Rovinj

Rovinj

We spent our final days in Croatia on the Istrian peninsula.  We stayed in a nice little studio apartment in the city of Rovinj.  Rovinj is on the coast approximately in the middle of the peninsula, and from here we could explore the area very easily. Culturally, Istria presents very similar to Italy.   Of course it was once part of the Roman and Venetian empires, but even today, Italian is spoken widely here and road signs are in both Croatian and Italian.  In addition to Pula and beach time, we managed to fit in a little more exploring:

Grožnjan

We visited the hill town of Grožnjan.  Once you leave the coast in Istria, the elevation goes up and there are many hill towns similar to those we saw when we visited Tuscany. This part of the peninsula is known for its high-quality olive oil, truffles, and wine.  If we weren't driving pass a vineyard, then we were passing large groves of olive trees.  We sampled the local olive oils and supported the local economy by purchasing bottles to bring home. We saw truffle excursions offered so people can watch specially trained dogs find the delicacies. 

We experienced another UNESCO World Heritage Site at the Euphrasian Basilica in the city of Poreč.  This basilica was constructed during the 6th century and has stunning Byzantine mosaics throughout the complex.  It's still in use today as evidenced by the wedding taking place as we were leaving.

Hum

And finally, we visited the "Smallest City in the World" -- Hum.  Apparently, there is a metric used to measure this.  Because there are administrative facilities, facilities for public affairs as well as having its own mayor, Hum, with a population of less than 30, is considered the smallest city in the world.  The couple of folks we saw when we visited proudly proclaim that....as do the souvenir t-shirts.  It gets my vote as the smallest as it was super tiny and you really have to want to be there as it is far off the beaten path.  At least the roads were paved.

We've now returned to Zagreb where we catch our flight home early tomorrow morning. Thanks Croatia for the great hospitality. We truly felt it.  

Pula

While evidence of the Roman Empire was somewhat hidden in Split within the remains of Diocletian's Palace, that was not the case in Pula.  Here, Roman architecture and artifacts are front and center. Case in point -- the Roman Amphitheater that is one of the best preserved in the world. While not as large as the Colosseum in Rome, it was completed about the same time around AD 80.  Every summer, there is the Pula Music Festival which holds nightly concerts with various bands and DJs for a week.  That's happening this week, and while we aren't attending, we did pass through all of the festival areas and saw the concert stage set up in the middle of the amphitheater.

Pula has also preserved its Forum (main square).  Here we found the Temple of Augustus built in the first century AD. Immediately adjacent to it is the medieval-era Town Hall, showing the architectural evolution here in Pula.  We also passed through the Arch of Sergius, which actually dates back to first century BC.  It's amazing to see these structures still standing knowing that they are all over 2,000 years old.

Our final Roman find of the day was an old Roman floor mosaic that dates to the third century AD.  It was discovered while cleaning up from World War II bombings.  It has been carefully excavated and is displayed exactly where it was found -- several feet below the current ground level -- illustrating how the City was built upwards over time.

One of the great fortunes of travel is to not only see new places but also experience different cultures and learn about shared histories.  We learned in school about the Roman Empire and how large it was, but seeing the evidence in so many different places that we've traveled to really demonstrates just how large and advanced the Roman Empire was in its day.  Amazing.

Roman Mosaic Tile Floor

Slovenia Whirlwind

Triple Bridge in Ljubljana

As with most trips, we never have enough time to do all of the things we'd like to do. We've quickly learned that with Slovenia.  We only budgeted two days here and it should have been more.  We started our day in Ljubljana at the market next to the river.  For the past few years, Ljubljana has had Odprta Kuhna ("Open Kitchen") every Friday during the warm weather months where a number of local restaurants set up shop in the square and Ljublanans flock downtown to partake.  

The food choices run quite the gamut.  You can get local Thai street food to complement an octopus burger, try ice cream bombs or chocolate bon bons, savor many different local wines while eating paella, or simply have a meat extravaganza with every kind of meat cooked over open coals.  There is live music and DJs and it's a very festive atmosphere.  We had to stop by when they opened at 10:00am and the place was already hopping.  I can't imaging what the atmosphere must have been like later in the day and evening once people were off of work.

