As we woke up to a new day on the Croatian side, we continued our journey onward. Unsure of our destination, we decided to just drive and see where we ended up and what we wanted to do. Our first find was a lovely beach where we took a morning swim. The water was slightly chilly but incredibly clear! It was a wonderful way to start the day. From there, we headed north, cooking up some meals in the mountains amidst stunning scenery and enjoying the beautiful coastal roads of Croatia.
Still without internet, life was a bit challenging, so we decided to call our service provider to sort things out. It turned out that we had actually been connected to the Croatian network all along. We just needed to recognize the country’s network name ourselves, so there was no need to wait for a “Welcome to Croatia” message; we just had to check the network name ourselves and connect accordingly.
The Charming Little Village of Mimice, Croatia
Now that we finally had internet access, we wanted to check for accommodation so we wouldn’t have to spend another night in the car. We found a delightful hotel right on the beachfront in the small village of Mimice, Hotel Pleter. The hotel was directly on the seafront, and our room had a French balcony with lovely sea views. It was such a clean and beautiful hotel that we absolutely wanted to stay there; the accommodation cost 123 โฌ per night.
The hotel had a small terrace on the promenade where we could have breakfast. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a gluten-free breakfast option, but we brought our own bread and filled it with items from the hotel breakfast.
Mimice village is small, I mean really small. There are a few houses and a couple of restaurants. Don’t expect much hustle and bustle here, but it’s a great place for pure relaxation. The scenery is truly beautiful, with crystal-clear waters, beaches, and good food. We could have easily spent a few more days here.
The next day, we went hiking on a nearby mountain, Suplja Stina – Biokovsko oko. It took about fifteen minutes to drive from Mimice. We parked the car at the beginning of the dirt road since the road conditions didn’t inspire confidence in our tires. There were nice hiking trails here, although they weren’t well marked, or perhaps we were going in the wrong direction. Nevertheless, there were paths, and they were in good condition, so there was no need to trudge through anything. From the top, there was a beautiful view of the sea over the Croatian coastline.
Nearby, there was also the Biokovo Nature Park – Skywalk, a glass-bottomed walkway, which could be quite nice, but we didn’t visit it this time.
Omis and Its Old Town
From Mimice, it was only 13 kilometers to the town of Omis, so we quickly drove there. Omis is a small and beautiful town by the sea, surrounded by mountains. The town is full of old houses and stalls. It was enjoyable to stroll through the narrow streets of the old town and admire the beautiful buildings.
Above the old town, on the mountainside, is the Tvrฤava Fortica fortress. We decided to climb the stairs to the fortress and explore the area. There was an admission fee to the fortress, and we decided that we weren’t so motivated to visit it this time, so we skipped the castle tour. However, there was an observation terrace at the top, offering stunning views over the town. Even if you’re not interested in visiting the fortress, it’s definitely worth going up to see the views. They are truly worth the short climb.
Omis is only 25 kilometers away from the popular city of Split, making it easy to take a day trip from there.
Charming Split
Split’s popularity didn’t surprise us after seeing its old town. Time easily slips away wandering through the maze-like streets of the old town, visiting shops and cafes. Although we didn’t have any particular expectations for Split, the old town was much larger than we had imagined. The magnificent St. Domnius Cathedral dominates the views, peeking out from between narrow streets, and the square in front of it was a nice place to sit and watch the hustle and bustle.
The old buildings are fascinating, and almost every time we see them, we wonder how they were built with the tools and techniques available at the time.
Overall, we spent a few days traversing the Makarskan Riviera, and then it was time to head towards Plitvice Lakes National Park!
