Croatia

Having visited the smallest of the Balkans back in April as a test pilot for WeSUP Montenegro I was fortunate enough to be heading back, this time, to Croatia to Celebrate the wedding of Tom & Lauren - my cousin and his now WIFE! The Wedding location was right on the tip of Porec in the old town so we set about looking at places to stay around the area that would allow us to move about and explore as much of Istria as we could. 

Istria makes up the most northern, largest peninsula of Croatia and is renowned for its lagoons, vast pebbled beaches along the coastal old towns, it's national parks, vibrant cities and incredible architecture. It's hard to imagine that it was in armed intermittent conflict until 1995 after declaring independence from Yugislavia in 1991 on the same day as Slovenia. With economic difficulties and divides between rich and poor, Croatia has certainly been in a long recovery but the country hides this incredibly well. The landscape is so stunning, untouched and rich in history and culture; the water a colour you can't imagine and Italian history reflected in every town you visit on this amazing coastal stretch sat on the Adriatic Ocean. It's low coastal towns, luscious forests and mountainous ranges provide vast geographical locational that allow for hot summers, ski seasons and a mixed, humid climate as you head into the hills - so expect some rain and electrical storms. With major towns and cities including Pula, Porec, Rovinj, Vrsar and Novigrad as well as copious Islands and local tours it would prove hard to fit everything in to one week. I can honestly see why so may people chose to road-trip or Island-hop around Croatia and I can 100% say I'll be back to see more! As a rough guide though, I've compiled my top 5 places to go things to see if you find yourselves traveling north Croatia.

1. Porec & Euphrasian Basilica.

The stunning seaside town of Porec (pronounced Porech) - made famous by the world heritage listed complex of the Euphrasian Basilica is a must visit! Built across the 4th and 5th century's, it's one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture and art in the world AND is believed to be one of the founding places of Christianity that started with Bishop Eufrasiana's house and expanded to include the atrium, baptistery, basilica and memorial palace with some integral parts being almost completely preserved. The stupid amount of steps up to the bell tower are totally worth it when your rewarded with the views across the town. Even if not everyone was happy about the dark, ancient staircase.

The restaurants, streets and hidden courtyards surrounding the Basilica and old town have so much charm and beauty to them, I'd suggest you have a good walk round before you decide where to eat. The harbour front provides even more options and places to stay as well as boat trips across to the islands and one of the Valamar resorts that are dotted around Porec. Walking into the town we obviously made a b-line to the first ice-cream shop that greeted us upon entry....we also happened to pass another as we left - I mean, it'd be rude not to.

Having got our bearings and wandered the beautiful old town, it also gave us a chance to find the location for Saturdays wedding; held at the sister building to the Valamar grouping in this incredible Manor that was exclusive to us for the entire day. What more can you want from your day than views across the bay, sheltered under the trees, in your own private estate that houses a beautiful building and celebrations that go on while the sun sets in front of us surrounded by amazing friends and families. There's literally nothing more, right?

2. Motovun

The Italian roots of Croatia were certainly evident in the incredible medieval town of Motovun as you wander up the cobbles streets, winding your way into the hills with views overlooking the vast vineyards and truffle forests, which alone, make it a definite visit. The wine, oil and truffles are certainly enough to rival that of the Italians so while we were there I didn't hesitate to sample what I could and come home with a bottle at the best price you'll be able to find it. The calmness, serenity and still of being this far into the mountains was probably what stuck out to me. That and the feeling of stepping back in time when the pace is slower, the environment older and the views........well......I think someone had more unspoiled views than we did and I'd definitely be keen to follow suit.

3. Novigrad

We visited Novigrad one sweaty afternoon post-Aquapark to see what it had to offer and it really didn't disappoint. I only wished we had longer so I could jump in off the platforms and dine along the harbour front. 

4. Lim Fjord & Rovinj

Boat trip & Rovinj were on my itinerary/to-do list and so we combined the two and headed south to the source of Lim Fjord and hopped on a boat (with some mild bartering, betrayal and switching captains)  toward the coast passed the mussel and fish farms and famous pirate cave. 

Rovinj itself immediately fell into top spot as far as my favourite towns went and as we looked for a spot to eat, again the restaurant became my favourite also as we sat with the view of the town ahead of us, local beer in hand and a plate of the best pasta I've ever eaten (And I love pasta). We did a loop of the whole town following the marina around, heading up through the main street and joining back at the square and I fell more in love around every corner. Each ally between building held it's own spectacular view of the bay and as I stepped down one to a low bustling sound and music I found a platform carved into the rocks with colourful small chairs, tables and cushions were locals and tourists alike were sat basking in the sun with drinks and tapas. The same happened again down the next path with more locals spread further along more platforms where bathers were set up for the day and supplied with steps into the ocean to cool off. Now, anywhere hot enough to require steps into the sea to cool of with a drink is okay with me. Which is why I would highly recommend at least a full 24 hours in Rovinj to benefit from this novelty - so it's on my list for when I return; towel in hand, bikini ready and stomach lined. 

5. Our location 

So with my favourite towns covered I want to talk a little about where we stayed for the week, because anywhere that sits ON a vineyard above the cellar their wine is produced and bottled from, is worth talking about. 20 minutes from Porec into Vineyard country, lays the small town of Ferenci where the Deklic wine business continues to grow and when you stay in their beautiful house ON site, you are of course welcome to tour their wine cellar and sample their produce whilst learning about their 4 generation strong family run business. I even helped stick some of the labels onto their 2017 batch. With 14 hectares of land, 6 different grapes, an incredibly limited run of sparkling wine and a Sauvignon Blanc currently establishing its vine in the fields behind, we sat on our last night under the stars with a huge appreciation for the family who have worked from the ground up to create some of the best wines's we've tasted. We also sat trying to work out how to bring a crate or 6 back home with us! 

So with a pool to ourselves, outdoor pizza oven and the cutest, super quiet neighbourhood around us with a restaurant at the top and bottom of our drive, our location really was the perfect base between days out. It was even the most amazing spot to storm watch from and we were treated to a real show on our last night as we watched the storm role in in front of us with lightning forks level with us in the distance!

Thank you so so much again to Tom & Lauren for inviting us, to our wonderful Deklic family for having us and to all the incredible locals who made the trip so memorable, fun, and a well and truly unforgettable experience. Please do ask if theres's anything else you'd like to know, or if you're planning a trip and want some advice. 

Lizzie

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