Delayed, Baggage-Less, and Still Completely in Love with the Adriatic Coast

Adriatic dreams, travel nightmares, and why midlife is the perfect time to go.

Let me set the scene.

It's a Monday. I'm supposed to be sipping something cold in Split, Croatia right now. Instead, I'm sitting in the St. Louis airport, going on hour twelve, watching another departure board flip to DELAYED. Storms. Of course. A perfectly timed Midwest weather tantrum on the one day I needed clear skies.

We never made our connection. We ended up in a hotel near the airport, slept maybe three hours, dragged ourselves onto an early morning flight to Chicago, and spent the better part of a day in the United Polaris Lounge at O'Hare (which, if you ever find yourself in that situation, business class has its privileges and that lounge is genuinely incredible). We eventually flew out that evening to Frankfurt, caught a few precious hours of sleep on the transatlantic leg, and finally finally landed in Split.

Without our luggage.

Our bags had their own itinerary, apparently. For the first two days in Croatia, my husband and I lived entirely out of our carry-on backpacks. And you know what? We managed just fine, because we'd each packed a couple of outfits in our carry-ons just in case. Travel tip: always, always do this. It's the one habit that turned what could've been a disaster into a mild inconvenience.

We lost about a day and a half in Split because of the delays. It stung. But what came after? Absolutely worth every hour of chaos.

Split, Croatia: Stone Streets and Coastal Vibes

We stayed at the Le Meridien in Split, which had a lovely restaurant (fantastic pizza) and a beautiful walking path along the coast leading to some great waterfront dining spots. The hotel is perfectly comfortable, but I'll be honest with you: next time, I'd stay closer to the city center. The old town of Split is magnetic, and being able to roll out of bed and be in it would make a difference.

We took a boat ride into downtown Split, which is the way to arrive if you can. Gliding toward those ancient stone walls with the sea behind you feels cinematic. The city itself is built around Diocletian's Palace, a Roman emperor's retirement home turned living, breathing neighborhood. People actually live inside a 1,700-year-old palace. Restaurants, bars, apartments, all nestled into ancient walls. It's surreal in the best possible way.

Day Trip to Hvar: Honey, History, and a Fortress View

From Split, we hopped on an easy ferry to the island of Hvar, and it was one of my favorite days of the entire trip.

First stop: the Benedictine Convent — home to a small museum dedicated to local Renaissance poet Hanibal Lucić — where the nuns famously never leave a Benedictine convent. Ever. They take their vows of enclosure seriously, and there's something quietly powerful about standing at that door and contemplating that kind of devotion. It was unexpected and fascinating.

Then we made the climb up to Fortica Fortress, and every step was worth it. The views over the town, the harbor, and the Adriatic are sweeping and gorgeous. The kind of view that makes you stop talking mid-sentence.

The real hidden gem of the day, though? A visit to a family-run honey farm in the hillside village of Brusje. This tiny village sits high above Hvar town and the family there has been keeping bees and producing honey for generations. It was one of those off-the-beaten-path experiences you could never find in a guidebook: intimate, warm, and completely authentic. Plus you get stunning views of the lavender fields across Hvar.

We also fit in a wine tasting and a lovely lunch (I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant, it's lost somewhere in my camera roll, but wine with lunch is always a good idea in Europe!)

The Road to Dubrovnik: Oysters, Mussels, and Mali Ston

The drive from Split to Dubrovnik takes about four hours, and I'd encourage you not to rush it. We stopped in the small town of Mali Ston for a seafood lunch at Bota Sara and then took a boat out to see the working mussel and oyster farms in the bay.

The water there has a particular stillness to it, and watching the farmers tend to their lines while we sipped wine and tasted just-pulled oysters felt almost otherworldly. If you're driving this stretch of coast, do not skip Mali Ston. It's worth building the time in.

Dubrovnik: Game of Thrones, Walls, and the Best Burek You'll Ever Eat

Oh, Dubrovnik. You are ridiculously beautiful and you know it.

We stayed at the Hilton Dubrovnik, right outside the gates of the walled city, and I loved it. The location is everything in Dubrovnik, and being steps from the old town meant we could walk everywhere, which in a city this hilly and this beautiful, you absolutely want to do.

For the Game of Thrones fans: yes, you will geek out. I am a huge fan of the show, and walking through the city knowing it stood in for King's Landing was genuinely thrilling. The filming locations are everywhere: the city walls, the harbor, the streets. You can feel it.

And speaking of the walls, walk them. Booking the earliest morning slot you can get is the move, before the cruise ship crowds arrive. The views from the top, looking down over the terracotta rooftops and out to the sea, are iconic for a reason. On one side of the walls, you can look down at Mala Buza beach, where the younger, braver tourists leap off the cliffs into the crystal-clear water below. There's even a little bar perched there if you'd rather watch with a drink in hand (guilty).

The gondola ride up for an aerial view of the walled city is a must-do. From the top, the scale of the old town finally clicks: it's compact, but it is perfectly preserved.

For a break from the crowds, take the ferry to Lokrum Island. It's a quick ride and the vibe completely shifts. Peacocks wander the trails, the hiking is lovely, and the relative quiet feels like a gift after the bustle of the city.

