Lavender Scents

The scent of lavender follows you everywhere, mingling with the warmth of the sun and breeze of the sea...

The images from Croatia are endless and kept in my mind like little treasures that make life beautiful.

Where can I start my journey...from the vibrant island of Hvar? As you approach this "little paradise" from the sea, the love affair begins. Facades of glorious buildings, some now luxurious boutique hotels, an inviting cobbled square, pines reaching down to its shores and so many boats and yachts in all shapes and sizes adorn its picturesque busy harbor. But this is not all; most importantly it's the atmosphere, its people, the smiles, the glamour. The very trendy Bonj "les bains", a 1930's marvel with colonnades and private stone cabanas, is part of the Suncani Hvar chain, and offers an unsurpassed experience, reminiscent of a romantic era. Its restaurant offers delicious local specialties, with the Chef's own gourmet twist. This island has such an attraction that, upon our departure with the ferry, I felt a certain sadness and eagerness to return....

Upon our arrival to the rapidly developing town of Split, after a relaxing one and a half hour cruise, I pull out my wrinkled map curious to discover new parts of this magnificent and genuine country. The decision was unanimous.....we must visit Istria, the closest region to Italy, towards the Croatian capital, Zagreb. The voyage by car is long but exciting! During all my worldwide travels, nothing compared to what I was experiencing; carpets of green forests unfolded in front of our eyes, interrupted by picturesque seafront villages, the one more beautiful than the other, colored by fields of lavender and vineyards.

How many stops can we make and can we absorb all this beauty? After all we needed to reach our final destination, Rovinj, before sundown. It was a hot summer day in July and the sea attracted the locals and tourists like magnets, as they were all trying to enjoy the sun by relaxing on huge rocks and cooling off in the crystal clear waters. Going closer, we could see so many fish swimming around, uninterrupted by the many "human intruders"!

Croatia is surely the Mediterranean as it once was and this country can prove this phrase time and time again. The resort where we stayed, the brand new Monte Mulini, was tucked away in a forest of pines and was exactly as appealing as in its brochure. Our rooms felt comfy with a sumptuous décor and the smell of new! The night was still young and we started our walk towards the town centre, following the advice of our concierge, as all is in close proximity. We were also warned about the slippery cobbled streets, in the old part of Rovinj, so we all ensured that we left behind our high heels and more formal shoes!

You first pass by the marina, where you practically do not see the sea, as every inch is rented out for anything that floats! As we approached the centre, on a Saturday night, we had to make an effort to walk though the crowds of locals and visitors... Again I sense the familiar aroma of lavender, coming from the marketplace stalls, mixed with the smell of fresh peaches, apples and figs, creating a luxurious blend of scents, like a rare perfume.

The merchants were proud to offer passers by a sample of their produce and you could not refuse a bunch of grapes or some dry figs with almonds.

Dinner was simple, delicious, and logically priced, as we enjoyed a huge fish, prepared on the grill, with a garnish of fresh spinach and boiled potatoes, well imposed on us by the waiter as the specialty of the region as well as a carafe of Istrian wine.

Although we felt tired and were ready to retire for the night, we were told that a drink at Valentinos was a must and right they were.....This bar serves drinks right on the edge of the waters and I mean this literally! Lots of cushions are placed on large rocks and that is where you are escorted to sit! Higher up, a section of the bar is furnished with white bamboo seats and reserved for those who wish to spend the evening sipping on champagne!

The sea is all lit up underwater and it's amazing to watch flocks of fish dancing around these lights, like professional dancers!
As a long journey awaited us the next morning, we had to leave the bustling nightlife and walk back to the hotel, passing though crowds of people still storming in the centre of Rovinj.

The morning was glorious, sitting on the hotel's terrace, with an aromatic cup of coffee and the view of the Adriatic Sea with its seagulls...Yes; actually it was the first time in my life to see so many noisy seagulls, as if they also wanted to make their presence obvious in this beautiful town!

Always reluctant to depart, our journey begins and leads us to our first stop in Pula, located in very close proximity and having also the closest airport of the area.

Basically it's a large regional centre with a wealth of Roman ruins, the highlight being the well-reserved Roman Amphitheatre dominating the town, almost a replica of the Coliseum in Rome and still in use for concerts and shows. Pula offers a very busy commercial life, coupled with cultural activity, lots of good bars and restaurants for night entertainment but with a rather un dramatic scenery and flat territory covered with vineyards, pine trees and lots of residential and holiday developments. The best is yet to come, as we head uphill, towards Labin. It is impossible to believe that this amazing picturesque town was until the 1970's the mining capital of Istria. Signs point towards the hilltop Old town, through cobblestone slippery alleys, and pastel houses adorned with stone ornamentations and where the view from the highest point is postcard perfect!

Visiting one of the many arts and crafts shops, we were further lectured by an interesting local lady and her Chef husband, on the precious truffles, especially the rare white ones that are only found in Istrian soil and the location a well kept secret, passed on from generation to generation, of a particular family !

After buying some jars and noting down the secret method of preparing such truffle based meals we enjoyed an extraordinary black truffle lunch, at one of the two restaurants found in Labin. Even today in my own kitchen, its poignant scent, still reminds me of our Labin gourmet experience!

So can one say that Croatia is all about the sun, the crystal Adriatic Sea, the scent of pine and endless lavender fields, the truffles? Its an old world Mediterranean, a country that remains authentic, friendly, and not yet commercialized or touched by modern times and everything fake !

A country of endless natural beauty that hopefully will endure throughout the years to come......

by Myrto Toufexi

Partner/Travel Specialist
OM DMC Co. Ltd.

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