LLC

I'm lost without having a trip to be planning. I'm thinking about either Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania or Slovenia and Croatia for a June trip. Would like comments on each. Where will our weak dollar go further? Looking for interesting small hotels or B&B's and good local food.

Wayne

As far as the dollar goes, there probably won't be a lot of difference. Present trends would indicate that the Baltics would have a slight advantage.

As for interesting hotels and good local food, you can find those everywhere. Depending on how you travel and where you plan to stop or stay, there are hundreds of possible choices. Use your browser to go to www.tourism.ee to get an idea of what you can find in Estonia. For Slovenia tourism, try www.slovenia-tourism.si. For Croatia, try www.htz.hr.

I'm sure those sites will give you lots more leads to specific places. Good luck.

Grasshopper

I visited Slovenia and Croatia last June and can't recommend them highly enough. Get there quick before the rest of the North Americans figure out what they've been missing!

Not to miss desitnations; Ljubjlana,Bled,Rovinj,Dubrovnik,Hvar.... I'm sure that many here will add more.

ben_haines_london

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are cooler (but certainly not cold) and have beautiful long days and short nights. Their written history starts about 1000, and they had no contact with ancient Greece and almost none with ancient Rome. They show a range of cultures, partly because two are Lutheran and one is Roman Catholic. Their spirit is ebullient: in 14 years they will have moved from the Soviet bloc to a free choice of the European Union.

Slovenia and Croatia descend from trading with Greeks, taking part in the Roman Empire, Byzantium and the Hapsburg empire, and along the coast in the empire and trade of Venice, but these day they are almost all Roman Cathoilic, with a major holy shrine and much respect for the pope. You can swim there in June. Slovenia, too, join the Union in March, but Croatia lags along behind, victim of their chauvinists and the late President Tujman.

Money goes a deal further in the Baltic countries than in Slovenia and Croatia, which cost west European prices. Both areas offer interesting small hotels or B&B's. I find Slovenian and Croatian cuisine a touch more interesting than Baltic, but all are good. There are good notes on where to stay and to eat at http://www.inyourpocket.com.

Can Grassshopper helpfully give us a comparison with the Baltic countries ?

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Grasshopper

Sorry Ben, I haven't been to Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, so can't comment. Although I am sure your are absolutely correct that the dollar will go further in those countries than Slovenia or Croatia (Slovenia being more expensive than Croatia,in my experience).

I simply wanted to add my encouragement that LLC don't miss the two countries I enjoyed so much this past year.

I found that they can be as expensive or inexpensive as you choose. If you stay in the many "sobe" or private rooms available, you can stay very inexpensively. Alternatively, there are some grand hotels. Even the very nice hotels (for example the wonderful Villa Argentina in Dubrovnik) are far less expensive than the US or UK equivalents.

LLC

Thanks for the replies so far, keep them coming! I'm eventually planning on going to both areas, but now trying to decide which place to possibly go in June. I am starting to make a file of both areas though. There seem to be more guidebooks on Slovenia and Croatia, than on Estonia etc. Is Lonely Planet the only one for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania? Is it worth getting? I do think the personal recommendations (or the negatives) from you all mean more than anything in the guidebooks. All suggestions for favorite towns, places to stay and to eat appreciated.

LLC

Now to throw another area in the mix- Romania and Bulgaria. I'm guessing this would probably be the cheapest. Anyone have comments?

Al_Mo

Spent a weekend in Tallinn, estonia last march and it was beautiful, great people, great value and although cold - great weather.

If your thinking of Croatia, go soon!!! As it seems to be the new destination of choice for the former Ibiza "living it large" gang, which if your into it would recommend it highly...