We left Slovenia and headed north to Lake Bled.  Lake Bled is a popular resort area at the foot of the Julian Alps.  We've heard how wonderful Lake Bled is and it did not disappoint. There is a walking path that circumnavigates the entire lake and plenty of places to jump in for a swim.  It was another hot day and  many folks were enjoying the cold water.  I was able to fly my drone and get a great picture showing the turquoise water and the little island in the middle with the Church of the Assumption.

Predjama Castle

We only had a short time at Bled before we had to drive south back to Croatia.  On the way, we stopped to see Predjama Castle which is partially built into a cave in the side of a mountain. The visual setting and exterior are very striking.  We decided not to tour the interior, both because of time constraints and because we'd read the interior isn't all that exciting.  The exterior however, was worth the detour. 

From there it was the final push back into Croatia.  We're spending the final days of our trip on the Istrian Peninsula, with our base in the town of Rovinj.  Slovenia was great and we need to find a way to make it back. It definitely had its own unique culture reflecting its varied historical influences.  

Loo - bee - ah - na

Hello Ljubljana!  We're now in the capital of Slovenia, about three hours north of Plitvice Lakes.  This is our last side trip out of Croatia and we're here for two nights.  Slovenia shares a border with Austria and we can definitely see the Austrian-Germanic influence in the architecture as well as the food.  There is a definite European feel that isn't quite the same as in Croatia while we're walking the cobbled streets.  Not better or worse, just different.

Franciscan Church

Ljubljana is a younger capital than its European counterparts, and relatively smaller with less than 300,000 residents.  It frequently draws a comparison to Salzburg as there is a castle that sits atop the highest point overlooking the city.  However, the city is actually modeled more after Prague.  Even though being a European capital is relatively new, there have been settlements here since the 12th century B.C.  

A river runs through the middle of the City and there are numerous cafes and restaurants that line both sides with plenty of outdoor seating.  We have taken full advantage of the al fresco dining options where we enjoyed cool evening breezes, good food, and great people watching.

Ljubljana Caste overlooking the city

While there aren't major cultural draws like a Louvre or a British Museum, Ljubljana more than makes up for it with its general ambiance and vibe.  It's very compact and walkable and there is still plenty to see and enjoy.  

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's oldest and largest national park, and without a doubt, its crown jewel.  Our waterfall adventures started with Kravica in Bosnia.  That was lovely and a nice appetizer. Our second adventure was at Krka National Park in Croatia and it upped the waterfall game with multiple falls connecting several lakes, like a glass of fine wine as you savor each sip.  Plitvice Lakes National Park is the entire meal plus dessert plus a second dessert.  There's a reason its the crown jewel of Croatian parks, and hands-down, this was our favorite -- not only for this trip, but perhaps of all the waterfall experiences we've ever had.

The park is a series of 16 interconnected lakes that gradually drop in elevation, which is what feeds all of the too-many-to-count waterfalls.  There are giant free-falling waterfalls, travertine falls, cascading falls, and practically every other kind of falls that have a separate classification.  The water in the lakes is crystal clear and you can see the fish swimming and the rocks and logs at the bottom.  However, it is not only crystal clear, it is also incredible shades of blue and turquoise -- a result of light refraction, a lack of algae, and the calcium carbonate from all of the limestone found here.

The park is divided into two main sections -- upper and lower -- and there are a series of boardwalks and trails that visitors walk on.  There are several suggested routes through the park depending upon your interest and how much time you have.  We followed Route C which took us the entire length of the park starting at the lower section and finishing at the upper section.  This route generally kept us at water level the entire time.  There are other routes that keep you on the ridge above the water and some that mix the two.

You take an electric-powered boat across one of the largest lakes in order to get between the upper and lower sections.  There is also a tram that connects the sections along the ridge and we took that back to the entrance once we completed our entire hike through the park.

It took us a little over four hours to get from one end of the park to the other, and the time flew by.  We were constantly in awe of the surroundings and couldn't believe what we're seeing is real.  We took lots of photos and videos which helped show the beauty, but it is really something that needs to be experienced.

If you do only one thing while you're in Croatia, this should be it.  There's nothing else in this world to compare to Plitvice Lakes.

Krka National Park

Skradinski Buk Waterfall

We left Split this morning for a one-hour drive to Krka National Park.  Today is the first day of consecutive national park days, and both will feature waterfalls, which is the main reason we're going.  We arrived at Krka about 9:30am and was able to ride the bus down the canyon to the main waterfall area -- Skradinski Buk.  Skradinski Buk is the largest falls in the park and drops between several interconnected lakes.  They have a boardwalk that you can walk across the lakes and around the perimeter of the entire Skradinski Buk area.

