Ahhh, Croatia!

We hopped the bus one day and took the forty-five minute trip to Cavtat, a pretty little resort town. It would have been a perfect day to take the ferry but unfortunately it doesn't run in the off season.

I read that Montenegro was a nice day trip on Atlas but it doesn't run in the off season either. We talked with the concierge at the Villa Argentina and he set us up with a taxi driver, Miro. We paid him 1000kn to take us to Kotor and Budva.

When we got to the border the border guard took our passports and had a serious discussion with Miro then made him open his trunk where the "TAXI" sign was stashed. Soon a policija car drove up and two men got out and joined the discussion. All this time the man who was holding our passports was slapping them against his other hand. ( I had visions.......). Finally after about twenty minutes Miro got back in the car- with our passports- and drove off. He was very stressed. He said they were insisting to call a taxi from Montenegro to take us into the country. Finally they said he could enter but never again. He said, "They didn't have any trouble crossing our borders to attack us!" He also would not take the ferry back, as Atlas does, as he said the one time he did that he had to wait until all the other cars had gotten on the ferry. Yes, there are still tensions between the countries.

It was a Saturday and Kotor was crowded. We were not very impressed with that town. Budva is a pretty town. We had lunch by the marina at the Old Fisherman's Pub. Miro remarked that it was an "English" pub but our server spoke no English and they only served pizza!

There were some pretty parts to Montenegro but we were very relieved to get back to Croatia.

I get the impression that you didn't travel much into the Croatian countryside during your trip. Of course there is a lot to see and enjoy in Dubrovnik, but one of the joys of travel in Croatia is to get out to the villages and experience the ambience and the people. Apparently you went somewhere else other than Dubrovnik during your 12 days, but you didn't say where. I hope you were able to travel across the country, either inland or along the coast or both, and enjoy all the entrancing little towns as well as the larger ones like Dubrovnik and Split. Thanks for your report; I'm glad to see you enjoy the country as much as I do.

Sorry---I didn't see your second message with the info about some of your other travels. Obviously you did get around a bit, and you had a few exciting moments. Unfortunately, it's that way when crossing borders of the former Yugoslavia, except when going to and from Slovenia and Croatia. They seem to get along pretty well.

After our week in Dubrovnik we hired Miro to take us to Korcula....another 1000kn. The concierge at the Argentina planned our next three nights and as he is from Korcula, he wanted us to go there. He made our reservations for the three nights.

We stayed at the Hotel Korcula which was probably the only hotel open in November. It is an old hotel; the building dates from 1885 an it has been a hotel since 1912. We had a large rather dusty room but the bed was comfy and the shower was good.

The town is small and it appeared that most of the restaurants and shops were closed for the season. We ate at the Marco Polo, a small cute restaurant.

The following day we took the bus to the other end of the island. Vela Luca is a pretty dreary town. Perhaps it looked even more dreary because it was an overcast day.

We looked for a place to eat lunch and found just one place open. We went in, asked for a menu, and were told, "One plate for every body." We said okay and were served one of the best meals that we had in Croatia, falling-off-the-bone pork and risotto covered with gravy. With wine the bill was about $13.

On the bus ride we got to see the central part of the island where there are a lot of vineyards. Korcula is known for its good wine.

On the return trip the bus became a school bus filled with typical high schoolers. The island has three high schools rather like magnet schools, one in Vela Luca, one in Blato and one in Korcula. Students through eighth grade go to school in their own towns.

Korcula is a one night town IMO but we were captive for two nights because of the winter schedule of the Jadrolinija ferry which runs only on Thursdays and Sundays.

We got on the ferry Thursday morning heading for Split.

Judi - that first glimpse of Stradun at night is amazing, I so agree. My week in Dubrovnik flew by also. Tell us more.....

Wayne, I don't think Judi's finished yet. I've been lucky enough to get the Readers' Digest version of her trip and she did a good deal of traveling. Hopefully she will share more.

