On this earth, we have never seen anywhere more beautiful than the southern coast of Croatia.

Even the grandeur of Dubrovnik—for 500 years the peer of Venice—didn't prepare us for the simple, sweeping vistas along the Adriatic. We recommend going now, before the growing buzz attracts the crowds. Today, you can still spend an hour or two on a farm trail between the aquamarine sea and a patchwork of tiny fields with a scattering of goats—and never see another visitor. Again and again, you'll see a red-tiled roof or a gorgeous little bay and imagine for a moment that you're in Provence or on the Italian coast. But this is definitely Croatia, where the tempo is slower, more peaceful. And you'll find it incredibly easy to engage with the locals, whether our friends who run a family vineyard or the lacemaker who invites us into her workshop. This is our newest favorite destination and we are convinced that you will agree.