Transit and Tales
  • Home
  • Destinations
  • Travel Tips
  • Transit Conversations
  • About
  • Contact

Take me there

The perfect Croatian getaway

15/11/2017

9 Comments

 
Picture
If there is space on your bucket list please put Croatia on it.  It is everything a simple relaxing summer holiday should be. Warm sun; perfect ocean temperature (minus any scary nasties), fresh food and amazing wine. Not to mention – great value.  

​I have a gem of an island that I don’t really want to share but I can’t stop raving about. 

This perfect destination is a magical little island only 5km off the coast from Dubrovnik, but is a world away from summer time crowds and hustle.  

This little island has no cars, so it’s perfect for the kiddies with no road sense. The only vehicle to watch out for is the golf buggy picking up hotel guests from the ferry.

A narrow footpath traverses up the hill from the main port and village through olive and citrus trees, past a beautiful ancient church along a ridge to the other settlement on the island.

This little village has a little stone building that sits right down on a small sandy bay and which is actually a family run restaurant.
 
The first time my friend and I stumbled upon this local eatery we were greeted by the man we then referred to as The Angry Man and had many of the traits of the Seinfeld TV character “the soup Nazi” (Google it if you don’t get the reference).

He was angry and rude (and that was just in Croatian) and there were rules that we just didn’t understand - we sat on his plastic chairs after we had just gone for a swim!

We think his wife scolded him and told him off as the next time we went back (yes we did go back) he offered us his homemade brandy, which was basically weeds, from his garden soaked in vodka!

We took it as a peace offering and not that he was trying to poison us.

​Yet this man fired up the best BBQ fish I have ever tasted in my whole entire life. Cooked over a wood fire (he would keep the fire glowing all day by blowing a hair dryer on to it) he would slap the fish with a stick of rosemary dipped in olive oil and garlic and smeared with salt. It was cooked to perfection.

It was crispy and was the only thing you needed to eat. It was washed down with the delicious Croatian beer that tastes so good on a hot summer day.

We spent four weeks on the island one summer and returned the following year.

Our friendly restaurateur actually remembered us gave us more of his brandy, so I guess he wasn’t that bad after all!
​
My good friend found this little paradise online and we took off on a mums and kids holiday (the first time there I had a 2, 3 and a 5 year old - yeah what was I thinking right?).

But it was truly an amazing adventure for them because they could run around outside half naked chasing butterflies, picking figs and berries and swim in the clear waters of the Adriatic.

Because we loved it so much – and our husbands were jealous they missed it - we had to return the following year.

The biggest expense on the island is ice cream for the kids (maybe a butterfly net or bucket from the only grocery store) and a wine or really good coffee for the folks. 

There are a couple of sandy beaches on one side of the island and rugged cliffs with deep emerald water on the other side.

Canoeing around the island is a lovely 2-3 hour adventure or rent a stand-up paddleboard from the main hotel on the island. 

If you’re a hiker there are many tracks that meander through beautiful pine forests and take you past hidden coves.

If you’re a keen diver the visibility in the water is so clear you can see many metres.

Once you’ve explored this island, you can take the ferry to many of the other, bigger and more crowded islands for some great day trips.  
 
Food and supplies
To get your food supplies you really need to take the 30-minute ferry into Dubrovnik and stock up, as there is only a basic little general store on the island and some items, like bread, sell out quickly.

Sometimes the customer service was not always super friendly – not sure if it was a language barrier or a hangover from the 1991-1995 Croatian war of independence (remnants of the war are still evident in one of the buildings on the island which housed solders during the conflict).

The family run accommodation was basic but when you’re outside all day what else do you need?  It had all the kitchen, laundry and bedding needs for a family. Plus one friendly homeowner gifted us with homemade Limoncello, the popular lemon liqueur that is perfect with ice on a hot summers day.

The summer season pretty much ended in late August and the weather became windy and rainy so make sure you get there in the right season.

For a family trip, which was basic, with beautiful nature and yet close to amazing history, without the crowds, of Dubrovnik you really can’t miss this destination.  

This Island has a name but I am not sure I can really share it and spoil its peace!  

Send me a message and I'll share it with you.

​Or even better see if you can guess??
9 Comments
Delisa Zak | Destination: Overlooked link
15/4/2018 01:55:14 am

I would love to go to Croatia and am surprised we haven't been yet. I also love little gems like this and would also want to keep it to myself, so I won't bother asking. I can probably guess, but I don't want to spoil it for you. :)

Reply
Kavita Favelle link
15/4/2018 07:40:35 pm

But but but! You're not going to publish the name of the destination?!!! ;-P

Reply
Jenn and Ed Coleman link
16/4/2018 05:18:15 am

I was wondering why I was reading a travel article about an unnamed restaurant on an unnamed island until I reached the conclusion of the piece. You are writing to let us know that you have a secret. It does look like a beautiful location.

Reply
Carrie link
16/4/2018 06:37:46 am

Croatia has long been on my list of places to go- at the very top in fact. Now I don't want to miss this little island either. Off the beaten trail places are always the most rewarding. I'll be doing my research and wagering a guess.....soon.

Reply
Alice Ford link
16/4/2018 09:18:58 am

Croatia has been on my list for so long. Your trip looks just heavenly. The food and wine look delicious.

Reply
Amy link
19/4/2018 11:13:00 am

This would be a perfect fit for our family. Croatia absolutely has a space on our wish list, but I love that the opportunity to experience such an authentic, low key (and car) free island is an option. I completely understand the love hate between wanting everyone to see it and wanting to keep it a secret! It sounds like a dream for travelers with kids.

Reply
Louise link
20/4/2018 01:30:03 am

What a lovely sounding place! Finding somewhere without cars these days is rare. It sounds so peaceful there :)
I love that the biggest expense is ice cream for the kids haha. Sounds like an outdoor paradise with all the canoeing and hiking you can do!

Reply
Renada link
20/4/2018 12:07:13 pm

This place sounds like heaven. I love the idea of stocking up on groceries and heading off to a serene place for awhile. I've never been to Croatia. Thank you for sharing.

Reply
Rohini link
21/4/2018 07:58:28 am

That was cool description of a nice get away . I am amazed at how small our basic needs are and how light we think about ' things' and 'luxury' :) . Enjoyed reading it

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Franz Joseph Glacier
    Homecoming
    Mumbai's Madness
    New Zealand
    The Perfect Croatian Getaway
    The Spirit Of Oman

Contact Us

Home
Transit conversations
Transit Tips
About
All opinions and images belong to the writer.
2023
  • Home
  • Destinations
  • Travel Tips
  • Transit Conversations
  • About
  • Contact