Day Trip to Korcula

This morning we took a ferry from Hvar to Korcula, which took about one hour. Korcula is known as the "mini Dubrovnik" of Croatia. It is an ancient town (said to be founded around the 12th century BC) that is surrounded by walls with a fort in the center. 

The small town of Korcula, surrounded by the Adriatic Sea

A quiet little town, perfect for photo opportunities without large crowds of tourists.

Steps leading up to the Revelin Tower, which dates back to the 13th century. It is the southern entrance into Old Town.

Vendors line the walkway leading you to an incredible view of the sea

The majority of the islands around Croatia are uninhabited (there are over 1,000!)

Walk around the outer perimeter of Old Town Korcula and you will see some of the best views you've ever seen. A perfect place to have lunch.

There is a cocktail bar at the top of that tower called, Massimo. You have to climb a narrow ladder to get to the top. It was not open when we were there due to it being pre-season. However, it is said to have some great views.

A walk around the outer perimeter of Old Town Korcula.

Every door and building has it's own unique set of characteristics and history. Each one told it's own story. No telling how long this one has been there.

The crystal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea 

The center of Old Town Korcula

This is very similar to Dubrovnik and Hvar where you have narrow alleys with lots of steps.

Korcula is said to be the birthplace of Marco Polo. This was his home.

Walking outside of Old Town to explore the rest of Korcula

Because Korcula is such a small town, there is not a whole lot to do (especially in off-season). However, it's beauty makes up for what it lacks in activities.

We literally had the whole beach to ourselves!

Old Town Korcula

We walked back to Old Town to have some ice cream at this cafe.

Gelato is always a good choice in Europe. This refreshing melon gelato did not disappoint.

Plenty of fish in the sea for this lone fisherman

As you can see, there were only a handful of tourists here in Korcula at the end of May. No lines or reservations needed for any of the restaurants!

Zrnovska Makaruni (a traditional homemade pasta with beef) at Pape Pizzeria

Pizza with prosciutto, mozzarella, sunny-side egg, and ricotta at Pape Pizzeria. My wife really loves pizza. Loves it to the point where she would eat it everyday if she could. She said that this beats the pizza we had in Italy (but NOT the calzone from Positano). We even had pizza in Naples...the BIRTHPLACE of pizza! She would go back to Korcula just for this pizza.

My wife shared some (a little) of the pizza with me, but there were no leftovers.

We stopped at this little cafe for dessert before heading back to the ferry. Homemade pies, cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats. 

Chamomile tea and a lemon tart. The lemon tart was delicious and not too sweet.

So long, Korcula. You were lovely. Well-worth the day trip and memories that will linger in these photographs. We may have to return to you someday just so that my wife can have your delicious pizza. Until then, we will remember, "take every chance you get in life, because some things only happen once." This holds true for so many things, but today and for us, it means travel and see as much of the world as we can. It's never too early to cross things off your bucket list.

Island Hopping Around Hvar (Bisevo, Vis, and Palmizana)

We were able to reserve a day trip to the Blue and Green Caves by shopping around the day before. Several companies offer various excursions from Hvar, it just depends on how much time you have and what you are interested in seeing. We left the port of Hvar around 9:30am with a return time of around 6pm.

We were grateful for another day of beautiful weather for exploring.

We traveled by high-speed boat, which took us about one hour to get to our first stop, Bisevo. The tour guide recommended that we bring a long-sleeved shirt, which my wife was glad to have because the wind was chilly.

The pier of Bisevo. Compared to the Blue Grotto in Capri, there were not nearly as many boats lined up to see the Blue Cave. We only had to wait about 10 minutes. The procedure was still the same: purchase tickets at the gate, then transfer to a smaller boat that is small enough to fit into the cave.

The entrance to the Blue Cave is straight ahead. As you can see, the opening is very small. You have to duck down inside of the boat in order to safely enter the Blue Cave.

We made it!

The skippers were very skilled in guiding our boat through the small space. Only one boat was allowed in at a time.

We arrived to the Blue Cave just in time, around 11am. A small opening allows just enough sunlight to reflect off the bottom of the cave, which creates the natural blue glow.

The natural glow is created entirely by sunlight, no other forms of light were present inside the Blue Cave. The water was clear enough to see the fish swimming around inside.

Walking around the island of Bisevo, spectacular views of the coastline

We headed back to our boat to continue our day trip to the island of Vis.

Stiniva beach is located on the island of Vis. It is a hidden beach; only accessible by small boat or  by steep and narrow hike.

