Croatia until recently remained a mystery to me. I had no idea what to expect from the now popular tourist destination. Croatia seemed to be an exotic concept, and I had little background knowledge. This past week has been an excellent education on the country of Croatia and a very relaxing break from all the stress of finals and packing up my apartment in Rome.
Aly and I decided to brave Croatia on our own. We began our journey with a train to Ancona (a city on the other side of Italy) to an overnight ferry which took us directly to Split. The journey was a lot easier than we were anticipating and the night on the boat was made even more enjoyable from our champagne, chocolate, and Batman Begins film (we try to travel in style).
Once we arrived in Split we headed straight for the beach. Split's beach was a surprise for us. The water is extremely shallow and only reaches your calf for the first hundred feet before gradually getting deeper. It was a crowded and lively beach filled with locals enjoying the day with their families. After our beach day we met up with friends for our first Croatian meal of fresh seafood along the harbor. (I may have developed a slight addiction to Croatian seabass).
The next day was even nicer weather and we celebrated by stopping by the local daily market for goods for a beach picnic. The farmers market is an excellent place for buying fresh bread, produce, cheeses, and all sorts of artisanal food products. We stocked up on some homemade bread, fresh strawberries, pears, and cheese.
The third day was by far my favorite. We decided to do a boat tour of the islands of Croatia. We cruised for an hour before getting to the first island. The pebble beach wasn't the most comfortable for lying out but the views were stunning!
After a few hours of sunbathing we headed back on the boat for some lunch and our next stop. Our next island was a very different experience because we needed to dock the boat and swim there. Most of us jumped off the boat into the sea and swam. It was a crazy and unforgettable experience and one I probably won't repeat anytime soon, but I am glad I did it!
After a few more hours in the sun we headed back to Split for dinner and a night out.
Over the next few days Aly and I explored the city of Split from the ruins to the harbor. Split is a small town but beautiful and worth seeing.
No comments:
Post a Comment