This year while in London on business, I managed to sneak in a work-free weekend. I knew that I wanted to go to some place with a beach and plenty of sunshine as I was growing weary of my long working days in London, but I also wanted an experience—a memorable experience. After racking my brain that entire afternoon and still unable to decide on a destination, I looked on the internet and found that Croatia was listed as one of the top tourist destinations in the world.

I was unaware that Croatia was home to some of the most mesmerising beaches and parks in Europe. It was also a short distance from London so my time would not be tied up in travel. Later that evening, I was on a plane heading for Croatia. I flew directly into the Zagreb Pleso Airport on a short two and a half hour flight and took a taxi into the city centre.

All of the major hotels are represented here – Regent Esplanade Hotel, Westin Zagreb Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Zagreb Hotel - but I opted to stay at the charming Palace Hotel mainly due to its convenient location near the city centre. I was delighted to discover that the Palace was actually filled with a splendid old-world charm throughout as well as spacious and tastefully decorated rooms.

As the night was still young, I decided to have a bite to eat and explore my surroundings. The friendly taxi driver who brought me from the airport suggested that I check out a restaurant in the Samobor area just a short drive from the hotel. He jokingly said that this was his favourite area because it is where the best cakes in Croatia are made.

Zagreb is known as a "city of museums" as there seems to be a museum around every corner. However, as I walked through the Samobor area, it felt as if the entire town was a museum. This charismatic medieval town had some of the most stunning Baroque architecture that I have ever seen. The scene here is admittedly of a more tranquil and relaxed nature, the preferred evening mode of expression falling into the ‘sitting outside with my friends’ category. This, in fact, is part of the city’s charm.

Samobor turned out to be the absolute ideal place for a gastronomic excursion. I dined at a fantastic restaurant called the Pri Staroj Vuri, just off of the main square. The meal was exquisite, I started with a glass of the local liqueur, Bermet which is made from local red wine and herbs. Bermet can best be described as a strong, woodsy drink with a bittersweet taste. It is understandable why this drink is a local favourite; it is delicious and packs a little punch.

I then had an appetizer of yet another local favourite: goat’s cheese rolled in paprika. I can’t say that I thoroughly enjoyed the appetizer, but it was definitely an experience. I continued in my adventurous menu selections and ordered a dish called kotlovina (pork and potato stew). Fabulous is not a strong enough word to describe this sensational dish. I went back to the hotel completely in love with Croatia.

The next morning, I got up bright and early to visit one of Croatia’s biggest tourist attractions: Plitvice Lakes. The Plitvice Park is situated in the Central part of Croatia, located less than 200 km away from the Adriatic coast. Why this particular Lake? To be honest, I heard that the Plitvice waterfall surpassed the beauty of Niagara Falls and was truly one of the most stunning falls in the world. However, nothing prepared me for the brilliance of this natural treasure. There was not just one awe-inspiring waterfall to amaze and delight, there were literally dozens of waterfalls!

The park was also filled with several interesting caves as well and some archaeological remains that were fascinating to explore. The park contains the habitats of many species of birds, brown bear, wolves and wild cats. Although you do not see giant bears walking around, you know that they are present. It is hard to be in a place like this and not be completely spellbound and in awe of real nature. I was totally humbled.

The most humorous part of my visit to the park was the fish—yes the fish! As I walked through wooden paths that directly passes by the edge of the water, the fish seemed to be following me. The quicker I walked, the quicker they swam. When I stopped walking, they stopped swimming. No, I am not that in tune with nature; the fish were just waiting to be fed. Shortly after, I found out that literally hundred of people feed them every day.

That evening I decided to explore the darker side of Zagreb: the nightclub scene. I ventured out to Lake Jarun, the vibrant club scene in the southwest section of the city. One of the coolest places that I visited was the ultra hip club KSET. This club has the lighting, the ambiance and the deserved reputation of having some of the most exciting live acts in the city. From melodic jazz to funky Hip Hop to DJs playing the hottest dance music, KSET covers all bases and from what I witnessed, all bases are covered well.

Still full of energy, I went to Club Papaya. Getting to this popular dance club was quite challenging as the club sits atop a hill overlooking the city and you have to climb a thousand steps to get there. Well maybe not a thousand. There was an open-air bar and dance floor that made the climbing experience completely worthwhile. I can now honestly say that I spent a night in Croatia, dancing beneath the stars.

I decided to spend my last day in Croatia at the beach. I checked out of the hotel in Zagreb and took a bus to Dubrovnik. The dazzling city has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and home to Banje Beach (declared by American magazine, Marie Claire, as the third most beautiful beach in the world). This absolutely stunning beach offers the most panoramic views on the Mediterranean. Banje Beach is truly the place to see and to be seen. This gorgeous pebble beach actually has its own reception area, high-end restaurants and lovely cafés. This is the beach where the rich and famous come to tan.

Later that evening as I took a taxi to the airport, I couldn’t take my mind off of my weekend adventure. Watching the sun fall behind the Dubrovnik wall from this magnificent beach, was truly a vision that I will cherish for many years. But I wondered, if Banje Beach was voted third, then the top two beaches, Bali and the Seychelles, must be something out of this world! They are now firmly placed on my “must-see” list. But for today, dazzling Croatia definitely gets the crown.