Backpacker BUZZ: Issue 72 Croatia’s Charm

Perfectly nestled between Montenegro, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Serbia, and the Adriatic Sea, Croatia boasts some of the most beautiful surroundings in Europe. It’s difficult to stop drooling at the mere sight of its sapphire-clear waters, red-roofed homes and medieval towns. So when I started showing signs of the travel bug—itchy feet, sweaty palms and restlessness—I wiped off the drool and headed straight for Croatia.

ISLAND LIFE
After convincing my friend Jenny to come with me, we boarded a plane and 11 hours later arrived in the Dalmatia region of Croatia—home to beaches, beaches and more beaches. Yes, there are oodles of beaches in Croatia, including more than 1,100 islands. Sound like paradise? Well, it’s no surprise that every summer thousands of travellers flock to Croatia’s coast to soak up the rays and bask in its Mediterranean vibe. And like any Mediterranean city, time seems to move at a slower pace. It’s common to see people freely walking around with half-buttoned shirts and sunburned faces. With siesta from 2 to 6 p.m., people spend their days people-watching, sunbathing or sleeping-off a big lunch and their nights relaxing on a terrace with some ice-cold drinks and good company.

Days are also spent exploring the island’s sights by foot, bicycle or boat. It’s ideal for people who like to see everything by foot since most of the city’s old centres prohibit cars. Another way to check out the sights is with a boat. If there’s a piece of open sea, there will definitely be a boat floating next to its owner’s bobbing head cooling off from the heat.

Nightlife gets exciting after midnight when everyone has finished their dinner and is ready to party. Most clubs are tiny, harbouring a small dance floor, which isn’t a problem since most people find themselves chatting to other visitors and locals on the steps of small alleyways outside the club. It’s quite an experience. And, if one club is causing heavy eyes or creepy stares, it’s easy to hop over to another since the islands are built for walking. Plus, the city is great to see in the dark as my friend and I discovered in Dubrovnik. We met a Croatian girl who showed  us around and took us to a wonderful place to watch the sunrise.

WARNING: Getting stung by a sea urchin is highly possible. While swimming in the Mediterranean, I unknowingly got stung by one. Thinking it was dirt, my immediate reaction was to poke and prod at the wound, making it worse. For days I had dizzy spells and could’ve sworn the world was tipping sideways. Thankfully, I went to a doctor and the world is upright once again.

MOVING INLAND

Travelling northbound and moving inland, people often referred to our itinerary as the ‘ugly’ route because travellers usually visit Croatia for its beautiful cities along the coast between Split and Dubrovnik. Sadly, non-coastal areas of Croatia are often avoided by visitors for the beaches in Dalmatia. But getting a few shades darker (and, in some cases, red and splotchy) and gorging on fresh seafood is only a small contributing factor to Croatia’s charm.

As we started moving away from the coast, it started to rain—nay—pour. For a country that receives an average four days of rainfall every June, we were there for all of it. And when it rains, the city shuts down. Locals close up their outdoor markets as everyone waits undercover for the rain to stop. As intruding as the rain is, it also cools the air and adds to the experience (for example, we spontaneously made a day trip to Mostar, Bosnia, since we were unable to visit more islands).

The rain also added to our visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A short four-hour bus ride from Split, the national park is renowned for its 16 lakes that range in vibrant colours from green to blue, creating a picture-perfect scene. Croatia is also home to six other UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Dubrovnik’s Old Town, Diocletian’s Palace (Split), Euphrasian Basilica (Porec), Trogir, Stari Grad Plain (Hvar) and Cathedral of St. James (Sibenik).

Another four hours north of Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s capital city, Zagreb. Many travellers recommend skipping Zagreb and heading straight to the south, but it’s much more than just a big city; it’s bursting with personality. If an island and a big city were to have a baby, Zagreb would be the product. It’s the one place a local kindly drove three friends and me back to our hostel after we couldn’t find a taxi. The locals are friendly and hospitable!

Travelling throughout Croatia, whenever my friend and I said we were from Vancouver, people would scratch their head and say, “where?” if someone were to tell me they were from Croatia, I’d have put on an awkward smile and thought they were lying because before June, I knew a pitiful zilch. For a country that was never on my radar, it has quickly become one of my favourites. I keep a small amount of local money in the hope of one day returning to the charming little country that I knew nothing about, but ended up loving.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 12:16 pm and is filed under Hostelling International. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Add to del.icio.us.