Adriatic Sea is the most wonderful sea in the world. I know, this a personal opinion. But let me give you 5 reasons why I think that. You might just end up sharing my views.
Have you ever wondered why the sea has such fathomless power over us?
When you gaze into its expanse, everything around you disappears. The sea takes over you. And with this merge the feeling of elation follows.
view into the open sea, photo by Brotherside
You are no more than a drop, but at the same time without limits. Because you have connected to every other drop in the world.
This can be scary, or sublime.
The fact is, sometimes it’s not up to us to choose the feeling. Some seas are so high and wide that they are frightening in themselves.
Others, like the Adriatic Sea, are warm, crystal clear and on the human scale.
Or as the Croatian writer Predrag Matvejević wrote:
The Atlantic and the Pacific are seas of distance, the Mediterranean a sea of propinquity, the Adriatic a sea of intimacy. – Mediterranean: a cultural landscape.
So, which one would you choose to merge with?
1 | When I say ‘the sea’, what colour do you see?
I spent the first 25 years of my life believing that every sea in the world was blue.
As blue as the Adriatic.
Adriatic blue at night, photo by Brotherside
Until I moved to England. My first reaction to the murky Brighton sea was one of shock.
Not because the water resembled frothy mustard. But because the English called this the sea.
You can say the sea in a thousand languages. The translation is simple and unproblematic. But what lies behind the word is a world of difference.
More [the sea] in Croatian always means blue. Because the Adriatic sea shimmers with the intoxicating blue.
In Croatian, we call the Adriatic Jadransko more.
Stiniva beach on the Vis island, photo by Brotherside
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2 | When I say ‘the sea’, do you pack your swimming gear?
Croatian children grow up going to the sea every summer. And that means swimming, snorkelling and all kinds of fooling around inside the sea.
The Adriatic sea is a God given summer pool. The temperature is warm enough to stay in for hours, and cool enough to get refreshed from the midday sun.
Synchronized swimming - barakuda thrust figure, photo by Brotherside
Because I have been spoilt by the Adriatic sea, I never swim elsewhere.
I can enjoy coastal walks off England, Portugal or America. I can even roll up my trousers and dip my feet into the Atlantic Ocean.
But, more [the sea] in Croatian always means wading in and swimming.
happy swimmer, photo by Brotherside
3 | When I say ‘the sea’, do you think rough or calm?
Out of 10 days you spend on the Croatian coast, there might come a special one. The day of the big waves.
And when I say big, I mean half a meter the most. It’s not a surfing wave or a wave that could crush you against the rocks.
It’s a playful bob that rocks you back and forth against the shingled seashore.
Trogir, photo by Brotherside
Off the coast, these waves will make a sailing boat glide and sing a happy tune.
Most of the time, though, the Adriatic sea is calm and clear. We say as calm as oil.
4 | When I say ‘the sea’, can you picture the sea bottom?
The world imagines a perfect beach as a stretch of sand. But if you ever went swimming off a sandy beach, you know that every movement muddies up the water.
The Adriatic sea is crystal clear.
The tamest beaches are made of round pebbles. The wildest one of rocks. But even at those, you can find polished plateaus for a towel or a deck chair.
Walking on pebbles takes some time getting used to. Your feet will thank you in the end.
pebbly beaches, photo by Brotherside
It’s the rocks that make the Adriatic so clear. You can always see the sea bottom.
We Croats are so spoilt that we refuse to swim if we can’t see what lies beneath.
5 | When I say ‘the sea’, do you think a fishing town or a port?
I am back in Brighton, strolling along the seafront. I am thinking, this is a port, not a sea town. It’s made for unloading goods and doing business.
The Adriatic sea is made by the human measure. Even the largest towns of Split and Rijeka have promenades. Made for strolling and idling.
Rovinj, photo by Brotherside
Some seas create large ports. But the fishing towns along the Adriatic sea grew out of the shore.
They forge intimate meeting points with the sea. Narrow alleyways flow into the sea like river streams.
And once you reach the place where the sea and the shore merge, the view ahead bounces off the islands.
Korčula island, photo by Brotherside
Everything on the Adriatic sea is cozy and intimate.
Like home coming.
AND JUST TO ADD SOME USEFUL INFO:
- Croatia borders the Adriatic Sea. But other countries with the Adriatic coast include Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania.
- The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea.
- The average summer temperature of the Adriatic is between 22-26 degrees Celsius.
Finally, in case you’re still wondering where is the Adriatic sea…
Adriatic Sea Map
Adriatic Sea episode was shot by Brotherside
Brotherside duo consists of Boris and Sandro. The two brothers from Croatia currently work as research scientists in Hamburg.
Their main artistic focus is a combination of fine cityscape photography and raw storytelling. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
so wonderful andrea keep up this lovely series
thanks, Martin, will do 🙂
ANDREA HVALA TI ! Bravo !
