I loved my trip to Dubrovnik in Croatia — it reminded me of Italy's Amalfi Coast in many ways.
I loved the museums, my coastal accommodations, and the country's many beautiful, free beaches.
The food felt diverse and the city has so much fascinating history and incredible architecture.
Confession: Up until this year, I didn't know much about Croatia — other than the fact that much of "Game of Thrones" was filmed there.
However, after my well-traveled aunt raved about a recent trip to this Mediterranean country, it skyrocketed to the top of my want-to-visit list. She's spent substantial time in Europe, including some of the most beautiful places in Italy, so I figured it must be well worth a visit if she left so impressed.
Croatia is right across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. Historically, it's been a bit overshadowed by surrounding coastal European hot spots, including the Amalfi Coast.
After spending four nights in Dubrovnik, a city on Croatia's southernmost tip, I can confidently say it's just as beautiful as its Italian neighbor, if not more so.
The history is fascinating.
While walking around Old Town, I saw a Franciscan monastery built in the 14th century.
Rebecca Strong
There's no denying that Italy has a rich history. That said, Croatia has a unique blend of cultural influences from Greeks and Romans to Byzantines and Austro-Hungarians, making for an interesting fusion of food, architecture, and art.
And even though Dubrovnik was damaged by an earthquake in 1667 and artillery attacks in the early 1990s, many of its Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance churches and cathedrals, fountains, forts, and other historical structures still stand.
Croatia has a whopping 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which is impressive considering the size of the country — it's smaller than most US states.
I felt safe throughout my trip.
I felt perfectly safe walking through Old Town at night.
I can honestly say I never felt uneasy on my trip, even while walking alone through Dubrovnik or heading back to my hotel from dinner after dark.
The diversity of food impressed me.
I tried chicken breast stuffed with a feta-and-herb risotto and marinated zucchini salad.
Rebecca Strong
Yes, Italy promises all the crave-worthy carbs, but I find that Croatia's cuisine offers more variety because it reflects all its neighboring countries.
It has something for everyone. For example, along the Southern coast, the cuisine is more seafood-heavy and leans more Greek. In the northern and eastern regions, the cuisine feels more influenced by Hungary, Turkey, and Austria — think: hearty meat stews and schnitzel.
During my stay in Dubrovnik, I enjoyed a wide array of eats from oysters and other fresh seafood to traditional Bosnian cuisine. By the way — to my delight, there was no shortage of Italian classics like gelato and Neopolitan pizza, either.
I was able to find affordable food and drinks throughout my trip.
A café in Ston offered an impressive oyster-and-wine deal.
For example, a decent glass of wine can cost around 6 to 9 euros on the Amalfi Coast. In Ston, a laidback fishing town on the Dalmatian Coast, I found a café offering a glass of wine with three oysters for 9 euros — quite a steal.
Throughout my trip, I regularly found meals for about 10 euros or beers for about 3 euros, which felt quite affordable.
Many accommodations are beyond dreamy.
My spacious suite at The Bellevue offered Instagram-worthy views from the balcony.
Rebecca Strong
I split my time between two hotels in Dubrovnik: The Bellevue, a boutique hotel set on a high cliff overlooking Miramare Bay, and The Excelsior, another seaside spot located a stone's throw from Old Town.
Both provided me with dramatic Adriatic views that resembled something out of a movie — bright-blue waters, terracotta roofs, and dramatic rocky bluffs.
The Bellevue and Excelsior are consistently rated among the best hotels in Dubrovnik. With that in mind, I felt the cost was actually reasonable for the value: My king suite with a balcony, sea view, and sitting area at the Hotel Bellevue was 700 euros a night.
On the Amalfi Coast, I found a comparable king suite could cost over 3,660 euros a night during the same low-season month of October.
There's no shortage of art museums and galleries.
The MOMAD in Dubrovnik features thousands of works, many from renowned Croatian artists.
Rebecca Strong
Croatia is full of world-class museums and galleries featuring the work of both native and foreign artists.
I could've spent hours at the MOMAD, which is housed inside a restored 1930s mansion and features thousands of paintings, sculptures, photos, and other works.
In my opinion, Croatian wines are highly underrated.
While tasting a flight of local Croatian wines, I found a few new favorites I'll definitely be trying to find back home in the US.
Rebecca Strong
I've had many Italian wines in my lifetime, but admittedly, I'd never had a Croatian one until my trip to Dubrovnik.
From my first sip of crisp Malvasia during a guided tasting at the Hotel Supetar in Cavtat, I was smitten with Croatia's native grapes.
Sauvignon blanc is my go-to, and the rendition I tried from Croatian winery Puhelek Purek had all the citrusy notes and bright acidity I love.
I've since learned that Croatian wines have won countless international awards — last year, the country took home 366 medals at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards.
There are plenty of beautiful beaches — and the best part is, most are free to access.
I found the beaches in Croatia to be not very crowded when I visited in October.
Rebecca Strong
The sandy beaches on Italy's Amalfi Coast and islands are picturesque, but many of Croatia's beaches are just as pristine.
The beaches are plentiful, too, as Croatia has more than 1,000 islands. For comparison, Italy has about 450.
In October, the beaches I visited in Croatia weren't super crowded, and the water was still warm enough to swim in. Best of all, almost none of the country's beaches are privatized.
Most of Croatia's beaches are free to the public, even ones in luxe Dubrovnik, where many celebrities stay. This isn't the case in Italy where you'll often need to pay an entrance fee to get into top beaches.