The ferry that we were on was the Liburnija. We met some interesting people on the trip, some Americans and a cute Australian couple who were on their way to Italy. It made the time go faster.

It was dark by the time we arrived in Split. We stayed at the Hotel Bellevue which has a great location overlooking the palm lined sea front and next to the old town. Other than that it was an adequate hotel. We were told breakfast was included but when we returned home we saw on our credit card statement that we were charged about $12 for a meager breakfast.

Split gets mixed reviews but we enjoyed our time there. We had a great dinner at
Varos then walked around the old town. It is a very lively place and the sidewalk cafes were all crowded.

Our bus back to Dubrovnik left at 1PM. It was a comfortable bus and there were just a few passengers so we had plenty of space. The bus stopped twice along the way and it was a very pleasant trip.

As we left Split we saw the sprawling outskirts, not pretty.

There is a little portion of Bosnia that go

Oops, I accidently hit reply....

There is a portion of Bosnia that we passed through but only with a wave of the border guard.

It is a beautiful ride along the shore line but unfortunately we passed through the prettiest part after dark. Fortunately, we did see it on our way to Korcula.

We were happy to be back in Dubrovnik. Nothing can compare to that magical city.

We spent our last night at the Villa Argentina. It is a beautiful hotel and we liked it much better than the Excelsior. Besides, we paid 105 Euro for one night and the Excelsior would have been 205 Euro.

We didn't have much time to enjoy our stay at the Argentina as we had a 6:50AM flight out the next morning.

We had a six hour layover in Zagreb so we hopped on the bus and went into the city. We took the tram to the upper town. It was Saturday and the plaza - or whatever it is called in Croatian- became huge market with stalls for flowers, vegetables, fruit, fish, clothing.... It was quite a sight. The upper town, Gornji Grad, is known as the lovliest part of Zagreb and it looks very different from what I saw of the rest of the big city. We were glad that we got to spend a few hours there.

I have more to say but I think I am typed out tonight. I'll get back to this tomorrow......

In the last two years I have crossed frontiers with ease. From Montenegro I took a taxi to the Croatian border, walked over in two minutes, and found a taxi driver waiting who took me to Dubrovnik. Between Croatia and Serbia I was on railway trains, and the frontier crossings were routine.

I have on disc a 70 page note on travel in Serbia, and shall happily copy it by e-mail to anybody who is thinking of going. Serbia is half the price of Croatia, but has nothing as fine as Dubrovnik, Split, or upper Zagreb.

ben.haines@btinternet.com

That's my point, Ben. Why couldn't the driver from Croatia enter Montenegro without a big hassle. The border guards wanted us to do what you did but Miro was our tour guide as well, not just a driver from point A to point B.

I know that Atlas has no trouble and I would assume other means of public transportation would not as well.

Thank you for your kind offer of the notes for Serbia.

Judi-
When does the ferry stop running for the season? If you had to plan a 12 day trip to Croatia again how would you balance your time? Would you skip Split?

Hi Ella,

I doubt if the ferry ever stops running; it must just cut back in the off season.

I wouldn't give up my week in Dubrovnik. I would skip Korcula and go to Hvar for two nights. Although I have never been to Hvar, it sounds nice.

Split is good for a day and an overnight. You can fly out of Split or take the 4 1/2 -5 hour bus ride back to Dubrovnik.

A few added thoughts:

Of course a "wall walk" is a must if your knees can handle the steps. We rented an audio guide at the Pile Gate entrance and it was well worth the 30kn for the history lessons.

Don't plan to see Dubrovnik on a cruise ship shore excursion; there are too many people and you will only stay a few hours. The magic of Dubrovnik comes out after the day trippers are gone.

A great web site is www.visit-croatia,co.uk/ This is where you can download a Croatian for Travellers vocabulary booklet and listen to their audio file for the pronunciation. There is also a message board.

I won't list restaurants because all that we patronized were good. The breads were uniformly good as were the soups and most of the salads. We ate a lot of fish, fresh but unadorned.

