Two weeks in Croatia road tripping from the northern region of Istria to the southern tip of Dabrovnik with a short detour through Bosnia. Four kids, and Mike's two wives, Jenny and I, had an adventure of a lifetime. The photos are divided by the regions visited with accompanying highlights from "the unit" or "team JK" we called ourselves: the Kepplers and Johnsons touring together. Croatia is a beautiful country with amazing beaches and historic sites. Before moving onto the next destination we each made sure to stop and reflect on memories and stories from the area. Croatia is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited and I have a newfound fondness of the Adriatic and appreciation for the relationship I share with my sister-in-law as well as the cousins time together.
Northern region: Istria
This area is sometimes referred to as the "new Tuscany" with green rolling hills, fertile plains, hilltop villages, and mazes of vineyards interwoven among the scenery- all this backed up to a rugged coastline. It's also well known for culinary pleasures, particularly white and black truffles from Buzet, gnocchi, and grilled calamari (which we tended to feast on daily). While Mike doesn't have quite the same pallet for slow cooked foods, Jenny and I looked forward to the next stop on our Foodie tour through this region. Here are the highlights from team JK.
Jenny-
Lunch in Buzet where she ate a gnocchi and a truffle pasta dish
Swimming in the Adriatic
Exploring Buzet on a rainy day
Axel
Getting stuck in the rain on a cobblestone street in Buzet
Finding sea glass along the shore
Swimming out into the open Adriatic Sea
Wrestling Uncle Mike
Aleah
Swimming in the crisp, clear Adriatic waters
Marching/hiking along the rocky shore on the dirt path in nature
Spending time with my cousins and Auntie
Mike
Colosseum in Pula is one of the biggest in the world and dates back to 30 BC
Getting ice cream and watching the World Cup in Novigrad
Eating mushroom soup in Saboror at Gambric (I counted 14 different types of mushrooms)
Sierra
Swimming iin the Adriactic ocean, especially the local place in Pula
Eating ice cream in Novidgrad
Slow cooked 3 hr meal in Buzet
Lily
Staying at the Alice house
Eating salami sandwiches at Lim Fjord
Swimming European style at the local beach in Pula after getting overheated
Eating apple ice cream in Novigrad
Bouncing on the trampoline in Novigrad
Christa
Hiking along the Adriatic coastline from Umag
Visiting the graveyard in Samboror
Wine tasting at Kolevic in Monjun and on the side of the road at the homemade grappa and wine hut
Brandy tasting in Buzet and the slow cooked meal of truffle gnochhi
Exploring the old town side streets of Buje and the graveyard on the hillside with the vineyards in the backdrop
Sipping fresh squeezed limonade in Rovinj and people watching
This area is sometimes referred to as the "new Tuscany" with green rolling hills, fertile plains, hilltop villages, and mazes of vineyards interwoven among the scenery- all this backed up to a rugged coastline. It's also well known for culinary pleasures, particularly white and black truffles from Buzet, gnocchi, and grilled calamari (which we tended to feast on daily). While Mike doesn't have quite the same pallet for slow cooked foods, Jenny and I looked forward to the next stop on our Foodie tour through this region. Here are the highlights from team JK.
Jenny-
Lunch in Buzet where she ate a gnocchi and a truffle pasta dish
Swimming in the Adriatic
Exploring Buzet on a rainy day
Axel
Getting stuck in the rain on a cobblestone street in Buzet
Finding sea glass along the shore
Swimming out into the open Adriatic Sea
Wrestling Uncle Mike
Aleah
Swimming in the crisp, clear Adriatic waters
Marching/hiking along the rocky shore on the dirt path in nature
Spending time with my cousins and Auntie
Mike
Colosseum in Pula is one of the biggest in the world and dates back to 30 BC
Getting ice cream and watching the World Cup in Novigrad
Eating mushroom soup in Saboror at Gambric (I counted 14 different types of mushrooms)
Sierra
Swimming iin the Adriactic ocean, especially the local place in Pula
Eating ice cream in Novidgrad
Slow cooked 3 hr meal in Buzet
Lily
Staying at the Alice house
Eating salami sandwiches at Lim Fjord
Swimming European style at the local beach in Pula after getting overheated
Eating apple ice cream in Novigrad
Bouncing on the trampoline in Novigrad
Christa
Hiking along the Adriatic coastline from Umag
Visiting the graveyard in Samboror
Wine tasting at Kolevic in Monjun and on the side of the road at the homemade grappa and wine hut
Brandy tasting in Buzet and the slow cooked meal of truffle gnochhi
Exploring the old town side streets of Buje and the graveyard on the hillside with the vineyards in the backdrop
Sipping fresh squeezed limonade in Rovinj and people watching
Zadar region:
Zadar is one of the main cities among the Dalmatian Coast. Our "Tara" apartment was within walking distance to Old Town and the beach. We also had our very own yoga studio attached and Jenny led our daily family yoga workshops. Zadar is defined by its marble, traffic free streets, old Roman ruins and proximity to parks and the water. We ate at "Bruschetta" and enjoyed a plate of "John Dory" followed by a moonlit walk along the promenade at night. Zadar taught us to not always trust your first impressions, especially when arriving to a new destination hot and tired- this place was a gem and we loved the artistic touches of our apartment.
