What else Croatia has to offer
Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia's capital, is charming and walkable. You can see the major sites in 1-2 days. We recommend a visit to: the cathedral (which one? the one with the tile roof!), a ride on the funicular to medvednica the mountain, Museum of Contemporary Art For good food: Zlatni Medo (https://www.pivnica.hr/). This is our favourite place to eat in Zagreb.
Koprivnica
Koprivnica is a quaint old town one hour northeast of Zagreb. Luka's family has lived in a suburb of Koprivnica called Kunovec for the past 200+ years. In 'downtown' Koprivnica, behind Hotel Podravina, you will find many cafes and bars. Restaurant Pivnica Kralus is a great staple. Our wedding date will likely coincide with a renaissance fair that will take place near the downtown area. This fair is one of the largest in Europe and will have plenty to offer those who choose to take a short walk and visit it. If you're looking for a bite, check out one of our favourite restaurants in Koprivnica, PRC (Podravska Klet). It's an 8-minute drive from Hotel Podravina.
Pula
Pula is the largest city in the region of Istria. It is located on the Istrian peninsula and overlooks the Adriatic Sea. If you're up for a cruise, you can take a boat to Venice, if you'd like. Pula is known for its beach-lined coast and ancient Roman ruins, including a 2,000-year-old amphitheater, and has delicious food. Definitely a must-see if you are in Istria.
Rovinj
Rovinj is a beautiful, picturesque Istrian town located on the Adriatic sea, and just 45 minutes from Pula by bus or car. From Pula you can take a day trip to Rovinj and spend hours walking through the town and heading to the top of its hill to see the lookout point. Bring your bathing suit if you'd like to take a dip in the Adriatic!
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice is the oldest and largest national park in Croatia. It is a 2-hour drive south of Zagreb. You've seen the pictures - we don't think we need to convince you to venture out to take it all in! But we would be remiss to mention that while the water is breathtaking, you can't swim in it, so keep that in mind if you're planning to visit.
Split
Split is the second largest city in Croatia. It's a beautiful city during the daytime and at night, and a great place to use as a travel base since there are plenty of options for day trips. For instance, you can take a ferry to islands like Hvar, Brac, Vis, Korcula and Solta; and visit Krka National Park. Split has an international airport, called Resnik Airport. There are frequent flights between Zagreb and Split. They typically take 50 minutes non-stop and cost roughly $80 CAD. One thing to note: you will see Game of Throne tours everywhere since a number of scenes were filmed here. We recommend taking part in a free walking tour or wandering around yourself before signing up for a paid tour. The entire city looks like a Game of Thrones backdrop and you will overhear which scene you are standing in since tours will be going an all around you. But before GOT (and plenty of Croatian history) came the Romans. We recommend checking out Diocletian's palace - there are Sphinxes!
Krka National Park
Krka National Park is located along the Krka river, an hour-long drive north of Split. It contains a series of waterfalls that you can swim in as well as a very refreshing crystalline river. It's a great daytrip and you can easily book a tour or just transportation with a tour company in Split if you prefer not to drive or rent a car.
Hvar
Hvar is an island off the coast of Split. It is best known as a summer resort. Highlights include its 13th-century walls, a hilltop fortress and a main square. The island also has beaches such as Dubovica, and inland lavender fields. Boat excursions serve the nearby Pakleni Islands, which have secluded beaches and coves for swimming and relaxing.