It has been a while since I posted an update! Since the last post I’ve traveled to Warsaw, New Orleans, Croatia, and even explored more of my home city of Philadelphia! I’ll try to play catch-up at some point and post more about all those trips, but the Croatian trip was likely my favorite out of all of the above so I’ll start there.

Zagreb: A Quirky Capital

I started my journey in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city. A lot of travelers will skip Zagreb when going to Croatia in favor of more time on the country’s amazing coastline, but if you have the time I would recommend checking it out! Zagreb has some of the country’s top-rated restaurants, many cool historic sites, and a niche museum for every interest. You can cover what you want in there in just a couple days and it’s easy to fly in and out of as one of the bookends of your trip.

The coolest thing about Zagreb was how many weird, little museums it had. There was everything from the Museum of Broken Relationships to the Museum of Hangovers to the Museum of the 80s. The Museum of Broken Relationships, which showcases souvenirs from relationships that have ended and short stories about the relationships in question, is definitely worth a stop. It not only has items pertaining to romantic relationships but also relationships with family members, friends, and even careers. The stories about lost family members were especially emotionally moving for me. I would also recommend checking out the the Museum of Lost Tales, which is a really fun and beautifully arrange exhibit on Croatian folklore.

Of course, while in Zagreb it’s also important to check out the classic historic sites including St. Mark’s Church with its beautiful tiled roof and Lotrščak Tower with its noon cannon firing. If you have the spare time and access to a car, you could also add a short hike in Medvednica Nature Park to the north of the city and also take in the views of the city and nature below from Sljeme Tower at the peak of Mount Medvednica.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

From Zagreb, we drove over to Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. The lakes are this startling shade of blue and walking through the park on the boardwalks and trails they’ve built out is delightful. There are a number of different options for the paths you can take through the park, but a million other bloggers and sites have already done a great job giving recommendations and overviews of that. I found Earth Trekkers’ guide particularly helpful.

You really could do the main portion of the park is just one day, which is what we did, and even move on from there immediately but I found it was nice having a place in the area to crash. We stayed at Restaurant & B&B Plitvica Lodge and I would definitely recommend it. The rooms were comfortable and there was a very cute outdoor area. They also provided a great dinner and breakfast (for a fee) and even came around to chat and occasionally offer shots to take with them. Just be sure to bring cash with you as everything onsite is cash only!

Additional Croatian Parks

If you can only see one Croatian Park, I’d recommend prioritizing Plitvice. However, Croatia has a number of very cool National Parks and nature preserves also worth checking out if you have the time! We added 2 to our itinerary between the remaining cities.

Grabovača Cave Park: This is a small park not too far from Plitvice and you are offered a discount with proof of your Plitvice entry ticket. It features a very cool cave tour, a random hobbit house, and a small nature preserve. Not necessarily the most exciting of the parks available but fun for a stop on the way to the coast if you feel like ducking into a cave.

Krka National Park: Krka is the second-most popular of Croatia’s parks and for good reason. It’s a truly massive park with a ton of options for what you may want to see. I started from the Skradin entrance, which has a very cute town (I almost wish I had stayed a night there!) and features a boat ride to Skradinski Buk. I thought the boat ride and the small hike through the falls area was really nice and I’d highly recommend stopping on your route from Plitvice to Split! Note: you’ll notice a lot of sites talking about the ability to swim in these areas, but be aware that Croatia has banned swimming near the falls now! We spotted some people still doing so, but there were many signs noting the prohibition.

Not-Banana Split

Split is hands-down my favorite city from this trip and makes the list for places I’d actually plan a trip back to! Split is full of a mix of Roman and Medieval ruins giving the city a very unique appearance. I was constantly in awe of being able to walk around on Roman stone streets and amidst medieval buildings. I’d recommend starting your stay with a walking tour to get a better understanding of the history of this place and then just spending as much time as you can wandering the old city. A highlight was definitely sitting outside amidst the Roman ruins while sipping on a cocktail from Lvxor and listening to live music in the square.

While in Split you have to check out some of the islands nearby. If you have the time, taking a slower boat and even spending a night on at least one would be amazing! But if you’re pressed for time like I was you can easily book a 1-day boat tour of a few islands by speedboat. The tour we did stopped at the Blue Cave, a couple swimming spots off the coast of Vis, and Hvar.

Dubrovnik: Game of Throngs

Our last stop of the Croatia trip was Dubrovnik, which was the location for much of the filming of Game of Thrones. At this point the old city feels a lot like medieval Disneyland. It is constantly packed with tourists and it’s full of Game of Throne-themed gift shops. That said, it’s definitely worth a stop. I would just limit your time here to a couple days and spend more of your time in Split if you get the chance. The best thing to do here (especially if you’re not into Game of Thrones) is take a historic tour of the old town and walk the wall. I’d recommend starting early and walking the wall first thing to avoid the crowds and some of the sun. We also just walked around the other main sights with a paid audioguide and really enjoyed that approach!

The other popular attractions are hitting up one of the beach clubs and taking the cable car up to an observation point above the city. The beaches in my opinion are just okay, but I’m also not really a beach person. The cable car is worth doing, though! I’d recommend skipping the Panorama restaurant or cocktail bar at the top and instead bring your own beverages and food of choice and walk over to the top of the hiking trail. There are great sunset views there and you can set up your own picnic to enjoy!

Where to Eat & Drink

Zagreb

Noel: This Michelin-starred restaurant requires reservations and is very pricey, but I really loved my experience there! It was one of the most stereotypical Michelin experiences I could have (tiny plates presented in almost ludicrous formats), but the food was amazing and I left full and satisfied!

Pod Zidom Bistro: Another more expensive option, but so worth it. Everything here was incredible. I especially liked the stuffed zucchini flower appetizer. One of my co-workers called this meal “life-changing.”

Gostionica Ficlek: Located very close to Pod Zidom, this place serves very traditional Croatian dishes in an intimate setting.

Vincek: Good spot to grab a kremšnita (custard cake) for dessert.

Tolkein’s House: A small Lord of the Rings themed spot to enjoy a craft beer.

Split

Konoba Otprilike Ovako: Konoba in Croatia basically means tavern or restaurant and you’ll find konobas scattered throughout Split. This one was particularly good and in a more residential part of town.

BOKUN coffee and kitchen: Cute little spot for breakfast just outside the old city. The breakfast burrito was amazing.

Konoba Fetivi: A Michelin recommended Konoba specializing in fish. Get the whole fish or even the sampler that includes one whole fish – you won’t regret it.

Café & Restaurant Lvxor Split: An upscale spot that serves drinks to the steps in the Roman square. Had a few cocktails here while enjoying the evening atmosphere and definitely would recommend it.

Dubrovnik

Seosko domaćinstvo Ficović: Okay, this one is technically on the way to Dubrovnik from Split, but you should stop in if you’re doing that drive! It’s a beautiful restaurant near Ston that serves delicious oysters and has its own private beaches that you can enjoy. Try the Ston cake for dessert!

Forty Four Restaurant: Cute little spot right in the center of Dubrovnik. The waitstaff was so nice and it was the closest we got to real air conditioning in the summer here.

Life According to KAWA: Coffee shop and kitsch store just outside the old city walls. The owners are super nice and the coffee is delicious. Plus it has a bunch of cool options for souvenirs and a whole back section of Asian snacks!