Weekend Wanderings: Split, Croatia

So after a quick stick/manual lesson with the rental car people in Rovinj, we were off to Split! Jk, I didn't actually manage to learn to drive manual, they found an automatic for little old me. But we did end up in Split! It's a small but very old town and we stuck to the historic harbor area to enjoy some sea views and tons of sea food.

1) Dionyse's Palace - If you're a Game of Thrones fan, this is a lesser known filming location for the show. Dubrovnik gets the most credit for the show as it's the setting for King's Landing but Split was also used for dungeon scenes and palace shots. The palace itself remains the center of life in the old town. We didn't wander far from here but the walls of the palace shelter a number of small shops and restaurants within the structure and the basement catacombs have more artists and local merchants. Much like how it used to be back in the good old days.

2) Konoba Fetivi - This little seafood restaurant shares a kitchen with the restaurant across the street (really across the alleyway). We were able to walk up right when they opened around 5pm to request a table for later in the evening. By the time we went back for our reservation time, they were fully booked! Like most restaurants in the area, they have a selection of seafood dishes as well as catch of the day. The food was very good although we had no idea how to debone a fish and they didn't offer so we just kinda struggled through that process.

3) Konoba Marjan - Similar to Konoba Fetivia, 'konoba' means kitchen, this restaurant was small and fishy--in a great way. We made a reservation early in the evening, went for a walk and a drink before heading back for dinner. The waiter here was very informative, sharing the fish of the day (which we'd never heard of) and recommending wine to accompany our dinner. He also offered to debone the fish for us which was much better than us trying to do it ourselves. 

4) Bacvice Beach - A short walk from the harbor is a secluded beach with a small restaurant overlooking the sea. You can rent lounge chairs (someone will come around and charge you) or just enjoy the sandy beach. The sea itself is very calm and shallow for quite a distance so you can slowly wade in or float around on a nice day. There are also bathrooms in the cafe where you could order drinks to take down to the beach. And according to Google, has a great nightlife but we left to go get lunch.

5) Day Trips - We spent two nights in Split before taking a boat to Dubrovnik but there are plenty of oportunities to do day trips from Split. The ferries will take you to a variety of islands along the way to Dubrovnik including Hvar and you can also take a trip out to Plitvice which is a beautiful park full of waterfalls. We actually stopped at Plitvice on our way to Split and it was a great decision! I felt like I was transported to another planet and the trails are all easy to hike. You can also take boats around the park if you don't want to do too much walking. 

Weekend Wanderings: Rovinj, Croatia

Remember how I said I thought Venice was too romantic to visit without a partner? Well, Rovinj is actually the most romantic place I have ever been. Like serious sunsets on the rocks. After the hustle and bustle of Venice, Rovinj was a much-welcome break. There are a couple of main sites to see but otherwise, it's very small and very relaxing.

We ate SO well in Croatia overall but our host in Rovinj was particularly spot-on in her recommendations to us. Also, she had a big cat she held out the window to say goodbye to us (sorry, kitty!).

1) Segutra - This place is in one of the many alley-ways in Rovinj. You can sit inside or at tables in the alley outside (recommended). Like most places in Istria (the northern area of Croatia which was once part of Italy), seafood and pasta reign supreme here. So why not combine the two? My friend and I shared some seafood pasta and black risotto. Yes, the black ink of the risotto will turn your teeth black but just drink more wine. The waiter here was so happy with us because we cleaned our plates. How could anyone leave food behind??

2) Kantinon Tavern - Another favorite of our host, this restaurant is right on the harbor and has a great view of the old part of Rovinj. Sitting out here on a Monday, not being at work, with some wine and a giant cheese platter was pretty divine. The restaurant is also located right along a stretch of other restaurants and gelato shops which didn't hurt.

3) La Puntulina - If you want to eat at this restaurant or some of the other places on the rocks, you would be best served to get a reservation. However, if like us, you really just want to watch the sunset on the water as boats slowly go by, you can just walk up for drinks. We got a spot right on the edge of the rocks next to a swimming hole which gave us serious regret for not having our suits on. I half expected to witness a proposal here but alas, everyone was relaxing and watching the sunset. A German couple behind us took a picture of my friend and I being served our wine and they kindly AirDropped the photos to us (because technology).