Mark warned us about Atlas Nautika as an overpriced restaurant with average food. Our hotel recommended it and it was just as Mark described. That makes two of us who do not recommend that restaurant.

I will say that Mea Culpa is a great and cheap little pizza restaurant. It is very popular with locals.

Proto was our favorite restaurant and we ate there three times and were never disappointed. The shrimp stuffed mushrooms with cheese sauce were great. Our last night's meal was at Proto and I asked for a glass of their best red wine. I was served Dingac, which is supposed to be one of Croatia's best... it was about $4! I drank a lot of $2 wine while I was there and most of it was pretty good but not like this. We had a bottle of Dingac in Korcula for a very reasonable price as it comes from there. I liked Prosec as well.

There is a street of restaurants above the Stradun and they are not allowed to advertise with signs. Therefore, they hire hawkers on the Stradun to try to get people to go up to their restaurants. One day we had planned to go a particular restaurant and we were approached by its hawker. We said we were headed that way anyway so he walked with us. He was young and personable and we had a nice conversation with him. On following days when we saw him we would stop and talk with him. His name is Ivan and he has a wife and baby. He indicated he was ashamed with his job but he said he was in marketing and joked about his beautiful "office". I look upon them differently now. Unemployment is high and they are fortunate to have jobs.

That's it for now but I will be happy to try to answer questions.

Ferry dates and times are at www.tel.hr/jadrolinija/

ben.haines@btinternet.com

Great report Judi! I would be willing to wager that half a dozen years from now there will be as many posts on this board about Croatia as Italy.

By the way, that was Dingac that we drank on the balcony at Gerre Gambarogno

Thanks, Grasshopper. I agree that Croatia is ready to blossom. When my husband says he is finished with Italy after three visits and then says he wants to live in Croatia, that is a heavy endorsement!

Re the wine, was it Orta? I remember the good wine but more importantly the great company and beautiful surroundings.

Jadrolinija's coastal service runs only twice weekly in winter, linking Rijeka, Split, Hvar, Korcula and Dubrovnik. However, their local ferries provide more frequent services to the islands. Every day, there is a ferry from Vela Luka on Korcula island to Split, though it does leave at the rather inconvenient time of 0445 on most days. Other connections from Korcula are by bus, using the local ferry to Orebic.

Good information, Geoff. The Catamaran was docked at Korcula but was not leaving until Friday; we needed to leave on Thursday.

Vela Luka is a long bus ride from Korcula and at 0445? Yikes!

A couple of things I forgot to mention:

Be sure to visit the Tourist Office in Dubrovnik if only to see the photos on the walls of the 1991 attack. They brought tears to my eyes.

The best caffe bar that we found in Dubrovnik was the Cafe Festival on the Stradun, closer to the Pile gate. Almost every night there is entertainment, usually a pianist.

Welcome back Judi! What a great trip!

Add me to the list of those who love Croatia...we're all fortunate that we've gone now, before everyone catches on that Italy isn't the end all!

Glad you had a good trip, and I enjoyed your report. We were there in late September/early October and loved it. Too bad that part of your bus ride from Split to Dubrovnik was after dark because this is truly a lovely drive. I was sorry that we did not get to Korcula; however, I got the impression that you were not that impressed with it. Any more comments about Korcula? I agree that Dubrovnik is very special.

With all the wonderful feedback on Croatia it's certain I'm going to have to get myself in gear and go. It took me years to get to Tallinn after I first decided I wanted to and it seems to be the same with Croatia, I don't know why.
Because I'm doing one very long trip next year plus have a two week and another 1 week planned, I doubt I'll get there in 2004 but perhaps 2005 will be the year.
Thanks again for sharing.
Kavey

Judi......
It is so much fun to discover new & beautiful places!!
I remember the amazing Istrian marble lining the paths of Rovinj....the same marble that lines all the river & creek beds throughtout Croatia.
Thanks for your great report!!

