Had the best time in Croatia!
Jul 5th, 2006, 10:54 AM
#21
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Stu, thank you for your comments. We only have 7 nights in Croatia, flying into Dubrovnik. I don't think we have enough time to get to Plitvice, as much as we want to visit. We do plan on visiting Krka park as a daytrip from Split, as it looks wonderful. Have you been to this park? Is it similar to Plitvice?
Tracy
Tracy
Jul 5th, 2006, 11:13 AM
#22
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kelly:
We are on the Monternegro Blue tour on Friday, as we first get in on the 11th and I don't want to first go to Montenegro on the first full day on that Wed.
We are in Dubrovnik from the 11-16th. We will be at the Grand villa Argentina, where are you staying?
We are not covering the rest of your itinerary. We are:
July 7-10 Slovenia
July 10th: overnight in Split ( driving in from Zagreb)
July 11-16th; Dubrovnik
July 16-19: Hvar
July 19th: overnight in Trogir to catch early plane to Paris next day
July 20-23: Paris
If you see a relatively short (5"2)woman with long salt and pepper hair who looks Italian and is with a silver haired slender man who looks like a professor or an astronaut, that's me and my DH!
So after your day in Montenegro if you are walking around the Old Town at night and run into us, please come up and say hello!
Have a safe travels!!!
We are on the Monternegro Blue tour on Friday, as we first get in on the 11th and I don't want to first go to Montenegro on the first full day on that Wed.
We are in Dubrovnik from the 11-16th. We will be at the Grand villa Argentina, where are you staying?
We are not covering the rest of your itinerary. We are:
July 7-10 Slovenia
July 10th: overnight in Split ( driving in from Zagreb)
July 11-16th; Dubrovnik
July 16-19: Hvar
July 19th: overnight in Trogir to catch early plane to Paris next day
July 20-23: Paris
If you see a relatively short (5"2)woman with long salt and pepper hair who looks Italian and is with a silver haired slender man who looks like a professor or an astronaut, that's me and my DH!
So after your day in Montenegro if you are walking around the Old Town at night and run into us, please come up and say hello!
Have a safe travels!!!
Jul 5th, 2006, 08:54 PM
#25
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I slept 2 hours last night and I may just drug myself to sleep tonight but I will try to talk alittle bit about Croatia last week if any synapses are still working today. I will try to do a trip report later after I digest the trip but for today you get more of a stream of consiousness ramble. We spent about abit more than a week between Dubrovnik and Split last week and the weather was quite hot with temperatures in the 30 to 34 range with high humidity. Locals told us that typical for June is 30 with lowish humidity. Uncomfortable to do much touring during the afternoon. The sea temperture was ok for swimming but not warm and the temperture dropped at least 10 degrees after about 2 meters of depth. If you want to scuba I would bring a wet suit. Hotels were very expensive for the quality and somewhat like Venice I would subtract a star to get a better idea as to the general quality of the hotel is in comparison the western Europe. The best hotel we stayed at was the Hilton in Dubrovnik which was quite nice for E517 a night for a suite for a family of four. Good location minutes from the old town and comfortable at the level of a 4+ hotel but very expensive for what it is. The city of Dubrovnik is quite pretty but small and filled with tourist restaurants and tourist shops which remind me of St, Marks Sq in Venice for it's dedication to tourists. The walls are fun to climb but otherwise I did not find the city that interesting for it reminds me abit of a Disney creation in it's devotion to the tourist Euro or Kuna or..... I think some people do not like Venice for the same reason but with Venice it is easy to get away from the main tourist drag and wander into interesting shops etc. The old city of Dubrovnik is too small in comparison to Venice and does not really allow this. Dubrovnik was also super crowded and like Venice I would hate to be there in the high season of July and August. I would get bored with Dubrovnik with more than a few days but could wonder around Venice easily for a week.
Spent a few days in Orebic at the most overpriced hotel I have ever stayed in while also exploring Korcula and Miljet. Korcula is a minature version of Dubrovnik and could easily be explored in a few hours. Miljet is a pretty island but I am not sure it is worth the time and effort to get there. Split was one place that I actually liked alot as the promenade and the old city and Palace was more of a part of the city life. Unlike Dubrovnik, this old part of Split is visited and used by local people and not just overun by tourists. Food here was better and cheaper than in Dubrovnik. Food was decent but nothing special with prices similar to the US with a small to medium pizza $6 to $9 and entrees in the $8 to low 20's. Fish was fresh, good and reasonable in price. Still, prefer the food of Greece or Italy. Split, like Dubrovnik is worth a day.
