Croatia is probably most well known for Dubrovnik, but let me tell you, there’s much more to Croatia than the Game of Thrones filming location. Here are some lesser known, but fascinating tidbits about this cool country.
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When I first moved to Croatia, I was introduced to a few “rules” that most Croatians live by (because they’ve been brought up with their grammas nearby, always keeping a watchful eye and enforcing these - let’s call them - laws). They’re actually pretty sweet and endearing because in the end Gramma just wants you to stay alive.
Not only is it one of the most beautiful countries you’ll ever visit in your life, but it’s home to one of the most majestic places in the world...Plitvice Lakes National Park. This little slice of heaven is a must-see if you plan on travelling to Croatia. Although the country has eight national parks, Plitvice takes the lead in my humble opinion. Mother Nature sure outdid herself on this one!
As an expat in Croatia, everyone always asks what I like about living here and how it compares to Canada. Well here’s my most favourite thing that I think is missing in most (if not all) Canadian cities...
One of the first cafes as you walk down Tkalca
A list of the ultimate tasty snacks for your Croatian vacation :) Don’t leave Croatia without trying all five!
1. Napolitanke
These flaky wafer cookies should almost be illegal for their addictiveness. They’re so light and crispy and layered so finely with different flavours of cream (my favourite is the classic chocolate cream, shown in the picture). They’re perfectly bite sized as well, which makes it easy to keep having just “one-more.” Watch out, you’ll polish off a kilo of these cookies after 30 minutes in the car.
1. Do not go on a diet.
With several different regions, each famous for their own specialties, now’s not the time pass on succulent, mouthwatering meals. Savour some gnocchi with fresh truffle-cream sauce in Istria, delight in Dalmatia’s best seafood straight from the Adriatic Sea, revel in world renowned oysters from Ston, or taste traditional meats, finely cured from the continental region. There's so much to try - you might actually need to start a diet after you return home ;) All of these foods also pair extremely well with local wine, which brings me to number two on the list...
(post by Sarah)
Maksimir Park was opened to the public in 1794 and was the first of its kind in this region of Europe. There are so many things to love about it, but here are my top 5. 
1. There are 5 lakes within its 18 hectares of space where you can relax, admire nature and have a picnic. I can’t even count the number of picnics I’ve had here over the years. A blanket, a bottle of wine, a baguette with some fresh cheese, deli meat and fruit and you’re all set for a cozy afternoon enjoying the outdoors with the peeps you love. It’s a great place to escape the crowds and find a little peace!
(post by Sarah)
I thought it might be helpful to write a post about some useful words and phrases when visiting Croatia. When I first stepped off the plane back in 2007, I only knew a few words from my little Lonely Planet pocket phrasebook and boy have I had my share of embarrassing language mishaps along the way. Want some examples? I told Ivan I was going to kill him on one of our first dates (I’m surprised he stuck around :), I told a woman I liked her new body hair (seriously strange reaction), I asked a neighbour to help me bring my bike into the butt-hole in the basement (definitely the most awkward reaction to date), and the list goes on.
Here's where I learned all of my beginning Croatian - I went to cafes, alone, and studied the small English-Croatian dictionary in the back of this phrasebook.
(post by Ivan)
Ever since I was a child, I’ve always had a love for cars (which of course started with a couple of toy cars that my friends and I would push around on the floor, pretending we were racecar drivers). Cars have changed so much over the years, especially here in Croatia – up until the fall of communism, over 50% of the cars on the street were Zastavas (Yugoslavian car factory) – only those who left Croatia to work in rich, neighboring countries like Germany, Austria or Switzerland drove the finer cars like the ones hosted in the museum. 
(post by Ivan)
What made Zagreb win the award for the Best European Destination for Advent? 
With Advent behind us all now, vendors are surely rubbing their hands together (with how much money they made) and most of the citizens of Zagreb are still in awe of what a spectacle this year’s celebration turned out to be. I have to admit – this year, Advent in Zagreb was very special to me. (Partly because I was celebrating this season as a new father :)
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Authors
Sarah CosicAs a Canadian in Croatia, Sarah aims to share her favourite things to see and do, in hopes of helping other expats enjoy and explore this beautiful country, 
Ivan CosicIvan is always searching for unique places and experiences to offer his guests and wants to share some of his findings through the blog. Archives
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