Bucket List #1 - Complete

Well my incredible journey on Sail Croatia is very quickly coming to an end.  It’s something I’m not quite sure I want to end yet, nor do I know if I’ll return for another season, but I’m most definitely sure it was the best thing I ever did.  Sunshine, pristine clear waters, beers, cocktails, sightseeing, hiking, adventure activities, new friendships; a summer to remember!    

In light of my time in Croatia coming to a very quick end, I thought I’d share with you my favourite things I loved to do during my time on the boats. 

1.       Stroll the Old Town walls of Dubrovnik

Almost 2kms long, this incredible design encases the large Old Town.  It winds up and down and around, giving you amazing photo opportunities over the Adriatic and the red rooves of the buildings and houses inside the Old Town.  Being subjected to bomb shelling by the Serbian army in 1991, Dubrovnik Old Town was devastated, leaving many places without rooves.  This is evident in the different shades of red tiles on the buildings – some much newer than others – showing the signature of the red roof design.  It is now a massive tourist attraction when coming to Croatia.  The cost is 100kuna to get access to the wall but definitely worth every lipa.

Red rooves in Dubrovnik Old Town

 

View from Dubrovnik Walls

 

2.       Party at sunset at Hula Hula Bar, Hvar

If there’s anywhere you want to go to see the sunset, it’s at Hula Hula bar.  Located right on the water with dominating views of the beautiful sunsets of Hvar, this cocktail bar knows how to party.  With some of the best cocktails I’ve tried here, Hula Hula bar is a large, lounge and hut venue.  You can come down here during the day to relax in the sun, or head down later in the afternoon for that signature cocktail/sunset photo shoot.  Great music, many like-minded party travellers and fun barstaff, on top of the delicious cocktails and tasting platters, Hula Hula never fails to deliver. 

Sunset at Hula Hula Bar

 

3.       Check out Marco Polo’s first house in Korcula

Rumours are that Marco Polo, famous explorer was born in Korcula, my favourite place in Croatia.  There’s always going to be people who contest this (i.e. The Italians), however the locals here are very adamant and get quite defensive if you should argue this point.  As such, Marco Polo anything is a go here in Korcula – Marco Polo restaurants, shops and ice cream.  However, if you go anywhere, go and check out Marco Polo’s house that he grew up in.  It’s not overly big but you can find out some interesting history and background about Marco Polo and can even pick up a little souvenir in the museum dedicated to him.

4.       Bike around the National Park of Mljet

Boasting 54km² of National Park, the island of Mljet is definitely worth a stopover.  The National Park consists of 2 lakes, with a beautiful monastery in the centre of the larger lake.  The scenery in the park is incredible; it has some great foot and bike paths to allow you to explore as much as you like.  Go for a dip in one of the lakes and float under the bridge between the two, where the salt content of the lakes is most concentrated.  I’d recommend hiring a bike and cycling around, as the paths around the park are bike friendly and not at all strenuous.  Then stop at the larger lake and possible hire a kayak for a casual afternoon on the water, where you can paddle over to the monastery on the island of St Mary for some an architecture and history boost.  Entry to the park is 80kuna to help with maintenance and you can pay an extra 20kuna for a boat transfer to the monastery if kayaking is just not your thing. 

Mljet Lake inside National Park

 

5.       Get incredible pictures of the Biokovo Mountain range in Makarska

The best thing about Makarska is its location – situated right between the Biokovo Mountain range and the Adriatic sea.  When you arrive, it looks more like a movie backdrop, with the highest point at 1762m above sea level.  You can do some hiking trials if you are feeling energetic, otherwise enjoy the view and the great photo opportunity – go to the local beach, jump in the water and turn around and take a picture in the water, with these incredible mountains behind you.

Biokovo Mountain Range right behind us in Makarska

 

 

6.       Hike to the Fortica (Stari Grad) fortress in Omis

Not for the faint hearted, the trek to Fortica fortress at the top of Omis is a tough one.  Definitely take good walking shoes and plenty of water, as this walk is pretty much entirely uphill.  The path is very clearly marked out with red dots to show you the way, however the path is often overrun with shrubbery and plenty of loose rocks, so mind your step! Saying this, the view you get from the top is incredible.  The beach of Omis goes off the coast with a long peak, giving you the view of the white sand and clear blue waters, away from the built up town.  The hike up here took me just under 30mins, however I suggest allowing at least an hour to get to the top.  You’ll want to get inside the fortress, even just to get higher views, and at a cost of only 15kuna, well worth checking out.  The other side of the fortress boasts a beautiful mountain range and makes you feel like you’re in a completely different place. 

Beautiful view of Omis beach

 

7.       Taste the delicious wines of the Stari Grad plains

Croatia is re-known for good wine.  Vineyards are abundant throughout the country, including in the Stari Grad plains on the island of Hvar.  You can hire a bike and cycle through the plains and see all the vineyards and maybe stop in at one to sample the produce.  These plains are actually UNESCO protected due to the unique design of the roads to create the plots of land at exactly right angles.  Otherwise, you can partake in a wine tasting expedition to a local winery and sample the sweet grapes of this region.  My favourite winery is owned by the family Zuvela and is a farm/winery combined.  They make and grow everything that you taste there, from tomatoes and olives, to cheeses, breads and olive oils, and of course, the delicious wine!  Definitely worth a visit! 

#teamnaval at Stari Grad Winery

 

8.       Drink a cocktail delivered on a pulley to the top of a tower in Korcula

I just love the view you get up here in a tower-turned-cocktail bar! They are delicious cocktails (granted, you do pay for it) and the atmosphere is chilled, in the sun, with the water right below.  My favourite cocktail here is Pinky Colada (grenadine with a Pina Colada); a nice refreshing way to end an afternoon strolling the Old Town. 

Pinky Colada's = Delicious!

On top of this, I loved to; try the local cuisine – their local pastry, Burek is the closest attempt to a sausage roll I’ve seen in Europe and are delicious! I did attempt to decipher the Croatian language, but sometimes didn’t do so well, especially when Tuna to us is pronounced chew-na, which in Croatian means small penis – always got a bit of a chuckle from the locals! I would have liked to have possibly sample the local talent since Croatians guys are SMOKING HOT (but I do still have 1 week to go…) and of course I got my signature jumping shot from the boat.  All these combined, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this beautiful country. 

It’s now mixed feelings of upcoming nostalgia, apprehension about leaving something that has come somewhat very familiar, excitement for what’s next and gratefulness to have experienced the best summer of my lifetime.  Can’t wait for the next adventure but the memories and friendships I’ve built here will stay with me forever. 

 

Sail Croatia Girls - best friends!

 

Next stop, I’m off to explore the rest of the incredible sceneries of the Croatian mainland and surrounding Balkan countries…

xx