Croatia - Adriatic and more
Croatia is a country that is becoming increasingly popular with vacationers. We don't just mean all those who like to travel to the Adriatic, but who would like to experience something different than “just” Italy. No, Croatia is different. The language, the culture, the food and the flair. Of course, the coasts, the islands and the ancient cities too. So that you know why a trip to Croatia is worthwhile, we give a brief overview of what to expect.
Croatia is probably not your first choice if you're looking to book a classic city break. The cities of Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek are all beautiful and culturally very interesting. But they are not metropolises in the traditional sense as you may be used to. Compared to Rome, Zagreb is a rather small city with only 790,000 inhabitants. Croatia is also very diverse and extends over a large area along the Adriatic coast. It borders Slovenia in the north, Hungary and Serbia in the east, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the south. It offers mountains, large lakes, a lot of ingenious natural islands and is especially known for the Istrian peninsula.
Exploring everything in one fell swoop is a real challenge. The Adriatic coast alone already offers everything your heart desires: kitsch sandy beaches, wild and romantic rugged cliffs, mighty mountain ranges, etc. If you want to experience more than just a tiny section of the whole, it is best to rent a motorhome.
You could take a coastal tour that starts in Umag, a more tranquil place on the Adriatic Sea, in Istria. Take a week to explore the diverse coastline. After you have left Pula behind you, Rijeka with the huge old town should be the next stopover. You should consider whether you want to visit one of the large nature-protected islands. If so, take that into account. Otherwise the journey continues to Novigrad and Zadar. If you want, you can extend the trip further south to Split. If you want to discover the hinterland and pay a visit to the capital Zagreb, you should drive east from Zadar. With the motorhome you are independent and always have your small travel home with you.