Tour Romantic Croatia
Romantic legends of Croatia
As crazy and gory as the Game of Thrones may have been, it had its romantic and glamorous side too. Think about the beautiful clothing and romantic settings the show contained. And let’s not forget all of the love stories that came from it. Let’s not forget Grey Worm and Missandei or even Daenerys and her motherly love of her dragons. That show had it all. It’s no wonder HBO chose to film many scenes in Croatia. This country has had its own romantic legends.
Nera and Antonio
In Smokvica on Korcula Island, a young man named Antonio lived. He was so good-looking that any girl that set eyes on him fell for him. He barely noticed, working in the fields and enjoying refreshing swims. He caught the eye of Nera, a sea goddess, and the two fell madly in love. But Nera’s mother and sisters took her back to the water since she was betrothed to the Greek sea god. Nera vowed to give up her life as a goddess and live on the land with her love but her father swore to turn the pair to stone. To save Antonio’s life, Nera slipped back to sea and never saw him again.
Miljenko and Dobrila
In the 17th century, Kastel Luksic lovers Miljenko and Dobrila were from feuding families. Banishing Miljenko to a monastery didn’t extinguish their love so the pair were allowed to marry. Dobrila’s father couldn’t agree to the pairing so he killed Miljenko. Dobrila went mad from grief and died shortly after.
Dragon’s Eye Lake
In a castle at Rogoznica lived a terrible dragon named Murin. In return for protection, the locals were to bring him each Midsummer night the most beautiful local girl as his bride. None survived. One year Aristoles came by riding on Pegasus and fell in love with Murin’s future bride. He challenged the dragon to a duel. Aided by a spear forged using moon dust he wounded the dragon, which in agony plucked out his own eyes. One eye rolled onto the ground melting the stone. The lake thus formed is called the Dragon’s Eye. Legend has it that lovers who swim here will never part and be blessed with healthy children.
Johnny Casanova
Johhny was a charmer who would befriend foreign women at the airport or railway station, go back to their hotels, eat, drink and disappear into the night leaving a hefty bill. This lazy, charmer, adventurer and opportunist was the stuff of legends and is talked about in Sibenik to this day.
The founding of Skradin
Lady Gavan from Skradin was a harsh and cold ruler. One night a great earthquake caused a tidal wave, which consumed the palace and the only survivors were the Gavans’ child and his nanny, Liburnijka. Liburnijka ran before the waters with the child in her arms but she fell, exhausted. A bottomless lake appeared where the child fell and fell into it. The people were happy that their tyrant was gone and vowed that the child would come back when the world becomes good. They built a new city and called it Skradin.
The Lovers’ Tower
They say that sailor and wanderer Petar Marinic left the island of Silba promising his love that he’d build a tower so she could watch for his return. He was away so long that she gave up hope and married another man. Years later, the lonely captain saw a girl who looked like his sweetheart, her daughter. He married her and fulfilled his promise to build a house with a garden and the tower.
