Maybe it was the fact that we had too few days in Croatia. Maybe it was because, on the way down through Germany, we experienced what could only be described as “roadside assistance from hell”, which ended up damaging our car even more. Maybe it was because the broken car took a huge bite out of our budget and shortened our journey by several days. Maybe it was the tourism and the many inflatable water parks that made it a little difficult for us to find ourselves – and the joy – in Croatia.
Maybe it was simply the accumulation of circumstances that made it hard for us to really feel ourselves – or Croatia, for that matter.
But in the end, we found a little bit – of everything.
We had been looking forward to the trip. Because of illness and treatments during the spring, it was very late before we could finally assess the situation and decide on our summer journey. The plan became a road trip through Germany, Austria and Slovenia, with a week of nature and seaside holiday in Croatia as the main destination. With the Dalmatian mountains in the background and the Adriatic Sea less than 200 meters away, we had found a lovely apartment with a beautiful view. Everything seemed perfectly lined up for a great adventure and swimming holiday.
For many reasons, we just never found that Croatia we had dreamed about. We couldn’t feel the country. We couldn’t feel the Croatians. We couldn’t even feel ourselves. But just as we were about to let go of the dream, it came to us – of course, the day before we were supposed to leave.
We could write page after page about everything that didn’t go as planned. But deep down, what matters most to us is holding on to the moment when it finally worked out – which is exactly what this post and these photos are about.
This is the story of the evening when the Dalmatian mountains and Port Magistrala showed us the true beauty of Croatia.
Port Magistrala – the gateway to Dalmatia’s beauty
On our trips around Dalmatia, we had passed countless beautiful bays along the coast. The bays – or inlets – stretch into the land; many of them are lined with houses, and many have harbors. Some are completely natural, while others have yachts anchored in the water.
One bay, in particular, caught my attention on our way back from Primošten. On our last evening in the country, we drove there to experience it at sunset. We parked the car and wandered around a bit. We spoke with a friendly man who kindly let us walk through his Airbnb area so we could reach the water.
Port Magistrala is a cluster of houses around a tiny harbor, not far from where we were staying (Žaborić). Driving past, the beauty is simply striking. The town is lovely, the sea even more so, and out in the Adriatic, the Dalmatian islands lie like pearls on a string, forming stunning silhouettes. Everything here is beautiful – the landscape, the sea, the houses…
When we reached the water, the deep blue sea transformed into the most crystal-clear water, and we could see far down to the fish and sea urchins, dark blotches resting on the rocks.
Around the water, on the rocks, people were still soaking up the last rays of the day. Children played, taking turns diving into the clear water. A family had set up some chairs and a table and were enjoying their dinner there. Soft voices came from the houses nearby, and every now and then, a laugh rang out.
Everything was peaceful. We felt peaceful.
It was as if we had finally found the Croatia we had always, somewhere deep down, dreamed of encountering. Croatia is, of course, so much more than what we managed to see in the six days we were there, yet we had hoped to experience more of this feeling. Perhaps it was the way we traveled and the stress of the journey that made us rush around the Dalmatian mountains and towns, or maybe the area we stayed in had been affected by tourism’s impersonal touch. It’s hard to say for sure.
But right there, in that moment, everything good about Croatia came together and welcomed us in. We embraced it – humble and relieved. Nothing was lost; everything was gained.
Perhaps, under different circumstances, we would have had more days to get to know the country, and maybe we would have discovered its beauty sooner. Perhaps we would have encountered a completely different Croatia.
No matter what our starting point had been, it turned out as it did. We experienced what we experienced. And even though, in our eyes, the tourist frenzy had tamed the country, pressured the Croatians, and marred the nature, it was still possible to find beauty and calm.
We became wiser, and if we ever return to Croatia, we now know what we will seek: the sea. The nature. Time.
Everything has an end, and for us, Croatia may have two. Perhaps it won’t be the last time we visit the country after all. Curiosity has a way of calling us back.
