Republic of Croatia by Sahil Gupta

Restaurateur Sahil Gupta tells Nausheen Tareen why Croatia should be your next vacation destination...

My last vacation was in Croatia in Europe. I took Qatar Airways, which was a very convenient Delhi-Doha-Croatia journey. After a total flight time of 12 hours including the halt, I reached the Eastern European tourist wonderland. The flight was very comfortable and the entire journey went off really well. 
I spent two weeks in Croatia and went to almost all their important cities. While I mostly stayed in hotels, we did try AirBnB too and must admit all my experiences were absolutely top class.

"The whole of Croatia has very good hospitality, there is no language problem. Croatia is a beautiful place to go on vacation and I would actually advise everyone to consider it during next summer break."

My best experience was probably in the city Split in the South of Croatia. I stayed in an apartment called Emperor's Suites which was right in the city center and was extremely beautiful. The person who owns the place is a really good host. The whole of Croatia has very good hospitality, there is no language problem. Croatia is a beautiful place to go on vacation and I would actually advise everyone to consider it during next summer break.

Croatia by Road

Croatia has amazing beaches

I went to six different cities, I did a road trip for which I hired a car along with my friends and we drove all over Croatia. I must say the roads are beautiful. The country offers an amazing driving experience and is actually one of the best places to drive in Europe. The place that I liked the most was Plitvice National Park - the largest national park in Croatia and one of the oldest parks in Southeast Europe. This park is any nature lovers dream destination with cascading lakes, waterfalls, forests and charming natural setting. This was actually my favorite part of the journey. This place had local Croatian food specially meat sausages cevapcici, which I really enjoyed with local alcohol. 

"The best local food that I liked the most was Cevapcici that are pork and beef sausages."

I shopped a little in a town called Mika which is in North East of Croatia. I mainly bought shoes because I love shoes and yes, protein supplements. 

Sahil's Travel Tips for Croatia

Visit tripadvisor for sure because it is very very useful. The tips that they provide are really good.

Definitely do research and go all over Croatia and not just one city because it has many beautiful places and spend at least 2-3 days in each city.

HoHo Tips for Croatia

If Croatia brings the image of paradisaical swims in clear blue waters to your mind, then go for it. Bus or train is not really the best way to navigate this wonderland; ferries and speed boats are! Most of the residents of Croatian islands have their own small boats to travel between islands and the coast — it is the easiest way to get around.

If you are not tied to school holidays, the best time to visit Croatia is during the Shoulder-season months of May and June and September and October. You can soak in the sun and swim in the sea with no crowds to bother you. (Shoulder season is a term for travel season between peak and off peak period)

The main point of entry for air travelers into Croatia is Zagreb Airport, just outside the capital city. Spend a couple days wandering Zagreb's old cobblestone streets where an astonishing selection of rare Croatian wines and truffle products are housed.

Croatia’s rocky stretch of Adriatic coast might not be at par with the long sandy beaches of Greece and Spain, it is nevertheless astoundingly beautiful, offering numerous small pebble coves backed by pinewoods and giving on to a crystal-clear turquoise sea.

Sahil Gupta owns Tabula Beach Cafe a fun fusion dining and party place in New Delhi.

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