What I loved about Croatia is that for a relatively small country, there was so much to do. We were seeking a diverse experience for our trip, craving both ample sunshine to celebrate the end of a long, cold German winter and a chance to explore the Game of Thrones filming locations, which we aim to do on all of our European travels. Additionally, thanks to numerous social media posts, I was determined to carve out time for the country's stunning national parks.

What to do

Since we only had six days to see everything, we decided to base ourselves in Split and rely on Get Your Guide for day trips. This ended up being a fantastic idea, allowing us to maximize our time and have a wide range of experiences within a limited timeframe. I highly recommend this approach to anyone looking to make the most of a short stay. Here’s how to make the most of Split, Plitvice and Dubrovnik:

SPLIT

Beaches
The best part about all of the beaches in Split is that they are open to the public, meaning you don’t have to pay anything to lay out! However, a minor drawback is that the beaches are pebble beaches. Perhaps it's because I've reached an age where wrinkle cream is no longer just a preventative measure, but laying on the pebbles proved to be tough on my body. No matter which way I turned, I couldn’t seem to get comfortable. The ocean was also a little too cold for a swim, so laying out was the main objective.

Most beaches had loungers or daybeds available for rent, but for our first beach day we didn’t feel like shelling out 30€ per person for a half day of sun, so we ended up on the pebbles. There were so many other people doing the exact same thing, so we thought it wouldn’t be that bad. Wrong. After a few hours in the sun, we vowed for the next beach day to show up earlier and splurge on loungers, which is exactly what we did, and it was glorious.

We spent our first beach day at Kasjuni Beach. Since we had both already run a 10k that morning, we took an electric car from Riva to the beach. What I liked about Kasjuni is that it was quiet and not very crowded. With the sun setting, we decided to take a leisurely stroll back to our hotel in Old Town.

For our second beach day, we hoofed it in the opposite direction to the Radisson Blu Beach. We arrived around noon and grabbed one of the last daybeds (all of the loungers were already in use). What I liked about this setup was that we didn’t have to be guests of the hotel in order to use a daybed. I'm sure it cost us more than a hotel guest, but their beach club was a lot nicer than the one at Kasjuni. It felt so luxurious and breezy after our afternoon on the rocks.

Diocletian’s Palace

After living in Europe for the past couple of years, we’re no stranger to palaces and castles, but Split and Diocletian’s Palace are truly unique. Unlike most of the castles we’ve visited thus far, Diocletian’s Palace is basically all of Old Town Split. Cars and taxis aren’t allowed to drive in this area and there are numerous narrow alleyways connecting different parts of the town.

Since the palace comprises most of Old Town, it’s technically free to visit, although if you want to go into the cellars, you have to take a guided tour. We didn’t do this as we had more fun exploring the alleyways, so I can’t recommend it or not.

Just outside Diocletian’s Palace and the Riva area is the Green Market, which is a great stop if you need a swimsuit cover-up or towels. Most of the vendors were selling inexpensive knick-knacks, which isn't what we're into, but if you need souvenirs, this is the place for you.

Marjan Park

To the west of Old Town is a sprawling green space known as Marjan Park. We spent a significant amount of time there, drawn not only by the stunning coastal views it offered but also because it made our 10K runs effortlessly enjoyable.

What I also liked about the park was that it was closed to road traffic after a certain point, so you don't have to worry about getting run over while hiking or running. The park also has a small petting zoo, which we visited to use the toilet. Mark decided to splurge an extra Euro to feed the animals, which was well worth it. As for the toilets, they were worth every penny of the 7€ entrance fee… mainly because there aren’t any other options for miles.

PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK

To get to Plitvice, we booked the Self-Guided Tour with Get Your Guide. You could also rent a car and drive to Plitvice if that’s more your style. Our tour was grouped with the guided tour, but once we were in the park, we were free to wander about for 4 hours. Prior to reaching the park, the tour guide created a WhatsApp group and shared the route the guided tour would take. We ended up following the same route, but had the freedom to stop and take pictures when we wanted without the fear of holding up the group.

As a group, we took the tram to the Upper Lakes (Station #3). This allowed us to explore the Upper Lakes first, which is the quieter part of the park. It’s important to note that if there is a lot of rain, certain sections of the park close and the tram doesn’t run to those parts. Apparently this happened just days before we got there, but everything was running on schedule when we visited and the waterfalls were extra juicy from the recent rainfall. Score!

From Station #3, we went toward the right to follow the “H” trail to P2. At P2, we boarded the boat and headed to P3. There are numerous boats shuttling back and forth from P2 so make sure you ask the driver about their destination port.

At P2, there's a large area with outdoor tables where you can eat. Our tour guide had suggested that we pack our own lunch to avoid the lines for the cafeteria, and I'm so glad we did this. The food didn't look like anything special, so I was thankful to save time and money. While we were eating lunch, we saw massive queues to board the boat to head towards P3. It seems like most people start at Entrance 1 and then end at the Upper Lakes, so if you can, do the reverse route!

After lunch, we followed the “H” trail to the Big Waterfall and then out of the park to Entrance 1 where we met back up with the tour group and boarded the bus. Plitvice was absolutely worth the day trip, but it was extremely crowded.

