You Can’t Step in the Same Adriatic Twice: Revisiting Croatia, Then and Now

Hvar Island, Croatia

Discovering Croatia Before the Crowds: Our First Trip in 2008

I still remember the look on my son’s face when we stepped off the ferry in Hvar in 2008 and were immediately greeted by a swarm of friendly strangers waving plastic photo albums like they were auditioning for the role of “Croatian Aunt With the Best Spare Room.” This was back when accommodations were arranged by what can only be described as the most charming black market in Europe. No Booking.com. No Airbnb. Just a healthy dose of optimism and a willingness to hop into a stranger’s Renault in pursuit of a seaside view.

And hop in we did. My husband, our wide-eyed son, and I were swept up in a travel moment that’s now gone the way of paper maps and Kodak film—spontaneous, slightly suspect, and completely unforgettable.

The Lost Art of Spontaneous Travel: When Photo Albums Were Airbnb

We’d “discovered” Croatia the way North Americans like to imagine we discover things: entirely late to the party, but blissfully unaware of that fact. In 2008, the country was still on the Kuna, still on the cusp of being a household name, and still relatively untouched by the waves of international tourism that would soon flood its shores like a Game of Thrones fan tour.

That first trip felt like stepping into a parallel universe—one where stone towns shimmered like something out of a Thomas Kincade painting, where the Adriatic Sea sparkled with that otherworldly Mediterranean clarity, and where Plitvice Lakes National Park looked like Mother Nature’s attempt at a sci-fi film set. Honestly, if a unicorn had trotted past us at the waterfalls, we wouldn’t have flinched.

Croatia Then vs. Now: Yes, It’s Changed—But the Magic Is Still There

Since then, we’ve been back. Many times. From the tiniest town of Hum (population: blink and you’ll miss it) to the polished Old Town of Dubrovnik, we’ve traversed Croatia north to south. And yes, of course it’s changed.

The Dubrovnik we knew in 2008 had sleepy alleyways where cats outnumbered tourists. Today? It’s got crowd-control ropes and cruise ship spillover. But the thing is: the magic’s still there. You just have to look beyond the selfie sticks and cruise lanyards.

The Overtourism Debate: Can You Still Enjoy Popular Places?

This brings me to the great overtourism debate—a term that gets thrown around these days with the same enthusiasm as lost luggage at a budget airline. Yes, places like Venice, Barcelona, and Bali are busy. Yes, Instagram has turned parts of the world into open-air film sets. But here’s the truth: no place stays the same. Not your childhood home, not your favourite dive bar, and definitely not that sleepy seaside town you fell in love with seventeen years ago.

Travel, like life, moves on.

How We Travel Differently Now: Tips for Dodging the Crowds in Croatia

So, what do you do when the old ways are gone? You adapt.

Now, when we go to Croatia, we skip July and August and aim for shoulder season—that sweet spot in May or September when the water is still warm, the prices are gentler, and the crowds have thinned just enough to let you breathe. If cruise season still lingers, we tweak our plans. Sightsee in the early morning or after the ships have pulled away. Dine at 8 p.m. instead of 6, when the Old Town belongs once again to the locals—and those of us who’ve figured out how to travel around the wave instead of through it.

A Final Word on Nostalgia: You Can’t Go Back—But You Can Travel Forward

Is it the same Croatia we met in 2008? No. And thank goodness for that.

If I could give my younger self any advice back then, it wouldn’t be “don’t trust the man with the photo album.” It would be: soak it up, take the photos, eat the grilled fish with your hands, and know that this version of Croatia is yours for this moment only.

And to anyone mourning the loss of a “hidden gem”: the magic’s still there—it’s just had a bit of a glow-up.

Travel isn’t about finding things as they were; it’s about finding joy in what they’ve become.

Practical Tips for Finding the Magic Again (Even in the Crowds):

• Travel in Shoulder Season: May–early June and mid-September–October are your best bets for avoiding peak madness in most of Europe.
  

• Shift Your Schedule: Avoid peak meal and sightseeing hours. Go early or go late. The experience changes completely.
  

• Stay Outside the Hotspots: Base yourself just outside the tourist hubs—Cavtat instead of Dubrovnik, or Šibenik instead of Split—and do day trips in.
  

• Think Small: Towns like Trogir, Korčula, or Motovun offer the same Adriatic charm without the crowd control barriers.
  

• Don’t Let Nostalgia Ruin a Good View: Be happy you saw it before. But be curious enough to see it now.

What has your experience been?

Have you revisited a place after many years and noticed how it has changed? Did it break your heart, or open it in a new way?

I’d love to hear your stories. Drop me a comment, or reach out if you want help planning a trip that captures the feeling of discovery—even if the photo albums have gone digital.