Judi,
Just saw your trip report and I want to thank you. I'm just reading a travel book for our trip there this spring. We're going on a tour that starts in Slovenia and ends with two days in Dubrovnik. WE'll be on our own for nine days after than and I don't know where to begin, so your information really helped. We will take a side trip to Montenegro with the tour group and after your experience, I don't think we would attempt it on our own.

We're staying at the Palace Hotel and can't find any information about prices if we extend our stay there, although my husband wants to stay in private homes after watching Rick Steves. Can I mention his name? Finding inexpensive treasures to stay in, is half the fun for him. I would love to stay one night at the Villa Argentina. Did you have a reservation? I did find a price for there, but it was quite high.

I would appreciate any additional suggestions for restaurants, things to see, etc.

I'm really getting excited about this trip after your post and the other comments. Thanks again.

Croatia sounds wonderful.Does anyone have info on chartering bareboats in this area.Also I would be interested in getting Patricia's e-mail as it appears we live in the same country and travel to similar places.

Thanks
Penny_T

http://www.skardacruise.com/

Here's one web site I found awhile ago...

Granny, I'm glad to hear that you are extending your stay in Dubrovnik. Are you flying out of there?

I think the secret to getting good a deal at the Villa Argentina is to walk in. That could be a gamble of course but I think that is how Grasshopper and we got our good deals. It is a beautiful hotel and we were lucky to get it at that rate. I think you would like staying outside the Ploce gate for a change.

You may be interested in staying in an apartment for five days or a week. We were offered one across from the Villa Argentina (an uphill walk to get there) but we weren't going to be there long enough to warrent doing so.

If you would like to email me I can give you a contact and also some restaurant recommendations.

my address is pj2592 at bellsouth dot net.

I am excited for you and your adventure. I can hardly wait to return.

Penny, I have emailed you separately. So glad to hear that you have all enjoyed Croatia, having returned twice recently after 25 years its still the best. Slovenia is pretty good too. Happy travels.

I've only just discivered your postings about Croatia and am very interested.

My question is about crossing into Montenegro. If I hire a car in Dubrovnik do you think can I take it to Kotor/Budva for a few days and return?

tremend

I don't know the answer to this but I would think that a Western European or North American could go in to Montenegro without a problem.

It seems that our snag was an ethnic issue between Croatia and Montenegro/Serbia.

Perhaps Ben Haines knows the answer.

I hope you have a terrific time!

Hi
Ahhh croatia is right. We spent about 10 days there at the end of September into October. The weather was just about perfect except for one rainy day. We flew into Ljubilana, rented a car and drove into the Istria. Past Piran where we were a few years ago into Croatia. In about a bit over 2 hrs. we were in Porec. stayed a couple of days there, drove to Rovenj, which we really loved. Then drove along the coast to Trogir. It took about 7 hours on a 2 lane road but the sight of the islands and the adriatec were beautiful. In Trogir we decided we wanted to go back to Rovenj and avoid Split. We decided we only wanted small towns. Rovenj was beautiful, the boats in the harbor, the restaurants, the view. It was a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Trogir was more touristed than the Istria when we were there. Most of the tourists were Italian or British. It was disapponting that Americans don't visit there, especially Itria.
alan

I have finally put our Croatia pictures on the web. If you would like to take a look, go to:

http://homepage.mac.com/pj2592/PhotoAlbum29.html

I hope you enjoy them. There are also a few pictures of Montenegro.

Judi... my husband and I thought Proto was OUR secret. We were the only ones from our small ship to find it on our first trip to Dubrovnik. Last year on our second stop, we returned to OUR restaurant. As you say, food and wine were delicious.

More info avail at Croatian National Tourist Offfice. e mail cntony@earthlink.net in NY city

Judi, Thanks for the photos. I really enjoyed them. WT

Judi, you mentioned that you took the the bus from split to Dubrovnik. I put out a thread somewhere asking about the travel time from Dubrovnik to Hvar, but I can't find it. I think viamichelin charted it at about 3 hrs. Is this realistic? I may want to rent a car and drive to Hvar so I don't have to spend so much time on a ferry.

