Postcards Home: From Lake Bled to the Croatian coast with Lulette and Harry

Lulette and Harry Fouwler had travelled to Europe before, but there were still places they wanted to discover together. In June, they set off on a holiday through Slovenia and Croatia that would take them from Lake Bled and the old towns of Istria to a week cruising the Dalmatian Coast.

“We wanted to explore parts of Europe we hadn’t experienced before,” Lulette says. “We loved the idea of combining beautiful towns and scenery with a relaxing cruise.”

The couple began in Slovenia, spending time exploring before continuing into Croatia. For Lulette, the first impression was of somewhere beautiful and peaceful, with towns and scenery that invited them to take their time.

One of their stops was Lake Bled, where they took a boat trip. It would remain a highlight even after the couple had seen much more of the two countries.

Their journey then took them through Istria and to Plitvice Lakes before they reached Split. Rather than choosing one favourite from that part of the holiday, Lulette found that each destination gave her and Harry something else to talk about.

“The more we moved from one place to another, it just kept getting better and better,” she says. “Neither destination failed to impress.”

Plitvice Lakes was one of the places she felt lived up to expectations, but if she could return to one exact moment tomorrow, she would choose the time they spent in Rovinj.

The Istrian town was a chance to put the itinerary aside for a while and wander its narrow streets, taking in the old buildings and atmosphere. Of all the experiences on the trip, it was the one Lulette most wanted to relive.

“It’s a fantastic introduction to a traditional true old town,” she says. “Wandering through narrow streets, taking in the beautiful buildings and atmosphere was really something special. It felt like stepping back in time.”

By the time they arrived in Split, the couple had already packed a great deal into their holiday. The next part promised a change of pace: seven nights aboard the MV Aretis, cruising along the Dalmatian Coast to Dubrovnik.

The ship called at Trogir, Hvar, Vis, Korčula and Mljet National Park. For Lulette and Harry, travelling by sea gave them time to enjoy the coastline while still spending their afternoons and evenings in different places.

Their days soon fell into a routine they were happy to repeat. After breakfast, there was usually a swim stop off an island, followed by lunch on board as the ship continued towards port. In the afternoon, they would head ashore for an excursion.

Some days brought walking tours. Others included a visit to a family-run winery, a national park or an oyster tasting at a local farm. Afterwards, they would go out for dinner in the local town.

“One of the pleasures of this trip was eating local food with beautiful views,” Lulette says.

There was also time to sit together on deck and watch the scenery pass. Before the cruise, the couple had put in a special request for Guinness for Harry. He enjoyed a pint on board while Lulette had a glass of Prosecco.

“We simply watched the world go by,” she says.

Although the destinations were the reason they booked the holiday, Lulette says the people they met made the experience even better. She remembers their tour director, Tena, the crew and the other guests on board, and still thinks about the service they received.

“Tena the tour director was amazing, as was the whole crew staff,” she says.

There were no travel mishaps to laugh about later and no sudden change of plans. Everything went smoothly from beginning to end, which suited the couple’s relaxed approach to travelling. If Lulette could have changed one thing, it would have been the amount of time they had.

“As per normal holiday travel, time is a restricting factor,” she says. “Like so many destinations, we could have spent more time there.”

Looking back, she is glad they combined the land journey with the cruise. It gave them the chance to visit Lake Bled, Plitvice Lakes and Rovinj, then experience a string of coastal stops without having to plan each day themselves.

For Starts at 60 readers considering a similar holiday, Lulette’s advice is to be ready to relax into the itinerary and enjoy having the arrangements taken care of. As for choosing between Slovenia and Croatia, she and Harry have no plans to do that.

“We will be back to both,” she says.

They haven’t settled on their next holiday yet, but their travels around the Mediterranean are far from over. Montenegro, Greece and Sicily are all on their list  and, after this trip, so is a return to the places they wished they could have stayed a little longer.