skradinski Buk, which is also one of the country's most famous natural landmarks and most photographed locations.

We head north and eventually reach the country's largest city - the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. Distinguished by its 18th- and 19th-century Austro-Hungarian architecture, the city's vibrant historical center is home to a unique yet beautiful old town with a charming medieval style.

After visiting Zagreb, we head back south and travel along the country's Adriatic shoreline until we find one of the region's best kept secrets - the "Golden Horn" of Bol. This narrow spit of land is home to white sand beaches, pristine turquoise beaches, and an ancient beech forest provides a beautiful backdrop. It's truly one of the region's most spectacular beaches and it's unique shape is quite impressive from above.

Croatia's shoreline is home to many beautiful seaside towns and villages - and Pula is one of the country's most visited destinations. Located at the tip of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula, it's known for its protected harbor, beach-lined coast and Roman ruins - with the Pula Arena being the most iconic sight in the city. Pula has a rich history - settled in the prehistoric era and valued for its strategic location, Pula has been occupied, destroyed and rebuilt numerous times. The Romans, Ostrogoths and Venetians, as well as the Allied Forces in World War II, have each administered the city.

There's nearly 1,000 islands in the waters surrounding Pula and western Croatia - and each of them have their own distinct beauty. However, few are as unique as the small island of Bavljenac - where low stone walls dating from ancient times give this island the eerie appearance of a massive fingerprint from above.

We head even further south, eventually reaching Dubrovnik, perhaps the most iconic city along Croatia's Adriatic shoreline. Just outside of the city's walls is the beautiful island of Lokrum - this forested islet is full of holm oaks, black ash, pines and olive trees, and is only a 10-minute ferry ride from city's Old Harbour. In ancient times, the island was known its monastery - in 1023 to the early 1800s, Benedictine monks settled here and lived in harmony - until they were forced to leave, which is when they also supposedly left a curse on the island for anyone else who might decide to settle on the island in the future. It's also known for being the site of Richard the Lionheart's shipwreck in 1192 when he returned from the crusades. Lokrum is a small island with quite the history.

And here we see the nearby historical city center of Dubrovnik itself at nighttime. Its old town is encircled with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century - and with many other well-preserved buildings such as the baroque St. Blaise Church, the Renaissance Sponza Palace, and Gothic Rector’s Palace - it's one of the world's most magnificent walled cities.

The last leg of our journey will conclude with a trip to Split - Croatia's second largest city. It's known for it's many man-made and natural wonders nearby, such as the beautiful Blue Cave. A truly magnificent work of mother nature, this cerulean oasis is so unique because it is formed due to seawater eroding limestone. Thanks to the sunlight’s reflection off of the white seabed, which creeps through the opening of a vault at the top of the cave, a mesmerizing blue hue fills its capacity. The Blue Cave only recently opened to the public and has proved its worth as a Croatian hot spot in a short time.

And finally, an overview of Split itself - the largest city in the Dalmatia region of Croatia. Split is a city known for its mix of modern life and ancient history - with ruins dating back to the Roman Empire such as the famous Diocletian's Palace, a bustling waterfront, and fresh seafood served daily at many of the restaurants in town, Split is well worth a visit on any tour through Croatia.