Jenny
No itinerary
Everything was within walking distance
Yoga studio attached
Being pleasantly surprised by a place we arrived at tired from a long drive and having it become a favorite spot
Aleah
Playing in the waves and jumping off the dock at the Zadar beach
Morning yoga with Jenny and playing tag in the studio
I loved sleeping with my cozy cloud blanket
Sierra
Baby shrimps in Pesto at Bruschetta restaurant
Swimming at the beach
Having my own bedroom and sleeping in
Lilly
Going to the beach and jumping off the dock; going European style
Falling out of my bed at night
Axel
Swimming all day and playing at the beach
Making forts in our room I shared with Aleah
Eating pizza
Mom
Taking in the many flavors of Zadar and learning about the city from other Croats
Walking along the promenade at night
Dancing in the square to traditional Croatian music with the family
Our stay at Tara's apartment- artistic flare with brightly colored walls, a yoga studio and our private yoga sessions with my sista
Mike
Watching the World Cup- US vs. Germany in the town square
The proximity of our apartment to the beach and town
Zadar is one of the main cities among the Dalmatian Coast. Our "Tara" apartment was within walking distance to Old Town and the beach. We also had our very own yoga studio attached and Jenny led our daily family yoga workshops. Zadar is defined by its marble, traffic free streets, old Roman ruins and proximity to parks and the water. We ate at "Bruschetta" and enjoyed a plate of "John Dory" followed by a moonlit walk along the promenade at night. Zadar taught us to not always trust your first impressions, especially when arriving to a new destination hot and tired- this place was a gem and we loved the artistic touches of our apartment.
Jenny
No itinerary
Everything was within walking distance
Yoga studio attached
Being pleasantly surprised by a place we arrived at tired from a long drive and having it become a favorite spot
Aleah
Playing in the waves and jumping off the dock at the Zadar beach
Morning yoga with Jenny and playing tag in the studio
I loved sleeping with my cozy cloud blanket
Sierra
Baby shrimps in Pesto at Bruschetta restaurant
Swimming at the beach
Having my own bedroom and sleeping in
Lilly
Going to the beach and jumping off the dock; going European style
Falling out of my bed at night
Axel
Swimming all day and playing at the beach
Making forts in our room I shared with Aleah
Eating pizza
Mom
Taking in the many flavors of Zadar and learning about the city from other Croats
Walking along the promenade at night
Dancing in the square to traditional Croatian music with the family
Our stay at Tara's apartment- artistic flare with brightly colored walls, a yoga studio and our private yoga sessions with my sista
Mike
Watching the World Cup- US vs. Germany in the town square
The proximity of our apartment to the beach and town
Brac Island:
This island is the longest in central Croatia and is surrounded by several others. The main export from this island is stone and, in fact, the White House in DC was constructed out of it. Upon arriving to the island we drove about 20 minutes along narrow winding roads to a small village along the coast, Provja. It was beyond charming and one of those untouched places where time has stood still: one local bar, a corner market and two fish restaurants selling the catch of the day. Keys for our apartment were left in an envelope at the local restaurant and we had to use our resourceful navigation skills to find the place (asking the locals). Another village we'd love to return to someday and have many stories to tell from our stay.