WT -
the bus from Dubrovnik to Split takes about 4 hours. Slow ferry from Split to Hvar took about 2 1/2 hours.

Thanks Mark! I am going crazy. I can't fly into Dubrovnik and out of Split on the days I need even when I reverse the trip flying into Dubrovnik. I am trying to finalize my plans. Now I am thinking of flying into Dubrovnik and just hiring a driver to take us to Hvar so it will be faster and I don't have to rent a car. This leaves me 4 nights (3 full days) in Dubrovnik and only 2 in Hvar. I am thinking if I left Dubrovnik and got to Hvar around noon, I would still have 1/2 day, the next full day, and then I would have to fly out of Split at 4 to Rome. No decent flights the next day! Would I be able to catch a cat to Split around noon so I would still have at least the morning in Hvar? Do you think it is worth it? I don't like to move around that much, but I think 7 nights in Dubrovnik is too much and I really want to see Hvar. I also thought if I decided not to go to Hvar I could spend a couple of days on Mijet. Has anyone been there? Then I could fly in and out of Dubrovnik on the days I need. I welcome all advice. I can't believe I am having so much trouble with this, but my husband won't take the ferry (saw some report on discovery about a sinking one) and alitalia and croatiaaiarlines don't fly direct flight every day to and from Rome. If I drive into Croatia, I have to give up Santorini and I am not willing. thanks again, WT

Well I just found a flight from Split to Prague to Rome that I could take. Can I get a catamaran from Hvar to Split to catch an 11 am flight or do I need to stay in Split overnight?

I tried to catcch an early afternoon fast ferry but tickets were already sold out so i had to catch the slow ferry at around 3 (I think). I'm sure there's a morning ferry but have no idea the time. I would suggest calling the Croatian Tourist Board in NYC - I'll post the number later tonight.

Thanks Mark. I tried to find a ferry schedule but couldn't.

WT, try this web site for information:

http://uk.geocities.com/my_ferries/croatia.html

Could you possibly take a ferry from Split to Italy (Ancona, etc.)?

If you consider getting a driver to take you from Dubrovnik to Hvar I can highly recommend Miro who was our driver. His email is miro-taxi at hi.htnet.hr

WT -
the number for the Croatian Tourist Board is 212.279.8672. I was having problems with Jadrolinija's web site and they helped me.

Thank you Judi for recommending Miro. I will contact him because I have had good experiences with local drivers. I have explored the Split - Ancona and the Hvar- Pescara options. I could do them, but I will have to spend 4-6 hrs. on a ferry and then 3-4 hrs. on a train and will have to leave Croatia earlier. I will check the site you gave me.

Mark, thanks so much for the phone number. I am going to call them.

WT

Judi:

Just saw your photos! Beautiful. I am thinking I must get back there soon! Thanks for posting them.

Judi : Great report ! Well done.

WanderingTexan : would love to read a trip report when you return. Please post one. Am planning my first trip to Croatia this year and would be grateful for benefit of your experiences. Have a wonderful trip.

Mathieu, When are you going? I am not going until late June. I will post a report when I get back.

Judi, your link provided a ferry schedule and there is a very early morning ferry.

Mark, I wasn't able to call the Croatian Tourist Board until late today and have left a message. I will let you know if the ferry schedule on the web site Judi gave me is still accurate or if there is another site we can all use.

Thanks again to all. WT

WT : Haven't nailed down a time yet but could be the first 2 weeks of either September or October but no later.

We too hopefully will be traveling to Croatia for the first time in Sept/Oct. I'm trying to convince my husband this is a great destination, and collecting all the info I can find. Trip reports like this one should help me persuade him. Hoping to spend a night or two in Venice, on to Trieste with another day or two visit, and so on.

I'm in the very early planning stages, so any suggestions or advice will be appreciated. We will be leaving from SFO and hope to plan an open jaw return home. Would love to visit this wonderful country before its popularity maybe changes it a bit.

