Trogir; So Nice, Went Twice

Trip date: June 2019

My 3-week Balkan trip was coming to an end as I drove from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina to Trogir, Croatia for one last night. This time I reviewed the Google Map route and stuck to the main highway. It was an easy 3-hour drive to the Split Airport where I dropped my rental car.

Aaron had had great luck with Ubers in Croatia so my plan had been to use one from the airport to Trogir. Unfortunately I had 3 separate requests cancel so I finally had to grab a taxi for 100 Kuna.

Trogir has a lovely old town with a fantastic pedestrian-only center. The small harbor is filled with yachts and outdoor cafes are busy with locals and tourists.

I knew all of this because Aaron and I had taken a day trip to the cute town when we were staying in nearby Split. We caught a bus from the main station and in 30-minutes were walking around beautiful Trogir.

We wandered the narrow cobblestone streets until we came out to the promenade. It was a short walk to the old fort where we walked the walls and climbed the crumbling tower for wonderful views of the city and the sea. 

After an Aperol Spritz break at a waterfront café, we explored the cathedral, which has some very impressive cases of silver and gold relics. The bell tower is a great way to get both your steps and your views of the Adriatic. 

As the old town is small, we saw a lot on our day trip, and it was easy to catch the bus back to Split. 

Trogir is actually closer to the airport than Split, which made it a better choice for my overnight since I had an early flight the next day. And since I had already explored, I had my last evening in Croatia free to relax and enjoy the scenery. 

The taxi dropped me at the small bridge on the border of the pedestrian only area and I had a short walk to the XII Century Heritage Hotel. I had used some of my Alaska Air miles for a big beautiful room with a view of the sea (did you know you could use miles for hotels?). The hotel doesn't have a lift but the front desk had someone take my bags up the 4 flights of stairs. Lifesaver!!

After getting cleaned up I headed down to the café Amfora which sits right in front of the hotel and had a glass of the local white wine while people watching. It was a stunner of an evening!

I was really looking forward to dinner at Trs, which had been recommended and I'd walked past while in town with Aaron. But I hadn't made reservations for their beautiful terrace and it was completely full. I decided to take a seat inside. The food was great but the ambiance was just ok. Make a ressie here if you are in town!

On my way back to my hotel I stopped for a scoop of the most delicious fig ice cream. My first meal of this trip in Slovenia had figs in it, so it seemed fitting for my last bite.

I also had one last local brandy at the café before heading to bed. As I do!

My flight the next morning was ridiculously early, so the front desk had arranged for a taxi to be at the fort, where the pedestrian area ends, at 5:30am. The desk clerk checked me out and then retrieved my luggage for me so  I wouldn't have to lug it down the stairs. He even walked me to the taxi to make sure they were there as there wouldn't be others queued so early in the morning. 

I HATE EARLY MORNINGS! But walking thru the sleeping town was beautiful.

It took 10-minutes to get to the airport, I was there 1 ½ hours early and not one single thing was open. I could have slept another 30 minutes easily. 

It was a long day of travel home as there isn't really a direct flight out of Split. I flew Croatian Air to Zagreb where I had a short layover, just enough time to do some duty free shopping in the very nice airport. Then I flew on to Paris to catch my Icelandair flight. 

I had used miles to fly Saga Class, which was much more comfortable than coach, but also added another stop in Iceland. I popped into the lounge for a quick bite and a glass of champagne. Icelandair is in tiny concourse at CDG with no Duty Free so I missed out on buying some of my normal treats. 

The layover in KEF was very quick, just enough time for a latte. And then I was on my final leg home. Saga Class doesn't have layflat beds, but the food and drink are very good, the gintonic menu is fun, and there is much more room to relax. 

So after 21+ days, 3 countries, numerous twisty roads, a private yacht, countless truffles, and four final flights I arrived back in Seattle.

This was such an epic trip, so many adventures and some bucket list moments! I loved all of it (but especially Slovenia! Shhh, don't tell Croatia and Bosnia i Herzegovina!) 

All photos from Trogir, Croatia here.

