Zagreb to Grabovac

Something we both love to do is explore new places under our own steam! So we picked up a rental car at the Zagreb airport and headed inland.

The weather was still pretty horrible but we made the best of it, taking our time to wander through a couple of cute villages on the way to our next base for two days!

Our first stop was Samobor, about 20 minutes outside of Zagreb. We could imagine how beautiful this little village would be if the sun was shining. Hot chocolate helped power us through this charming village with a river running through it!

Our next stop (Karlovac) was nothing to write about, but the castle just outside town was a fun stop and we loved the special glass exhibition.

Due to the weather, we skipped other possible stops and navigated the maze of speed traps (we’d been warned about this) to get to Restaurant Ámbar in Rastoke for a late lunch.

I had high hopes for the historic village of Rastoke but it was very touristy. Here’s why: waterfalls and rivers! Rastoke is located where the Slunjčica River flows into the Korana River, creating a series of cascades. The wooden village itself is built on a series of small islands formed by the crisscrossing of these rivers and waterfalls. This creates a fairy-tale-like atmosphere (even in the rain) so hence, a big tourist draw!

At 5 pm we reached Grabovac and checked into our guest house. We were treated to the best of Croatian hospitality with tea and two delicious slices of cake!

Despite the rain, we are smiling and off to a good start here in the Plitvice Lake district!Read more