Hello

I am planning to go to Croatia in March 2011 with 2 friends of mine. However I am really not familiar with the place and would really appreciate any advice.

We'll be staying there for 7 days and ideally we'd like to be based in just one or two places so as not to waste too much time traveling though we wouldn't mind taking day trips to nearby towns or cities. We're more attracted towards cities I must say...would you recommend Zagreb? We're interested in historic places, sight seeing....and being an all girl holiday (been dreaming of this since high school we're also after good food, nightlife and shopping as well!

Also, what kind of weather are we to expect in March and will we get on fine speaking English?

Thanks a lot in advance

March in Croatia is still pretty cool.

Here's a site with info: http://www.croatiatraveller.com/WhentoGo/March.html The island of Hvar is great for a girl holiday. I stayed at the Adriana and it has great restaurants, spa, yoga. English is widely spoken here as it is a popular tourist destination.

Thanks...will definitely check it out...Is it easy to access? Say if the weather is bad will the ferries still work?

Do you think it would be possible to spend half the holiday there and half in Zagreb? I have this weird habit of wanting to see the capital city before I venture anywhere else in the country.

Not much happening on Hvar in March. Spend your time in Zagreb, Plitvice, Opatija, Istria and Ljubljana in Slovenia. You could consider Venice as an entry/exit point, as it's often cheaper than other airports. These places are easy enough to get to remember that only bigger towns will have a good choice for restaurants/bars museums etc. in March.

Venice...what a good idea...thanks...not considering going much further north than zagreb though...ljubljana is a bit too cold for us Mediterraneans in March

Hi...if I include Plitvice in the itinerary, would it be better to take it as a day trip from Zagreb (i.e going back to spend the night in Zagreb) or should we stay for at least one night?

If using the bus, I would take an early one from Zagreb and return in the evening. The bus service is really good through Croatia but using a car for a few days would give you much more freedom, and the roads are quiet with traffic in March.
Don;t rule out beautiful Ljubljana, the temperature will be not unlike Zagreb and it is very easy to get to. You will find so much to do in the areas I mentioned, not forgetting the best restaurants in Croatia.

By the way, don't make the mistake we made last year, and be tempted to fit in Dalmatia this time. Zagreb to Split is roughly 7 hours on the bus one way, and not worth the round trip in the time you have.

I would avoid Zagreb in March – it’s in the North, relatively close to the Alps, inland and has a Continental climate - therefore cold in Winter. They had a foot of snow last week….
In March, I would focus on the South of Croatia and probably include Montenegro in my top 4 superb old towns. This group of cities actually keeps the logistics very manageable - I agree with the point made above about travelling the length of Dalmatia. You could either fly in and out via Dubrovnik Airport or open jaw, using Dubrovnik and Tivat in Montenegro. I'd start with the Island of Korcula (and Korcula old town) and the birthplace of Marco Polo. It’s relatively close by and has a short, big, ferry ride that doesn’t get into the open sea at all. Next, I’d drop down to the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik, next, and then a 3 hour drive down to the walled city of Budva in Montenegro, and finally - you guessed, the ancient walled city of Kotor in Montenegro, before an easy drive up to Dubrovnik Airport around the Bay of Kotor.
My input for what it’s worth. Have a great trip and let us know if you have any questions.

Or you could fly into Split. And hit Hvar or Korcula en route (by boat) to Dubrovnik.

We didn't go to Zagreb, and I didn't miss it. We did go to Plitvice. It's in the mountains and might be iffy weatherwise in March. But I would hate to have missed it. Some people like Krka better; it's close to the Adriatic near Sibenik and would be warmer.

Small coastal towns and islands in March are rather dead.
Split is a big city with many bars, restaurants and etc.. , Dubrovnik is always "happening".