Best country I visited after visiting 26 countries in one year: Croatia

At 30, I left my job and took a year of leave to travel the world. In the space of 365 days, I visited 26 countries.

I went to popular places like Florence, London, and SantoriniBut my favorite destination was a place that I had almost missed: Croatia.

I decided to visit The European country on a whim after seeing articles on this subject on Instagram and having recommended it by a few friends.

I knew it was a set location for “Game of Thrones”, but other than that, I did not know what to expect when I arrived in Croatia.

I found myself delighted by local cuisine and Croatian hospitality

One of my friends recommended that I stay on Hvar, an island on the Adriatic Sea which she described as a “more relaxed version of the Greek islands”.

I was afraid that island life will feel too slow and not as pleasant as a solo traveler. However, I soon ate my words And One of the best meals in my life.

During my first night in Hvar, I ate by spaghettini hand in a small restaurant on the water. As I lived in Italy at the time, I did not expect to find the best pasta I have ever had in Croatia – but I was.

I devoured each bite of delicious pasta, which was served with fresh molds and seafood from the water before me. The servers laughed at how much I appreciated my food and even gave me a free lemoncello to celebrate my meal.

Although Hvar was small, he felt full of life. After two days of exploration of its wine bars and local bakeries and swimming in the Adriatic Sea, I went to the continent.

When I arrived in Split, one of the largest cities in Croatia, I was pleasantly surprised not to be crowded or overwhelmed with visitors. After exploring a place infested with tourists after place, it looked like a breath of fresh air.

I found so much to appreciate in the city, which is surrounded by blue waters and filled with historical architecture. Again, I found more delicious dishes.

I spent my first night in Split alone in a restaurant to eat gnocchi in squid ink and olive oil bread. As a Greek native, I have high standards for olive oil – and the bread I had was incredible.

My waiter was so kind and friendly that I forgot that I was even eat alone. He gave me 10% reduction on my bill as a welcome to Split.

Again, I found myself hit by local Croatian hospitality.

Nature and beaches also felt from another world

While I continued to explore Croatia, I felt overwhelmed in the best possible way.

I did a day trip in the magnificent Plitvice National Park with a group of foreigners who ended up becoming friends. I was in admiration when we traveled the park of another world, filled with lush greenery and waterfalls in Gogo.

The next day, I explored the hills of Park Suma Marjan and relaxed Local beaches.

In popular places like the Greek islands, beautiful beaches like those I visited, it would be crowded with tourists and drinks would cost 20 euros per pop. Here, I did not fight anyone for a place of delay and I did not pay more than 8 euros for a cocktail.

I felt relaxed and I felt even more gratitude for Croatia.

I’m so happy to have visited Croatia

Everything in this country surprised me in the best possible way.

Food was a magnificent hybrid of Italian kitchens and Eastern Europe. The lush greening and the natural beauty that I had seen could not compare to anything else I had seen during my trips.

The Plitvice National Park felt wonderfully from another world, just like the hospitality that I received from the inhabitants throughout my trip.

After just a few days, Croatia had completely won me – and I can’t believe that I hardly visited it.