Z Towns — An Offbeat European Road Trip

Looking for an offbeat Euro road trip this fall that doesn’t involve hordes of other travelers, outrageous prices, and had-it-up-to-here-with-tourism locals?

The overland journey between Zagreb and Zadar in northern Croatia might be just the thing that feeds your appetite for Europe without the indigestion (a.k.a. overcrowding and overpricing) that plagues popular destinations like Venice, Barcelona and Prague.

It’s not a long drive: Less 200 miles (300 km) via the Croatian wine country, two awesome national parks, and a spectacular bridge before reaching the gorgeous Adriatic coast.

While you can start the road trip at either end, the best jumping off spot is Croatian capital and a Franjo Tuđman International Airport that welcomes direct flights from Istanbul, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other European air hubs.

The rental car kiosks are a short walking distance outside the terminal. There’s a lot of choice including well-known global brands like Enterprise and Hertz.

As an example, current Enterprise rates for a one-week one-way rental between Zagreb and Zadar (minus taxes, insurance, and fees) are US$291 for a compact car, US$323 for a small SUV, and US$388 for a station wagon. All of them stick shifts, of course, because automatics are still rare in Europe.

Croatia boasts plenty of gas stations. They tend to be self-service but not pay-at-the-pump. You have to go inside the shop to pay with cash or credit card. Check out current road conditions and gas prices on the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) website.

Zagreb: the Most Underrated European Capital?

With the Dalmatian Coast such a star attraction, travelers tend to bypass much of inland Croatia. That’s a huge mistake, because Zagreb is one of Europe’s most underrated capital cities.

What’s the vibe? It’s kind of a mini Vienna, an old Austro-Hungarian Empire regional capital with plenty of vintage architecture, lively squares and pedestrian precincts, and lots of green space.

Zagreb offers the usual array of modern, Western-style chain hotels (Hilton, Sheraton, Westin). But nothing beats the elegant Esplanade for romance, history, and sheer class. Founded in 1925 as a stopover on the original Orient Express route, the Art Nouveau landmark is totally modernized and located within walking distance of most of the places in Zagreb you’ll want to visit.

With its narrow cobblestone streets, photogenic St. Mark’s Church and panoramic views, the ancient Upper Town (Gornji Grad) is the city’s main attraction. Ponder mementoes of love lost at the original Museum of Broken Relationships and flit across the street to the Croatian Museum of Naive Art and its incredible collection of Yugoslavia communist-era paintings with subtle anti-government elements.

After dark, attend an opera or musical performance at the Croatian National Theatre (opened in 1895). Rigoletto, Hamlet and a tribute to John Lennon are on the fall schedule. Or spend the evening wining and dining at places like NAV Restaurant with its incredible nouvelle Croatian tasting menu or Dubravkin Put with its leafy, park-like setting.

Into the Wine Country

A half-hour drive from downtown Zagreb, the village of Samobor is a gateway to the wine country along the Croatia-Slovenia frontier. The village doesn’t look much older than the day it was founded in the 13^th century as a free royal town within the Holy Roman Empire. Nowadays its forte is hiking and mountain biking in the heavily wooded hills around Samobor and gourmet food and drinks in the old medieval town.

Tucked down a narrow alley, Bermet Filipec wine cellar is the place to sample a local specialty called bermet, an aromatic dark wine similar to port. Just around the corner on the main square, Livadic Cafe is renowned for Samobor-style cream cake. Down another alley, Bakery Nikl makes fabulous rudarska greblica (miner cake), a favorite food of the copper and iron miners who once labored in this region.

Alternatively, spend the day flitting between cellars in the Plesivica wine country wine country south of Samobor. And make a lunch reservation at the Michelin one-star restaurant at Korak Winery, where the dreamy views across the countryside are nearly as tasty as Chef Bernard’s out-of-this-world tasting menus.

Across the Highlands

Whether you depart from Zagreb or Samobor, take the E65 motorway toll road in a westerly direction and veer south onto the D1 highway at Karlovac. Follow the yellow signs pointing the way to Split/Rijeka

Soon you’re out in the countryside again and gradually climbing into the Dinaric Alps, a southern extension of the main Alps that stretches all the way down the western side of the Balkans. Depending on the traffic, it takes around 90 minutes to reach Plitvice Lakes National Park.

One of Europe’s greatest natural wonders and the most picturesque spot in Croatia away from the coast, the lakes are geographical superstars, their ever-changing color (a dozen different shades of blue and green) the subject of a billion social media posts.

So yeah, the park gets crowded. Especially in summer when Croatian visitors are also out in force. Follow the stairs down to the lakeshore and explore the boardwalk trail to several waterfalls. Then hop the boat across the lake to another landing, where you can catch a bus back to the visitor center or head down trails in the park’s less-crowded southern sector.

With numerous guesthouses and hotels in the area, Plitvice is a great place to spend a night or two. With the extra-added advantage of entering the park when it first opens before the crowds arrive.

Zadar: Hitchcock’s Best Sunset

The first inkling of Adriatic is around a 90-minute drive from Plitvice with spectacular views along the way. Reaching Rovanjska, you can hang a right on the coast road and do a bit of hiking (or world-class rock climbing) in Paklenica National Park, bungee jump off the bright red Maslenica Bridge, or head straight into Zadar.

Founded in the 9^th century BC and the oldest, continuously occupied town in Croatia, Zadar has witnessed the march of empires over the years — Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians,

Austrians and even Napoleon’s forces. The city’s eclectic architecture reflects its changing fortunes (and masters), especially the mishmash of overlapping styles in the walled old town.

This is a great place to splurge on a guided walking tour. Or wandering around on your own, especially at dusk, the city’s beloved Sea Organ playing a romantic, wave-generated tune and superyachts in the harbor silhouetted by a sunset that film director Alfred Hitchcock called “the world’s most beautiful” during a 1964 visit to Zadar.

Like the capital, Zadar offers numerous accommodation options. But do try to stay in the old town at historic digs like the Hotel Bastion, which is literally built into the city walls. The hotel’s Restaurant “Kaštel” compliments its dreamy harbor views with amazing Adriatic seafood. For something more lively, cross the water on the pedestrian bridge for dinner and drinks at a seafood barbecue joint called the Harbor CookHouse & Club.