An array of ochre, yellow and orange houses rise up from the sea, jutting out on to a thin strip of peninsula, sharply contracting against a blue sky. This is how I shall always remember Rovinj, Croatia, one of the loveliest towns along the Istria which stretches from the Gulf of Trieste to the Kvarner Gulf.
We traded in Roman ruins, Venetian architecture, delicious pasta and gelato in Italy for a two week road trip through the Balkans visiting new, up & coming destinations as the mysterious veil over Eastern Europe is slowly disappearing. While we had wanted the romance of Tuscany and the Almafi coast, we decided that Italy is 1. Expensive. 2. Crowded 3. Typical for honeymooners. Don’t get me wrong, I have a serious love affair with Italy and I still want to go, but I found myself more intrigued by the lesser known.
Set on a rocky peninsula jutting out into the Black Sea, the ancient Bulgarian town of Old Nessebar is one of the country’s few UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today, it is one of Bulgaria’s most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason: it’s packed with exceptionally picturesque wooden houses and churches. The small peninsula is connected to the main land via a man-made isthmus meaning “narrow strip of land connecting two areas of land” in Ancient Greek.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest city and quite possibly the oldest in Europe, and therefore the world, was originally supposed to be a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of day trip between our drive from Sofia to Sunny Beach. I had heard so many wonderful things about this beautiful city which boasts some of the best “National Revival” architecture that I knew we absolutely had to visit because it’s as STUPID PRETTY as they come!
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Medieval fortress walls. Tiny cobbled-stoned alleys. Venetian architecture. Heart-stopping views. Romance and adventure. What’s not to love about Kotor?
Never heard of Kotor? **Gasp!!**
Well, then by all means, allow me to introduce you to this adorable town!
When I first told family in 2015 we were trekking into Bosnia-Herzegovina for a day trip to Mostar, their eyes got wide and their first question was “Is it safe to visit Bosnia?” I don’t blame them for asking that. During the 90s, Bosnia-Herzegovina had a bad reputation for being one of the most dangerous places in the world and my parents likely watched images on the news of the horrors that took place here. Yet, despite their concerns, we did our research and went for it. And we wanted more.
Summer is just a few months away, and you are likely starting to think about where you would like to spend your summer holiday. In Europe, travelers generally head to southern Europe which offers the warmest locations, plenty of sunshine, lots of swimming holes and amazing architecture and history. In the last decade, Croatia has become a popular tourist destination with turquoise waters, amazing food and cheap deals and I share with you some of the best places to go in Croatia and some of the most amazing cities in the Balkans!
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!”