Croatia
We spent 8 days traveling through Croatia. While it is incredibly beautiful, it is also VERY expensive. Skip to the bottom if you just want the deets. We were not expecting it to be so expensive and I think we let that dampen our experience. We expected accommodations to be high during peak season but even food at a local restaurant was $12-$20. Once we realized we couldn’t afford to drink or eat out, we bought groceries and cooked at home. This actually allowed us more time for exploring as we were not constantly trying to find somewhere to eat. I will say this- we had some of the best pizza in Croatia and it can be bought by the slice!
We started our road trip in Split, where we met our Aussie friends @tatteredmaps who had rented a car and invited us along for a 2 week road trip. Split, to us, felt overwhelming and incredibly touristy. We actually preferred the near by smaller town of Trogir as it was less busy and a little less expensive! The Dalmatian coast of Croatia is absolutely STUNNING!!!
Next we headed to Zadar which we VERY much enjoyed! While it was still busy, it felt bigger and filled with more history. We also took a free walking tour here and it was fabulous! We enjoyed learning about the city and snapping some beautiful photos along the way.
Next we headed to Rijeka but we don’t have much to report because we only stopped there for 1 night and didn’t leave the airbnb.
Along our roadtrip, we stopped at Plitvice Lakes National Park and WOW!!! It was so beautiful and an easy hike! To see this beautiful park (and get some insider tips) watch the video below.
Then we made our way to Rovinj, another coastal town with a beautiful old town! We enjoyed wandering the streets and eating $1 per scoop gelato. This town is often overlooked but we recommend adding it to your list- it’s perfect for a little holiday getaway.
Finally we stopped in the JAW DROPPING town of Motovun. To this day- it is still one of my favorite little towns. Mostly because we went truffle hunting with 2 cute doggos and we had a private wine tasting on a vineyard for only $20 a person! This town is located in a region called “Istra” which is known for its award winning wine. The views are not to be missed and honestly we are surprised this town isn’t posted all over Instagram because literally everywhere you look there is a photo opp! It’s absolutely magical and worth a visit!
Split is beautiful but overrated in our opinion. Visit the nearby town of Trogir for a less crowded town.
Zadar- filled with history. You could walk around this town for hours
Croatian wine is DELICIOUS
Plitvice Lakes National park- beautiful park filled with waterfalls and lakes and also probably the easiest national park to navigate.
Rovinj- another great town located on the Dalmatian Coast.
Motovun- CANNOT MISS! This is the place to splurge. Go truffle hunting and wine tasting.
If you rent a car- try to get an airbnb with guaranteed FREE parking. Otherwise you will spend a bunch of money on parking.
Dinner in a restaurant was more expensive than Italy ($12-$20 per entre)
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