In this travel‑vlog episode, Kanika (Speaker A) revisits her longtime friends Maya and Ivica, the owners of four family‑run Airbnbs near Dubrovnik. She narrates the warm hospitality they extend, the personal bond that feels like family, and the collaborative renovation of one of their historic‑center Airbnbs. The vlog shows Kanika and Maya selecting paint colors (blue tones versus white), rearranging original childhood artwork, adding an accent chair and modifying a coffee table to maximize space, and visiting a local home‑improvement store. Interwoven are vivid descriptions of Dubrovnik’s Old Town—its limestone streets, medieval walls, wooden doors, and sunset‑lit terracotta roofs—highlighting how the city’s architecture inspires her design sensibility. A brief excursion to the cliff‑side town of Trsteno showcases an abandoned building with breathtaking sea views, sparking ideas for future studio spaces. Throughout, Kanika reflects on the kindness of Croatian people, the deep friendship with Maya and Ivica, and expresses heartfelt gratitude, ending with an emotional farewell and an invitation for viewers to stay with the hosts on future trips.
Chapters
What I love most about Croatia in general are the people. They are incredibly kind, helpful, and through my personal experience, it has always been that way. I am here for the fourth time, and the first time I came here, we met a lovely host family in Dubrovnik, and we keep coming back to them, and they're our family now.
Hi!
No, no, please!
Hi!
And I can't wait to show you guys where we stay, what we do with them, how humble and kind they are.
Perfect!
Bravo! Oh, it's recording! Hello, I am Maya.
Hi, I'm Ivica. Welcome to our home.
I'm excited to take you along and show you where we stay, share all the wonderful moments we spent together, how humble and kind they are, and let you experience firsthand why Croatia especially Maja and Ivica, are the reasons why I keep coming back time after time. Maja and Ivica own 4 Airbnbs in the Dubrovnik area, and this is their home. When you enter, you are greeted by lush greenery, an outdoor kitchen, and a staircase that leads to the Airbnb where we usually stay. This Airbnb is a short distance from the city of Dubrovnik in a peaceful town only 100 meters away from the sea. This time they wanted to make some changes and we decided to work on it together.
Not water-based.
Oh, oil-based.
Oil-based, and it will be very, very hard. Yes. Yes, for concrete.
Ah, got it. Okay, okay. Maya and I are looking for some colors. Usually I look at colors outside, which I will. It's pouring out there. I'm going to select some colors, then I'm going to go out in the natural light and see if I like them, and then come back in and see how I go from there. All righty, let's do this. Maya, okay, um, Maya, you want light color? You don't know? Okay, okay, that's okay. Let's see, um, maybe, maybe, maybe let's try this outside if they look good together. So that would be that wall. So from here, looks good put together, you know, just one wall. One, you try.
So what, which color is the main?
The—
okay, blue, gray.
No, blue, blue. It's blue. I mean, I said to sample both, bring sample of these two blue, and it's just going on this wall. Okay, end to end.
Someone who will see through the window and see the sea and around will be blue, maybe. Yeah, it works. He can have a feeling that he is on the sun or on the sea.
On the sea, yeah. Yes, yes. Can I, um, you know the Moore Paint Company you were telling me here? Will they have lighter colors?
I like light colors.
Yeah, they don't have light colors a lot. Ah, they only have— they have a lot of dark colors.
Dark.
They have a lot. Can we go to another company? No, it's same. It's in— ah, it's same. Okay, okay.
Maybe you can turn Then on this way, instead of this color, white.
Just white, huh? Simply white.
Yes.
In the Airbnb upstairs, we are rearranging artwork and choosing new wall colors. These artworks are original pieces that Maya and her mother created together during her childhood. This is exactly the kind of personal touches I love incorporating for my clients. Whenever they have meaningful pieces, I make sure to include them in my designs for their homes. This Airbnb sits right in the heart of Old Town Dubrovnik. In here, we discussed adding a smaller accent chair and modifying the coffee table to maximize the space. This is their home that they convert into an Airbnb during the summer months. We are selecting new wall colors to give the space a fresh look for the upcoming season. Maya and Ivica are very hands-on, and I'm always amazed that they do most of the home improvements themselves. We visited a local home improvement store that's similar to the Home Depot in the United States. It's like 50% off.
