My dreamy vacation to Croatia

In August I spent a lovely, beautiful, wonderful week in Novalja (Isle of Pag, Croatia).

I was there with my boyfriend and let me tell you, after a year of university, exams, problems and drama, this vacation was much needed and deserved.

The Isle of Pag is well known for its discos and parties but it’s a perfect place for families and people who just want to relax, too. In fact Novalja is a little city which used to be populated by breeders and fishermen, which obviously still live there, but with time a lot of new building have arose and the city became more popular and worldly.

The thing I loved the most is that wherever you go there’s a breath taking landscape.

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There are also various beaches so you can choose the one you like the most and stick to it, or explore them all like we did; here’s the ones we visited:

Sunday 7.08

Novalja Central

The beach of Novalja was just a few steps in front of our apartment and as most of Croatia’s beaches, it was made of rocks, which can really freaking hurt your feet if you don’t wear some – not so fashionable – gummy shoes which will deaden your steps.

Monday 8.08

Simuni

Simuni is a wonderful place. Not only you have a very long beach, but you also have a pinewood just before the beach so you can relax, nap and eat in the shade.
A lot of people had an hammock, which I was very jealous about.
Simuni also provides a beach for nudists, one for dogs and one with smaller rocks, so your babies won’t get hurt and can play safely.

Tuesday 9.08

Babe Beach

Babe beach is not as big as Simuni so it’s much more crowded but the backdrop of the sea is made of sand – surprise! – and it’s much less deep than the others because this beach is a sort of bay or lagoon.

Wednesday 10.08

Zrce

Zrce is the famous beach full of discos and drunk young people, but what not everyone know is that there’s also a nudists’ beach and a bit further there’s a sort of big pond with very low waters and miraculous sludges; they are very beneficial and good for your skin, and believe when I say that they will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth like never before, they also light purple so they’re cute too!

Thursday 11.08

Novalja Central

Friday 12.08

Sv. Duh

This beach is really windy, or it was when we went there so it’s not one of my favorites but it’s obviously very pretty.

Simuni

Saturday 13.08

Simuni

This was a very special day because I went snorkeling for the first time!
The sea in Croatia is clear like crystal so it’s perfect for such an activity, I saw the fishes and it was amazing. I have a huge fear of drowning so for me being capable of doing it was a big deal but it’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done.

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During this week I’ve worn 3 bathing suits and they’re absolutely my favorites:

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Benetton | Decathlon | Calzedonia

I obviously spent a lot of time at the beach so I wore my bathing suits more than normal clothes, but when I went out to dinner or to a walk along the sea I put on some dresses or some shorts and bluses.

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Only for my last night I took out of the closet my beautiful Guess crochet dress and my gladiator sandals.

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My essentials for this vacation aren’t many because I didn’t want to always bring with me a bag full of things; this is why I particularly appreciated the products Flo Accessories sent me: a glass nail file and a travel perfume spray, which you fill up with your favorire perfume and take with you wherever you go.
I always want my nails to be perfect and to smell good as well but I didn’t want to bring my whole beauty case with me, if you’re like me I really recommend Flo’s products!*

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Other than that I always had my Divinity LA bracelets – which have find their natural habitat, kind of – and my Magna Carta bracelet.

My go to sun screen cream? Frezy Derm! You couldn’t even notice it on my face, it’s so light.

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When you go on vacation  to cities like this I think it’s important to support the local businesses so buying souvenirs from small shops and food from markets and fishermen; this way not only you’ll support the city economically but you’ll also get something unique and of high quality.

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Saying that I’ve eaten well during this vacation is an understatement, I think I’ve gained weight but I’m quite happy about it because I’ve eaten delicious and typical food, and going to Croatia has an amazing perk related to food: it’s cheaper!
Here in Italy to have a dinner eating fish will cost you €50 or more, while in Croatia it costs about €15/20. A huge difference, right?

I’ve been in three different restaurants and here they are:

Zal,  Caska – grade: 5 stars

The best restaurant EVER. Everything tastes amazing and they are so well trained and kind.
There are also nights dedicated to music, with local groups and singers.
I’ve eaten fried fish, pasta with shrimps and truffle, grilled meat and a lot more and it was all perfect.

Bazilika, Novalja – grade: 3 stars

This one is really pretty and the personal is very nice, the choice of food are pretty much the same in the whole isle but the quality is obviously different. The more we get closed to the center of the city the more the quality decreases.
This restaurant is good and the food delicious but there’s better.

Laguna, Novalja – grade: below the 0

As I said: the quality decreases and this restaurant is the living proof. I truly not recommend it, unless you want to eat awfully.

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I highly suggest you to book a vacation to Novalja ASAP!
This place is perfect both for young people who just want to have fun and also for families who just want to relax.

The sea is one of the best out there and so is the food. I couldn’t be happier to have spent my holidays in this dreamy city with my boyfriend, and if you want to see more about our vacation, here are some photos.

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Sorry for the super long post, I hope you liked my little guide! But now, share in the comments where you have been on vacation and where would you like to go in the future!

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* Disclaimer: The mentioned products have been sent to me freely by the reference so that I could make an objective evaluation and declare my honest opinion, not influenced in any way by having received the products in question.