Wish me luck.

I have made a decision to fly in and out of Dubrovnik because I can fly on the days I need. I was determined to see Hvar, but have been looking at Mijet as an alternative to driving to Hvar and back to Dubrovnik to catch my flight. Now that I have been researching it, I want to stay there too!!! Has anyone been to Mijet? Thanks.

Just some information for those planning to catch ferries. The ferries vary greatly in size and for example the one from Stari Grad (Hvar) to Split was pretty big.The one from Rab (Lopar) to Krk only took 17 cars but you didn't find this out until you arrived at the ticket office.
To our advantage, we were there in June,they were just changing over to Summer schedule. On one or two occasions the ferries ran later than scheduled just to deal with demand. This was very welcome when we failed to get on the last scheduled ferry to Rab at about 9p.m.

WT,are you going to be in Dubrovnik for just three nights? If you walk the wall, explore the town, visit some museums, go to Cavtat and Montenegro (with Atlas) you will be pressed for time. We were in Dubrovnik for eight nights and weren't bored with it.

Do you have a specific reason for wanting to to to Mljet? Perhaps it is possible to do as a day trip from Dubrovnik. I googled it and there doesn't seem to be much going on there.

Don't plan this trip with the idea that you will never return because once you have visited Croatia you will most likely want to return.

Frances, that is good information for people with cars.

We are going to Croatia this April and plan to spend several days in Dubrovnik. I'll try to take some notes and post them, but Judi has done such a great posting, I'm not sure how much more I can add. I was really hesitant about traveling to Croatia until I read her post and others and now I can't wait.

some posters here have done Mljet in a day - and it is suppose to be pretty greuling - most of the time spent on the catamaran.

WT - if you're interested in spending a night or two on an island near Dubrovnik, you may want to also consider Lopud. It's one of the few islands that has a sandy bottom cove and sandy beach. It's probably more populated than Mljet, but not much more.

Mljet sounded really natural and unspoiled - I would have liked to have spent a couple days there just to decompress, to get away from it all.

I have a total of 7 nights for Croatia. I am wanting to spend 4 nights in Dubrovnik and 3 in Hvar or somewhere closer to Dubrovnik. We will be at the end of a more complicated trip than I usually take because I will have family with me part of the time. My daughter is getting married in Positano on June 16. After that, we are off to Venice and Greece, and then Croatia. We were thinking Mijet would be a good place to unwind, but it does look a little too quiet. I would not go there unless I spent a couple of nights there. I am not into the rushed day trips at all. I still want to go to Hvar, but I am going to check out Lopud. I think I read something online very positive about it. Atlas says Hvar is a 3 hr. drive to the ferry. How far is Hvar Town from Sucuraj if I am driving in? By driving instead of the ferries, I can stay an extra night in Hvar and drive back to Dubrovnik the next day to catch an evening flight. I really appreciate everyone's help. I will let you know what I decide. I feel better just knowing I have made a decision on my flights and can go ahead and get those arrangements made. Ya'll have been wonderful! Thanks again. WT

WT-
Sucuraj is on the opposite end of the island - I'm sure you could drive to Hvar town in an hour or so - and it would be a great way to see the interior of the island. I found town signage on the island to be very good and easy to follow.

Thanks Mark. I think that is what I am going to do. I found another web site you probably already know about, findcroatia.com. I got a message from the Croatian Tourist Office in NYC and they referred me to the site. There are more photos of the Hotel Podstein on sunnyhvar.com too. I would like to stay in the center of things, but I think I am going to go for the Podstein.

WT-
We are planning a similar drive from Dubrovnik to Hvar via the ferry at Sucuraj in Sept.(then on to Split). We'd be interested in a report on your experience when you return.

dcdee, That is what we have decided to do, so I will let you know how it works out. We are going to drive or hire a driver to Hvar and then drive back to Dubrovnik to catch a late afternoon flight to Rome because we can't fly out of Split the day we need to get back to Rome.

