Welcome to Beyond Ordinary Guides, where we curate gorgeous imagery, locally cherished spots, and accessible stories. We hope you enjoy!
All in Croatia
This forested thirty seven square mile island northwest of Dubrovnik is home to two salted lakes, one of which charmingly contains a 12th century Benedictine Monastery. Easily accessed by a two hour ferry from Dubrovnik, the larger island, which is home to Mljet National Park, makes for a beautiful day trip or as a stop along an Adriatic sailing adventure.
Of our two weeks in Croatia, our time on Faros, our 43’ sailboat, was my favorite portion of the trip. Unlike a car journey, our sailing from place to place felt like an experience all its own, totally relaxing and yet, gave the sense of accomplishment because we had traveled from Dubrovnik to Split with many amazing stops along the way.
Just off shore from Split, Paklinski Otoci is part of a chain of islands that is popular with the boating community. With only a small market and a handful of high end restaurants, it’s an ideal stop for sea farers looking for a quiet place to moor, or spend an afternoon getting drinks on the beach. Once our sailboat was docked, we set off on foot to find a private cove to ourselves to enjoy the golden hour.
It was the last full day of our 5 night sailing charter from Dubrovnik to Split and the normal itinerary would have taken us to the luxurious, party island of Hvar, but instead of spending our day on land, we wanted to take full advantage of having a boat at our disposal and go somewhere off the beaten path. We asked our skipper, Bartool, if we could go somewhere private and he brought us here, to Otok Šćedro, and for nearly 4 hours, we had this whole cove to ourselves.
There are so many adorable towns between Split and Dubrovnik, why stop here, at this little village of Maslinica on the island of Solta? Let us tell you why.
A medieval island surrounded by turquoise waters and the birthplace of one of the most famous explorers in world history, the island of Korčula (pronounced core-chula) makes for a relaxed, yet fulfilling day in the Adriatic. With no real “sights” to see, a day in Korčula is best spent exploring the bougainvillea covered narrow cobblestone streets of old town, stopping into the occasional shop, enjoying a leisurely lunch seaside, and then sunbathing on the rocks below. A visit to the Marco Polo house provides a nice lookout tower to view the town from above, and just enough history about this 13th century explorer. The pace here fit our vacation vibe perfectly.
A visit to the Croatian wine region of Istria means waking up to a rooster's crow and the occasional truffle hunting dog’s bark among the gentle hum of insects. Relatively undiscovered and still defining itself as a tourist destination, Istria is a place to slow down, take a deep breath, and savor your surroundings.
Our driver pulled into what looked like a private drive save for a blue and white sign with an oyster image on it and told us that no self-respecting Croatian from Dubrovnik would order oysters at a restaurant in Dubrovnik. No, they all head to Ston, a settlement along the Pelješac peninsula dating back to 167 BC uniquely situated between the flows of salt and fresh water perfect for the cultivation of bivalve shellfish.
A small town by most standards (around 43,000 at the last census in 2011), Dubrovnik's charm lies in its approachability - walk the city walls in the morning, kayak in the cerulean blue waters in the afternoon, relax for a late afternoon lunch of local grilled fish, explore the shops along the steep and narrow streets that emanate from the Stradun before dinner, and wind down before turning in by watching the sunset from a cliffside bar.
