Korcula Island

We took the ferry back to the mainland and drove down to the peninsula of Peljesac.

This area is known for their wine production.  The best wine in Croatia comes from the valley between two mountain ranges on this peninsula.  From the port we took a ferry to the island of Korcula pronounced Kor CHOO la. 

 



Korcula claims that Marco Polo comes from this town.  They can not prove that he did live on Korcula but they are establishing a museum to honor his discoveries.  The old town has many narrow streets and is set up to catch the winds to allow for ventilation.  The main street runs through the centre of town with side streets branching off in both directions like the bones of a fish.  Like most of the old towns there are lots of stairs and cobblestones made from the limestone.

Island of Brac

The island of Brac was accessible by car ferry.  Brac is famous for the stone masons school.  Here students learn to work with the limestone from the area to create beautiful sculptures, windows and other items.  Students from this school can get jobs throughout Europe as their skills are exceptional.

Working the Stone

You can see the fossils in the limestone


We had two nights on Brac at the Hotel Bluesun, Elaphusa.  This area was great to walk along the promenade into town and go for a swim off the pebble beach.  Bill managed to get into the water but the pebbles and slope of the spit was very challenging.  It was great relaxing around the pool for a day.

The beach is made up of small pebbles.

Postojna Caves in Solvenia

On our way to Opatija we took a small detour into Solvenia to see the Postojna Caves.  We have seen these caves before.  You take a small train 2km into the cave system and then walk around the largest cavern.  I enjoyed this experience and was able to capture a few pictures this time.

Split

As we drive down the Dalmatian Coast it is remarkable how many islands are in the Adriatic Sea.  The water here is so clear and there does not appear to be polluted.  I can hardly wait to swim in the  salt water.  The bus trip was long but the views were beautiful.

Our stop in Split allowed us to see the Diocletian Palace which was built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian where season four of the Game of Thrones was being filmed.  This palace was built above the water so the structure in the basement area is identical to what was on the second floor.  During the middle ages people took over the palace and concerted the palace into private apartments so the second floor is no longer like it was during the Roman period. The streets are narrow with smooth limestone blocks.  Easy to walk on when dry but slippery when wet.

At Split we stayed in the Hotel President.  Then off the next day to start island hopping.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

On our way to the lakes we came across the area where the Serb/Croatian fighting took place during the 1990's.  When Croatia claimed independence this created a chain of events where both groups became persecuted.  You could still see houses that had been attacked and destroyed during this time.  Serb's are starting to return to this area to reclaim their land but the process is very slow.  We stopped at an outdoor museum for a look at the types of vehicles that were used during the war.

The lakes area a wonderful natural area that have developed over time because of the calcium deposits.  This summer has be very wet so amount of water all over Croatia is very high.  The hotel we stayed in was built during the communism time period so was very basic but the location in the national park was perfect.

The steps are created by the build up of calcium carbonate on the moss like vegetation. 

Istria and the Kvarner Gulf in Croatia

Opatija is a beautiful resort town with a lovely waterfront that has a cement beach area and a nice swimming area in the Kvarner Gulf.  This area is popular area for Austrians and people in the Baltic countries.   All along the waterfront there is a cobblestone walkway which is 12 Km long.  A great area to stroll and many people walk their dogs.  It is easy to access the water all along the walk either for fishing, boating or swimming.  There are several small rock beaches with washroom facilities and areas for children to play. 



Night picture along walkway in Volostco.

On our second night in Opatija we decided to make the 30 minute walk to the town of Volostco which is a small fishing village.  The walk along the cobblestone walkway is very pleasant and well lite at night.  We chose to eat in a small restaurant that served fresh fish.  We ordered the grilled fish platter for two and had a great meal.  The fresh fish was Gill Fish and Sea Wolf.  The seafood was scampi in the shell with claws, mussels with barnacles, and four small calamari which were excellent.

 

Roman Amphitheatre early first century A.D.

Istria is a peninsula the north east side of Croatia towards the Adriatic Sea.  This area has been influenced by the Venetians and many people speak Italian and Croatian.  As each group had control of the Istria area.

Pula is the largest city in Istria and a major port city.  The Romans helped to develop this area and there is an excellent roman amphitheatre still standing.  From Pula we drove north to  Rovinj.  This was our first Old World town.  This town was part of the Republic of Venice for five centuries.  On a clear day you can even see Venice from the church's bell tower.  This area is popular with Austrians as the Habsburgs also controlled this area for a period of time.  Tito who was "president for life"  after the second world war  spent time in this area when he controlled Yugoslavia.  Porec (poh-RETCH) is the tourist capital of the world.  The beaches have beautiful crystal clear blue water.

Old Town in Rovini

 

 

Zagreb Croatia

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia.  In the center of town you will find the main square called Jelacic from here you can easily get to the upper town and a few historically significant sights.  To see this area you can explore on your own with a guide book or take a guided walking tour.  We have been here twice on escorted tour.  Each time we saw the same key highlights but approached from different directions.

The short funicular ride is a great way to get up the hill and then most of the walking is down hill.  The funicular costs 4 Kn or you can walk the stairs on the right hand side.  You disembark funicular at the base of the Lotrscak Tower and .  The city was built on two hills and consisted of two settlements the Gradec and Kaptol with the Medvescak stream between them.  The bridge was the separation between the two areas and there were often altercations on the bridge that ended with bloody noses.  The bridge became know as the bloody bridge from the bloody nose after the altercations.

St Mark's Church has a colourful tile roof with the arms of Croatia in tile.  If you are visiting on a Sunday the changing of the guard happens at noon.  Be sure that you are in the square 10 minutes before the horses ride up the hill from the stone gate.

The stone gate is the last remaining gate from the walled settlement around St Mark's Church.  The gate houses a picture of Madonna and child that survived the town fire.  Many people pray in this area.

Walking through the stone gate and over the bloody bridge you will come to the Dolac Market.  You can't miss this area because of the red umbrellas that help to protect the outdoor market.  Don't forget to go into the indoor market located below the outdoor market.

From the market you can visit the tallest church in Croatia, Cathedral of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This catholic church is a wonderful example of neo-Gothic architecture.

On Sunday you can visit the antique market which we would call a flee market.  There are interesting items for sale surrounded by small café tables.  If you are looking for a peaceful place to visit go to the botanical garden, which is free.  There are many different plants housed in this area that it is a wonderful retreat in a busy city.