Croatia

The Plešivica wine region is often referred to as “Little Champagne” because of its local sparkling wines and is home to some of Croatia’s finest vineyards. I get to sample a selection of bubbles and, although I would hardly call myself a wine expert, they taste excellent. I am also introduced to orange wine, a style that the local winemaker says is becoming increasingly popular. It is made using white grapes processed in much the same way as red wine, including the skins, which give the finished wine its distinctive deep yellow to orange colour. The result is a unique taste, although the special production process also makes it more expensive than conventional white wine.

On the way to the second winery, Coletti, Mother Nature decides to show her strength. I suddenly find myself caught in a torrential downpour accompanied by a spectacular barrage of lightning. With every flash, it feels as if the sky is splitting open. Out in the vineyards, I make for a rather obvious lightning rod, so I pull over at the first house I can find. An elderly man gestures for me to come inside, apparently completely unfazed by the fact that I am soaked to the skin. He offers me food, something to drink and towels to dry myself off. In broken English, we somehow end up discussing Belgian football. Eventually it is time to continue my journey. I say goodbye to my generous host, whose hospitality will turn out to be anything but an exception during my time in Croatia.

Bear refuge

The rain is still falling the following morning, leaving me little choice but to return to Zagreb and wait out the miserable weather. It gives me the opportunity to explore the capital in a little more detail, although Zagreb doesn't quite manage to win me over. I am therefore more than happy when, after two days of wandering around the city, I can finally climb back onto the BMW. Under a brilliant morning sun, I leave the grey apartment blocks of Zagreb behind.

Within an hour, I am surrounded by greenery and the first winding roads lead me towards Ogulin, a pleasant little town on the Dobra River. The river actually flows underground beneath the town for around six kilometres, having carved tunnels through the porous limestone. I take a guided tour of the local castle and church before visiting the House of Fairy Tales, dedicated to Ivana Brlić Mažuranić, one of Croatia’s best known fairy tale writers. Ogulin isn't necessarily the most spectacular destination of the trip, but its many terraces make it a pleasant place to stop for lunch.

From there, I continue via Otočac towards Kuterevo. In this mountain village, encounters with bears are almost guaranteed, although not quite in the way you might expect. The local Bear Refuge Project provides shelter for neglected brown bears. The refuge is free to visit and makes for an interesting stop, reached via narrow roads winding through untouched countryside. Some sections require a little caution, with loose gravel and blind corners keeping the pace down, but the peace and charm of the landscape remind me of the Shire from Tolkien's books. At a wonderfully relaxed pace, I continue through the idyllic countryside towards Krasno.

The village has only one restaurant, which also doubles as the reception for the apartment where I am staying. The woman who welcomes me doesn't speak English and the brown interior looks as though it hasn't changed in decades. Local men sit smoking while watching a dubbed American television series. And, once again, everyone I meet is unmistakably Croatian in their warmth and friendliness.

Perfect bends

The following morning, I visit the nature museum in Krasno, where I learn more about the rich flora and fauna of Velebit Nature Park. With an extra day, this would be an excellent place to explore on foot, with bears, wolves and lynx roaming the surrounding wilderness. The museum also explains the deep shafts found throughout the park, mostly vertical caves carved into the limestone. Patkov Gušt reaches 553 metres and is described as the deepest of its kind in the world. Through a network of caves and tunnels, water makes its way beneath the mountain range towards the sea.

From Krasno, a direct road leads towards the coastal village of Sveti Juraj. The hills are densely covered with pine trees and the landscape initially reminds me of the Belgian Ardennes. Then I reach the point on the ridge where the tree line suddenly disappears. In front of me, the Adriatic Sea and its countless islands stretch out into the distance.

I stop to take it all in, although the stop turns out to be somewhat unnecessary. The spectacular view remains with me throughout the entire descent towards the coast. It easily earns a place in my personal top ten. There is very little traffic and the twisting GPS track promises a succession of perfect corners. On a whim, I occasionally leave the asphalt to explore some of the smaller roads running across the mountainside. Every now and then I pass a solitary house with a view that would be difficult to put a price on.

I could happily spend the entire day exploring every bend, but I have a ferry to catch to the island of Rab. The coastal road towards the ferry is somehow even more spectacular, although the traffic gradually increases. Even so, it is nothing compared with the traffic jams of places such as the Côte d'Azur. The villages are more widely spaced here and the Adriatic Highway allows for a much smoother pace. I reach the ferry comfortably, already wondering what the next section of Croatia will have in store.