It was during our stay in Croatia (“Hrvatska” in Croat) that I came to understand why this area of the world (the Mediterranean) attracted so many people. Why every major cruise line in the US had at least one itinerary that included ports of call along this body of water (think Mykonos, Nice, the Italian Riviera). Why Impressionist-era artists, like Monet, raved about the light, international celebrities (of yesteryear and today) secretly vacationed here, the world’s richest built mansions along its coast.
With this popularity came the high prices, both then and now. The same dish in Barcelona (Spain) would cost twice as much as one ordered from a restaurant just inland from the coastal hotspot. Hotels and taxi cab drivers (carriages!) could charge a premium and they did.
I am grateful that our introduction to this highly-touristed region of Europe was Croatia. If it was somewhere else, I think it might have left a bad taste in our mouths and maybe even turned us off to traveling to this continent again (probably not, but added for the drama!).
Our home base was the seaside town of Porec, located on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula (the lump on the elbow of the boomerang-shaped country). This peninsula and the lands to the north that curve around the northern end of the Adriatic Sea are at the crossroads of many cultures. From the north came the almighty Hapsburg dynasty. From the west came the Italians. To it’s east the Slavs and Turks. And from the south, the Greek and Arab influences. This blending can be seen in the faces of the people.
It is also infused in their food.
And even reflected in their traditions and architecture.
Why was I so grateful it was Croatia? Because you still had the temperate weather (the big draw) as elsewhere in the Mediterranean, the beaches were literally indistinguishable (and even less crowded), the seafood was equally fresh and delicious, the historic sites were plentiful and you got all of this for a third of the price than at other more popular destinations (remember Barcelona?); basically, the Mediterranean experience at a bargain. Keep in mind this was over a decade ago but even now the relative bang-for-your-buck of Croatia compared to its European competitors is still a very good value. Is it any wonder that the country has been dubbed the “hidden gem of Europe”!
When we thought of visiting Europe, two main countries came to mind: Italy and France.
Luckily for us, Italy is on the opposite bank of the Adriatic from Croatia. The two look like puzzle pieces that would fit snuggly had it not been for a sea separating them.
The Italian influence is strong and undeniable in this former Yugoslavian state. On a boating day-trip (highly recommend for the full experience anywhere on the Mediterranean) down the coast to another seaside port (Rovinj), it became obvious that the two countries have had a very long history together.
The Roman ruins in Pula and the terracotta roofs of the hillside homes in Opatija (both down the coast from Rovinj) further attest to this centuries-old intermingling.
If Croatia is still not Italian enough, a quick 2.5 hour speedboat ferry ride from Porec to Venice might just do the trick. Yes, I said Venice. Imagine, a Croatian breakfast at 7AM and then a Venetian plate of angel-hair pasta for lunch. So unfair!
Croatia has a culture all its own though. From its suggestively-named local soda drink to its concrete diving platforms to its fancy art-deco public showers.
FUN FACT. Having grown up in Hawaii, I never got to experience the migration of seasonal workers during the vacation months (like on the coasts of the continental US); it was tourist season year-round for us. In Europe, during the high tourist season, multitudes of multilingual hotel workers and restaurant staff from around the continent (some even from the Middle East) flock to Porec and other coastal Mediterranean towns for work. According to Peter and Traude, the temperament of this temporary workforce changes throughout the season; from warm and inviting in late May/early June to noticeably irritable toward the end of August and into early September. Don’t be offended if you detect a sense of urgency; many just want to go home and return to their regular lives.