This coastal area of Croatia is quite pretty but there are alot of coast lines in this world that are more dramatic including route 1 in California, Amalfi, Milford Sound.........etc. People were nice and many spoke decent English.
Overall I think this part of Croatia has pretty seas and islands which would be perfect for people who like to sail. I also think that budget travelers who would find accommodations in Sobe's interesting would like this coast line in the off season when the crowds dissapear and the temperture drops in late September.
I just get the sense that I missed that time just a few years ago that I would have found this part of the world more appealing when the crowds had not yet arrived and the capitalistic drive for the tourist currency had not ramped up as it has in other former eastern block destinations like Moscow and Prague. I suspect I would have found Montenegro more to my liking but overall I am not unhappy to have visited Dalmatia and will probably return in the future at some date.
Spent a few days in Orebic at the most overpriced hotel I have ever stayed in while also exploring Korcula and Miljet. Korcula is a minature version of Dubrovnik and could easily be explored in a few hours. Miljet is a pretty island but I am not sure it is worth the time and effort to get there. Split was one place that I actually liked alot as the promenade and the old city and Palace was more of a part of the city life. Unlike Dubrovnik, this old part of Split is visited and used by local people and not just overun by tourists. Food here was better and cheaper than in Dubrovnik. Food was decent but nothing special with prices similar to the US with a small to medium pizza $6 to $9 and entrees in the $8 to low 20's. Fish was fresh, good and reasonable in price. Still, prefer the food of Greece or Italy. Split, like Dubrovnik is worth a day.
This coastal area of Croatia is quite pretty but there are alot of coast lines in this world that are more dramatic including route 1 in California, Amalfi, Milford Sound.........etc. People were nice and many spoke decent English.
Overall I think this part of Croatia has pretty seas and islands which would be perfect for people who like to sail. I also think that budget travelers who would find accommodations in Sobe's interesting would like this coast line in the off season when the crowds dissapear and the temperture drops in late September.
I just get the sense that I missed that time just a few years ago that I would have found this part of the world more appealing when the crowds had not yet arrived and the capitalistic drive for the tourist currency had not ramped up as it has in other former eastern block destinations like Moscow and Prague. I suspect I would have found Montenegro more to my liking but overall I am not unhappy to have visited Dalmatia and will probably return in the future at some date.
Jul 6th, 2006, 04:48 AM
#27
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mjs, thank you so much for your synopsis. I really enjoyed reading your report, and I appreciate your honest opinions.
After reading your report I am very happy that DH and I decided to travel there in November. I know that the weather will not be as great, but we do not like crowds too much and I doubt November will be too crowded. I will take less pleasant weather over crowds any day.
We do tend to sightsee rather quickly, so we were kind of wondering if three nights in Dubrovnik is necessary. That being said, we don't get in until mid-afternoon and we have a daytrip to Montenegro planned so that leaves us with about a day and a half in Dubrovnik.
Thanks again!
Tracy
After reading your report I am very happy that DH and I decided to travel there in November. I know that the weather will not be as great, but we do not like crowds too much and I doubt November will be too crowded. I will take less pleasant weather over crowds any day.
We do tend to sightsee rather quickly, so we were kind of wondering if three nights in Dubrovnik is necessary. That being said, we don't get in until mid-afternoon and we have a daytrip to Montenegro planned so that leaves us with about a day and a half in Dubrovnik.
Thanks again!
Tracy
Jul 6th, 2006, 01:25 PM
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Stu, thanks for your reply. Hmmm....DH and I originally wanted to go to Plitvice but thought we wouldn't have time. Now I'm wondering if we should re-work our itinerary to include it. I'm thinking about taking a day off of Split and adding it to either Plitvice or Zagreb, with a visit to Plitvice on the way to Zagreb.
Tracy
Tracy
Jul 6th, 2006, 04:44 PM
#30
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mjs-
Thanks for your candid review, especially of Dubrovnik. It was refreshing to read something other than the many glowing reports. I'll find out for myself in October. I also appreciate having my expectations somewhat tempered before going.
It occurs to me had you written this about some of the more favored places on Fodor's, you'd be chastised for not appreciating those things that you should have but didn't. Well done.
Thanks for your candid review, especially of Dubrovnik. It was refreshing to read something other than the many glowing reports. I'll find out for myself in October. I also appreciate having my expectations somewhat tempered before going.
It occurs to me had you written this about some of the more favored places on Fodor's, you'd be chastised for not appreciating those things that you should have but didn't. Well done.
