Little did I know prior to arriving that Zagreb would be so much more than just a wham-bam-thank-you ma’am one night stand on our road trip through Croatia. While the capital is in a perfect position for breaking up a long drive, this capital is both youthful and loaded with a long and interesting history! […]
Situated at the very southernmost tip of Croatia, sits the ancient city town of Dubrovnik which is still fortified by massive grey stone city walls. The stunning blue green waters of the Adriatic Sea hug its walls adding to the beauty of a place which seems more like a dream than a reality. It’s no wonder then that this beautiful part of Croatia is considered to be the “Pearl of the Adriatic!”
Mention the name “Bosnia-Herzegovina” to many older adults and their first instinct is to react with horror and remember the gruesome images that flooded their TVs during the 90s from the Balkan War. I’ve seen the images myself and heard the stories and grew up under the impression the country still wasn’t safe. Well, it’s been 20+ years, and times have changed. The country is still just starting to blossom into an up & coming travel destination still very much off the travel mainstream but loaded with treasures waiting to be explored and I wanted to go!
Set on a peninsula jutting into the Adriatic Sea, Split is the home to one of the largest and best preserved Roman palaces in the world. In 295 AD the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered an enormous palace to be built here, where one day he intended to retire. Diocletian was an unlikely Emperor as he was born into a family with a low status. He worked his way up through the military ranks and eventually became a cavalry commander under Emperor Carus.
Upon deciding which National park to visit, Plitvice Lakes or Krka, I could not possibly decide which one I wanted to visit the most. So we visited both. And for good reason: they are both stunningly beautiful.
Zadar is one of Croatia’s many small town peninsulas that date back to the Roman era which hugs the coast of Dalmatia along the Adriatic Sea. Surprisingly, this little peninsula (and the surrounding modern town) is Croatia’s 5th largest town with a rich history and many historic buildings.
There is a legend that has been passed down from generation to generation which states that there was once a Croatian Queen named Barbara who was so beautiful that her beauty consumed everything around her, therefore earning her the nickname the Black Queen.
Schloss Linderhof was the only palace that “Mad” King Ludwig II lived to see to be completed and had the chance to live in for eight years! Again, this palace was inspired by the Palace of Versailles in Paris and you can see the stunning artwork in honor of the French monarchy. While it might lack in size, as it is the smallest palace built by King Ludwig II, it packs a punch and it well worth the visit!
As we all know, I am a huge movie buff and love anything that has to do with traveling around Europe at any point in history. I love all types of films as long as they aren’t horror films! Romantic, Comedies, Historic, you name it, I will watch it! Before I go on vacation somewhere, I usually try to find a movie or read a book that takes place where I am going!
Here is my list of movies you should definitely check out before coming on a trip to Europe which includes both chick-flicks and action-flicks for those nights you and your special someone are looking for something to watch!
Castles & Palaces…. what dreams are made of! As a little girl, I always dreamed of living the fairy tale life as a princess in a beautiful castle perched upon a hill, with my long locks of brown wavy hair flowing over the castle window waiting for my prince charming to come and sweep me off my feet. Oh wait…that’s Rapunzel. While we may not have many “castles” in the United States, Europe has more than enough to make up for it. But how can we tell the difference between a ‘burg’ and a ‘schloss’?
