As with much of Europe, Croatia has a very rich and evolved history, and this history shows through the variety of architecture from throughout the centuries. Croatia also has a vivid nightlife, with its multitude of islands, beautiful beaches, and warm weather for most of the year. What I think is interesting is the relationship and balance maintained between the ancient cities and thriving nightlife. With nightclubs existing among ancient Roman ruins, how do these cities prevent damage from being done to historic sites, while also embracing the economic opportunities that comes with nightlife?
During our trip, we stopped at two major nightlife hubs in Croatia, one being Hvar, and the other being Makarska. Both destinations were beautiful coastal cities during the day with plenty of restaurants and shopping, and at night they lit up with nightclubs and bars open until dawn. The club in Hvar, called Carpe Diem, was actually on a separate island that required a water taxi to get to and was very popular. I did not personally go to this club, however, because our group was only going after midnight and there was a 200 kuna entrance fee (about $30), and I am not about that life.
The club in Makarska we went to a few nights later, called Deep, was not as popular but was still a very unique venue. Located inside a cave on a beach, Deep was a unique experience which I experienced briefly, before realizing the club scene was not for me and making a hasty return to the boat, accompanied by Brittany (the real MVP).
While these were the two biggest nightlife cities we visited, there were many other clubs along our trip, many of which were located in the old towns of the respective island we were on. Regarding damage being done in these historic cities, most clubs are not in buildings that necessarily hold historical significance, although they are old. They’re not in old churches or government buildings or palaces, just someones old home or merchant business. These structures are also updated and supported so that they are strong, stable, and able to support loud vibrations and crowds of dancing people so no real damage is being done- holes aren’t being put in the walls and roofs aren’t caving in. Croatia, along with many other Dalmatian/Mediterranean countries, has found the balance between maintaining their history and capitalizing on the popular nightlife scene that has sprouted in warm-weather climates like Santorini, Ibiza, Mallorca, and the like.