Adventures by Alan and Melanie
After getting our fill at Paklenica, we continued our track south along the Adriatic. Along the way, we got spectacular lightning storms, more magical waterfalls, an ancient city, an impromptu rafting trip, and quality rock climbing!
Our first climbing destination in Croatia was Paklenica National Park, which initially felt like climbing in a gym! We walked 5 minutes from the van, and were climbing a wall between the park restrooms and cafe. While not the adventurous experience we were expecting, it was the perfect setting to meet other climbers and warm up.
On our way south, we travelled through the cities of Rovinj and Pula before carving our way inland to explore Plitvice lakes (Plitvička jezera) national park. Our road trip was filled with history lessons and beautiful waterfalls, an excellent introduction to Croatia.
On the recommendation of friends we met in Finale Ligure, we headed to Osp, Slovenia. Osp is a tiny village surrounded by an imposing limestone amphitheater, just across the border from Italy. We arrived at what appeared to be the only business in town, a campground/restaurant/climber hangout named “Pri Vovku”. We walked in under a fierce wolf painting and a sign which translates to “At the Cry,” according to Google translate… a really amazing name, we thought. We met the owner who didn’t hesitate to loan us his guidebook for our short stay.
Our journey across Italy took only three days, but we squished in as much sightseeing and adventure as we could!
Tucked away in the unassuming wooded valleys at the western edge of Liguria, this limestone paradise brings climbers from all over Europe. Like Calanques, this crag has thousands of routes, enough for a lifetime of climbing. We climbed what we could in our limited time there, and it felt like tasting a sample at a famous italian gelato shop and having to leave right after.
We cruised through the urban and sophisticated French Riviera to the rugged charming Italian Riviera. Our destination was Finale Ligure, but each stop we made on the way was vacation-worthy on its own.
Our first stop on the climbing road-trip adventure was Calanques National Park on the Mediterranean coast of France. We started off strong with a pleasant hike into a small calanque which had a crag right on the beach. Our climbs were short but offered beautiful views of the turquoise water surrounded by limestone cliffs.
Upon arriving to France the hunt for an adventure van began. Ten days later, we were on the road! All it took was 3 steps: find a van, buy the van, then register the van.
We arrived in Brussels without much of an itinerary in mind, but it ended up being the perfect bridge between Germany and France. The city is fun and compact, allowing us to explore it largely on foot. We admired the architecture, we found all of the “Pis” statues, and drank plenty of good Belgian beers. We even met up with one of Alan’s old friends from home, who lives in a nearby town!