We had a fantastic time during our road trip through Croatia and no matter how much research and planning that you do in advance, there are always still things that come as a surprise.

This is why we love travelling, we enjoy the differences whether they are large or small, put a smile on our faces or even on occasions we look on in amazement. Either way, we love it.

On our road trip we took in;

We have pulled together some “interesting to knows” and hope they will help you in your planning and enhance your time in Croatia.

We drove our own car to Croatia from the UK, so we had no issues regarding the vehicle, but our car is quite large, and we were unsure of vehicle access in some areas. However, not once did we have an issue even with smaller towns.

We usually try and avoid the motorways as we enjoy travelling through rural towns and villages, this was also not a problem, a particularly pleasurable route was along the coastal road.

We were aware that Croatia had been under Venetian rule, but we were pleasantly surprised to see how much Venetian architecture and influence, were still present throughout the country.

In particular, the bell towers that are so synonymous with St Mark’s Square in Venice.

Well, they have managed to keep their wine a bit of a secret.
 
On our drive south to Dubrovnik we decided to take the scenic route and caught a ferry from Ploče to Tripanj. From here we drove through some beautiful countryside, passing by farmlands and vineyards.

We couldn’t help but pull over and visit one of the little wineries dotted along the route. Needless to say, we picked ourselves up a case and brought it home with us.

Croatia has over 1,000 islands, some reasonably easy to access by ferry and some a bit trickier.

We had read stories about long delays, however we travelled in September and twice used Jadrolinija and found their ferries very efficient.

It’s certainly worth allowing more time through the busy summer months.

We never realised that walnuts were a delicacy in Croatia, one evening Gary tried Palacinke, which are crêpe-like pancakes and Gary chose a filling of walnuts.

Also when we were in a konoba one evening in Dubrovnik, we were offered a walnut liqueur which was homemade by the waitresses brother…..well “when in Rome” so we gave that a go.

It’s useful to know that a lot of apartments in Croatia only accept cash. We stayed in five different apartments/b&b’s and four of those were cash only.

It may not be an issue for you, but just be aware this is a possibility.

Yes truffles, that expensive delicacy held in high esteem by some chefs. However, unlike parts of France and Italy this prized food is a fraction of the price in Croatia.

The white truffles are mainly found around the Istrian peninsula, so we purchased a little nugget when leaving Rovinj.

Although Croatia is a small producer of olive oil, it has been growing olives for centuries and now competing with some of the Mediterranean big boys.

This is another little food item we purchased to bring back memories for when we were back home in the UK.

Yes, I know this isn’t really a Croatian tip; however, if you have driven to Croatia in your own vehicle and fancy a trip across the border into Bosnia Herzegovina, ensure you have a green card, or you may not get in.

Or even if you have hired a car in Croatia and fancied a visit to Mostar, then check with your hire car company that you are covered, it may save you some grief.

Why not embark on a road trip around Croatia? you won’t be disappointed, and it’s easier than you may think.