Croatia has stunningly beautiful coast, sea and lots of islands, rich history, greeeat food, beautiful capital city Zagreb, nice people and great climate with a lot of sunny days. Sounds like ideal touristic country.
Because, with its sublime location, overlooking the calm blue waters of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most magnificent walled cities. Now a UNESCO world heritage site and Croatia’s most up-market destination, it was once the capital of the wealthy sea-faring Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808).
During its Golden Age in the 16th century, it had one of the largest merchant naval fleets in the world, with consulates in over 50 foreign ports.
Today people come here for leisure, not to trade.
The romantic town of Rovinj (above), a former Venetian vassal state, rises from the Adriatic like an estranged island of Venice. Pine-shaded Adriatic coves entice with a refreshing plunge. Evenings are capped off with Champagne cocktails at the Valentino Bar, a breezy boîte perched directly on the water and illuminated in vivid cerulean by underwater lights—not a bad spot to nurture your own inner Casanova.
We’re almost into a new year, so what better time to start planning for some new trips? While there are some great adventure destinations out there that have proven to be well-worth the journey, there are still some lesser known regions that have a lot to offer. One of these is the Island of Brac in Croatia, a region full of outdoor and adrenaline-pumping activities.
Sobes (pronounced SO-bays), or family hotels, are rooms for rent in private homes and are prevalent throughout Croatia and along the Adriatic Sea. They range from $10 to $50 a night and may be the most authentic way to experience the country’s stunning beauty. But they are also largely unregulated — as was my anxiety. What if we got robbed? What if the bed was infested with bugs?