Other posts from this trip:

Something About Slovenia

Beautiful Lake Bled

One Night at Hisa Franko

24 Hours Zagreb

Hiking the Plitvice Lakes

Dalmatian Coast Yachties

Yachties in Hvar

Every Yacht Charter Must End

Landed in Split

Arriving in King's Landing

Go-To: Dubrovnik

Eat, Drink, Dubrovnik

Lokrum Day Trip

24 Hours in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Lokrum Day Trip

Trip date: June 2019

Since I had researched the number of cruise ships in Dubrovnik for each day of my stay, I knew that on this particular day there would be 4 ships docked, with a potential for almost 12,000 passengers descending on the town. I was not interested in sticking around for that!

It was also a gloriously hot and sunny day, so I loaded up my daypack, walked to the Old Town Port, and caught a little boat for the 10 minute crossing to Lokrum Island. Boats run about every 30 minutes and cost 150Kn each way, cash only.

Lokrum was settled by Benedictine monks in 915AD. Legend has it that Richard the Lionheart was shipwrecked here in 1192. In the 1860's a summer home was built for Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico and in Game of Thrones, it was the location for the city of Qarth and also the home of the Iron Throne. Today it is a nature reserve and lovely day trip from Dubrovnik.

Upon arriving I followed one of the trails for a short hike across the island. I was greeted by MANY adorable bunnies and a few peacocks. I made my way out to "the rocks", the western shore which has lots of interesting rock formations.

But my morning destination wasn't the rocky coastline, but a small inland swimming hole. The Dead Sea as it is called, is a ~30 foot deep round lake, crystal clear, and fed by surrounding caves.

I spread my towel out on a bit of the flat rock, sunscreened up, and spent a few hours soaking up the sun, swimming, and watching brave (?) folks climb and jump off the cliffs. It was wonderful! I even had a local come and visit with me for a bit.

For lunch, I packed up my things and headed to Locroma, one of the casual restaurants on the island. It was lovely to sit outside, have a refreshing gintonic, and a very good octopus salad while watching the bunnies hop around!

Tanning and lunch completed I set out to explore the Monastery. The architecture and the grounds are really pretty. There is another restaurant on the complex and also a small museum that I wandered through. This is also where I found the Iron Throne! No line up or anything!

I wandered around the botanical garden after leaving the Monastery and fed a few of the bunnies that ran across my path. They are seriously everywhere!

Continuing on the trail it was a short walk back to the boat launch area. I had some time before my return trip so grabbed a glass of rosé in the sun. The coast on this side of the island is made up of huge flat rocks and many people were spread out on them enjoying the sun.

This was such a great day trip for me! Swimming, sunning, a little hike, lots of bunnies, and boat rides! I'd highly recommend Lokrum if you want to get away from the crowds of Dubrovnik for a few hours.

All Lokrum photos here.

Other posts from this trip:

Something About Slovenia

Beautiful Lake Bled

One Night at Hisa Franko

24 Hours Zagreb

Hiking the Plitvice Lakes

Dalmatian Coast Yachties

Yachties in Hvar

Every Yacht Charter Must End

Landed in Split

Arriving in King's Landing

Go-To: Dubrovnik

Eat, Drink, Dubrovnik

24 Hours in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Drink, Eat, Dubrovnik

Trip date: June 2019

For such a popular destination, Dubrovnik is strangely sparse on great eating and drinking spots. Between Aaron and myself, we had compiled quite a list, and they were almost exactly the same and not very long. Granted, we didn't get outside of the Old Town walls to explore restaurants where more locals dine. I would definitely do that next time, but we were just exhausted each day after climbing all over the place! 

Let's drink!

Perhaps the most popular bar in all of Dubrovnik is Buza Bar. Marked only by a wooden arrow, on a stone wall proclaiming cold drinks, you'd think this little hole in the wall (the literal meaning of buza) would be a quiet respite from all the tourists. But you'd be wrong.

The bar, which is built into the cliff wall, was packed! It was quite a little party! There is no running water here so all drinks are from cans or bottles and the bar is cash only. Besides drinking you can jump off the rocks and go for a swim in the sea (there's a ladder for re-entry). Buza isn't fancy but it's a very unique and fun spot for a drink (or two in our case). 

Another fun spot for drinks happened to also be another oceanview spot, Ala Mizerija. The open air bar looks over tiny Sulic Bay and Lovrijenac and is just outside of Pile Gate. You first pass Dodo Beach bar, which also looked cute with fun swings as chairs, as you walk to the edge of the low cliff. 

Ala Mizerija has a simple cocktail menu and also a good looking snacks menu. It seemed to have a lot more local customers and wasn't as crowded. This was a great find!

