#334: Plitvice Lakes National Park (2nd Ed. pg. 286)

 

Oct. 10-11, 2024

Some of the views from our pre-dinner evening stroll.

Plitvice has 16 terraced lakes connected by hundreds of waterfalls that you can see from every direction and angle.

So many different vantage points!

There aren't any hotels or restaurants in the park, which adds to its charm.  We stayed here at Plitvice Creek, a cute little bed and breakfast.  A family (mom, dad and their adult son) ran the place and they were extremely hospitable.  For an extra charge, they will feed you dinner and breakfast as well.  The rooms were clean, well-appointed and cozy.  It was great!

For 23 euros a person, admission includes boat rides and shuttle rides throughout the Park.

Plitvice became Croatia's first National Park in 1949.

Of note, it was also here, on Easter Sunday in 1991, that the first shots of Croatia's war with Yugoslavia were fired.

Plitvice tip:  There are a lot of day-trippers to this area.  So, if possible, travel by car and spend the night so that you can explore the park in the morning before the day-trippers arrive, or in the evening after they leave. Its beauty will overwhelm you regardless, but when seen in the quiet away from the crowds, it is absolutely captivating. 

I love how close to the water you can walk and explore.

Every bend in the walk-way brings you to another breathtakingly beautiful site.

Waterfalls everywhere you look!

A map of the area.

Cost: 23 euros per person

Verdict: Yes!!!  I had never even heard of this place prior to planning this trip.  And now, I consider it to be one of the most amazingly beautiful places I have ever seen!  It's worth going to Croatia just to see this National Park!  Rick Steves describes it as "Niagara Falls diced and sprinkled over a heavily forested Grand Canyon."  That's a pretty accurate description.  He goes on to say "Countless cascades and water that's both strangely clear and full of vibrant colors make this park a misty natural wonderland." And I concur.  So, that description alone should make you put this on your bucket list!

#333: Istria (2nd Ed, pg 285)

 

October 7-14, 2024

The Istrian peninsula wasn't on my radar until recently. But I'm glad it finally made it to the top of my list because it lived up to the hype!

Here we are in Piran.

Piran is Pretty!

Tartini Square

We climbed to the top of the bell tower of St. George's Cathedral.

146 stairs!

But worth the climb!

Groznjan 

Treat yourself to lunch at Mama Marias!

That is her in the middle - best steak ever!

Motovun

It rained for us here, so I don't have any pics from the otherwise beautiful views from the rampart wall.

Rovinj!

We spent three days here and absolutely loved it.

The textures and colors of the walled city were so gritty and beautiful, especially against the backdrop of the Adriatic Sea.

And it has a bell tower too - but these stairs (189 in all) are wood and look so old and rotted - it's a bit risky climbing up these stairs 😳

But worth the view!

And I highly recommend renting bikes - what a great way to see the city and get off the beaten path!

We stopped by a market, picked up some sandwich fixings and stopped for lunch along the way. It was perfect!

Sunset in Rovinj.

When you think Colosseum, you think Rome. But there is an equally impressive Amphitheater in Pula!  It's the sixth-largest and one of the very best preserved amphitheater anywhere in the world.

Cost/Logistics: We flew into Venice, rented a car and used Rovinj as our home-base while we explored all the Istrian towns.  We stayed at Spirito Santo, which was lovely (and included breakfast as well as bikes - we took full advantage of both!)  If you decide to stay somewhere else, try to make it somewhere inside the walled city. Location is key in a place like this!  One of our favorite days was when we didn't touch the car at all and just ventured out by foot and bike.  A cost saving tip in Pula is to walk all around the Amphitheater, but not go inside.  You can save 10 euros/person this way and you get great views from behind the Amphitheater looking down.  Another tip is to see the Amphitheater and then leave. Your time is better spent at some of the more charming and quaint Istria towns.

Verdict: I always discuss this with my travel partners.  Is this a "must do." And in this case, all six of us were in full agreement that Istra is a hidden gem.  So, not only should you go, but you should go now before it gets overrun by crowds, because a place this beautiful won't stay a "hidden" gem for long!