If you haven’t visited Croatia you really should whilst you are on tour in Europe. It has over 1,244 islands islets and reefs, eight national parks, and 6,278km of gorgeous coastline along the eastern side of the Adriatic ocean. It is an astonishingly beautiful coastline, with thousands of small pebble coves leading on to the crystal-clear turquoise sea. The weather here is reliably glorious from May to October, so there is never a bad time to visit. It’s no wonder it’s referred to as the Pearl of the Adriatic.
Sailing around the islands, scuba diving, sea kayaking, rafting, mountain biking and rock climbing are all on offer here for lovers of the outdoors come to Croatia for adventures on the sea and in the mountains. But David simply comes to Ciovo to relax and forget about car sales for a week or two every year!
David’s favourite summer vacation spot is Ciovo, an small unspoilt Croatian island just ten minutes from the Dalmatian airport of Split, which you can reach just an hour’s flight from Stuttgart. James took his family to Ciovo this year too, but instead of flying they drove and stopped off in Slovenia overnight in each directlon.
Ciovo is home to some lovely stoney beaches, several family run restaurants (Konobas) serving lovely local cuisine – like fish fresh from the ocean, succulent meat, delicious salads and of course, Croatian wine. David has some favourites, so if you are planning to visit then drop into the Ramstein show room to get his recommendations.
On the north-west point, the Island of Ciovo is connected to the mainland by little drawbridge in Trogir, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site and a great place to spot millionaires’ yachts.
At the heart of Trogir is a beautiful old stone city that is bustling with history, culture and gastronomy. It’s easy to get lost amongst the numerous alley ways and court yards that boast numerous restaurants, bars, art galleries and shops.
But perhaps it’s the glamorous Riva that holds the most fascination. A regular stopping-off point for millionaires’ yachts touring the Adriatic, there’s nothing more entertaining than sun-downers along the Riva whilst people-watching. Jon Bon Jovi is a regular, amongst others!
So, if you are planning on exploring Europe this summer, you had better get Croatia on your list!
