Lina, great trip report, very informative – I will use it for planning my trip. Based on your and other’ experience it seems that there are several bus types/companies that run between Dubrovnik and Split. Is there a single bus station in both these cities? How can you make sure you’re boarding the express and not the local?
Nukesafe, do you remember the bus # you took? Thanks for the tip on the ‘cliff’ side of the bus…I’ll try to remember that.

Lina, I think that clapping hands when landing is an Eastern European custom – it has to do more with the country you are flying in rather than the airline (it happened to us on an Air France plane that landed in Romania). Because getting to/from Croatia seems so complicated, we are also planning to use TravelTime. I’m glad you had a good experience with them, makes me more comfortable to call them.

Jeff, thanks for the link on how to get to Korcula – if we have time, we might want to visit as a day trip from either Hvar or Dubrovnik. It looks like from Hvar it would be easier.

And thank everybody else for all the info, it makes planning much easier :)

Barb: I just found and read your Diva report (at least your portion of it). Wow! I traveled to Croatia with three friends I had never traveled with before, but fortunately we got along great. I hope to "meet" you on the Italy board soon and get some advice about restaurants. My son will be studying in Rome for 6 months and, of course, I'm planning to visit him.

Since you have traveled so much, you will love Croatia. It's not for folks who expect a Disney experience, but is truly beautiful and unspoiled.

xyz99,

No, I don't remember the bus number. We simply wandered into the bus station in Split and, while my wife watched the luggage, I went to the ticket counter. I said, "Dubrovnik", and made "quick", "quick" motions with my hands, and was told the gate number and handed tickets that were on an express bus.


If that doesn't work, there is always someone who will translate for you. My Croat is nonexistant, but I found that if I approached anyone under 50 they could speak some English. English is a required course in the Croation schools.

Have a great trip!

:-)

Nukesafe,
Do you remember the time you left Split? The bus schedule has the name of the company for the different departure times. I'd like to avoid Lina's bus experience and assume that xyz99 would, too. Or maybe it has more to do with the driver than the company. Thanks.

FYI for those asking about Villa Adriatica. We had tried to book there for our September 2006 trip as I had heard about it so often here. I was informed by Teo Tomsic that during that time they do not rent for less than a 1 week period, and their prices in September are between 80-90 Euros per day - that is for a double bedroom and the villa was already fully booked for the month.

BTW, he offered to find other accomodations through his tourist agency Perla Adriatica and I said that would be terrific and I would like to see what was available. I did not hear back for a few weeks and wrote again asking if they had any suggestions for bookings. He basically told me to go fly a kite and do it myself. Nice.

I also received an e-mail from Villa Adriatica today. He stated that he is taking reservations for 7 day periods only at this time and that Room 1 is 90 Euros per night. Quite a change.

For those of you looking for lodging just outside of the old city of Dubrovnik -- and right across the street from Villa Adriatica, you might try the Dubrovnik B&B. We'd stayed there in September. It was pleasant, and right outside Ploce Gate. Here's the web site: http://www.dubrovnikbedandbreakfast...._pricelist.htm

Prices have clearly gone up a bit since this summer. But it really is a great location.

I've been contacting other places in Dubrovnik. Apartments within Medieval Walls www.karmendu.com/ has 4 apartments. They are inside the city walls. Their rates are €75-€120 per night. They looks excellent on line.

Hi there Lina, Barb, Jeff, etc.. I'm new to this site and found it while looking at best ways to get from Rome to Croatia.

I am planning my first visit to the European mainland next October. I have been longing to visit the birthplace of my grandfather, who passed before I was born. He and his parents were born in Karlovac, about 30 miles southwest of Zagreb. Has anyone posting here been there? If so, can you recommend any lodgings or restaurants?

Also, since Italy and Croatia seem so close, I was going to try to squeeze in a trip to Rome. Lifelong dream to see the Sistine Chapel. :) Any comments, suggestions would be appreciated. I am probably going alone, though I am trying to convince a sister to come along. Have any of you traveled to Eastern Europe alone? Is it safe? (I'm a healthy 49yo female.) :)

Thanks!

Sarge56,

Try this web site for Karlovac;

http://www.hr/hrvatska/HRgradovi/Karlovac/uvod-en.htm

From my limited experience I should think that travelinng in Crotia would be as safe and perhaps safer than most European countries. We experienced only helpful and friendly people.

Have a wonderful trip!

:-)

I recently (Sept 2005) returned from a visit to my grandfather's birthplace in Tounj, Croatia, approximately 30 minutes from Karlovac. Do you speak Croatian?
If not, I would advise you to get a letter translated into Croatian if you want to see if other relatives still live there.
That way, the locals will see what you are
trying to do and be able to help. You
still have time so try to obtain copies of all your G-father's paperwork indicating where he came from (ship's record, naturalization, etc). Do you
know what church he attended? The Priest in Tounj was soooo helpful...I
hope to return. Yes, I did find other
relatives.

Sorry, I can't help with Karlovac.

I do have another tip: do not send a deposit in travelers' cheques, hoping to avoid the bank transfer fee for places that don't take credit cards. I did but it never arrived (bye bye 100 euros). The full story is explained in the specific post, "Deposit for Villa Adriatica" or something similar.

Thanks Lina, bbggal and Nukesafe. I do have some of the ships records when my grandfather came over, and his father, as well. (My great-grandfather came first, then six months later his wife and family arrived.)

I do not know what church they attended, but I will find out as much as I can from my aunt, who should have any/all paperwork left to my uncle, who inherited all of his father's things.

Thanks again for all of your assistance. I will check back to see if anyone else can provide some helpful hints.

Happy New Year to you all!

topping for Jana...