DUBROVNIK

Just like with Plitvice, we booked a tour through Get Your Guide for Dubrovnik. What I liked most about the tour was that the guide gave us most of the information on the bus ride and then gave us a quick, one hour tour of the city, pointing out a few highlights, before releasing us to do our own thing for four hours.

As huge Game of Thrones fans, we were excited to see Dubrovnik as that’s where most of the King’s Landing scenes were filmed, including the infamous Walk of Shame scene in Season 5. According to our guide, the film crew had originally wanted to film the scene with Ceresi exiting a church into the main street of Dubrovnik. Outraged, the clergy told the crew they wouldn’t accept any amount of money to debase a holy place with a naked woman. Eventually, city and crew came to an agreement and the scene was filmed down the Jesuit Stairs in front of the Church of St. Ignatius. And if you’ve ever been to the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy, you may feel a bit of déjà vu looking at the Jesuit Stairs since they were modeled to look like their Roman cousin.

After hitting up a lunch spot recommended by a friend, we decided to spend the rest of our time doing the Walls of Dubrovnik tour. The entire old town is protected by walls that you can walk along for 35€. This was not included in the Get Your Guide tour and was little steeper than what we usually pay for a museum, but we forked over the cash anyway and are so glad that we did. We got all of our best pictures from the trip on the walls and it was remarkable to see the damage sustained by the city during the siege of Dubrovnik on Christmas of 1991.

Once we finished walking the Walls, we had about 45 minutes until we needed to get back on the bus, so of course we grabbed some gelato in order to compare it to the Split gelato scene. You know, for science.

Back on the bus, our tour made a quick pit stop in Mali Ston for fresh oysters from a local oyster farm. Normally, we follow the oyster rule of thumb and skip oysters in months without an “r” but when on vacation all rules are out the window, plus they were reasonably priced so we gave them a shot. They weren’t the best oysters I’ve ever had (and thus, why that rule probably exists), but they also weren’t the worst.

What to eat

Croatia was interesting from a culinary perspective. I researched local dishes beforehand, and we managed to discover some delightful Dalmatian treats in Split. However, in general, the food options felt somewhat predictable, catering more towards the cruise ship crowd due to the country's reliance on tourism. While we didn't have any terrible meals (for the most part), none of them stood out as particularly memorable. On the bright side, Croatia's gelato scene was a true highlight, and we indulged in numerous flavors from various shops.

GELATO

• Mr. Pozzetti Premium Ice Cream and Chimney Cones: By far our favorite gelato shop in Split and it’s all due to the chimney cone. It was so good that we both woke up the next morning talking about how it haunted our dreams. Usually I’m a slow ice cream eater, but I finished my cone before Mark did. I literally inhaled it. They are doing everything right at Mr. Pozzetti. They cook the chimney dough when you order it so it’s fresh and you can have the outside coated in sprinkles, cinnamon and sugar, or keep it plain. Then, you have the option of Nutella spread in the inside. Next, you pick whatever gelato flavor you want. Finally, you can add MORE TOPPINGS if you want. At this point, I felt the cone was pretty out of control, so I opted out of additional toppings.

• Peppino's Gelato Garden: Okay, I’m going to tell you the secret on how to find a good gelato store on vacation: it all has to do with how it’s stored. If the gelato is in a covered, metal tin under the counter, you’re in for a treat. If it’s piled high and out in the open, looking all Instagram-worthy, it’s probably not as great. The reason for the metal tins is that it keeps the gelato at the perfect temperature, sealing in the flavor. Needless to say, Peppino’s in Dubrovnik knows what it’s doing. Their menu was expansive and unique and I’m so sad they didn’t have a shop in Split. After a difficult decision, I ended up going with Peanut Butter Surprise and White Rocky Road and had zero regrets.

• Sladoledarnica Emiliana: This is the shop in Split. Seriously, there is ALWAYS a huge line outside of this gelateria. We finally stopped by one afternoon when there were only four couples in line to see if it was up to hype. Verdict? It’s pretty damn good, but there are so many other amazing shops in Split so I don’t think it’s worth the huge wait. Mark got the cheesecake and I got the cremino choco pois, which we both devoured. What made it exceptional was the waffle cone, which was coated in chocolate on the inside.

• Ela's Gelateria Artigianale: With Emiliana boasting a line down the entire street, we stopped into Ela’s after dinner on our first night since it’s in the same area. Both of us loved the cappuccino flavor and found the scoop to be rich and creamy.

• aROMA gelato experience: This one was next door to our hotel and had multiple locations in Croatia so we stopped by more than once on the vacation. Just like Peppino’s, aROMA stores their gelato in covered, metal containers. I combined the apple pie and salted caramel flavors and it was incredible.

• Gelateria Riva: Right in the middle of cruise ship central, Riva offered up an okay cone, but not my favorite of the trip. What I did like was that they had unique flavors, like salted caramel popcorn. Mark really liked that they dipped the ice cream in chocolate right before serving it.

