Travel To: Korčula, Croatia

My heart is full looking at these images and I am so happy to finally be sharing them with you here. I don’t think I have ever been on a trip before that left such a strong impression on me. From the moment we got off the plane to the very last moments at the airport on our way home to Canada. Croatia did not skip a beat. I know the world is changing every day and chances of ever replicating this trip are slim but I at least want to give it a try.

After Hvar we jumped on a ferry and headed for the island of Korčula (pronounced Korchula), it was a natural stop on our way to Dubrovnik and after we googled this place we fell in love. Mostly with the incredible shape of the old town, very fortress like. Kind of what you expect to see in period films and history books. We were extremely lucky to have travelled to Croatia toward the end of August, this meant that by the time we got deeper into the trip all the tourists were leaving, which left us with a lot more room to breathe, and imagine, even times where we had the whole towns to ourselves! I could not recommend enough travelling out of season for this very reason, when you can. Korčula already is less crowded than the other islands since most tourists choose to hit the hot spots that everyone else goes for. While they are popular for a reason when it’s this easy to veer off course for the sake of exploring and seeing something different you should seize every opportunity to do so. Ferries are cheap ($20 from Hvar) and very convenient since they drop you off right in the centre of all the action. In the case of us landing in Korčula our hotel was conveniently located along the waters edge and we didn’t even have to roll our suitcases on the cobbled streets, BUT we did, because google maps decided to take us through a ‘shortcut’… no comment but also beware, (PRO TIP) because sometimes the shortest way in distance is not actually the best one, especially in towns older then Canada itself. If you’d like to take a closer look at where we stayed while in Korčula CLICK HERE. Our friend and my agent booked the hotel for us and it could not have been a more dreamy stay.

We only had two days here and while it was enough I would have loved to explore the island itself a little more. Knowing now how easy it is to rent a scooter in Croatia (we did it on our next stop in Dubrovnik) we could have easily seen so much more. The great thing about Korčula is that you feel like you are in a perpetual state of relaxation. The island is surrounded by hills and you feel very secluded from the rest of the world. Two days felt like a week! BLISS!  There is little evidence of America here which is a blessing because it’s so great to get away from everything that’s familiar sometimes. You can walk to anywhere you want, the food is amazing, the hotels here are incredible! (see the moroccan inspired Lisic Dimitri HERE), the people in Croatia are THE BEST, they are friendly but also have perspective which is highly appreciated. While you are exploring make sure you visit the house of Marco Polo, Korčula’s claim to fame is allegedly being the birth place of the famed explorer. This kitschy museum takes you through the life of Marco Polo and traces his beginnings to Croatia. It’s good even for a laugh especially because the Italians will NEVER let them have it, and who knows what is actually the truth, in those days birth records weren’t even a thing people worried about, it’s the great mystery we will never know the answer to. If Korčula wants it to be true I can get behind it! Italy has an abundance of fame anyway.

The best way to travel, no matter where you are is always to immerse yourself in the history of the place. Knowing the stories of the streets you are walking and the buildings you are photographing lets you appreciate it on a much deeper and more meaningful level. There is no better history lesson then to travel the world. I find I retain the information a lot easier and get drawn into the drama. How exciting to imagine merchants pulling up in their ships, the hustle and bustle of a beautiful town like Korčula and the stories that spun the lives of it’s inhabitants. What did they wear? How did they speak? What would they think looking at the city today?

Korčula is quintessential Croatia, before the tourists and HBO. Come here to escape from the world and get some of that much talked about perspective. xoxo