We did a food tour that was a great introduction to the city and culture. The dish that won my heart was the burek, a flaky, savory pastry filled with meat or cheese that has been a staple of this region for centuries. Go to Holy Burek. They make them fresh and consistently, and they are extraordinary. You'll also find squid ink risotto on dinner menus all over Dubrovnik as a local specialty. I tried it and it wasn't for me, but plenty of people love it. The sea bass, on the other hand, I would eat every single day.

My restaurant pick: Lady Pi-Pi. Yes, the name made me laugh too. Fair warning: you will climb a lot of stairs to get there, and there will be a wait. Go anyway. It is worth every step. For a drink: Buzz Bar. Great atmosphere, great cocktails, great people-watching.

We also did something a little different for souvenirs: a bottle of Brachia extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt, plus a Christmas ornament (we buy one everywhere we travel; it's our tradition, and come December, every ornament on the tree tells a story). Skip the magnets. Get the olive oil.

Porto Montenegro (Tivat): Where the Next "It" Destination Is Already Waiting

We rented a car and drove across the border into Montenegro, specifically to the marina town of Tivat, home to Porto Montenegro. The border crossing into Montenegro was easy; coming back into Croatia took an hour, so budget that time.

I want to say this clearly: Montenegro is going to explode. The coastlines are dramatic, the mountains are staggering, and the infrastructure is quietly catching up to the beauty. Our guides mentioned it was once a favored playground for Russian oligarchs (until the asset freezes changed that equation), and you can still see the bones of that era in the marina: enormous yachts, European luxury, a strange glamour. But what makes it special is what lies just beyond all of that.

We stayed at the Regent Hotel, which was by some distance my favorite accommodation of the entire trip. Our room overlooked the harbor and the yachts. The pool area was exceptional.

Favorite restaurant: Forza Porto. Fantastic meal, best service of the trip. Full stop.

We hired a boat with a local captain to explore the bay, which was absolutely the right call. He took us past a fascinating old marine bunker, a remnant of the Yugoslav era hidden inside a cliff, and out to Our Lady of the Rocks, a tiny artificial island with a stunning church built on it. The island was created over centuries by locals who placed stones and sunken boats beneath the surface as an offering. It is one of the most quietly beautiful things I've ever seen.

We also visited the walled city of Kotor, which is undeniably charming. Try to get there early in the morning before the cruise ships arrive, as the crowds can be intense once they dock. (We were there with the cruise ship crowds… not great!)

A driving tip that saved us significant time: the roads in Montenegro are incredibly winding, so on the return we loaded our rental car onto a ferry within Montenegro that cuts about an hour off the drive before continuing back to Croatia. Highly, highly recommend. The ferry ride itself was inexpensive and so simple.

A Note on the History

I found myself thinking about this throughout the trip, and I can't write this post without mentioning it.

This entire region, Croatia, Montenegro, the broader Dalmatian coast, was part of Yugoslavia, and the wars of the 1990s were devastating here. What strikes you, arriving as a visitor now, is how completely and beautifully these places have rebuilt themselves. The cities are vibrant, the people are warm, and the tourism is thriving.

Our guides were thoughtful in how they discussed it, noting that it remains a very sensitive subject and that wounds are still present even if the cities look whole. That context made me appreciate what I was seeing even more. This isn't just a pretty coastline. These are places that chose, collectively, to keep going.

Croatia also does something I found genuinely interesting: it gives Bosnia and Herzegovina a small corridor to the sea, a stretch of coastline at Neum, because Bosnia is otherwise landlocked. Geography and diplomacy, carved into the map. I found myself thinking about that more than once as we drove the coast road.

Final Stop: Mlini (and Getting Home)

We spent our last night in the small coastal town of Mlini, close to Dubrovnik airport, and it was a perfect ending. Quieter, more local, with some excellent dining right nearby.

Dinner: La Norma - lovely meal, relaxed atmosphere. Lunch: Restaurant Puntizela - great food, beautiful setting. Where we stayed: Palma Hotel - clean, convenient, and a great base for an evening walk or a morning hike. Simple and exactly what you need on your last night before a travel day.

Our return route was Dubrovnik to Newark to Chicago to St. Louis. Long, but uneventful, which after our outbound adventure felt like a miracle.

The Packing Lesson I'll Never Forget

I said it above and I'll say it again, because it made all the difference: pack at least two complete outfits in your carry-on. Medications, chargers, anything you'd be miserable without for 48 hours. Airlines lose bags. Weather delays happen. The Adriatic isn't going anywhere, but your checked luggage might be temporarily detained in Frankfurt.

Should You Go?

Yes. Absolutely yes.

This is the kind of trip that reminds you what it feels like to be genuinely alive, to be curious, to be a little lost, to eat something extraordinary while looking out at a sea you've only ever seen in photographs. It's the trip that years from now you'll still be telling stories about at dinner parties.

And if the flights are a disaster and the luggage doesn't make it? You'll tell those stories too. Probably louder.

If you're a midlife woman who wants to live a full, adventurous life (travel included) while also feeling strong and energized in your body, I'd love to connect. I'm a certified FASTer Way to Fat Loss coach, and my approach is simple: real food, sustainable habits, and zero guilt for the good stuff (yes, including the burek and the Croatian wines). Learn more at jilllewisliving.com or find me on Instagram @jillblewis.