Croatia is fantastic...we simply loved it. Like her northern neighbor, Slovenia, Croatia is gifted with tremendous natural beauty. The Dalmatian coastline never tires, no matter how many turns of the head. We did not have time to see all that we wanted to, as seven days is not enough to experience all that Croatia has to offer...we will most definitely be back.

What we did have time to see were the cities of Dubrovnik and Split (Please see photos).

Dubrovnik is beautiful, historic, pristine, filled with friendly locals and good food. We had a harder time fiding good wine, but find it we did! Thanks to Erika and Matt for recommending Matusko, which offered an excellent Croatian red. We found others too...its just is not as easy or inexpensive as Southern Italy.

We stayed at a fantastic hotel, Hotel Kompas, which had amazing off season values, including an upgrade to a sea-view with a gorgeous glass balcony. We loved the bed, the staff, and the luxury. If I'm really honest, I really like luxury. (Is this a suprise to those who know me?)

We walked on the city walls of Dubrovnik, taking in amazing views, while learning about the region's history through an audio guide. Especially interesting was how a city dating to the 7th century AD was viciously attacked so recently; first in WWII , and then in 1991-1995 when Yugoslavia was dismantled. Forces aligned with Yugoslavia and Montenegero (JNA) set seige upon the city, causing death and destruction. As we were walking on the walls, of a city which has survived so much, it is hard to believe that in my mother's lifetime and my own, so much damage has fallen upon this beautuful city. Why are humans so desperate to destruct?

We travelled up the coast to Split, Croatia via a four-hour bus ride. The drive was almost completely on the Dalmatian coast, featuring sublime views (See photos). Once in Split, we found all kinds of greatness.

Split is an astounding Roman city. We garnered much knowledge between a private 2-hour walking tour with our guide Petar, and an engrossing 3 hours in the Split Archaelogy museum. The Roman Emperor, Diocletian, built the city of Split around 300 A.D. with the intent of a personal 'Diocletian Palace.' Diocletian was also a Christian persecutor and a native of the nearby Roman town of Salona. We had the good fortune to stay in a small B&B within Diocletian's palace. The Roman streets, the mausoleum and the Temple of Jupiter are still there, along with many other orginal ruins including six sphinx from Egypt dating to 1500 B.C.

However, the Middle Ages brought an influx of refugees who built on top of the Roman roads and buildings, enclosing the once Greek designed (neo-Classical) palace with narrow passages and dense housing...the opposite of how the palace was designed. Now, both old and older co-exist in this historic city.

Our Take: THe Dalmation Coast is complete with natural beauty and historic relevance. We cannot wait to return to explore much more of this breathtaking region.