Apartman Anka

I’ll be honest – when I first saw the address on Vrbica street, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s one of those quiet residential roads that winds up the hillside, and you know how those can be hit or miss. But walking up to Apartman Anka, I actually got excited. The building sits in this perfect spot where you’re away from the tourist chaos but still close enough to walk down to the Old Town without breaking a sweat (well, maybe a little sweat – it’s Croatia in summer, after all).

What really got me was how much thought went into the details here. The apartment itself feels like someone’s actual home, not some sterile rental unit. The kitchen has proper dishes and cookware – I mean, you can actually make coffee that doesn’t taste like cardboard, which is rarer than you’d think. And the bathroom? Honestly, better water pressure than my place back home. You know what I loved most though? The way the morning light comes through the windows. There’s something about that Croatian sun that hits different, especially when you’re sipping coffee and planning your day without rush-hour noise or cruise ship announcements echoing up from the harbor.

The location is actually genius if you think about it. You’re tucked away on this residential street where locals live their daily lives – I saw the same woman walking her dog every morning, and there’s a little grocery store just down the hill where you can grab fresh bread and those amazing Croatian tomatoes. But here’s the thing: it’s maybe a 15-minute walk to Pile Gate, and you take this lovely route through actual neighborhoods instead of fighting through crowds on Stradun. Plus, and this is key – parking. If you’re driving, you can actually find a spot without selling your firstborn, unlike down in the tourist zone where it’s basically impossible. The 9.7 rating makes total sense to me because it’s one of those places where everything just works the way it should, without any unpleasant surprises or “oh, the photos were definitely taken with a wide-angle lens” moments.