Yes.
Wow. Yeah.
And it's perfect and good.
Yeah. Okay. But for electronics in Bosnia—
For your new apartment, we will go in Bosnia. Okay. We are not— as citizens of Croatia, we have a right to bring €300 for a person. If we, if we, and if I and Maya was in the car, it is €600. Oh, it's enough for Bosnia to buy half of Bosnia.
This may have been a regular day for them, but for me, it was fun being included and being part of a normal life routine. I love coming back to Old Town Dubrovnik. It's like stepping back in time with its stunning limestone streets rustic city walls, and beautiful surroundings. So when you're in Old Town, don't be on the— they have one path where everyone's there. Go into these narrow lanes, these narrow alleys, and you'll find beautiful stairs that lead you through these very picturesque corners. You definitely want to walk around, so be ready for that. The historic center is perfectly preserved and tells stories dating back to the 13th century. The design inspirations here from centuries ago are remarkable. Take this church, for example. The way it frames the street creates a stunning visual focal point. In Europe, you'll see many streets that are carefully planned to end with beautiful views of the buildings. You can see this design pattern all over the continent. Whenever I travel, I get so much inspiration from wooden doors. Check this one out with its beautiful wood carvings, and the teal color really pops against the winter white walls. What makes it truly special is how the city comes alive at sunset when the warm light hits the terracotta roofs and creates a magical golden glow across the entire medieval town. I believe signage takes away the beauty of the buildings. This is a clever approach to preserve the charm of historic buildings and also looks pretty cool. It's raining outside, we got lights inside. Lots of food. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Happy New Year!
Wow, best of Dubrovnik! Oh my God, I am so excited to be here. Trsteno is one of my favorite towns near Dubrovnik. Every time I visit, I love coming here. What makes this place truly special is its location, built on the cliffs overlooking the sea. Being here, I always feel a sense of calmness. This abandoned building in the middle of the town with the kick-ass view is amazing. Let's go inside. I was a little nervous. They said it was a bird. I thought I heard a mouse, and I'm very afraid of the mouse. But oh my God, look at this view! Unreal, unreal. Imagine a beautiful studio here. It's perfect. Another abandoned building. Working on their Airbnbs wasn't just about design. It was about adding personal touches to spaces that will create memories for future travelers. Maya and Ivica have become more than just friends. They are family. Every time I am here, they welcome us with so much warmth and love.
What I can say It is very hard.
Topla?
Very hard question, but— and very easy question in the same way. But she is warm, she is nice, she is very sensitive person, and I enjoy in her company a lot. And I'm really sorry that you will leave us tomorrow, but hope we will see again.
This episode is very, very special to me because I met Ivica and Maya in October of 2018. Maya, you remember the date?
Oh, long time ago.
October 18th. 18th of October was the first time we stepped into their home. And, you know, there is a saying that you don't need to be blood related to be family. And these two truly made me feel and believe in that because— sorry, I'm emotional— but they are my family now. I love you guys, and I want my viewers to come and experience Maya and Ivica, Luca and Carla. So please, please, please, when you're in Dubrovnik, thank you, Kanika, stay with them.
You're nice. Worse, it's not comfortable to me.
No, but it is the truth how much love you have given me and Adi.
Like, of course, of course, I agree with everything here. It's very hard to—
it shouldn't be, because what I said, I meant every word of it. That's who you guys are.
Thank you. Thank you.
As I reach the end of this chapter, I am thinking of our first visit when Avica said, "It's normal. I wish everyone in the world would start thinking that being kind and and humble is normal. As I leave Dubrovnik once again, I am already looking forward to my next visit. There's something magical about this place that keeps calling me back. Perhaps it's the perfect blend of history and its people, and and most importantly, the lasting friendships we have made here. Dubrovnik, until next time, ciao for now!
