BATTLE OF THE GIANTS: CROATIA VERSUS ITALY

Drvenik, Croatia - © Johannes Vande Voorde

It’s a tough competition: Italy versus Croatia. We’re not talking about soccer, although both countries have excellent teams. Italia and Hrvatska (Croatia) are like twin sisters raised by a different family. If you had to make the heartbreaking choice for one of them, what would you do?

We are devoted Italy fans as we love culture, history, good food and beautiful scenery. Umbria, Sicily and Tuscany have a special place in our hearts. We can’t stay away for too long before we feel the urge to go back to Europe’s best holiday country. At least, that’s what we said before setting foot in Croatia. Such a spectacular country!
In our opinion, the Croatian coast is what the Italian coast should look like. Croatia has many towns and villages that seem like they were stolen from Italy and thrown against an idyllic coastline surrounded by turquoise water. The Italian vibes in Croatia are not hard to explain. Istria was under Roman control from 177 BC to 476 AD, hence the square layout and temples in towns like Poreč, and even an amphitheatre in Pula. That’s why the nickname of the Istrian peninsula is ‘Croatian Tuscany’. From the 12th century, the towns on the west coast of Croatia were part of the republic of Venice for 5 centuries.

So now, back to business: Croatia or Italy? Let’s break it down according to the most important holiday criteria: culture, nature, food, beaches and prices.

1. Culture

Italy’s artistic and architectural heritage is undeniable, so we’re not throwing her under the bus in favor of the underdog with the ‘hidden gems’. That would be a lie by the way, because there are no more undiscovered parts left in Croatia. Istria, Split and Dubrovnik are far too crowded in the summer months, as are Italian hotspots like Venice, Cinque Terre and Florence. If you can, visit these cities in the off-season. The charm of Croatian cities like Zadar, Šibenik, Trogir, Split and Dubrovnik is the combination of old city, monuments, sea views and rugged coastlines. No wonder it’s called the Game of Thrones-belt these days. In Italy, they could not have filmed the series in the same way. But Italy has such an extensive artistic and cultural history that Croatia will never be able to match it. Although we should add that the Croatian mix of cultures -Slavic meets Roman meets Ottoman- is very intriguing. So when it comes to postcard views: 1 point for Croatia. When it comes to art and culture in general: 11 points for Italy. Game, set, match.

2. Nature

Both countries have their own natural wonders. Our Italian favorites are the Dolomites and the surroundings of Mount Vesuvius, because they look like the backdrop of a very dark fairytale. But they can’t compete with the natural wonders of Croatia, such as the Plitvice waterfalls, the Krka national park or the Kornati archipelago. Between the cities and especially on the islands (more than 1000!) there’s a lot of nature you can freely enjoy. They have so much of it that they don’t need to turn every patch of green into a national park. So, points for Croatia.

3. Food

Croatians are big meat lovers, so it’s hard to avoid it. Unless you’re a pescotarian, then you’re in for a treat at the Croatian coast. Choose the simplest restaurant outside the tourist towns to eat fish or oysters right out of the water on the grill and onto your plate. A little seasoning and a lemon wedge is all you need for a king’s meal. My personal favorite was octopus - I could (and did) eat it every day while on holiday- until I saw My Octopus Teacher. (I don’t like my lunch to have feelings.) But still: no match for Italian cuisine. Italians know how to make a great meal with the simplest of ingredients. In my own kitchen, you’ll never hear “hey, let’s make a Croatian dish”. Nope. But we do love Italian cuisine: tagliata, pasta, pizza (don’t you dare talk about pineapple on top or other monstrous American creations, please keep you aberrations to yourself!), espresso, grappa, more grappa, and even homemade gnocchi. We don’t take reservations.

4. Beaches

We’ll be brutally honest: we don’t like the Italian coasts. Now, we haven’t visited them all , as we’re not the types for sunbathing and inflatable flamingos. But we saw too many ugly campsites, overcrowded beaches and failed postmodern coastal architecture to fancy an Italian beach vacation. When we wanted to cool off in Croatia in the heat of the day, we would park the van on the side of the road, walk to the pebble beach and jump in the water. We often lingered there when no one else was around. It’s nice to have a piece of beach all to yourself. No one here cares whether you wear clothes or not, if you bring a picnic, or a dog, and no one is selling anything. Croatian people are relaxed and open-minded, something we really appreciate. The coastline is so long that you can easily avoid the crowds if you want. Important: if you want the best beaches in Croatia, you better not go to Istria. Sunbathers just look for a spot on the concrete boardwalks along the water to lay down their towel because the beaches are too crowded with tourists. The best beaches can be found on the islands and in Dalmatia. Croatia is definitely the big winner in this category.

5. Prices

While both countries are fine if you’re on a budget, Croatia is still the cheapest one. Apart from the touristic hotspots in Italy, you can find bed & breakfasts, apartments and food at low prices. That’s why we mostly choose to spend the night in between places of interest: it’s quiet, cheaper, and there’s a better chance to find a special place with friendly owners. In Croatia, prices are even lower. In every corner you’ll find a local who rents out an apartment at reasonable prices. Even Dubrovnik was cheaper than we expected. We never book in advance, and decide the same day if we’ll camp out, or look for a B&B to spend the night.
(The only time we didn’t find a place to stay or eat was in France on the 14th of July. So we spent the night in the van, we ate bread and cheese, and drank wine from our own stash. Vive la révolution! Or something less cheezy.)
Winner: Croatia.

So, Croatia or Italy? Which sister is the best? Stop it, that’s like asking us which one is the favorite child. We love both countries, for different reasons.

If you’re holiday preferences go to good food and culture, choose Italy. If you like historical postcard views and beaches, go to Croatia.

By the way, if you want to know what the love child of Italy and Croatia would look like, visit Trieste.

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