WT -
Here's a web page I bookmarked awhile ago:

http://www.sucuraj.com/

A note on driving from Sucuraj up to Hvar town - It takes at least 2 hours, probably more, a good portion on a narrow windy, mostly edge-of-the-mountain road, so the driver will stay plenty busy. Plus, you'll be on the outside lane (the sea on your right), so just watch out around the sharp left curves; sounding your horn quickly just before the turn is a good idea if you can't see who's coming. We've had oncoming vehicles come around those turns into our lane before, so always be ready.
Anyhow, I spend a few weeks on Hvar nearly every summer, so if you're curious about anything there, feel free to ask. Enjoy your trip!

hajduk24, Thanks for the info about the road to Hvar Town. I sure appreciate it! Where do you think is the best place to stay in Hvar? Do you know anything about a ferry from Dubrovnik to Sucuraj? Does it run every day?

In Hvar, I'd suggest someone's private house accomodations - there are tons of them around. On some websites on Hvar, I believe some of these are even listed and may take reservations (I'm not positive though) - but then you won't know how close to the main town it is, so it's probably better to find one on the spot. When entering town, you'll see signs saying "Soba" in front of many houses, meaning they rent out rooms - just go knock and ask if they have one. In June and much of July, I'm sure you'll find one - in August probably too, but in August the area is packed full and then some.

For the ferry, I honestly don't know about a Dubrovnik-Sucuraj route. I know there is a short (30 min) route straight to the mainland, to Makarska perhaps. There is also a hydrofoil boat (no cars of course) that goes straight between Dubrovnik and Hvar town (I took this once) in about 3 hours, stopping in Bol and Jelsa along the way, though this one is not for the seasick-prone if there are waves around. If it comes to it, the drive from Dubrovnik toward Makarska is scenic too, but if driving onward to Hvar, that's a lot of driving in a day.

There is a ferry route between Drvenik (south of Makarska) and Sucuraj, the crossing takes 25 mins and there are several sailings daily. Its an 1hr. 30min drive from Dubrovnik to Drvenik, I don't believe there is a crossing from Dubrovnik to Sucuraj.

Thanks. I must have confused Dubrovnik with Drevnik. This sounds like it might be the way to go, what do you think?

I am not usually this helpless...really! I was able to get all my domestic flights with FFM, so I have to change plans AGAIN! Flying into Split from Athens on Czech Airlines and flying out of Split, via Prague, to Rome. This is going to save me a lot of $$s, but I will lose some time in Croatia. I can't seem to find the fast Catamaran connection from Split to Hvar that Mark mentioned and I can't find the ferry connection from Drevnik to Sucaraj. I know they exist, but I can't find them to see their schedules. I am also interested in the hydrofoil, but I can't find it in the domestic schedules I have found. I have looked on findcroatia.com, croatia.hr, uk.geocities.com (I thought this is where I found the Hvar schedules, but it seems to have changed.) Can I count on finding fast cats or hydrofoils when I get there in late June, early July?

WT
I think you will find it much easier to get to Hvar from Split than from Dubrovnik, so good move to change you flight plans. The site you want is www.sucaraj.com/ it gives ferry connections etc. also says there between 10 and 15 sailings a day in the summer. I'm not sure about how to get to Hvar from Split although I have done so but too many years ago to remember, however there are several ferry lines in and out of Split that you should find something, its also easy to find your way around the port area, very compact. If you should decide to go from Drvenik, the coast road down through the Makarska Riveria is absolutely stunning.

I have read it is very beautiful. Have any of you posted photos anywhere?

Thanks Patricia.

WT

Have a look at www.jadrolinija.hr/ Their fast coastal and international schedule for the summer is available, there is a ferry from Split to Stari Grad most days, takes 2.5hrs. The local ferry line goes from Split to Hvar town but the summer timetable is not available yet but looking at winter sailings the crossing takes less than an hour. Hope this helps.

