Highlights of Croatia #1 (Zagreb, Karlovac & Plitvice Lakes)

This time last year I was exploring the delights of Croatia. Most people know by now about the stunning Croatian coastline and wonderful islands. However today I want to share my love for inland Croatia and the cities of Karlovac and Zagreb.

I was travelling from Trieste, Italy where I had spent  a wonderful few days with my mum. Heading into Croatia, once again solo, my first stop was Karlovac. I wanted to stay in a small city, a bit off the beaten track, in an attempt to get to know the ‘real’ Croatia. I had a nice few days in Karlovac, relaxing on the river banks, exploring the old city walls and hanging out at the castle. I even did some embroidery with a view:

Watching the dragonflies

Embroidery with a view

While I was in Karlovac, I also took the opportunity to visit the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park.

It was quite a grey day when I visited – which meant the long walk around the lakes was bearable – but was not so great for getting stunning photos. But with a little help from some filters I hope you will get an idea of the tremendous beauty of the place.

The greenery and the reflections where absolutely stunning, not to mention the amazing waterfalls that connect the 16 lakes.

After Karlovac and the wonderful day trip to Plitvice, I unwillingly made my way to Zagreb. The capital city was definitely not top of my list of places to visit – I thought I’d had enough of big cities – but it soon became a firm favourite.

No filter – I just love the light hitting the leaves and the water in this photo.

There is something about Zagreb that really struck with me and I felt at home almost straight away. I say almost….if you discount an incident with a giant moth you could say immediately. I loved the architecture, the parks, the seemingly endless festivals, craft markets and open air concerts, the pockets of alternative culture, the people, oh and the food…

Lunch

Zagreb is not the most photogenic place, but it has a certain atmosphere that really appeals to me. Perhaps it is the meeting of cultures – the Austro-Hungarian influence meeting the Balkan/Ottoman – that creates this unique place. Whatever its secret to success, it is somewhere I have returned to and will hopefully return again in the near future.