A sobe story

Visiting Croatia in August without a hotel reservation is asking for trouble. At bus stations across the country local women hiss a single word at disembarking passengers. “Sobe” means “private room” and the slightest nod is all it takes for them to spring into action.

First, you’re seduced by photos of luxurious lodgings “only a few minutes away”. Next, you negotiate a nightly rate in kuna, a currency you’ve yet to master. Finally – and inevitably – you end up hiking for half an hour to a rundown apartment, miles from anywhere.

A few short years ago boomerang-shaped Croatia was the Med’s best-kept secret. Today it teems with tourists – a side effect of being too gorgeous for its own good.

Besides historic cities, national parks and ski resorts, there are more than a thousand islands to discover. Krk, Pag, Brac and Hvar might sound like someone clearing their throat but these gems of the Adriatic are consistently voted among the world’s dreamiest destinations.

I’ve opted to forgo crowded ferries and plan to stick to the mainland. Guidebooks claim the beaches around the hillside village of Brela are the best in Dalmatia and it’s easy to see why. The rugged coastline is postcard perfect.