I need a fast cat or hydrofoil on June 29th from Hvar to Dubrovnik and so far I can't find one on that day. If any of you know of one, please let me know. I am going to have to drive back to Split from Dubrovnik so I didn't want to drive both ways. The international ferry does not run on that day and the SNAV cats don't either. Is it likely I could find one when I get there? Thanks.

WT
Full marks for perseverence with this question!! I have spent ages looking at the ferry lines, I think the site with the most info is http://uk.geocities.com/my_ferries/croatia.html but I still don't see a fast cat or hdrofoil from Hvar to Dubrovnik. Have you tried sending an email to Dubrovnik Tourist Board info@tzdubrovnik.hr At this time of year you are more likely to get a reply from Dubrovnik than Hvar, they should certainly know about ferries etc. Keep trying.

Thanks for the advice Patricia. I will give them a call.

Judi, I have emailed Miro to see about a driver from Hvar to Dubrovnik. If this doesn't work out, I am going to skip Hvar and stay on Lopud for a few days. Thanks for the info on Miro. I will let you know. I keep reading your trip report of Dubrovnik and am not so stressed out about missing Hvar if it comes to that. Thanks.

Judi, Miro emailed me back today! Thank you for his email address.

Wandering Texan, I've typed about 5 posts for you but somehow my computer won't let me post. I'VE FINALLY gone to another computer. Hope you get this. I know you were looking for hotels in Hvar. I just booked the Adriatic. Although the website showed all-inclusive, they booked me on bed and breakfast terms at what works out to be about 75 euros per double room for two people. They quote their prices per person and then the tax separately and also per person but when you add it all up it's about 75 euros per room for two people. Looks pretty good. I'm excited about staying there. Hope this info helps you. Julie Vikmanis

Hi WT. I hope you are getting your plans solidified so that you can center your energies on your trip!

I'm glad you got a reply from Miro. He is a sweetheart and I know you will like him. He is a bit shy but perhaps it is because he is hesitant in speaking English. He does very well, though.

If anyone else needs airport transportation he is available for that as well.

This is great thread--thanks for all the information! Does anyone know if the ferries for day trips from Dubrovnik to Lokrum, Lopud, and Mljet run year-round? Do they run in early November or late October?

Angelyn, sorry I can't help with the ferry schedule. Off-season definitely doesn't run regularly, but I bet the ones to Lopud, etc. run daily. I wouldn't bet on Mijet though.

Judi, Miro sounds so nice. I will probably have him drive us from Split to Dubrovnik so we can enjoy the scenery. Thanks again. I am working on my daughter's wedding now that most of my arrangements have been made and am looking forward to my trip. I did email "Dubrovnik" and he does not recommend the Pucic because of recent staffing problems. The only reason I chose them was because they have a crewed hotel sailboat I could rent for the day. I think I am going to move to the Argentina and see if they can arrange for something similar if they still have room. I am sorry I didn't listen to your advice, but I thought a day on a sailboat was better than a view room. Now, I am thinking maybe I can still have both!

Julie, Thanks for the info on the Adriatic. I think it is a good choice. I will look forward to your trip report. I am still going back and forth on Hvar. I could go for a day or two, but then I don't think I will have time to enjoy Hvar or Dubrovnik. I hope you have a great trip!

I'm travelling to Croatia in the summer and I'm wondering if anyone has stayed at the "Villa Cavtat" run by Mihaela Butijer?

Haven't stayed there, but Cavtat is a lovely town. Keep in mind, access to the old town is via ferry, bus or taxi.

My husband and I and my parents are traveling to Croatia in Sept/Oct. Planning to go to Dubrovnik and Zagreb. What are the best coastal towns or islands to visit? We're planning to spend two-three weeks. So far everyone's advice has been very enlightening.

Topping for Tracy

Catbert, thank you so much for topping! Judi gives a wealth of great information, helpful for anyone planning a Croatia trip. I greatly enjoyed reading her trip report.

Tracy