Relive the enchanting moments of the Plitvice Digital Nomad Week through the vibrant words of our guest writer, Kelsey Kay Love. Nestled in the heart of Croatia’s breathtaking Plitvice National Park, this extraordinary week was a fusion of co-living, co-working, and co-creation, set against a backdrop of nature’s finest.
You ever wake up to the soft sounds of a bubbling hot tub in the wilderness of Croatia and wonder just how the double hell you got so lucky as to find yourself in such a situation?! No?! You should try it.
After competing in the 6th Olive Picking World Championship in Postira, I found myself in Plitvice for Digital Nomad Week, once again surrounded by an all-too-familiar cast of people: namely, ones that don’t know squat about picking olives but can tell you four ways to optimize your web strategy before you’re done with your first cappuccino.
The home base for the week? Camping Plitvice, a lovely little slice of heaven just a few minutes from the entrance of Plitvice Lakes National Park. The Deluxe Family + mobile homes include a hot tub (clutch!), robes, mini kitchen, TVs, free wifi, large covered porch, 2 bedrooms and 2 ensuite bathrooms, plus a complimentary cat we named Salami. The property itself features even more goodies like an onsite pool, amphitheater, walking trails, full restaurant and bar, conference room, picnic area and older German couples who may or may not ask to borrow your wine opener.
While I myself am happily unemployed at the moment, my digital nomad buds and I kept busy with an agenda full of entertainment slash education, including workshops, group tours of the National Park, Barać Caves, Speleon Center and fairytale waterfall town of Slunj, as well as BBQs, group dinners, games of eyeConnect and salad bowl, karaoke, and last but certainly never least, quality time in the hot tub under the stars, clouds and occasional bout of rain.
We had deep conversations and shallow observations. We learned more about each of our professional challenges. We made instant friends and learned geological facts and tried to spot beavers (and failed). We shared laughs and more laughs and some seriously solid meals. We drove down runways and touched moss and sang songs and I’m pretty sure we would all do it again.
After spending the last 2+ months on a personal whirlwind tour of southern Europe, from Lagos to Marseille to Naples to Vlore and Kotor, I can say with absolute certainty that the Plitvice area of Croatia is a goldmine in off season (and on season too, I’m sure), and somewhere I’d absolutely recommend for digital nomads, and travelers in general, in early fall as the leaves start to turn and the tourists start to bail.
While Camping Plitvice’s ‘mobile homes’ are perhaps a bit too modestly-named considering the only hot tub I’ve ever seen in a mobile home was one on a stove in which we boiled potatoes, the property itself, service and amenities are a welcome upgrade from renting individual apartments, where the likelihood of making friends while sipping wine on your terrace is approximately 79% lower.
If I had a job, I’d come here to get things done, but also to take a break from the screen and remember there’s a whole world of water and leaves and real life humans out there. But in the meantime, I’ll be back as soon as I can.
Massive thank you to:
- DNA Croatia for yet another solid week of fun
- Anja, the Manager and a true gem of a host
- The entire Camping Plitvice staff
- Our charming and enchanting tour guides and host partners at Plitvice Lakes National Park, Barać Caves, Speleon Center and Slunj
- Hertz Croatia, for without you, we’d be nowhere
- Nicki and Peter, our digital nomad workshop hosts slash grill masters
- All the digital nomad attendees for being super up for gettin’ super down
- The weather, for providing ideal hot tub conditions
Živjeli and until we meet again,
Kelsey Kay Love
Visit our dedicated page and stay tuned for future events!