One evening, after Aaron had left town, I went on a cocktail crawl. I was excited to try a few places but unfortunately it was a bit of a bust.

My first stop was Mr. Goodlife which was almost impossible to find because 1) it's a speakeasy and 2) it was closed.

I made my way back to the main street, Stradun, and found The Bar by Azur up one of the stairway paths. I entered, expecting this to be a classic cocktail den as it was advertised on its website. It was completely empty. The bartender was rude when I asked for a menu, and pointed to a chalkboard which listed mojitos and rum cokes. I left without ordering anything.

Next stop, Buzz Bar, as recommended by the NYTimes. A basic bar with sticky menus, serving gintonics and the like. I ordered something, it was served to me, and a group of drunk people at the table next to me knocked it off my table. I took that as a sign and left!

FINALLY! I sat down at an outdoor table at Poco Loco. The drinks were inventive and delicious. The service was a dream. And the atmosphere was calm and beautiful. 

I stayed for a few rounds!

And of course I had a nightly cocktail at my hotel bar at the Hilton Imperial. The cocktails were delicious, the bar was stocked with some very good spirits, and they were always served with thoughtful snacks. 

But really it was the bartenders who made it so special. Patrick, Mirza, and Tomo went out of their way to talk to me about the local brandies, cocktails they were working on, and recommendations for around town.

Let's eat!

Lady Pi Pi restaurant is recommended by pretty much everyone who goes to Dubrovnik. And with good reason. The rooftop al fresco restaurant is a great setting, with views of nearby Lokrum Island, and the sea of red roofs of the Old Town. The grilled dishes were fresh and hot; I had some excellent squid while Aaron opted for the chicken. The staff is friendly, even if there are signs informing you that you will not be refunded for your meal if it starts to to rain, which seem a little rude. Our waiter even gave Aaron free catsup when they usually charge for it. He was very happy about that!

We also had lunch one afternoon at Horizont which has great outdoor seating looking out to the bay. The service was super friendly and the menu sounded good. Both our dishes were just ok though. It's not someplace I would recommend for a meal, but maybe just a bottle of wine and a snack if you are nearby. 

Having tasted some delicious pizza in both Slovenia and other parts of Croatia, we decided to try Mea Culpo for dinner one night. It was ok but nothing like what we had eaten before. Sadly the great pizza run had ended. 

Aaron wanted something easy the night before his early morning departure, so we settled in to the Imperial Bar at my hotel for drinks and burgers. The burgers were just ok, nothing like you would get in the states, but it fit the bill for the night.

Craving truffle pasta, I chose Dubravka Restaurant one evening. The patio here can't be beat with its views of the old forts. My pasta was fine, nothing to go out of your way for but not bad either.

On my last night I took myself to what is considered one of the best restaurants in the Old Town. Proto is a very traditional and chic fish restaurant and I was after some traditional dishes before leaving the country the next day. 

I had a lovely table outside and ordered all the hits, including rosé champagne, shrimp soup, and the famous black risotto. It was a wonderful last meal in town. 

(Restaurant 360 in Dubrovnik does have a Michelin star but neither Aaron or I had heard very good reviews -except about the view- so decided not to dine there. )

Although it's not a food or cocktail destination, Dubrovnik has so much history and natural beauty that it's hard to be disappointed! And I certainly wasn't!

All photos from Dubrovnik here.

Other posts from this trip:

Something About Slovenia

Beautiful Lake Bled

One Night at Hisa Franko

24 Hours Zagreb

Hiking the Plitvice Lakes

Dalmatian Coast Yachties

Yachties in Hvar

Every Yacht Charter Must End

Landed in Split

Arriving in King's Landing

Go-To: Dubrovnik
Lokrum Day Trip
24 Hours in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Trogir; So Nice, Went Twice

Go-To: Dubrovnik

Trip date: June 2019

In 2001 I had ripped an article out of W Magazine on Dubrovnik. The article described this gorgeous Croatian city which was in desperate need of tourists due to the war that ended in 1995. Back then, I had to look on a map to find where the stunning photos were taken. I had only been to Europe at that time but immediately put Dubrovnik on my "go-to" list. It only took me 18 years but here I was, finally!

We arrived at the port via the fast ferry from Split and took an Uber about 3km to the entrance of the Old Town. I was staying at the beautiful and historic Hilton Imperial Hotel. Aaron had a great Airbnb just inside the gates, and about a 10 minute walk away. Cars are not allowed in the old town streets so he set off with his luggage while I went inside to check-in.

