Croatia’s history lies etched in the walls of its cities. It is a country that just 20 years ago was in the grips a bloody war, and the bullet scarred buildings lay testament to this. Aside from these ominous reminders, though, it would be very difficult to imagine the beautiful seaside hub of Dubrovnik as anything but the bright bustling city it is today.
Dubrovnik is a collection of terracotta roofs, whitewashed walls and narrow streets tumbling down into the blue Adriatic. Though not famed for its surf, Croatia is not to be overlooked as a possible surfing destination.
The fact that it faces east over the Adriatic sea means that Italy is essentially blocking Croatia from any truly substantial surf. Any waves that Croatia does get tend to be whipped up by the wind and thus tend to be a little sloppy, though a Croatian surf trip in early autumn has been known to yield a bit of reasonable swell to those with a keen eye.
The Islands of Brac and Hvar, members of the Dalmatian archipelago lying just off Dubrovnik, boldly claim to have the occasional wave pass through from time to time – in fact Brac has even gone as far as to be the location of a surf school. Though they sensibly decided to attach this to a wind sports school, to be on the safe side.
There is a high possibility that the waves may never appear, so a back up plan is heavily advised – there a two options. Firstly you could find yourself a kite and do some kitesurfing, the Adriatic is no stranger to a bit of wind. Secondly you could give in and join the masses – this would involve grabbing a sun lounger, purchasing an ostentatious cocktail and just, sort of, lying down for two weeks.
