Located in the mountainous Karst region in Croatia, it's known for a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, that extend into a limestone canyon. When we visited this park it was lush and green. The sound of the rushing water, rolling down the hills into the many lakes, filled the air. Walking through the park on the elevated wooden footbridges made the experience even more special. It was incredible to see so many heavenly waterfalls in one place.

Croatia is a country that's filled to the brim with stunning nature, history, beautiful old towns and countless gorgeous islands that dot the clear blue waters for the Adriatic. With all the attractions that Croatia has it's hard to believe that it's not the number one destination in Europe.

Below is my list of the 10 top reasons of why you must visit Croatia.

When I started my sabbatical, Croatia wasn't a country that was high on my must-visit list. After 10 glorious days (road-tripping with my brother and his finance), I was shocked to discover that Croatia had completely stolen my heart. I was left wanting more; yearning to spend more time basking under Croatia's warm sun, lazing on its beaches, getting lost in its incredible nature and sampling its heavenly food.

To help you make the most of your time in Croatia, I've prepared a 10 day itinerary featuring some of my favorite highlights from my trip here.

Below is some basic information you need to know about Croatia before visiting.

There's a risk when traveling that your heart may be stolen by one of the cities or countries you visit. Just like love, you don't see it coming. It just hits you hard and quick, leaving your heart constantly yearning to return to a place that feels like home. Croatia's my first experience with a country that has totally and completely stolen my heart.

After spending 2 glorious days in Venice (and stalking Guy Fieri) my brother, his finance and I get on a ferry that's heading towards Rovinj (Croatia).

On arrival, we disembark and immediately make a beeline from the port to Rovinj's town center to look for a taxi. As we zip through this beautiful town, we're blissfully unaware of what surrounds us.