Cost of travelling in Croatia?
 

I want to know how it compares to other places I've been for hotel, food, transportation costs. Compared to Spain, Italy, Canada?

From my travels in Croatia, I'd say it's a bit more expensive than Spain but less than Italy..... but so much depends on your specific objectives and tastes. As for a comparison to Canada, I'd bet it's a bit less than Canada. <BR><BR>Another way to look at it is to decide if you want to go there. If you are truly interested in visiting Croatia, then the cost will not be an impediment.

Elena - <BR>I just got back from Dubrovnik. I stayed at the Hotel Excelsior - great location, incredible view from my terrace - $175 a night, breakfast included. The room was modestly furnished - comfortable, not lux - but the view (breakfast on my terrace every morning) and location (5 min walk to the south gate of the Old Town) made it worth it. The staff was helpful and professional. You can also rent a room in someone's house pretty cheaply and can be arranged through various travel agencies once you get there. There are also those huge med club type hotels - don't know the price. Food at restaurants in the Old Town was pricey - lunch/dinner: 3 course, bottle of wine, tip, $40. Whole grilled fish and lobster started at $40. And yet at some restaurants a fish portion for $12 turned out to be a whole fish. There are pizza and sandwich joints - which are inexpensive, $3-5. I also went to a buchter and got freshly sliced proscuitto - 1/2 kilo (1.1 lb) was about $10. At a green market a kilo of green & black figs cost 10 kn, a little more than $1. I had lunch on the island of Lopud - fried anchovies, shells, grilled fish portion, flan, local wine, tip: 300 kn ($42) - and well worth it. At the bar Buza,located outside the fortress wall facing the Adriatic, small bottles of wine were 15 kn. 2 scoops of gelatto cost 9 kn, a little more than $1. Wine bought in stores ranged from 70 kn ($10) to 210 kn ($30) and up. Yet bottles at wineries in Peljesac averaged around 40 kn ($6). Dubrovnik is a major tourist destination / stop. Ferries were inexpensive - charted boats were expensive. 210 kn on a private boat to Lopud or the Jadrolinija ferry to Lopud for 22 kn. A taxi from the hotel to the jadrolinija cost 70 kn ($10). I think it can be done inexpensively. I'm defintely going back next year and making my way up the coast.

The only thing I have to Mark's detailed list is that hotels can be had for cheaper than $175 per night, the Excelsior is probably the most expensive hotel in Dubrovnik. We stayed at Hotel Bellevue last year in May, had a wonderful view of the Adriatic, breakfast included, within walking distance of the Old town for less than $50 per night. The hotel in Split was about the same, centrally located. There are even cheaper accomodations for the ladies who wait at the bus stations.<BR><BR>I don't remember the cost of the bus between Split and Dubrovnik but it was inexpensive.

Oh good. At $175 a night I was afraid Croatia was off my list! Thank you Mark for your helpful posting of all the other prices though.

Elena - <BR>It can be done inexpensively. I hadn't had a vacation for 9 months and I'd been working my butt off so I decided to treat myself. I did check out other hotels that were nearby and south of the Old Town - Hotel Argentina (still closed for renovations), Villa Orsula and the Villa Dubrovnik - all comprably priced like the Excelsior. Also, I went during peak season - which ends 09/30. Cavtat specializes in packages but is a distance from the Dubrovnik - in other words, you can't walk. A woman I talked with mentioned the Hotel Lapad (email: [email protected]) - about a 15 minute walk to the Old Town - free boat service to the Old Town harbor. I passed the hotel while on the Jadrolinija ferry. Check with Atlas Travel Agency - www.atlas-croatia.com regarding apartments, etc.<BR><BR>The restaurant at the Excelsior, Rusitca Taverna, was similarly priced as Old Town restaurants - but once again, the view was superlative. They also have a couple bars that over look the Old Town that are open to the general public.

I was in Dubrovnik two weeks ago. I arrived in the afternoon on the ferry from Korcula, and booked a private room with one of the people lining the quay. A room was 150 kuna which is about 20 Euros. We were driven there and offered a beer. The rooms were comfortable and had a sea view. They didn't do breakfast, but we were driven to the bus station in the morning and went to a hotel for breakfast. Similar rooms are available in towns along the coast. In Hvar, the Hotel Slavija had very nice rooms for 300 kuna including breakfast, though ones with a sea view are more expensive.

I was in Dubrovnik a month ago and paid 45 Euro a night renting a room from a local in a fantastic location, right next to Hotel Argentina. The room was adequate. Nothing fancy, but clean. The room had daily cleaning and there was a small refrigerator in there.<BR><BR>If you are on a tight budget, like Mark said there are plenty of inexpensive places to get pizza, sandwiches, rolls, strudels from $5 and under.<BR><BR>As far as transportation costs, that is not very expensive either. A bus ride from Dubrovnik to Split is probably around the $8-$12 range. Renting a car is probably the most expensive thing if you are thinking of doing that.<BR><BR>Nina