Heading for the sun

Every new travel destination triggers a range of emotions even before you set off: what experiences will I have, who will I meet, which images, tastes and smells will I take in and what adventures lie ahead? I must also admit from time to time that when it comes to clichés – positive as well as negative – I can let my imagination shape my view of a destination. This time, however, it was different. In contrast to the “typical” Mediterranean holiday destinations such as Italy, Spain, Greece or Turkey, I did not know much about Croatia beforehand. Put simply, I had no idea what to expect. Perfect!
Heading for the sun
Pure freedom

Pure freedom

My name is Gürel Sahin, I’m 36 and come from Kaiserslautern. I am a landscape photographer, and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. A trip to the Dolomites really captured my imagination: my memories of the green meadows, turquoise lakes, forests and rock formations stay with me to this day. I wanted to capture everything, even the light cast upon the scenery at that specific time, creating a new experience every day, even every hour – something that can’t be replicated in a studio. Landscape photography is the opposite of control, it is pure freedom. This includes days and evenings spent outdoors and pushing your body to its limits. What could be better?

Heading for the sun

“Enjoying the city in the calm of the early morning was a real privilege. Getting up early is really worth doing. The view and the atmosphere were breathtaking”

Gürel Sahin, 36, photographer
Heading for the sun

Old city, great love

It gets off to a good start: after only 1 ¾ hours you arrive in Dubrovnik, in the midst of the holiday atmosphere. Our tour included Dubrovnik, Split, Krka and Zadar – the “best bits” of Croatia. To come straight to the point, Dubrovnik was the clear winner for me in terms of destination. This city is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rightly so, but it is also a true gem beyond its cultural splendour. Full to the brim with flair, fantastic views, great cafés, cute cats, friendly inhabitants and yes, a lot of steps. Even though it was only April, we worked up a sweat thanks to our adventures up and down the city, so think flip-flops and shorts when packing. Don’t forget to take a tour around the city walls. Mount Srd above Dubrovnik is an ideal hiking destination with a view of the city that is unimaginably beautiful. It is also great to stroll through the streets of Split, and since it is right by the sea, the chill factor is much higher. Our favourite moment of the trip: the sunset in Zadar. Tip: leave the Krka waterfalls to all the tourists and explore the country on your own. Croatia is definitely worth a visit!

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