Croatia

Former Yugoslavian (south Slav) country known for its beaches and cheaper price despite being very modern and developed.

Croatia is a famous middle-ground country to me. It’s a popular travel destination for people wanting something developed, safe, modern, and cheaper than the usual beach destinations like Italy, Spain, Greece. It’s also not so far away from Western Europe. And the people there speak great English (seems everyone does).

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Croatia is not the cultural tourist destination to me. Many people come here as a cheap Italy beach alternative. It’s not because they’re so interesting in Croatian culture, terrain, or food. Even though I know many Croatians, I don’t have any image of their personality stereotypes.

1 week would be enough to arrive in capital Zagreb, and then hop off to a coastal destination of your choice, Split or Dubrovnik. And can then hop further on into another Balkan country.

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Beautiful waterside Croatian city with medieval castle walls, looking up to mountains or looking down to the water. (Made even more popular by Game of Thrones series.)

Dubrovnik is somewhat of a mix of Paris, Porto, Amalfi coast. You’ve got a cute old town area within the castle walls, many small streets and corridors from of bars, restaurants, shops. Plenty of steps and hills to climb for better views of the city and looking out across the water. It’s posh and touristy, but also feels like a new destination at the same time. While Dubrovnik is massively becoming more popular, going here doesn’t feel like you’ve been where everybody else has been already. (NOTE: restaurant prices in Dubrovnik are generally expensive 25-30eur per plate.)

You could see enough of it in 2 days (enough to kill your camera space). But I’d recommend 3 or more so you can try more restaurants, do some boat trips, and see more of the castle walls and museums.

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