Aleah
Swimming at the town beach and finding little baby crabs.
Riding on the little boat to a different town.
Playing at the beach in the new town and eating an amazing meal there.
Axel
Eating the amazing ice cream next to our little place.
Playing at the beach on the different island.
Eating the great fish and the wow octopus on the other island.
Lily
Being on the little boat.
My mom kissing me before bed and during the day.
Aunty Christa and I sitting on the dock chatting it up and having tea time.
Aunt Jenny
Our surprise day in Bol.
The quaintness of Povlja which is our little town.
Eating octopus tentacles on Luka island.
Mike
Watching the World Cup at the corner bar with a view of the Povlja Bay
Quiet, quaint town free of traffic and tourism
The boatride to the secluded beach
Christa
Waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing, followed by the town dog barking, baby crying and all the morning glory of a Povlja's small village charm
In Povlja time has stood still- people spend time in front of their shops talking about the day's news over a cappuccino or Karlovacka beer
Finding special swimspots along the Adriatic, on Luca Island or off the point
Our boat trip to Luca Island, the views of the mountains in the backdrop, and eating a home cooked meal of octopus, recommended by Jelco at the family restaurant that had been passed down from generations
Meeting Maryanna and feeling immediately welcomed to our special Stone House
This island is the longest in central Croatia and is surrounded by several others. The main export from this island is stone and, in fact, the White House in DC was constructed out of it. Upon arriving to the island we drove about 20 minutes along narrow winding roads to a small village along the coast, Provja. It was beyond charming and one of those untouched places where time has stood still: one local bar, a corner market and two fish restaurants selling the catch of the day. Keys for our apartment were left in an envelope at the local restaurant and we had to use our resourceful navigation skills to find the place (asking the locals). Another village we'd love to return to someday and have many stories to tell from our stay.
Aleah
Swimming at the town beach and finding little baby crabs.
Riding on the little boat to a different town.
Playing at the beach in the new town and eating an amazing meal there.
Axel
Eating the amazing ice cream next to our little place.
Playing at the beach on the different island.
Eating the great fish and the wow octopus on the other island.
Lily
Being on the little boat.
My mom kissing me before bed and during the day.
Aunty Christa and I sitting on the dock chatting it up and having tea time.
Aunt Jenny
Our surprise day in Bol.
The quaintness of Povlja which is our little town.
Eating octopus tentacles on Luka island.
Mike
Watching the World Cup at the corner bar with a view of the Povlja Bay
Quiet, quaint town free of traffic and tourism
The boatride to the secluded beach
Christa
Waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing, followed by the town dog barking, baby crying and all the morning glory of a Povlja's small village charm
In Povlja time has stood still- people spend time in front of their shops talking about the day's news over a cappuccino or Karlovacka beer
Finding special swimspots along the Adriatic, on Luca Island or off the point
Our boat trip to Luca Island, the views of the mountains in the backdrop, and eating a home cooked meal of octopus, recommended by Jelco at the family restaurant that had been passed down from generations
Meeting Maryanna and feeling immediately welcomed to our special Stone House
Dubrovnik:
Quite a spectacular and enchanting city encircled by a stone wall. We spent a day driving along the coastline, passing through Bosnia and stopping in Ston for their famous wild oysters. Arrived to Cavtat, about 20 minutes outside of Dubrovnik, and stayed at an apartment within walking distance from the bay. While our stay was brief, walking the city wall, our visit to the swimming hole and monastery on Lokum island and sunsets in Cavtat made for another memorable stop. Croatia is an oasis of eye-feasting natural beauty and swimming in the Adriatic during the heat of the day always awakened our senses. Enjoy the pics!
Quite a spectacular and enchanting city encircled by a stone wall. We spent a day driving along the coastline, passing through Bosnia and stopping in Ston for their famous wild oysters. Arrived to Cavtat, about 20 minutes outside of Dubrovnik, and stayed at an apartment within walking distance from the bay. While our stay was brief, walking the city wall, our visit to the swimming hole and monastery on Lokum island and sunsets in Cavtat made for another memorable stop. Croatia is an oasis of eye-feasting natural beauty and swimming in the Adriatic during the heat of the day always awakened our senses. Enjoy the pics!