Stiniva Beach was rated as the "Top Beach in Europe for 2016." As with most of the beaches we've encountered around Croatia, this one was also rocky and the water was cold. Still beautiful, nonetheless.

Since we were there pre-season, it was almost as if had the beach to ourselves.

Just a short boat ride down the island of Vis is the Green Cave, which was much larger than the Blue Cave.  When we were there they were not charging an entrance fee. However, I have since seen that this has changed. Be sure to takes some cash, just in case.

Sunlight enters through a small opening at the top of the cave and reflects off the bottom of the cave in order to reveal the green glow that you see here. For those seeking even more of an adventure, we saw people climbing up the steep side of the entrance to this cave and cliff-jumping into the waters below.

One last stop before we head back to Hvar...

The small island of Palmizana

Each island had it's own unique set of characteristics, but the clear turquoise-blue water was a refreshing and common theme throughout.  

Palmizana Island

As you can see, Palmizana is very small. Just a few restaurants line the shore.

Just a short 15 minute boat ride from Palmizana and we were back on Hvar.

Dinner reservations are highly recommended at Macondo. We were able to secure an 8pm reservation outside (which are usually preferred over inside).

Lobster spaghetti, delicious and fresh!

Frittare (fried fish, shrimps, prawns, squids)

Another walk around Hvar at dusk

Beautiful sunset on Hvar

It's as if the boats are dancing in the water, happy to be a part of such a beautiful place.

Sunset on Hvar

While walking around this evening, we were able to book another day trip from Hvar tomorrow. Almost half-way into our vacation and we are so grateful for how smoothly our trip has gone.

Lately, we haven't planned detailed itineraries or extensive travel plans. We just go. We experience the culture. We make plans based on what we feel like doing in the moment. That's what you do while on vacation. Itineraries can possibly leave one disappointed. Or worse, miss out on an even greater experience.

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." -Martin Buber

And that's the beauty of a true adventure.

Hvar, Croatia

We woke up early this morning to catch the ferry from Split to Hvar, which was about a two-hour trip.  We chose to utilize the ferry for the majority of our adventure around Croatia, but many have also rented cars without any issues.

The bakeries in Croatia are AMAZING! Everything is baked fresh. I highly recommend the burek, which is phyllo dough stuffed with either meat, cheese, or a chocolate/sweet filling. I had this almost everyday.

We arrived around 9am in Hvar, which gave us plenty of time to check-in to our apartment. The apartment was recommended over a regular hotel so that we could stay closer in the heart of the city. It was also much cheaper (around $60 USD/night in late May, pre-peak season).

The views around the port of Hvar were so picturesque. The turquoise waters were so clear that we could see to the bottom.  It was almost as if the boats were floating in thin air.  Every morning when we went down to the port, the boat and yacht owners were eating breakfast with their friends and remained there for the majority of the day. Makes me wonder what else they do all day!

View of the port of Hvar

Take a walk around the island, lots of little hidden beach entrances and spots to discover. You will not find a bad view, even if you try.

Tourism is one of Hvar's biggest industries. If you're not one for crowds, late May is one of the the best times to go (which is also pre-Yacht week)

Although there are several beach entrances around Hvar, make sure to take water shoes if you want to go in. It's a rocky beach and there are sea urchins everwhere!

We were able to walk around Hvar without needing any other modes of transportation. However, you can rent a moped if you'd like to explore the island a little more.

The entrance to Hvar's Fort, also known as Spanjola, which was built in the 16th century.

Just as Marjan Hill is to Split, Hvar Fort holds the best views of Hvar. Just look at this!

View from Hvar Fort

View from Hvar Fort

We spent a good majority of the day here, but who wouldn't?

Another view from Hvar Fort

The entrance to the prison cells of Hvar Fort.

The prisons of Hvar Fort. The windows were just big enough to let light in, but too small for one to climb out. A lonely place indeed.

Why can't the gift shops in the U.S. hold as much character as the ones in Europe? Unfair to compare, I know.

Bird's-eye view of Hvar Fort

St. Stephen's Cathedral in the center of Hvar's town square

Today marked our actual anniversary!  So, we spent it celebrating at this highly-recommended restaurant, Dalmatino's in Hvar (not to be confused with the Dalmatino's we will later visit in Dubrovnik).

They start you off with a carob liqueur to clear your palate

Carpaccio "Amor"; sliced octopus, olive oil, lemons, capers, and fresh bread

Gnocchi "Istria"; black gnocchi with black truffle and shrimp in a creamy wine sauce. I would like to re-name this dish "pillows from heaven." It's one dish that I dream and reminisce about often; one reason alone why I would travel back to Croatia. 

