CROATIA

We recently took a trip to Croatia and, even though it wasn’t the longest getaway, it ended up being one of the most scenic and relaxing weekends of my entire semester abroad. The whole vibe of the trip was slower and more peaceful, but still full of things to do, it just didn’t feel rushed the way some other weekends have.

The first day, we visited Krka National Park to see the waterfalls, and it was honestly insane. I had seen photos online, but none of them did it justice. The water was this unreal shade of blue, and everything around it was so green and quiet. We walked along these wooden boardwalks through the trees and across rivers, and every few minutes we’d turn a corner and find another waterfall. It felt like something out of a storybook. We weren’t in a rush, so we took our time walking the whole loop, stopping to take photos and just sit and watch the water. It was probably the most naturally beautiful place I’ve been so far.

Later that day, we walked around the town near the park, grabbed some food, and just chilled by the water for a bit. The streets were quiet, and everything felt really local and low-key no huge crowds, no tourist chaos.

The next day we did the Blue Lagoon, which was a totally different kind of experience but equally amazing. We went out on a boat and just spent the day in and around the water. The lagoon itself was insanely clear, like you could see straight to the bottom, and the color didn’t even look real it was like gatorade. We swam for a while, laid out in the sun, and just kind of relaxed. It felt like the kind of place you’d usually only see on someone’s Pinterest board, and we were just casually there. No packed itinerary, no overthinking it. Just good energy.

Even the boat ride itself was fun. It had a totally different feel from all the city weekends I’ve done, and I loved that change of pace. Overall, Croatia was the kind of trip that reminded me how good it can feel to just slow down and enjoy where you are. The nature was unreal, the water was next level, and there was nothing stressful about it. It was simple in the best way — beautiful places, good weather, and nothing we had to rush through. Definitely a trip I’ll think about whenever someone asks what the most underrated destination was.