Why We Chose Omiš as Homebase
With the popularity of Croatia as a travel destination for many worldwide, I'm sure that there are a lot of opinions for where to best spend any amount of time here. For us, we chose Croatia for two main reasons:
It's outside of the Schengen Zone, and;
It has a very warm and comfortable Mediterranean climate in autumn.
Truth be told, despite all the incredibly HOT weather we experienced over the summer months in Austria, we didn't actually properly 'do' summer until we got to Croatia. Mid-September was the first time we went swimming, or lazed on a beach since arriving in Europe over Easter (honest! Remember that crazy weather we had in Spain? Certainly NOT beachy).
So, we enter into the Dalmatia region of Croatia with 2 full months of staying one spot - which is super exciting! I mean, we've been living out of our tiny suitcases for months - even before we left on this trip. Add to that we've been living in Airbnb's since January of 2019, and by the time this adventure is at its finale, it will be well over 12 months of moving every 4 weeks or so. (suddenly 8 weeks in one place is starting to sound pretty good, right?!) But where to stay? After a little bit of research, Omiš was as perfect spot.
But, before I dive into details on Omiš, a little bit on Dalmatia.
Did You See Dalmatians in Dalmatia?
Heck yes we did!! And it was AWESOME!!
Dalmatia is one of the regions in Croatia that was settled the earliest, and is a large part of why history is so strong here. Dalmatia is a region so rugged that it even took even the mighty Roman Empire over 200 years to fully establish itself here!
The fingerprint of the Romans can definitely be seen in the cities here. Zadar to the North and Dubrovnik to the south. And in the middle there is Split (home to one of the best preserved Roman palaces in the world), Trogir (set on ancient Greek foundations) and Šibenik (home to one of the best medieval fortification systems in the world).
But what's most fascinating, is that it's not the big cities here that captivate and impress so much as the smaller picturesque towns – bustling fishing villages on the coast and rustic mountain villages inland. And the Omiš area includes all of this and more!
Why Omiš?
Here we feel away from it all, but also 'close to the action'. As we've been here in the off-season we've had kilometres of pristine sapphire-blue Adriatic beaches to ourselves.
We've been to two Regional football matches for Hajduk Split and a Croatian National Team Euro-Qualifier match against Hungary. But it hasn't all been football and beaches. Omiš boasts of rock climbing, hiking, canyoning, zip-lining, sailing, kayaking, rafting and much more! And indeed, the hiking has been adventurous, with climbs up historic trading routes into fortresses and limestone monoliths. But again, this is why we chose it here: Omiš is actually the only town in Dalmatia founded on a cliff-face!
Feeling Hungry?
The cuisine here is simple in its ingredients, but BIG on flavours. It seems that everyone here has a robust garden or complementary farmland to their home. Homegrown ingredients include: Olives, Eggplant, Squash, Char, Spinach, Lettus' & Micro-greens, Tomatoes, Peppers, Pomegranates, Grapes, Herbs, Garlic, Carrots, Potatoes...and that is just what I can see in the garden behind the house we've been staying at!
Dishes here have such an earthy richness of flavor, but it's also complimented by outstanding freshness of fish and seafood from the Adriatic Sea! Simply put, Dalmatian cuisine is unique, healthy, and full of flavours that enrich both the body and the mind! (Yes, I am starting to feel smarter...maybe it's all the omegas in the fish 😉)
Heart That Knows How to Love
There is a popular song here that speaks to the heart and soul of this region. You will hear it at every football match. You will hear its melody streaming from cafes, grocery stores, and local radio stations. It is a song which describes - so accurately - a sense of place and of pride.
We may have chosen Dalmatia as a destination, but in the end it is Dalmatia that has embraced us with it's casual way of life, kindness of heart, and abundant natural wonders.
As they say in Croatia: živjeli! (pronounced "jee-valee" - translation: CHEERS! 🥂 )
Dalmatinac Sam | English Translation: I am A Dalmatian
Lyrics:
I'm a Dalmatian
I'm a child from the sea
My mother is Dalmatia
I have a boat and a guitar
And a heart that knows how to love
Nothing could replace my south
And my pine trees
I would give up all the gold of this world
For my white stone
Chorus:
I'm a Dalmatian, that's where I was born
The blue sea knows that I love her
A fairy from the Adriatic
I'm a Dalmatian, this is my home
That's where my grandfathers threw an anchor long ago
And tied me
I'm a child from the white strand
Where the seagulls sing
Where the soil is thirsty for water
Where olive trees grow
Where are the people of the same lineage
Where the Sunday is sacred
I would give up all the gold of this world
For my white stone
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