travel
May 10, 2024

Croatia tips: These are the absolute highlights!

Croatia: The blue glow

My memory of family holidays is called Yugoslavia. Every summer since I was five years old, I drove with my parents over the Autoput south to today's Croatia for a swinging hour each summer. We lived in rambunctious pensions with nasty patterned wallpaper, had bathrooms from shriek-orange plastic and slept in rickety beds. There was Cevapcici every day, and in the stony sea, after I refused to put on the rigid-plastic bathing shoes, I stepped into a sea urchin. The spines had my mother laboriously and cursing with tweezers from my foot to pull.

SUMMER HAPPINESS It is quiet on the country roads, in the old town and in front of the cathedral of Sibenik

With over 30 years old memories, I'm now in a rental car - and recognize nothing more. Photographer Anne and I are flying through the south of Croatia. Over karstic, scrubby overgrown mountains that look like sleeping monsters, on whose back we balance along the sea. The Eastern bloc muff has long since disappeared, the houses in their loving polish could just as well be in Southern Germany instead of in this area called Dalmatia. Only the hypnotic blue sea, which I had been looking forward to after a long drive as a child, is still there and sparkles us with auspiciousness.

Sibenik is like Italy without a pose

At a strait, guarded by tiny islets and embraced by two headlands, on which tower powerful fortresses, the nearly thousand year old town of Sibenik is stacked like an amphitheater. Behind the front of the houses on the busy harbor promenade, where one restaurant neatly rows to the next and ships bobble comfortably in the water, we enter entangled alleys, an enchanted world. It is quiet here, only our own steps are heard between the walls, completely car-free, it goes steeply uphill. Over hundreds of stairs, past cozy corners with babbling fountains and through towel-like stone corridors, where we wonder how to hoist a fridge into your own home, while we are already tugging us with our suitcases on the way to the hotel.

Behind every labyrinthine bend, a small cafe ?, a cute bar or a shop full of fine things. The cafés are full, it is talked and strolled, from a bar pearls light summer jazz. Sibenik is like Italy without a pose - a bit quieter, a tad slower and without bling-bling.

Around the façade of the bombastic light-white cathedral of St. Jacob from the 16th century, which belongs to the Unesco World Heritage, emblazoned a frieze of 73 heads, I like the fact that here in addition to male dignitaries and women farmers, women's citizens and children are represented , as well as some pet. But a more secular reason attracts tourists today:

In Sibenik's consistent medievalism, various scenes from "Game of Thrones" were filmed.

FILM BACKDROP At the river Krka Winnetou tried to save women and children from rogues. Today tourists are splashing in the clear water by the waterfall Skradinski buk

In the Krka National Park I'm 6 years old again

The next day we stumble into the next movie set. We ride with Winnetou and Iltschi through the prairie, more precisely: We drive through the National Park Krka, where many unforgettable moments of the Karl May Strip were created. And as our boat glides through rugged canyons over the Krka River and we hear the mighty waterfalls roar slowly, mix in my head, the many pictures from "The Oil Prince". At the Chinla River, Winnetou tried to save women and children from evil villains - this is where his raft crashed dramatically.

Suddenly, I'm six years old again and, like then, I'd rather splash around than in this glittering spectacle. So we stalk barefoot between families and school classes through the icy waters. Later, we will walk past old mills on narrow wooden walkways, up through dense vegetation to stand in a postcard: turquoise river, deep green trees, light white rocks and fluffy little clouds in gold blue.

A wine tasting must not be missed ...

The sky is grumbling, The mountains stand out sharply from the black horizon. We just make it to the car, then it pours loads of water on the dry landscape. In the thunderous storm we proceed mercilessly, but end up in a forgotten by the time, tiny and nameless beach with colorful bath houses; and suddenly the sun can be seen again.

Only hours later we finally reach our destination: the winery "Baraka". The inconspicuous stone house is located directly on a lonely country road, since 2010 Filip Baraka builds wine here.The Babic? Grapes, which thrive best on the barren Dalmatian soil, grow in neat rows behind the property in the now sun-blazing sun. Already at the first glass of our wine tasting Anne and I realize that we probably have the same neurological synaptic network: Smell and taste ignite a brightly colored association fireworks with us, on the Filip laughing loudly shakes his head. The first red wine tastes silky and blue, the second as the leather seats of an old Jaguar smell. And at the latest at the third wine Filip is fully involved. When I say this wine is male, he adds, "But a man with a hat, a gentleman, not a macho!" Anne laughs: "And he's wearing a patterned scarf."

Incidentally, I like the "barone" the most, it tastes like a cat dozing on an old stone wall in the sun. As we say goodbye, Filip says, "Come back and bring some of your drugs next time, please!"

Primo? Ten impresses with its prettiness

The next morning we drive to Primo? Ten, a small town like an Atlantis emerging from the waters, only connected to the coast by a narrow dike and in the middle of it in the aquamarine glittering sea. This freshly washed turquoise is so gorgeous that we just have to hustle fast.

