Author Archives: thewriterontheroad

A two-hour ferry ride from Split, Vis is the furthest island in the Dalmatian archipelago from the Croatian mainland. It is quite small – only 34 square miles – but what it lacks in size, it more than compensates for in beauty, unspoiled nature and history.  It is also sparsely populated – only 4,000 peopleContinue reading “Exclusive Vis”

Even after spending three months in Croatia during the summer of 2021, doing research for a book, I still hesitate when I am asked which Croatian island is my favorite. That is not an easy choice. But the Island of Brac, off the coast of Split, earned its place in the top tier of myContinue reading “Beautiful Brac”

Coming from the island of Hvar by ferry, Split looked massive in comparison. The second largest city in Croatia, it sits on a wide bay on the Adriatic Sea, set against a high mountain backdrop. Spreading over a central peninsula in both directions, the swarming of ships and boats of all sizes in its harborContinue reading “Split, Croatia, a Roman emperor’s choice”

I had heard of Hvar (pronounced ‘Huar’ in Croatian) long before I ever set foot in Croatia. This famous Croatian island off the Dalmatian coast is known for having it all: lush nature, rich history, beautiful architecture, scenic beaches and exciting nightlife, plus stylish restaurants, bars and hotels. Of course that doesn’t go unnoticed: eachContinue reading “Hvar, the jet setter’s paradise of Croatia”

By the time I got to the island of Korcula, in southern Croatia, I was already used to the extraordinary beauty of the country. I had been to Dubrovnik – called the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ – and also to Kotor and Perast, in neighboring Montenegro. The fullness of their history and the lushness ofContinue reading “Korcula, Croatia – nature, traditions and wines”

After soaking in the wonders of Kotor, Montenegro’s most popular destination, our group stopped at a scenic seaport called Perast, on the Bay of Kotor.   I consider myself relatively well traveled, but I had never heard of Perast until that hot day, in June of 2021. The first view our group had of it wasContinue reading “Perast, a fairytale on water in Montenegro”

It is less than three hours from Dubrovnik, in Croatia, to Kotor, in the neighboring country of Montenegro. I left Dubrovnik early in the morning on a group day tour organized by Amico Tours, guided by a friendly driver called Gabriel, who picked us up at the gates of the Old Town. While driving usContinue reading “Kotor, Montenegro – a beautiful town of beautiful people”

My plan was to get to Dubrovnik before the end of May, to avoid the droves of tourists that flood it every summer, and time lost waiting in lines. It would be my first time there, but Dubrovnik had been on my bucket list for many years.   After two days in Zagreb – to recoverContinue reading “Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic”

The first time I saw the Croatian coast on the Adriatic Sea was from the window of a bus going from the capital Zagreb to Dubrovnik. My immediate reaction upon witnessing that stunning view was, “How come I have never been here before?” But I actually knew why. From the end of World War IIContinue reading “Croatia, the beautiful”

Confined at home during Covid, I decided to take the time to write a book about a trip I took in 2019 to the Algarve, Portugal’s sunniest coastline and one of the world’s most coveted destinations. Under the Algarve Sun is the tale of the two weeks I spent there with my uncle Ivar, crossingContinue reading “Under the Algarve Sun”