Manojlovački slapovi waterfall

We drove around and looked at several other areas of the park and finished with Manojlovački slapovi waterfall at the north end of the park.  We're having a signifiant heat wave and the high today around the park was over 100 degrees.  That's limiting some of our planned hiking, but we're still seeing the main areas. Very thankful for air conditioning in the car and at the hotel.

Tomorrow we'll be at Plitvice Lakes National Park and it is supposed to be super hot again. We'll be there when the gates open at 7:00am and hope to beat the worst heat.

Hvar

Hvar Town

While in Split, we took the ferry over the island of Hvar and Hvar Town.  Hvar Town has many of the same architectural qualities as the other towns we've seen with the white stone and red tiled roofs.  The main difference is it caters to the jet-set and wealthy -- obvious to us by the prices, the fashion, and the number of large yachts lining the harbor.  Nevertheless, it has an amiable feel to it and is easily walkable in its compact size.  We strolled the town, stopping by the Benedictine Convent (1664) where they have the unique tradition of lace-making using the threads of the agave plant.  Did we mention the agave plants are huge here?

We then spent the rest of our time on the rocky beach enjoying the crystal clear water and watching all of the sailboats and yachts go by.  The days have been hot (90+ degrees) but the water is cool, making the beach time awesome for Mona and a little more tolerable for Bryan 😆.

This is an example of the very delicate lace made from Agave plants.  

Finding the Roman Empire in Split

We're now in the city of Split, the second largest city in Croatia in the heart of the Dalmatian Coast along the Adriatic Sea.  Split owes its origins to the Roman Empire, namely the Emperor Diocletian (245-313) who was native to Dalmatia and built a huge palace here for his retirement.  After his death and the fall of the Roman Empire, a medieval town took root sometime in the 7th century.  The Venetian Empire took over the Dalmatian coast in the 15th century, developing and fortifying Split, and with that came the introduction of Gothic-Renaissance architecture.

Seeing Roman brick arches in the cellar

Today, the Old Town of Split is rooted within all of the development that has occurred within Diocletian's Palace.  The palace, or more accurately what's left of it, is a UNESCO Heritage site.  You can still see the Roman influence and architecture throughout.  For example, what was the basement or cellar of the palace is now a shopping court.  You can still see the original Roman bricks forming the arches atop all of the stone columns. Dioletian's mausoleum became the Cathedral of St. Domnius, and Jupiter's Temple became St. John's Baptistry.  Much like Dubrovnik and Trogir, the Old Town is a maze of stone alleyways and buildings.  Although we saw hints of Roman architecture in other places we've visited, the center of Split is unquestionably from Roman times.

Bell Tower at Cathedral of St. Domnius

Split is also a major hub for ferries traversing to and from many of the outlying islands.  It has a large harbor with ferries, cruise ships, and yachts all coming and going throughout the day.  We took the ferry to the nearby island of Hvar and spent a lovely morning walking the town and enjoying the beach there.  Split's harbor is near the waterfront promenade known as The Riva which is constantly full of people.  Being here on a Saturday night showed us that a lot of people get dressed to the nines as they parade about the Riva.

With all off the hustle and bustle of Split, there is still a large swath of parkland called Park Šuma Marjan. This is a forested hillside on the western end of Split that is very popular with the locals who hike, bike, and jog here.  We visited the park as it has

The Peristyle (main square)
Entrance to Diocletian's residence

one of the highest points with great views of both the city as well as the Adriatic and outlying islands.

Our time here in Split is quickly coming to an end.  We'll be visiting national parks for the next two days, trading our bathing suits and beach towels for hiking boots.

GPS Adventures

GPS, and Google Maps in particular, have made traveling in unfamiliar places so much easier.  We've been traveling a long time, well before the advent of cell phones and having turn by turn directions at your fingertips.  We're very adept at reading paper maps, but the technology today makes things easier and can quickly let you know alternative routes when there's congestion ahead or a road is closed due to construction.