PUSE !@!! Keep good work
Hvala, Josip. I am planning many more wonderful photo posts 🙂
Hi Andrea, thank you for a fantastic post again. I have a special place in my heart for Otok Brač.
I am glad you enjoyed it Ildiko…I love Brač too 🙂
Hi,
I am Croatian and share all “sea” feelings Andrea precisely described. I can hardly add something not mentioned, but must say there are many other kinds of “sea” feelings we Croatians are not aware of. No matter if it is the colorful Red Sea or wave Portuguese Atlantic sea. Hi man, you can dive with colors in Adriatic and surf a wave in Adriatic too, but go and get it in Morocco, Portugal, … Sharm El Sheikh wonders. Colors in Adriatic are rather hidden and waves are rather intimate if not destroying Bura waves. On Tripadvisor’s comments you can find fine sands in Adriatic are in fact rocky sands and in many cases it is just a true. Also many more delightful web pictures are ruined in nature by some trash all around. No way you can escape it.
Whatever is true, whatever is hidden,… “beauty is bought by judgement of the eye” my beauty is already bought no matter if I catch some wave elsewhere, at the end we all are the same sea, and not only today but millions of years ago.
Kr
It is fascinating to learn about what different people consider ideal. I’m excited to experience Croatian beaches, but growing up in the States, my most ideal sea side beach, is upon fine white sand. Our kids spend hours playing in it, and I’ve never been to a calm sea. I am so intrigued. I can’t help but to wonder, where do you sit, if you cannot bring a chair?
you sit on a towel, padded matt or you get used to rocks 🙂 you’ll love the crystal blue sea!
Soooo jealous. Absolutely gorgeous. I hail from
Barbados and would love to experience the Adriatic Sea. Croatia is on our list of places to visit
You’ll love the Croatian coast!
My daughter Tara, her husband and my 2yr old grandson are visiting Croatia in May. I just came across your blog and shared it with her. Very nicely done!
Thanks Fred. I hope you and your family have a great time in Croatia.
My son in law is from Serbia, just last week, told My daughter ” I wish you would go with me to see the Adriatic Sea, it’s a beautiful place”. Naw, my daughter says. It’s like Greece, he says. Well, she says, Take me to Greece then. That’s when I jumped in and said I’ll go with you. This is what prompted me to Google this magnificent place. Told her about it,now she tells me she would love to go, but it will have to happen next summer. Till then
Okay, it’s settled. I have to visit the Balkans before I die. It’s so beautiful there. Renting a scooter and exploring around sounds like a dream.
Exploring on a scooter is a great idea.
Croatia is awesome. Beautiful, unspoiled, pristine. I hope they keep it that way. When thinking about Croatia, most people think about the Adriatic coast, for good reason of course, it is the most wonderful place on the planet. I’ve also had the pleasure of visiting Plitvice. My wife is Croatian and wanted to take me there. I looked at the photos online and was not overly impressed. However, when I got there I could not believe the natural beauty and splendor of Plitvice. We hiked for 6 hours and around every turn was something more beautiful and stunning. Waterfalls, crystal clear yet vivid aqua green lakes, amazingly built natural wood log pathways that went in, around. and under waterfalls. spectacular hills and cliffs. I liken it to a 1970s Yes fantasy album cover.
But excuse me, back to the Adriatic. There is something magical about the Adriatic sea. They say that Disney World is a magical place, that may be true but it is manufactured magic. The magic that is Croatia is all too real. Immerse yourself.
Thanks, TJ. Yes, it’s hard to capture the magic of the Adriatic in words. You just have to experience it.
I love the Adriatic sea. It is beautiful and has great scenery. But I simply can't compare it to the Aegean. There is no other sea on Earth to blend so well together the mythology, history, culture, sand, cliffs and blue waters and skies, that all together, covered in a deep and warm sun, makes you live in paradise. There is nothing, clearly absolutely nothing to match the Aegean. Add the food, salads and the pure Greek green olive oil, and so you will find your purpose in live. You will find love and satisfaction. And nothing else matters. You don't need posh things, no need for fortunes. You just need the sea and a simple relaxing life TO LIVE & ENJOY. Welcome to Greece!
I think everbody will compare adriatic to aegean that to ionian and so on. But i think we all forget that those seas are in the
Mediterranean. And that is just the best sea.Combines the aegean and the adriatic and all the other small seas.
And you don't even have to be Croatian to be completely biased against the Adriatic. I'm actually angry with it, because ever since I first experienced it, I've compared all the seas to it, and overall, there's always something missing elsewhere. The combination of clear blue water, white cliffs, evergreen, fragrant Mediterranean flora and fairytale towns is something I've never found anywhere else. My home country, Hungary has no sea, but I couldn't be luckier that this is the closest sea to us…
That is so beautifully said! Thanks, Erik, for sharing your thoughts!
Never new that croatian coastline had the clearest water in the world
Love Croatian see!
We are cruising in there in 10days time & it looks beautiful. It will be first hand experience. Can’t wait ♥️
I am sure you’ll love it!