Deciding where to take our next family trip for the kids’ school Spring Break was a really easy decision after seeing beautiful pictures of Croatia.
Getting there
Getting to Croatia was not as straightforward as it was for us to get to most other cities in Western Europe that we had visited, though it was not too challenging. There weren’t any direct flights available for us, so the most efficient and economical option was to first fly to Munich, Germany. From there we could have taken a quick and convenient flight to Zagreb, however we decided to take an overnight train since we hadn’t done that before and wanted to try something new.
Quick Stop In Germany (Before The Overnight Train)
We arrived in Munich early in the morning, leaving us an entire day to spend in the city until our train left for Zagreb. Prior to heading out, we went straight to the ticketing desk for the Deutsche Bahn trains where we purchased our tickets for the train to Zagreb, ensuring we had a reserved berth for the family. After that, we wandered the city and found a nice park very close to the train station to lay out where we got to take a nap to try and recover from the jetlag. In the evening, we grabbed dinner at the famous Augusinter-Keller Biergarten (more beer for my husband, great pretzels for the kids, and the stick fish – grilled mackerel on a stick! highly recommended!) After the dinner it was time to head to the train station. We prepped for the train, grabbing some drinks and snacks at one of the many shops inside the station so that we could enjoy onboard, then loaded up and settled into our sleeper cabin where we would spend the next nine hours. The kids loved it at first, and we did too. We had a private sleeper berth with six bunk beds on each side and a sliding locking door which comfortably accommodated our family, but despite being tired it was still difficult for us to sleep.
Overnight Train
I’ve heard wonderful things about the overnight trains. If we flew to Zagreb, we’d be paying for the flights and an extra night in a hotel. The fare for the overnight train journey was less than half the cost of just the airfare, so it seemed like a logical decision. In theory, having a flat bed to lay on is significantly better than sitting upright in an economy seat on a 12 hour international flight, but still none of us really slept well. Part of it was all of the unfamilar sounds of rail travel; nothing too noisy, but just unfamiliar. The other part may have been that we were excited about the trip in general, and experiencing something new.
Once we were awake for the day with no chance of going back to sleep, we caught some very nice early morning scenery passing through Croatia en route to Zagreb.
Zagreb
Once we arrived in Zagreb, we took a quick walk from the train station to the rental car company where we got settled into our car and headed out to our destination, but not until after we stopped at a local Lidl grocery store for some food, drinks, and snacks to bring on our road trip. One of the easiest ways to save money while traveling is to stock up on whatever you can get from local markets or grocery stores. It’s exciting to see what different products are offered, and the kids are always intrigued by the candy and drinks available in different countries.
While vacationing, we prefer to drive ourselves whenever possible since it allows us to see so much more of the country, and gives us the freedom to stop at whatever interesting sights we happen to see along the way. While driving in a foreign country isn’t for everyone, ultimately it works for us and we’re lucky to have kids who are great on long car rides. There is the occasional time when we have to pull over and take a break to let everyone stretch and breathe. Usually these travel stops involv checking out the local food or parks in the smaller towns on our way to the bigger cities or main atractions and this always adds an experience to our trips.
Plitvička Jezera (Plitvice Lakes)
Our first stop was the Plitvice Lakes National Park which was a 2 hour drive from Zagreb. We parked our car and walked over to the boat that would take us accross the Kozjak Lake. There are two entances to the lakes and we entered via Entrance 2 (southgate Upper Lakes). The park is open year round and the hours vary by season. Be sure to check their website for the latest information. Plitvice Lakes is a series of sixteen crystal clear lakes; there are twelve upper lakes called “Gornja Jazera,” four lower lakes called “Donja Jazera,” and ninety waterfalls. Yes, 90 different waterfalls! These lakes follow one after another creating stunning cascades of waterfalls. It was spring during our visit making it the a great time to see the lakes because of the large volume of water from the melting snow. As soon as we disembarked from the short boat ride across the lake, we were already welcomed by small rushing sparkly waterfalls. There are wooden paths that go directly over much of the water and wrap around all the lakes, taking you very close. The beautiful color of these lakes and waterfalls along with the greenery surrounding the park make this place very magical. We were waiting for some sparkly flying fairies to show up!
If you visit, make sure to bring a lunch for a picnic and then find a spot to enjoy the park because you will want to stay a bit once you see this place. (If you forget a lunch, there’s a cafe by the main entrance.) If you are up for some exercise there are various hikes ranging from a short three hours all the way up to eight hours. You could also rent a paddle boat if you prefer to be on the water. This lake is so beautiful and stunning and walking around it was very relaxing. Plitvice Lakes was such a nice experience, especially as our very first stop in Croatia, and made me very excited to see the rest of the country.
We decided not to bring my toddlers stroller here since the terrain in the park is not the best for it and may be tricky to navigate with a stroller. There are also a few hotels also available right at the park, and next time we visit we would love to spend an evening at the hotel in the park just to have more time to enjoy it.