4) Punta Corrente - We heard about this park and decided to go for a walk in here but again regretted not having our bathing suits as it was a great, quiet spot to go swimming or just lay out. We had some drinks from a bar mid-park which turned out to be very overpriced but worth it for sipping a pina colada on the Adriatic Sea while looking at the old city from afar. There were a couple hotels next to the park and people were riding bikes they presumably rented in town so is a good way to spend an afternoon.

5) Brist Olive Oil -  If you've rented a car, I would highly recommend visiting the small town of Vodnjan. We went to an olive oil tasting at Brist which sounds really strange because why would you drink olive oil but holy guacamole, you have not had olive oil before. We walked way with 7 bottles of olive oil between the two of us, it was that good (and makes good gifts!). The host there was Irish which was amusing but had married into this olive family. He recommended a restaurant for lunch, Vodnjanka, which had delicious truffle gnocchi and traditional fusi, a type of beef stew. Oh and truffle cheese because you can never have too much truffle oil -- or cheese.

Weekend Wanderings: Venice

Ah Venice! For some reason, I had in my head that Venice was this super romantic place and I should wait to go there until I was in a relationship and we could take a gondola ride together because romance. But alas, I skipped out on going to Venice when I visited Verona (a mere train ride away) and am tired of waiting. YOLO!!

Now don't get me wrong, Venice is amazing! But if you're being dumb like me and waiting for a partner, don't. Just go. You can make anywhere romantic or not (okay, maybe not aaaaanywhere), you'll enjoy Venice either way.

Outside of the usual sites like Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs and taking a Gondola ride, here are some places we stumbled upon (via actual walking or Instagram) that would be worth a wander. Oh and some fun tips in case you arrive at like midnight and are getting lost on water buses like us...

1) Water Buses: Venice - the city of water, land of canals. It seems so exotic to travel by boat instead of bus! But if you're doing so late at night, like after 10pm, make sure you check the schedule at your particular stop. Even though we asked the ticket lady and she directed us to stop C, our little map told us that stop C closes after 10pm. But the lady told us to go there! Well, she was wrong and we should have just read the schedule and not waited half an hour at the wrong stop. So yeah, trust your instincts and double check stations after dark.

 

2) Mercati di Rialto - Obviously you should go to the Rialto Bridge, lined with shops and offering great views of the grand canal. But through the square, there is a large market that has locals and tourists alike shopping for goods. Seafood, flowers, meat, vegetables, fruit-- everything you could think of! Really made me want a kitchen for our trip so we could cook up some fresh food.

 

 

3) Libreria Acqua Alta- This was an Instagram discovery. You know how sometimes you're like "why do I have 500 Facebook friends, I definitely don't know half these people". I feel that way about Instagram sometimes where I've clearly followed someone because we met at a blogger event and I don't remember their real name. But if you stay following them, you get trip inspiration. Like my blogger friend Amy, who actually redesigned this site for me a few years back, who went to Venice the week before me! Cue making a list of destinations based on her Instagram, most notably this book store which is a) amazing and b) has a cool book staircase in the back overlooking a canal. Clearly a popular spot for photo shoots as we had to wait in a little bit of a line. Instagram-husbands/boyfriends were in full force.

4) Osteria Alla Staffa - There's probably not a bad place to get pasta or seafood but this little restaurant was very close to the bookstore and our hostel so in we went! The restaurant is cozy but they were able to seat us right away and although you are close to the other tables, it doesn't feel crowded. The staff were attentive and gave us recommendations on wine and local cuisine. 

5) I Tre Mercanti - Among the many tiny bridges that span the canals, was this little shop. Blink and you'll miss it! It's right on a corner going over a bridge so you can easily get swept up in the tourist groups walking across. Mini cannolis, chocolates and tiramisu, oh my! The woman working there was Scottish and greeted a seasonal English visitor by name when she came in having just arrived from the UK! Such a great feeling to know there are still regulars and people who know your name even now with all the digital clutter.