Croatia Driving Trip in March

Old Feb 7th, 2016, 10:03 PM
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Croatia Driving Trip in March

Hi,

We are a group of 4 friends (all male - married but on a trip without wives and kids!) planning to drive in Croatia from 5th March to 13th March. Here is the planned itinerary:

5th March : 10:00 AM Land into Zagreb. Rest and see around Zagreb
6th March: Day in Zagreb. Evening pick-up the car and drive to Plitvice - stay in the park overnight.
7th March: See Plitvice. Have lunch - leave post lunch for Zadar - reach before sunset (2:30 hrs drive)
8th March: Around Zadar - maybe try to catch a boat day trip to an island. Stay again in Zadar
9th March: Drive to Split via Torgir. Evening and night Split
10th March: Split
11th MArch: Drive to Dubrovnik. Stay Dubrovnik
12th MArch: Dubrovnik
13th March: Fly out of Dubrovnik

Ideas Suggestions welcome.

Specifically:
1. Any must see sights on the way - prefer off-beat nature small hikes/view points
2. Suggestions for hotels (mid to high end). Ideally want to stay in the centre of things, as anyway it is off-season
3. Will most of the cafes/restaurants be open due to season - anything else to look out for?
4. Any off-beat cafes/bars/restaurants in the towns or during the drives

Thanks for your help!
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Old Feb 7th, 2016, 10:26 PM
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Also, any comments/suggestions on the off-season time of the trip (Early March).

Thanks.
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Old Feb 8th, 2016, 05:18 PM
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kja
 
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Should be good! Some comments:

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is, IMO, the single most un-missable of Croatia's many splendors. Not only are the lakes connected by travertine waterfall formations, each lake has unique microbiota, and as a result, the lakes are different colors. The best way to see that is to make a single, long loop through the park -- something on the order of 6 hours or more (including time for the boat that connects the lower and upper lakes), and by all means, start at the lowest part of the park so you are facing the falls as you proceed.

"Any must see sights on the way - prefer off-beat nature small hikes/view points"

Consider visiting Marjan Hill in Split, from which the views are, IMO, quite stunning.

Between Zadar and Split, you will pass the Krka National Park -- another park with stunning travertine waterfalls. I'm not sure what it would be like in early March.

"Will most of the cafes/restaurants be open due to season"

Shouldn't be a problem in Zagreb, Zadar, or Split -- these are cities with universities and that don't depend primarily on tourism. Dubrovnik could be a bit more difficult, but I don't think you'll have a major problem there. I trust that others will weigh in if I'm mistaken.

"Any off-beat cafes/bars/restaurants in the towns"

In Split, you might consider having a drink in Diocletian's Palace -- I remember enjoying a drink in the Peristil, but don't remember the name of the restaurant / bar, and on another evening I had a drink at Konoba Dioklecijan, tucked into one of the palace's corners.

Enjoy!
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 01:25 AM
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I would suggest checking the weather at that time of year. I am seeing temperatures of 4-6 C with occasional rain and snow.

Does the Bura blow in March?
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 05:57 AM
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Drove from Split to Dubrovnik. Scary drive as there are no straight stretches for the most part and if you make a mistake, the next stop is 500 feet down. I would suggest a stop in Ston which is just a short way from Dubrovnik. A really quaint little town and the 2nd longest wall in the world next to the Great Wall. Really interesting and great views if you are willing to climb the wall. Driving in Dubrovnik is a little tricky and parking near the old city is tough to find. Have a drink at the Hole in the Wall in the old city if the weather is decent. We were there in September and the young people were jumping off the rock 30 feet down to the sea. Really unusual place and spectacular for sunsets. Don't know how the weather will be in March.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 04:09 PM
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kja
 
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"Any off-beat cafes/bars/restaurants in the towns"

How could I forget the Buza Bar in Dubrovnik! I think there are now two -- go to the one you access by going through an opening in the upper wall. I think that may be what willie44 means by the Hole in the Wall....
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Old Feb 21st, 2016, 10:11 PM
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Hi Kja - thank you for your excellent and helpful suggestions. I also had one more request.

Do you have any suggestions for hotels (in or around) Split and Dubrovnik. We will be driving in a car - as long long as we can find parking (hopefully not a problem at this time of the year) - driving in narrow streets not a problem. We would prefer to be close to the centre and action.

Thanks!
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Old Feb 21st, 2016, 10:39 PM
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I didn't have a car in either Split or Dubrovnik, and so can't help except to note that I, personally, would not assume that you could park a car in either city without advance preparations, because access by car and parking are both very limited in each. You might want to checking the "parking available" box (or whatever it's called) on booking.com to identify some options, and even then, I would encourage you to be in touch with you hotels well in advance to make sure you know how to get to whatever parking is available to you.

My advice = consider turning the car in upon your arrival in Split and taking a bus to Dubrovnik. You won't NEED a car for this part of the trip, having one will likely be an encumbrance, and the unfortunate driver will not be able to enjoy some of the most stunning scenery on the face of the earth. The buses are, IME, comfortable, convenient, and inexpensive. Just something to consider....
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