For years, I flew from point A to point B without even thinking about the cities in which I had layovers. In Europe, I had stopovers in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and more, and I never really thought about the fact that these cities’ magnificent sights and cultures lay just outside the airport walls. Then …
When I first arrived in Zagreb, Croatia, I immediately felt as though I’d stumbled onto something entirely new: a medium-sized city that had been hidden behind the closed walls of Yugoslavia until its dissolution, and then the following war for independence. I took a deep breath of the fall air and found the aroma of …
The first-time visitor is often drawn to Piran, the fishing village on the Adriatic coast, by beautiful photographs of a turquoise sea and Venetian-style architecture, but it is more than just a place to relax, it is a culinary heaven with some of the best wellness spas on earth. The town grew up on olive oil …
The Istrian peninsula, which contains portions of Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy, has loads of wine tasting opportunities, and they come at a good value. The best way to taste Istrian wine is to visit the source. Because most winemakers produce only small amounts of high quality wine, it is impossible for them to sell to …
Even though Italy has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe, the Mediterranean diet is alive and well in the southern Italian region of Puglia. Here traditional foods include fresh seafood, eggless pasta, and plenty of hearty, often foraged vegetables, such as chicory and wild artichokes. For the first time in all my …
I’d read a lot about Piran, a coastal town just across the border in Slovenia, and wanted to sample its high quality traditional foods such as seafood, olive oil, wine, and salt. I hopped on a bus headed for Umag, a town near the Slovenian-Croatian border. The towns got smaller and smaller as the six-hour …
Where to Stay in Dubrovnik Some of Dubrovnik’s best hotels and accommodations are located in neighborhoods outside of the Old Town. Dubrovnik’s Old Town neighborhood, with its imposing City Walls and beautiful monasteries, is home to amazing sights and shopping, but it doesn’t necessarily have the best hotel selection. Instead, I recommend you stay in Dubrovnik, …
Croatia has over 1200 islands, and a day trip from Dubrovnik to the nearby islands or beaches is a great way to get a taste of Croatia’s island culture. Here’s a guide to Dubrovnik’s islands and beaches: Dubrovnik’s Islands There are plenty of tour companies that offer a variety of packages that include many different islands. You can, however, create …
Dubrovnik has been Croatia’s number-one tourist destination for over 75 years, and for good reason: Dubrovnik is a great destination for the budget traveler. It is also one of the only European cities whose medieval city walls have remained completely intact, giving it a magical atmosphere, as though Puff the Magic Dragon might pop his …
It looks like a fairy tale. Out of the lake rises a stone staircase. Step delicately over the edge of your rowboat, and mount the stairs. The little island at which you’ve docked barely has enough space for a few trees and your destination: the medieval Church of the Assumption. The solemn peal of a bell and thin iron …