Croatia: Not Your Typical Game of Thrones Tour – Part I

I’ve been dreaming of going to Croatia for over 13 years. This trip has been a long time in the making and this year the stars finally aligned. Yippee! While Croatia is a relatively small country with just over four million people, the land spreads long and the number of islands seem endless. In recent years, it has become one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

My impression of Croatia has been this distant but familiar land as friends have visually described their favorite places, childhood secrets and growing change throughout the country as tourism has boomed. To navigate this scenic country, the next ten days of our trip were filled with boat trips, long bus rides and a rental car. All of which we did easily with our seven-year-old daughter.

We landed in Split a few hours before sunset, hired a car service to zip us over to Sibenik so we could meet our friends and catch a boat to the tiny island of Zlarin. We eagerly jumped in the boat ready to feel the wind in our hair. We were instantly charmed. Pulling into the Zlarin Yacht Club harbor, the water is crystal clear, and the beach is sprinkled with rocky pebbles. Zlarin is best known for its bright red coral, figs and zero access to cars on the island, all of which I quite liked.

Our friend’s beach house was less than a two-minute walk from the harbor. Walking up the rock paved sidewalk lined with fragrant rosemary bushes, with my hands full, I looked up and saw a beautiful typical rock house. It was more charming than I ever thought imaginable. It was exactly how my friend described it to me over and over all these years; traditional, simple, spacious and comfortable. Yet for me, it was all that and so much more. The energy radiated, and I could feel her memories flood through this treasured home. This is a place full of love, connection and community.

Some of the most important decisions of the day revolved around getting to the local bakery before the bread sells out and haggling with the fishmonger for the catch of the day. All of which took place in the early morning. Time moves slowly in Zlarin. I relished the slow pace and the company of my dear friend, and it made me realize how much I crave more simplicity in my everyday life.

Our daily routines were guided by the sun’s path. Morning coffee was sipped on the front shaded patio to avoid the burning sun while dinner was served on the back patio, so the heat of the sun could dry the laundry hanging in the front. While we had every intention to experience the daily sunsets, we were often too engrossed with conversation, endless laughter and flowing local wine. But we generally caught the tail end on the pebbled beach, glass in hand, or during our evening strolls throughout the town.

Food played the starring role of our daily experience and was often a hot topic during our dinner chats. One of the things I enjoyed most was all of us sitting around dinner table sharing a wonderful meal, connecting as friends and truly enjoying the moment uninterrupted by the stresses of daily life. The community feel of the meal preparations wove easily into our daily routine. Everyone helped and took part of each meal. If we were able to interrupt the kids from playing, they usually set the table before running off or asking for ice cream on a repeated loop.

During our time on Zlarin, our days were filled with boating adventures of the surrounding area. We explored the desolate island of Sokol, full of huge white stones, endless garlic blooms, rocky cliffs – perfect for cliff diving and amazing snorkeling. You can easily swim the circumference of the tiny island. Another favorite was visiting Krka National Park, a natural heritage. The short walk through the forest preserve is tranquil and the first glimpse of the waterfalls are breathtaking. The highlight was taking a dip in the cool water. The current is surprisingly strong.

While our beautiful experience on Zlarin island ended, we were excited to continue our Croatian journey up the northern coast to visit another beach town and stay with another set of friends at their lovely home. After the short boat ride back to Sibenik, we boarded a local bus headed North.  Our friend’s cozy beach house is nestled between the sleepy towns of Seline and Starigrad Paklenica. This area is popular amongst hikers and rock climbers eager to spend time in the Paklenica National Park, where the mountains meet the sea. This is the most visited climbing site in Croatia and the largest in Southeast Europe.

As soon as we arrived, we felt instantly at home. The quiet charm allowed us to ease into a new routine, which involved regular naps, swims and leisurely dinners. These beautiful lazy days gave us time to disconnect, breathe and reflect. The joy of seeing and hearing our little girls play uninterrupted by time or schedules was a true pleasure. The stunning views of the mountains were best enjoyed from the water, as the contrast between the tranquility of the sea and the ruggedness of the mountains and canyons made for a perfect backdrop.

Our friend’s apartment was built by her grandparents. It’s attached to three other properties, which are all still owned by members of her family. They share common areas, including a garden that is a foodie’s dream, filled with olives, figs, lavender, rosemary, bay leaves and an overgrown apple tree. Every evening we sat on a large shared balcony, where we enjoyed delicious meals with her aunt and cousin. Her aunt is the true personification of Zen. By the time the rest of us were waking up, she had already watered the garden and was on her first or second swim of the day. Although she had never met us before, she cooked a beautiful dinner with such love and care for what seemed like an army of hungry patrons, featuring fresh ingredients straight out of the garden. Even the language barrier couldn’t stand in the way of feeling the magic of breaking bread together. Dinner conversation swirled around beach house memories and the many adventures experienced by the cousins.

Having the Adriatic Sea at our feet was a magnificent treat. From the herb garden, all we had to do was open a small gate to get to our very own tiny piece of the Adriatic, a private sliver of paradise. Our giggly little girls felt very empowered as we would let them play in the water without us watching constantly over their shoulders. A long-time resident of the rocky pool that enveloped our access to the sea is an old black crab with tiny white spots, which the girls hoped to get a glimpse every time they were by the water. The cousin’s dog Zizi loved all the attention she got from the girls, and occasionally joined them for a splash, showing off her magnificent swimming skills.

As we were getting ready to head out, my friend and her aunt ran back to the garden and returned with hands full of the largest bunch of bay leaves and a bag full of wild rosemary for us to take home. I’ve been back from Croatia for over a month now, but the scent of fresh herbs is still fresh in my mind.