*The Hilton Imperial Hotel provided me a special rate for my accommodations, including complimentary breakfast and wifi, however all opinions are my own.*

The hotel recently underwent a full renovation. Opened over 120 years ago it was the first modern hotel in Dubrovnik and offered luxuries such as electric lights, rooms with baths, and elevators to its well-to-do guests.

The buildings had been through multiple wars; hit by grenades and damaged by fire. But after Hilton took over and the remodel was complete, the Imperial is back to being a place of comfort and class. The spaces are just absolutely gorgeous and the staff went out of their way to help with even the smallest of things.

I absolutely loved my room! The blue, cream, and gold decor was so relaxing and modern. There was a table for my laptop and also a chaise for relaxing. And there was nightly turndown which is A+ with me!

Breakfast each morning was a wonderful big buffet which I chose to enjoy outside on the terrace. The front desk was sure to inform me that mimosas were also complimentary during breakfast :)

But let's talk about what is really important to me. The bar. And what a bar it is! Best in town, hands down.

Evening cocktails at the Imperial Bar were a lovely, daily habit. I'd suggest you do the same!

Being just steps from the Pile Gate is another big plus to staying at the Hilton Imperial. I was actually a little shocked when I walked down the front steps and could see the gate just in front of me!

A friend had advised me of the monstrous crowds that descend on Dubrovnik each day and suggested that I plan my daily activities based on how many cruise ships (and how many passengers) were in dock each day. Brilliant! I used this site in order to reduce being caught in the crowds too much.

Our first afternoon was spent doing an incredibly fun Game of Thrones walking tour, which I've already written about here.

One day there was only one cruise ship in port so I met Aaron for a walk around the Old Town along the ancient walls. We bought our ticket at the main entrance (you can also buy it online in advance) and started at about 10am. It wasn't too busy yet and they have it set up where you walk one-way only.

I absolutely loved all the red roofs! I couldn't stop taking photos of them, as Aaron pointed out quite often! LOL! The views are just incredible and the day was sunny and bright which just added to the beauty (bring sunscreen!)

There are a few places that you can stop for a coffee/wine/ice cream but they are far between and sometimes crowded. Best to bring a bottle of water. Although the tickets aren't cheap ($25 I think) I thought this was a fantastic way to spend the morning!

On my last full day in Dubrovnik I decided to spend the day at the beach. The weather was gorgeous and having been robbed of great weather during our sailing charter the week before, I was ready for a loungy day in the sun. I set off right after breakfast and walked across Old Town and out the Ploče Gate, in 20 minutes I was at the Banje Beach Club.

I paid 100 Kuna ($14) for a lounge chair/table/umbrella one row back from the ocean. I enjoyed many overpriced Aperol Spritz throughout the day, had a very "meh" lunch with a fabulous view of the ocean, and had a ball swimming in the clear blue water and soaking up the sun. I loved it so much I stayed all day!

On my walk back to the hotel I stopped at KAWA, a really cool housewares and design shop which carries all sorts of locally made goods. Aaron and I had browsed around a few days prior so I was back to pick up a cool painted dish, a local gin, and some local truffle salami to take home. They had also recommended a barber to him which he adored!

Most people would tell you to take the cable car up for views of the city and the sea, but it was closed when we were there because of owed taxes or something!

One of the best parts of staying in Dubrovnik for a few days is getting a chance to get lost in the windy streets and getting a glimpse into the locals lives.

And if you stay a few nights, you can wander around after the daytrippers and cruise ships have left and have almost the entire place to yourself!

Dubrovnik did not disappoint. For sure, the posh digs of the Hilton Imperial Hotel were the icing on the cake and not the type of accomodations I would have been able to stay at 18 years ago. Somethings are worth the wait!

All photos from Dubrovnik here.

Other posts from this trip:

Something About Slovenia

Beautiful Lake Bled

One Night at Hisa Franko

24 Hours Zagreb

Hiking the Plitvice Lakes

Dalmatian Coast Yachties

Yachties in Hvar

Every Yacht Charter Must End

Landed in Split

Arriving in King's Landing

Eat, Drink, Dubrovnik

Lokrum Day Trip

24 Hours in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Trogir; So Nice, Went Twice