Our closed border crossing

But it's certainly not foolproof. It had us turn the wrong way down a one-way street trying to get to our apartment in Mostar. As we were leaving Bosnia, it took us to a border crossing that apparently has been closed for a very long time, and then proceeded to re-route us down a narrow one lane road that dead ended into a field.  More than once it told us to turn right to go to a roundabout to make a u-turn to proceed in the opposite direction, when we could have easily made a left hand turn.

It's taken us down many a back road on this trip and we've seen the real country and not just the shiny parts all the tourists want to see.  For the few of you who read this blog when we travel, you know we've historically traveled with Mona's parents.  They're back home and not on this trip with us which is probably a good thing.  Mona's mom is very much not your glass half full kinda lady (Hi Mom!!) and she would have been freaking out every time one of these inconveniences occurred.  For us, it's just part of the adventure in exploring new places.

There's a reason this welcome sign is grown over --- this border crossing apparently hasn't been used in years.

Trogir

After Kravica Waterfall, we ended our time in Bosnia and Herzegovina and drove back to Croatia and the town of Trogir.  The historic center of Trogir is actually on a little island -- walled of course -- and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Trogir is just across a small bay from the city of Split where we will be staying the next three days.  The historic center is well-preserved and you can easily wander through all of the narrow alleyways. It is still very much lived in as we came across many apartments and local shops and restaurants that do not necessarily cater to tourists.  We enjoyed the casual, laid-back atmosphere as we had dinner at a cafe along the waterfront promenade people-watching and seeing the boats go past.  I wonder if there are any affordable apartments here?

Kravica Waterfall

After we left Mostar for the drive back to Croatia and our next destination of Split, we made a stop at the Kravica Waterfall. We will be visiting the well-known waterfalls in Croatia at Krka and Plitvice Lakes National Parks later in our trip, but Kravica Waterfall was not really on our radar.  We stopped for about an hour as a pit stop between Mostar and our visit to the town of Trogir in Croatia, and it was worth every minute and more.  It's a popular spot for the locals to come and spend the day.  The beauty of this waterfall speaks for itself, so I will just show some pictures and video.

Mostar

We've taken another side trip out of Croatia, this time to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Most folks (us included) tend to just say Bosnia, but it's not the official name.  It's BNH for short. 😀. We didn't know much about Bosnia before this trip, but have since learned quite a bit.  We like using the Rick Steves guidebooks, and as he says, it's a country "with three faiths, three languages, and two alphabets."  We experienced all of this first hand.

Old Bridge

Bosnia is likely the most ethnically diverse of the former Yugoslavian countries. Bosnians are generally Muslim, Serbs are Eastern Orthodox, and Croats are typically Catholic. On the drive to Mostar, we saw both the Roman and Cyrillic alphabets.  We also saw numerous mosques as well as Christian churches.  We stayed in the heart of Old Town Mostar, adjacent to one of many mosques, and we heard the Muslim call to prayer multiple times during our one-day visit. About half the population in BNH is Muslim, and this is our first visit to a primarily Muslim country.  In both the architecture and food we could see the Ottoman (Turkish) influence.  In fact, Turkey has a consulate located in the heart of the Old Town.

Old Bridge at night

The main draw for our visit to Mostar was to see the Old Bridge (Stari Most).  This bridge has spanned the Neretva River for over four hundred years.  In fact, it's the longest single-span stone arch in the world.  The bridge was destroyed during the 1990s war for independence.  It was rebuilt using new stone that was hand-carved from the original quarry.  The Grand Duchy of Luxumbourg contributed significant funds to its restoration and is recognized with a plaque on the bridge. They did an outstanding job with the restoration as it is difficult to tell that it was reconstructed less than 30 years ago.

Running along the river after you cross the bridge is what's known as Coppersmith's Street.  There are lots of little shops selling all kinds of things made of stamped copper. Some of the larger pieces had very exquisite detail.  We ate dinner at a restaurant next to an 

Our Bosnian "Meat Feast"

offshoot stream of the Neretva, a lovely setting that could have inspired the San Antonio Riverwalk.  We had what I lovingly referred to as a "meat feast" -- a dinner for two that had samplings of traditional Bosnian meats including Ćevapi, a type of sausage that is often considered the national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  As a proud carnivore, I can attest that all of it was delicious.

We only had the one day for Mostar on this trip, and it was a very fulfilling and enjoyable day.  Hopefully, we will make a return trip one day.