Primo? Ten impresses with its almost unreal prettiness. No crumbs on the ground, even the fruit on the market looks like polished. And because it only takes half an hour to completely circle around the small town, we venture then on the most adventurous gravel roads to the place of pilgrimage with the brand new black Madonna of Loreto, a pilgrimage high above the vineyards for the many Catholics in the country. Here you have the very best view over Svilan, Lukvenjak, Barilac and countless other islets in the Adriatic Sea - some only as big as a front yard and uninhabited. And at the very back of the golden horizon, Italy beckons.

TASTING Absolute delicacies are served in the restaurant "Fort Barone"

Today, the weather shows its most charming side, the sun shines without ceasing. We gondeln comfortably back to Sibenik, not without stopping at the beach - after all, he is as good as everywhere.

To slow down we have to suddenly see that we arrive punctually in the star restaurant "Pelegrini" in Sibenik, where we dine - with sand in our hair and red burnt noses - so finely that it really is an event: Operation of on the right, great fanfare in every corridor, artful compositions of traditional and modern cuisine, incredible wine. The sun sinks furiously behind the cathedral, while couples in love stroll along the white-stone forecourt and a few children play football.

At some moments childhood memories start to jump

I will not find the Yugoslavia of my childhood again. The scuffling of the East has completely disappeared not only in the accommodations, but also in the towns. But in some moments, memories jump to me. The smell of roasted meat on the small beach stalls, on the street stalls the handball-sized tomatoes and giant melons that I could not carry as a child, the disheveled mountains and again and again the blue sparkling sea - it all feels like it used to.

We spend our last day mainly on the water. With a small motorboat and a skipper we rock first to the fortress of St. Nikola, which is accessible only from the sea. The salt and the years have badly affected the defiant construction, dripstone growths have already formed inside, and birds nest in the green overgrown corners. It's a playground for adventurous thoughts, and my little weakness for places of bizarre beauty will get their money's worth here. In the vaults there are half-ball parties in the summer, also in caves and bunkers on the opposite mainland, where I climbed in astonishment as a child.

BOAT TRIP The last day is spent on the water. It goes to the fortress of St. Nikola, which is accessible only from the sea

Our boatman steers to the mini-islets in the Sibenik archipelago; first to Zlarin, where we stroll through the car-free lanes, in the tiny coral museum with lovely bracelets of hand-carved coral stock and buy on the roadside of old women self-pressed oils, of which only the olive oil is so delicious that you take it directly as a drink would like to. In Dalmatia it is said that a nun with a bag brings luck - and we meet several of them, carrying around the shoulder bags or filled plastic bags.

Finally, we'll make a detour to the tiniest of all islands, to Prvic ?. Except for the soft surf, it is very quiet, we lie on the warm stones of the jetty, our feet in the crystal clear water, until the sun in bright red robe for today recommends and it is time again for the first wine. One thing I know for sure: the next time it will not take 30 years, guaranteed, until I come back.

Tanias Kraotien tips

GET THERE

Croatia Airlines flies to Split (from about 150 euros, croatiaairlines.com). By car you need about an hour to Sibenik.

READ

The lovingly snotty novel "DARKROOM" by the Croatian author Rujana Jeger tells in elaborate miniatures and diary-like snippets of Generation X in ex-Yugoslavia: between clubs and civil war, drugs, sex and the exhausting search for their own identity.

STAY

Life Palace This delightful boutique hotel is located in the heart of the car-free old town of Sibenik. Lovingly restored 15th century palace, 17 Baroque-style rooms, large terrace. Double room from € 108, hotel-lifepalace.hr

King Kresimir In the lobby, orange velvet sofas and antique gatherings enter into a fiery style alliance. The rooms are very simple and modern, spectacular the suite with jacuzzi on the private roof terrace with views over the city. DZ / F from about 75 Euro, hotel-kingkresimir.com

Hotel Maestral The mini-island Prvic? is only a half-hour boat ride from Sibenik - here you can enjoy absolute peace and crystal clear water. You can stay in puristic furniture and hear the sea beating in bed. Double room from about 90 Euro, hotelmaestral.com

EAT DRINK

PELEGRINI: Michelin-star cuisine at the Sibenik Cathedral - the menus are like lush operas. Especially good: the octopus! Four-course menu about 77 euros, pelegrini.hr

FORT BARONE: Exclusively local products, Grand Ham cheese platter, homemade salty pistachio ice cream, barone.hr

BATHING & SHOPPING

BEACHES The clearest water If you are on the coast in front of primates, but it is therefore so unearthly turquoise, because you have to wade while swimming on sand on rugged rocks into the floods. Not quite as spectacular, but more comfortable it swims on the Sibenik city beach Banj with a postcard view of the old town and a small infrastructure of bars and beach chair rental.

SOUVENIRS Futuristic fashion by Croatian designers is available at "Charlie Design" in Sibenik; daring, partly asymmetrical, yet quite wearable creations of leather and chiffon - and only in black, white, silver or blue, charlie-design.hr

On the island of Zlarin and on the local fruit and vegetable markets, there are high-quality self-pressed olive, rosemary and other herbal oils for little money on the roadside. The old ladies who make them, are happy about buyers, and at the same time you have a great gift.

An article from ChroniquesDuVasteMonde Woman