Hostel Forum Blog

Vegan, vegetarian, fruitarian, macrobiotic … People whose focus lies on particular food groups and who eliminate completely specific ingredients from their diet, might find it challenging to find a restaurant in Dalmatia that serves such meals exclusively. Still, Dalmatian cuisine includes both meat and fish with loads of vegetables and is known as one of the healthiest in the world. The promise of a variety of vegetable dishes sounds good for vegetarians, but truth be told flexitarians can have a real feast in Dalmatia.

Sitting in the shade, sipping a refreshing drink, genuinely relaxed and without a care in the world….Is this the kind of holiday you envisage? Then Zadar region has plenty of options for you to choose from. Equally so if you wish to fill your vacation with excitement and adventure, if you truly want to live it up in northern Dalmatia. So, take a pick from the following suggestions, some of which might take a few moments, others an entire day, but why not just let your amazing holiday happen.

What is coffee? A dark beverage of intense scent universally consumed and liked to a greater or lesser extent all over the globe. Some drink it with warm or cold milk, or with cream, some like it sweet while others bitter. For some, it represents ‘good morning’, while others add ‘good afternoon and evening’ to it. A seemingly endless variety of options changes from one country to another. While Croatians may not lead the group of nations with most frequent coffee consumption, they still have a special relationship with it. In Dalmatia just as elsewhere in Croatia, it represents the ultimate excuse, a pretext for doing nothing and everything.

Statistically speaking you’ll never have an accident in Croatia. Simply because they happen to other people, or do they? And even if they do, wouldn’t you want to be of help in case you stumble upon one. You cannot leave behind a person in need and turn a deaf ear just because you can say ‘I’m not from here’. Also, technology is great and it gives you the right info quickly, but karma can be a b**** and before you know it, your internet connection is lost. So, before heading on a holiday to Zadar, do your homework - don't just study the map, note down a few of those precious numbers:

A starry night, with bright stars decorating the lovely summer sky. A light breeze that takes away the summer heat. The soothing sound of waves reaching the shore. It’s the best possible setting for your summer night movie - will it turn out to be action packed, a romance, comedy, drama or fantasy, who knows? With the right cast, music and screenplay, only sky is the limit! As long as you don’t end up filming a mystery with severe don't-know-where-I’ve-been-nor-what-I’ve-done hangover the next morning, you’ll be OK.

Salt and pepper. Knife and fork. Bread and butter. Fish and chips. Ham and eggs. Milk and cookies. There are quite a few things that often come together and make the world sweet (or sour, if you prefer it so). Taste and Travel is another great pair and it refers to (1) the ability to include all your senses when exploring new countries and to (2) an event to be discovered and greatly enjoyed by all visitors to Zadar. Here’s what it’s all about.

Feel inspired. Let your imagination go wild with legends and stories and the rich cultural historical heritage right before your eyes. See the landmarks, go off the beaten track. Explore beautiful nature. Swim in the clearest water there is. Breathe in the pine-scented air. Have fun, on every corner. Try out local food, hang with locals and do as they do. Discover the very best of Croatia, explore Dalmatia. And don’t let anything, not even a limited budget, stand in your way. Here’s how.

The entrance door opens. You walk in. Tired, but excited. Wearing reasonably clean clothes, yet with the I-need-a-shower sparkle in the eye. You probably don’t speak Croatian, but we don’t mind, because we’ll find a way to communicate be it in a language we both speak, or just the universal body lingo for travellers. And as we process our first impressions about you, we wonder about what brings you to our lovely city, how long and in what depth you want to explore it and what we can do to make your stay epic. And are you maybe our next most favourite guest? It remains to be seen, because ...

Take a deep, deep, deep, deep breath and … exhale, ‘cause in no time we’ll be blowing out candles on our birthday cake. Four, to be precise. We might seem young and greenish, but we’ve seen the world by now. And we age oh so well, like the best wine there is. We know how to be quiet and loud, curious and reserved, wacky and serious...