The sea bass with fava beans and feta mousse was also good, but not as memorable as my Gnocchi. The gnocchi was just that good.

Lavender liquor to finish the meal

...or so we thought! Dessert wine, made in-house. Delicious touch to compliment the end of our meal.

Our usual stroll around the city at dusk, waiting for pictures at sunset.

Hvar at dusk

Sunsets always seem more memorable when you're on the other side of the world. Either that, or you make more time to stop and enjoy your surroundings...

Sunset on Hvar

Bird's-eye view of Hvar at sunset. Can you spot the fortress?

Comparable to Split, the Main Square of Hvar has lots of restaurants with outdoor seating. Most of which tend to come alive after 8pm. The marble cobblestone pathways seem to also be a common theme around Croatia, which adds to it's hidden and unexpected charm.

The alleys of Hvar are narrow and filled with many stairs. Keep this in mind if you happen to get an apartment in the city. Luckily, we had rolling luggage that also converted into backpacks. A lifesaver for us!

As mentioned before, night-time shots are some of my favorite ways of capturing the beauty of a city.  Life is calm, the day is done, and everything is back in it's place. We signed up to take a day trip to some surrounding islands tomorrow. Stay posted to see where we go!

Split, Croatia

For our one-year anniversary, we decided to head back to Europe for another coastal adventure. This time, our destination was on the other side of the Adriatic Sea in the lesser-known country of Croatia. Why Croatia? You get all the perks of Italy (food, views, weather, etc) without the crowds or high costs. Besides, it's also where King's Landing is! Mind you, we didn't have high expectations (Italy and Greece were GORGEOUS, see blog posts from last year's Honeymoon). However, our initial assumptions were quickly blown away...

We landed in Split, which is the second largest city in Croatia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A view of the city from the ferry.

Split is also home to Diocletian's Palace, which was built for a Roman Emperor around the 4th century AD. It was built with local limestone and high quality marble. At night, those steps turn into seating for a nearby restaurant, where you can enjoy cocktails and live music.

The inside of the Bell Tower of St. Domnius. You can pay a small fee to climb to the top. As with most European churches and historical sites, it's not for those who are claustrophobic. Not pictured: the very narrow, winding marble staircase leading up to this point.

The view from the top of the Bell Tower of St. Domnius.

The charming alleyways had similar characteristics to those of Rome.

Another view of Split from the pier.

Steps leading up to Marjan Hill, which has some of the best views of Split.

A small, magical cafe that is hidden along the steps to Marjan called Vidilica.  The perfect place to stop for a drink (especially after climbing all of those stairs!)

The view from the cafe, Vidilica, in Marjan.  By the way, we were able to walk here from where we were staying in Split.

Another view from Vidilica, where we stopped for drinks. A true paradise on top of the hill.

Situated between the dense forest of pine trees and the Dalmatian Coast, is a small church on Marjan Hill.

Marjan is a great place to see amazing views of the city, as well as take a nature walk or go for a jog.

As you can see, the views are comparable to those of Italy!

You can see as much or as little of Marjan as you like, there's something different depending on which path you take.

Europe always amazes me on how well their architecture withstands the test of time. Croatia was no exception.

The Bell Tower of St. Dominius

The basement of Diocletian's Palace...also where Daenerys' dragons were kept

A small part of the basement of Diocletian's Palace is open to the public for shopping (individual vendors selling local goods). However, find the side path where you pay a small entrance fee to tour the remains of the basement. You will find this part to be much less crowded.

Basement of Diocletian's Palace

Basement of Diocletian's Palace

Another view of Diocletian's Palace at dusk. You can see that people are already congregating on the red cushions, waiting for the live music.

Cheers!

Croatia has a mix of Italian, Mediterranean, Bosnian, and lots of fresh seafood!

Pizza is always better in Europe

Stuffed bell peppers (punjena paprika) is part of the local cuisine of Croatia

Fresh calamari

Black seafood risotto with cuttlefish

Split is beautiful at night. Lots of restaurants along the bay stay open late. Even in late May, the weather was cool and perfect for sitting outside.

Night strolling is one of my favorite/must-see things to do while on vacation. The bright lights and lighter crowds make for some good photo opportunities.  Two nights in Split was plenty of time to see and do everything that we wanted to. Taking a ferry to Hvar tomorrow, get ready for even more incredible views!