2 years ago I started to write travel guides on Local Guides Connect forum of my travels over the past years, and they became pretty popular unexpectedly!
(read my other blogs here: **7 USA National Parks ■ Malta ■ A complete guide to Madeira ■ A complete guide to Istanbul**■ Travel guide to undiscovered Kyrgyzstan ■ Travel guide to Antwerp in Belgium ■ How to visit Thailand in 3 weeks on a budget?)
The travel saga continues, and here goes my trip to Croatia that I took this week. 
Often families of Western Europe used to take the car and go for a road trip to Italy, Spain, Croatia or other summer getaway countries. 
However, with these skyrocketed gas prices, it becomes quite an expensive joke. I flew to Croatia and rented a car there for a short road trip. Compared to Spain and Italy, Croatia still has incredibly cheap car rental prices!
We paid 100€ for the flights from Brussels to Rijeka and 128€ for an economy rental car for five days. So for just 114€ pp we were settled for flights + car. You would be crazy to take the car from your home country. 
Lots of possibilities and directions we could choose from Rijeka, which is close to the Slovenian and Italian border. We decided to go for the combination of 1 National Park, 2 cities and 1 island visit.
Let me guide you day by day where we went. In 5 days we drove about 1.000 km. 
I’ll hyperlink the places on Maps below, but here is also a list containing the places: https://goo.gl/maps/CckTVBW5RqrLFoh6A
DAY 1: Rijeka > Plitvice National Park > Zadar
We arrived with the plane in the morning, and the pickup of the car was rather slow and could be way better organized but the staff of Active Rental was friendly and can highly recommend! We even got a free upgrade to a Volkswagen Golf!
After a trip of 2 hours through magnificent landscapes, we were in Plitvice National Park. With 28€ per person in mid-high season, it is not cheap at all. (especially since high season is more than 50€ for one day)
Booking your ticket at least 1 day before to Plitvice recommended, as tickets at the door are very limited and you need to queue.
There are several hikes in the park, ranging from 3 hours to full-day. I would recommend departing from Parking 2 and taking route E, which takes 3-4 hours and has a train taking you back to the parking. You get to see the gorgeous upper lakes and waterfalls! Have a look at the pictures below. 
Split was our next destination but the distance was too far so we decided to stay for a night in beautiful Zadar. Have a walk around here in the old city and go to sunset point in the evening–great atmosphere!
Many restaurants can be found in the old town but Pet Bunara was choosen for its good reviews. (thanks fellow Local Guides!) Definitely try the typical Croatian dish here with Black Squid Risotto, it is delicious!
DAY 2: Zadar > Sibenik > Split
The trip from Zadar to Split was rather far so it was nice to have a quick stop at gorgeous Sibenik for a drink and ice cream. 
Since we had the car, it was better for us to take an apartment just outside the old town in Split so we could park comfortably. It was just a 5 min stroll to the old town! Lots of Games of Thrones scenes were shot at Split, and that is for a reason. The medieval city is absolutely magical, especially during the night. You can get lost in the streets and discover so many cool places!
One thing that surely needs to be done is the “hike” to the top of the Marjan hill, which has breathtaking views. There is a viewpoint that is not so high but already offers beautiful views just 2 minutes walking the stairs from the harbour. But definitely take the time to walk lots of stairs more to the actual top! See the views below: 
After that, I can completely understand that you are hungry and thirsty, and I have the perfect spot at the foot of the hill called Fife Restaurant! Lots of typical Croatian dishes can be found here at very reasonable prices. Also, try the local Croatian wine here! Below dish that I took is called Sarma with mashed potatoes. (meat wrapped in cauliflower)
DAY 3: Split > Brac Island
When in Split, take one day at least to do an island tour or take the ferry to one of the islands. We went for the latter. As we had the car, we were able to take the car on the ferry for 30 euros extra. Brac is a pretty big island and the car was so useful there as it gives you such a freedom to visit many gorgeous places!
One of the highlights of the island visit is the drive to the top of the highest mountain called Vidova Gora. At an altitude of 800 meters, you get such a stunning view on the many islands in the neighborhood. 
(This is something you would not be able to do if you did not have a car here)
You can already see the other highlight of the trip to Brac Island from the photo above, it is called Zlatni Rat, or the Golden Horn Beach. The water is so pure and clear here, and you can especially see that in aerial photos above it. Lots of people at this popular beach, even though it is a pebble beach. Few bars and restaurants here too.
On the way back to Soupetar, the port city you can make a small detour to Milna, a lovely harbour city located in a bay. It is super idyllic and for me one of the most beautiful spots in Croatia so far. There are a few restaurants and bars here to enjoy.
DAY 4: Split > Trogir > Split
As the first 3 days were really packed, we decided to not take it too rough on the 4th day, our last day before flying back. Trogir is a city that is just a 40 minute drive from Split and has an old town which is completely UNESCO world heritage. It is gorgeous but rather small. It was a short visit of just an hour.
Just 10 minutes driving from the city center of Split, under the Marjan hill, you can find Kasjuni Beach. It is a lovely beach with a very groovy vibe. Lots of young people and electronic music pumping thru the speakers from the (very overpriced) bar next to it.
One restaurant that I can really recommend is Corto Maltese in Split. Inside is incredible with millions of details and the staff is so charming. The names of the dishes and the menu in general are the funniest I have ever seen. (The Tunight Show, Ragu Against The Machine 
)
Better to reserve though, as this is an extremely popular restaurant amongst locals and tourists.
Another dish to definitely eat in Croatia is the Cevapčići, a very popular dish in the Balkans. The meat is so tender and juicy, amazing!
Do you have a sweet tooth? You’re in for a treat at Bajamina then! It specializes in pancakes and has like 10 pages of choices in pancakes. And yes, it was the best pancake I ate in my life. 
DAY 5: Split > Rijeka
Not the most exciting day, but something that needed to be done: getting back to the airport. We had return tickets to Rijeka so we had to drive all the way from Split to Rijeka which took 4 hours. I would recommend to book your inbound flight to Rijeka and return flight from Split / Dubrovnik but this was not available for us unfortunately. 
The views made it up though!
Conclusion:
Croatia is such a diverse country offering you everything–mountains, sea, beaches, islands.
But I have to be honest that I feel that it is a rather expensive country, especially when you compare it to Italy and Spain. Unless you stay in hostels or low-starred hotels, price per night becomes high very quickly. Diversity in restaurants is disappointing, with 90% of the menu exactly the same in all restaurants. The prices of the dishes are just expensive.
I only stayed for 5 days, which made it possible for me to dine at restaurants every day. But there is no way that the average family can afford an apartment and daily restaurants in Croatia when coming for a summer vacation of 2 weeks.
To end on a positive note, the Croatian people are super nice, speak English very fluent everywhere you go and they have a great sense of humour!
Peace & Love,
Stephen
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