• Hajduk Ice Creams: By the time we stopped here, I was hitting my gelato maximum for the trip so only Mark got a cone. I had a few bites and would rate it right along with Riva. It was good, but there are better in Split.

MAIN MEALS

• Proto Fish Restaurant: Located in Dubrovnik, this was our best meal in Croatia. Our friend recommended this one, so I can’t take credit for the discovery. Everything was fresh and flavorful, though since it is a Michelin recommended restaurant, it was a little on the pricey side; but if the food is good, I tend to not care so much.

• Adriatic Sushi & Oyster Bar: Once again, we found ourselves breaking the oyster rule and eating them in a month that doesn’t have an “r” in it, but they were still good, slightly sweet and not overly watery. The sushi was also fresh with well-made rice, though the serving size was fairly small for the price, meaning we had plenty of room for gelato afterwards.

• Maestro Grill Club: Maestro was a clear winner for atmosphere. We ate outside with a perfect view of the ocean, shaded by the large pine trees. Our favorite part of the meal was the fresh, grilled bread they served with olive oil as an appetizer. One of Croatia’s chief exports is olive oil, so you definitely need to try some while you’re there! I had the seafood gnocchi and it was so rich and creamy, almost like a lobster bisque with gnocchi.

• Pizzeria Portas: A standard European pizza joint with a good balance of sauce and toppings. Neither one of us was disappointed with our pizza.

• Konoba Korta: Konoba means tavern, so it’s a good place to try Dalmatian cuisine. Since they’re in season, I had the truffle pasta and Mark had the lamb shank. As usual, Mark was hoping for more spice on his lamb. The highlight of the meal was the tuna prosciutto appetizer, something we’ve never seen before.

• Basta: One of the main reasons I run so much is because I love to crush a whole pizza by myself afterwards. After our run through Marjan, we showered up and hit Basta. The pizzas were okay, not as good as Porta, but the boardwalk view was unbeatable.

• Corto Maltese: One of the main Dalmatian dishes I wanted to try was the black risotto. It’s made with squid ink and usually has other seafood mixed into it. I finally got my risotto here and it was everything I hoped it to be. Mark was disappointed by his pasta dish, and wishes he would have ordered the black risotto with me.

• Silk: Towards the end of the week, I was growing tired of all the risotto and pasta dishes (sometimes the only pescatarian option on the menu) and Mark is always down for Asian food, so we went to Silk. As a pan-Asian restaurant, nothing really stole the show, but nothing was absolutely horrible either. I got my favorite Japanese dish of okonomiyaki and Mark got a smattering of meat skewers and onigiri.

• Casa de Fuego: Something that I miss about the states are all the Mexican food options. They simply don’t exist in Europe. I shouldn’t have had as high of hopes as I did for this place, but the Google ratings fooled me. Granted, I think my food wasn’t very good because I got the vegetarian tacos, but I still wouldn’t go back here.

Travel tips

• Visit during shoulder season
  This may be my top tip for every vacation, but I’ll keep repeating it as long as it’s true and Croatia is no except. May and September are the shoulder season months for Split, while it starts a little earlier and extends a little later for Dubrovnik. We visited the last week in May, and by the end of our trip, you could tell the town was gearing up for tourist season because little Croatian flags were strung up over the main street overnight. The advantage to going in late May is that the temperatures are still pleasant (most days had a high in the mid-70s to low 80s), whereas in late summer it can get oppressively hot and much of Europe does not have air conditioning. However, going in the summer means the water has warmed up enough to swim, while in late May it was still a little too chilly, around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Stay in Split
  Our main reason for going to Croatia was to see Plitvice and where Game of Thrones was filmed (in Dubrovnik). We also wanted to avoid renting a car, so Split was the perfect place to base since it’s between both of those locations. Booking day trips to Plitvice and Dubrovnik was incredibly easy and made for a more relaxing vacation since we weren’t shuffling to a new town every couple of days. If crowds aren’t your thing, try staying at the smaller resort towns between Split and Dubrovnik.

• Splurge on the comfy chairs at the beach
  The first time we went to the beach was an “off” day between adventure outings, so we took our time waking up, getting our runs in, and eating breakfast. By the time we arrived at the beach it was close to 2 p.m. Despite it being past high demand time, we were still quoted 30€ per person for a lounge chair. We opted to lay on the beach instead for free and that was a mistake. Even though we’re in good shape and fairly young, laying on a pebble beach is not comfortable. For our second beach day, we arrived at noon and splurged on a day bed and it was worth every penny.

• Pack sport sandals or water shoes if you have them
  As mentioned above, the pebble beaches can be hard to walk on. Getting in the water would have been so much more comfortable if I would have thought to pack my Chacos instead of just flip flops.

• Prep for Plitvice
  Our tour guide recommended bringing a layer for the park since the temps are routinely cooler than Split (while we were there it was 10 degrees colder), and needless to say, I wore my light jacket most of the day. They also told us to bring our own food and drinks, which was a nice tip. We ended up buying a couple of coffees in the park (this house needs a lot of caffeine even on vacation), which were actually pretty good and we didn’t have to wait too long for them, but then again, it was still shoulder season.

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