Rick Steves: Croatia offers Slavic twist on la dolce vita The upper part of the Adriatic’s eastern shores features succulent seafood, sunny beaches and a carefree attitude. Rick Steves Aug 31, 2024 4:00 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Previous Next 1 / 1 Beach on Hvar, Croatia The island of Hvar offers a number of pebbly beaches and crystal-clear water for swimming. (photo: Cameron Hewitt) Advertisement Expand Listen to this article 00:06:01 I love the knack Croatians have for taking a humble stretch of craggy shoreline and turning it into a romantic bar or café.
In the coastal town of Rovinj, several bars and restaurants offer tables atop the town’s rocky seawall, and some provide you with a pillow — an invitation to find your own nook in the rocks overlooking the bay. As the sunset fades and the flames from tealight candles seem to brighten, you realize how easy it is to enjoy a luxurious moment on the Adriatic coast. The Adriatic’s eastern shores benefit from the sea’s counterclockwise prevailing current, which moves clear, warmer water from the central Mediterranean up along the coastline of Croatia.
And the craggy geology of the Dinaric Alps, which jut up against Croatia’s coast, mean that this stretch is sprinkled with islands. Not surprisingly, these shores have long been a popular destination for Slavic Europe. Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish this lively-but-easygoing area from Italy.