The team of Our Tasty Travels is gearing up for a really hectic –but very exciting — October. The first of the month, you can find us in Dublin, Ireland, for TBEX (Travel Blogging Conference). We are still finalizing the interim plans, which include a massive road trip, but then we will will visit a completely new destination for both of us — the area of Kvarner, Croatia.
We have been invited by the boutique Croatia cruise company, Katarina Line, on their first gourmet educational tour. The region of Kvarner is ideal for travelers seeking a different Mediterranean experience. Hidden bays with pristine beaches, small family-run hotels, restaurants, and wine cellars fill the region, with many focusing on very local and near-forgotten traditional dishes. It’s a look back at the Adriatic Coast that many of us have only read about. And, for us as culinary travelers, this is ideal and an incredible opportunity to look at the gastronomical influences that shaped the Adriatic Coast.
Here is a look at our itinerary on Katarina Line’s first gourmet culinary cruise, Oct 16-19:
October 16: Opatija – Rab
We will board the Dalmatia, an A+ category vessel with only 19 cabins so this will definitely be a very intimate trip. After orientation and cocktails, we will begin our journey to the island of Rab, where we will sample traditional island dishes at a local restaurant.
The island of Rab is considered to be one of the greenest and most magical islands in the Adriatic. The town is filled is filled with medieval buildings, built during the Venetian rule.
October 17: Rab – Njivice (Island of Krk)
We depart Rab to spend the night in the port of Njivice on the island of Krk. We are dining at the famous Rivica Restaurant, known for its selection of fresh seafood.
Krk is one of the most-visited islands in the Adriatic and has everything from historic buildings to notable night life. Njivice is the newest town on Krk. Starting as a humble fishing village, Njivice is now one of the most visited spots on Krk thanks to tourism.
October 18: Njivice – Opatija
Sadly, it’s already time to make our way back to Opatija, but we will be trying famous Kvarner delicacies from the small town of Kastav near Opatija.
Kastav is a very historic town built on an isolated hill 1,240 feet above sea level. It has a walled section with a church dating back to the 13th century. Because of its historic center and an abundance of parks and forest area, it’s a very attractive destinations for hikers.
October 19: Opatija
Time to disembark and then we continue on with our epic road trip (details yet to be revealed, but I am thinking we will be chowing our way through a large number of countries as we make our way back to the Netherlands.
We are excited to participate in this cruise with Katarina Line and look forward to sharing some of Kvarner’s traditional cuisine with our readers and followers. And once we finalize details of the accompanying road trip, we will post those but look for us to delve into some lesser known cuisines and beverages from surrounding spots in Europe! We are not sure how much coverage we will have yet on the cruise, but please follow us on Twitter at @ourtastytravels and Erin @poohstraveler, Facebook, Our Tasty Travels and watch for the hashtag #KvarnerFood on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
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