Montenegro Adventure

Dubrovnik is at the far south of Croatia, less than an hour's drive from Montenegro. Being that close, we couldn't pass up the chance to add another stamp in our passport so we drove down for a half-day adventure to the town of Kotor.  Kotor is located on the Bay of Kotor, inside the mountains from Adriatic Sea.  It is apparently a popular cruise ship port of call as we saw three different cruise ships docked during our visit.

It was an easy drive from Dubrovnik, and because both countries are not in the Schengen zone of the European Union, we had to stop at the border to show our passports and be admitted into the country.  Once in Montenegro, we were quickly next to the water and drove around the Bay until we reached the town of Kotor about 2 hours after we left.

The Town and Bay of Kotor

Main Square and Clock Tower

The Old Town in Kotor still has its defensive walls surrounding the town and extending up into the adjoining mountain until it reaches the St. John Fortress at the top. We hiked halfway up to the Church of our Lady of Health. This church was built in the 1500s.  The views of Kotor and the bay are excellent from this vantage point.  Because it's tucked into the mountains, it reminds us of the fjords we've visited in New Zealand and Scandinavia.

Cathedral of St. Tryphon

The Old Town is very well preserved with the stone lanes and narrow alleys.  One of the best preserved structures is the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Tryphon which was first built in 1166.  It's most recent extensive preservation efforts were in 2016.  One of the interesting features is that instead of a side chapel as you find in many cathedrals, St. Tryphon has a small chapel on the 2nd level.  I was able to visit the second level and onto the balcony between the two towers overlooking the square.

Compared to Croatia, Montenegro is not as wealthy a nation and we could see that on our drive to Kotor as we passed a number of abandoned and dilapidated buildings.  Grittier might be a good term to use.  Kotor seems to be in better shape, probably in no small part to the number of tourists like us.  Definitely a place worth visiting.

A Hole in the Wall

Buza Bar

While Cocktail Bar Massimo in Korčula town was a fun experience with great ambiance, Buza Bar in Dubrovnik probably has it beat. A literal "hole in the wall" leads you to this very unassuming bar on the rocks outside of Dubrovnik's walls where you can watch the boats go by and soak in the sun and the sunsets. There's even an area for swimming and several folks were enjoying that while we were visiting.  The drinks may have been a little expensive, but the view was priceless. 

Korčula

Korčula town 

Croatia has over 1,000 islands off its eastern coast, although most are small an uninhabited. Korčula is one of the largest and most inhabited of these islands, and it did not disappoint.  We spent our Wednesday driving two hours up the coast, onto the Pelješac peninsula to the town of Orebić, where we caught the car ferry to the island. Korčula town is the historic port of the island and where we started and finished our day.  It is frequently referred to as "little Dubrovnik" because it is also a walled city on a peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, though significant smaller in size.  Korčula claims to be the home of the explorer Marco Polo, but that may be more legend than fact.  It certainly makes for a good story.

Vela Luka cave

We drove the length of the island to the town of Vela Luka to see a unique cave that has evidence of human existence dating back to 10,000 B.C.  It is still an active archaeological site trying to learn more about the earliest inhabitants of this part of Europe.  It was not a typical cave in that it has several "skylights" which gives it its unique appearance.

Pupnatska Luka

After Vela Luka, we meandered back across the island, visiting the small town of Brna and spending time on the beach in Pupnatska Luka.  Pupnatska Luka is a little cove that has some of the clearest water we've ever experienced, especially for being at the beach.  Croatia is known for having some of the most blue and turquoise water when you look from afar, but up close, is extremely clear.  We could see all the way to the bottom while we were swimming.

Super clear water

  A lot of the beaches here, Pupnatska Luka included, are pebbly/rocky beaches and not the nice sandy beaches we are accustomed to in America.

We finished our day back in Korčula town where we had drinks at Cocktail Bar Massimo, which is located in one of the towers that makes up the town's wall and fortifications.  It was nearing sunset, and we were on the roof soaking up the views and enjoying our drinks.  

It's an adventurous setting to get to, as you must climb a ladder through a hole cut through the thick stone in order to access.  The drinks were great, but the views were even better.  The tower in the lower left corner of the picture above is where it's located.

We made it back to Dubrovnik a little after 10:00pm, a full day's adventure exploring on of Croatia's most beautiful islands.