Beautiful Croatia
Sometimes all you need is amazing memories to make us smile…
… As many of you know Cavtat, Croatia is one of my favourite places in the world and I hope todays Elevenses With Arundel Travel adds a little spring to your step
Nick, Hols and I went on holiday to Croatia last Easter and had the most wonderful time. We stayed in my favourite resort of Cavtat in the Adriatic Luxury Hotels- Hotel Croatia and it was amazing.
The Hotel is completely different to what we would normally stay in as a family, but we thought we would give it a try due to it having an indoor pool as we weren’t sure what the weather would be like with us going over Easter…
… and we are so glad we did
The service has been fantastic and very accommodating ( Holly was on crutches ) – from a lovely warm welcome when we checked in, the pool bar staff with great sense of humours, waiting staff always with a smile to the guys that ran us up and down the hillside even in the rain so we could still enjoy meals out.
The indoor pool area was lovely, lots sun beds with fresh towels and the water was a great temperature. The Spa area was lovely and relaxing and the treatments were really reasonably priced too.
We were really lucky with the weather so we made the most of the sun terraces comfy chairs, fantastic views, cocktail hours, amazing food and of course read some great books next to the outdoor pool – we are definitely coming home with a nice glow.
We treated ourselves to a sea view room, and I can’t think of any room that I’ve ever had with a better view. The way the hotel is situated means that the views are uninterrupted and we saw some beautiful sunsets. Sitting on the balcony with a wine or coffee was just so relaxing, listening to the waves lapping against the rocks and no traffic noise apart from the odd yacht cruising by.
Cavtat never disappoints me, I justit here. It’s so charming and characterful. The buildings are beautiful and full of history. It wasn’t too busy as we were early season, but all the shops, restaurants and bars were open and the food we ate was fabulous – Seafood, Lamb, Steaks and really tasty desserts, actually we even ate a kabab whilst sat looking over the bay, it was really good. La Bohême and Restaurant Dalmatino were our favourites. The service and food were amazing and we will definitely go back when we visit again!
We wanted to do some exploring whilst we were here, so we booked a trip to Bosnia. We had wanted to go here for some time and because it is so close to Croatia, it was a great opportunity. The trip included the Kravica waterfalls and Mostar, it took 12 hours but it was just fantastic (and yes for those that know us, we got a fridge magnet!)
Waterfall Kravica was stunning and well worth the walk down. On the Trebizat River it reaches 28 metres in height and is home to all sorts of flora and fauna. In the summer you can bath in the river and even walk behind the falls…
… it was a little bit to chilly for us to take a dip.
Driving through the Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina border control took some time but it was worth it. The countryside in both countries is beautiful. We drove through the The valley of the Neretva river. The valley of the river Neretva, surrounded by mountains, is a unique natural phenomenon, the swampy area of the valley is rich in rare species of flora and fauna, and is an ornithological park with over 400 species of birds.
Following the Valley and driving down some pretty hair raising mountain passes we arrived in Mostar and oh my gosh it is absolutely beautiful. The old bridge across the Neretva the river was built by Osman Turks in 1566 is found in the UNESCO world heritage list. The bridge was destroyed during the war of 1992-1995, was restored in 2004, and today it symbolises the peaceful life of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the summer they hold two bridge diving competitions and people come from all over the world. Surprisingly they have to wear wet suits as the air temperature can reach up to 40c and the water temperature never rises above 10c. Mostar’s old town was like something from a fairy tale. Cobbled streets lined with craft shops, cafes serving tea and baclava and some beautiful river view restaurants. We ate a traditional Cevapi, it was delicious.
With the day over, driving through the mountains, valleys and along the coast during sunset was a perfect way to finish our adventure.
We have had a fantastic time, giggled lots and made some amazing memories. All 3 of us would definitely recommend this hotel and there was a huge variety of walks of life – friends, couples and family’s from toddlers to teens.
If you would prefer a smaller hotel I just love the Hotel Cavtat, fantastic location, roof top pool with amazing views and bedrooms overlooking the sea – simply beautiful (not one for the kids though)
Have a lovely day everyone and keep well
Helen, Nick and Holly x
