Just beginning to plan trip to Croatia
Apr 28th, 2016, 05:11 PM
#21
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A friend who was recently in Croatia thought that Korcula might not merit two nights. Since it is rather time-consuming to get to (and from), I am considering skipping it. If I do, perhaps spend more time in Istria? And/or try to go to Kotor ANDMostar?
I would like to go kayaking and bicycling at least once each. Any suggestions of good, safe places to do these?
I would like to go kayaking and bicycling at least once each. Any suggestions of good, safe places to do these?
Apr 28th, 2016, 05:48 PM
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I loved Korcula and thought one day (which could, of course, mean 2 nights) perfect for it. The town itself is tiny and -- depending on what you want to see and do -- could take as little as 1/2 day or as much as the better part of a day, but there are also some lovely hikes in the area. Between the hikes and beaches, etc., I've heard many people say they enjoyed several days on Korcula. And as noted above, I don't know how "open" Korcula is likely to be when you plan to be there.
FWIW, I enjoyed Dalmatia much more than Istria. Which is not to say that I didn't enjoy Istria -- I did! Too, it is IME easier to reach Istria than Dalmatia, so since you are making Dubrovnik an anchor, you might want to take advantage of the time you have in the area. JMO, though! If you opt against Korcula, Trogir might give you a bit of a taste of what the islands of the Dalmatian coast are like. And Split was among my favorites in Croatia (which says a LOT), so adding a day to that area might be worth considering.
Again, for kayaking and cycling options, please consult the guidebooks that consistently cover those options -- the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. I
My understanding -- which could easily be wrong -- is that you would have kayaking options in Dubrovnik and Trogir and maybe ? Porec, too. With 3 nights in Dubrovnik, even if you spend 1 full day with a trip to Kotor, you might be able to fit kayaking in on your other day -- it really depends on what else you want to do there, but it's probably do-able if you make it a priority. I think you would be hard pressed to see even a few sites in Split and Trogir with just one full day, so finding time for kayaking might be difficult unless you add time to that area.
I also know nothing about bicycling, let alone what kinds of routes would suit you, but my guess is that of the places you have mentioned, Split, Zadar, and Porec would be your most likely options. Again, though, I would think you might need to adjust your times for Split or Zadar to make it fit in; with Porec, you would, I think, be able to see the town and do some bicycling (but without seeing other parts of Istria).
If you skip Korcula, adding Mostar would be an option that could be well worth considering, particularly if you are willing to spend a night there. It really can be magical as the sun sets over the Stari Most and after day-trippers have left.
Hope that helps!
FWIW, I enjoyed Dalmatia much more than Istria. Which is not to say that I didn't enjoy Istria -- I did! Too, it is IME easier to reach Istria than Dalmatia, so since you are making Dubrovnik an anchor, you might want to take advantage of the time you have in the area. JMO, though! If you opt against Korcula, Trogir might give you a bit of a taste of what the islands of the Dalmatian coast are like. And Split was among my favorites in Croatia (which says a LOT), so adding a day to that area might be worth considering.
Again, for kayaking and cycling options, please consult the guidebooks that consistently cover those options -- the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. I
My understanding -- which could easily be wrong -- is that you would have kayaking options in Dubrovnik and Trogir and maybe ? Porec, too. With 3 nights in Dubrovnik, even if you spend 1 full day with a trip to Kotor, you might be able to fit kayaking in on your other day -- it really depends on what else you want to do there, but it's probably do-able if you make it a priority. I think you would be hard pressed to see even a few sites in Split and Trogir with just one full day, so finding time for kayaking might be difficult unless you add time to that area.
I also know nothing about bicycling, let alone what kinds of routes would suit you, but my guess is that of the places you have mentioned, Split, Zadar, and Porec would be your most likely options. Again, though, I would think you might need to adjust your times for Split or Zadar to make it fit in; with Porec, you would, I think, be able to see the town and do some bicycling (but without seeing other parts of Istria).
If you skip Korcula, adding Mostar would be an option that could be well worth considering, particularly if you are willing to spend a night there. It really can be magical as the sun sets over the Stari Most and after day-trippers have left.
Hope that helps!
Apr 28th, 2016, 05:50 PM
#23
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I visited Korcula Town only; although I had two nights, I arrived late by bus the first day and left at 6AM the third day, so I really had only the one full day. I liked the island and the town, but to me it seemed like a place to go and relax in a nice town on the water, not see a lot of things. You're right, it is a bit time consuming to get there.
Some people find islands alluring and insist they MUST see at least one island while visiting Croatia...but if you really don't, I don't think you are making a mistake by skipping Korcula.
In that case, you could leave Dubrovnik a day early and spend a night in Mostar (one night is plenty). The town is really best at night (tour groups gone) and is pretty small. Take the other extra night in Istria if you want or to give yourself more time driving north at a more relaxed pace.
To me, the excursion to Montenegro is different, because the best part (for me) was the amazing scenery along the Bay of Kotor on the drive to Kotor. (Whereas the drive to Mostar isn't that scenic.) And for me, having my own car was really helpful driving along the Bay of Kotor; I got to stop and take pictures at five or six different spots plus stop at the beautiful town of Perast (maybe 30 minutes before you hit Kotor). Kotor itself was nice but not amazing - a convenient place to stay, and the breathtaking views from walking the steep "walls" above the town are well worth the exertion.
Also, if you had a night in Kotor (not saying you must), you could drive from Kotor through the mountains to the town of Cetinje. It's a twisty drive up the mountain above Kotor with 25 hairpin turns, but the views down on the bay are unbelievable. (Some find this drive nerve-racking, but I had no trouble with it.) I would only do this drive if you are staying the night; as a day trip from Dubrovnik (in your own car) it would be a whole lot of driving for one day.
You could also drive from Kotor to Mostar without going back to Dubrovnik (if you spend a night in Kotor), through BiH, as I did last May. (But I spent a night in the town of Trebinje, well worth a stop if you drive through it. See my 2015 trip report if you want to see pictures of the beautiful old bridge there.)
Some people find islands alluring and insist they MUST see at least one island while visiting Croatia...but if you really don't, I don't think you are making a mistake by skipping Korcula.
In that case, you could leave Dubrovnik a day early and spend a night in Mostar (one night is plenty). The town is really best at night (tour groups gone) and is pretty small. Take the other extra night in Istria if you want or to give yourself more time driving north at a more relaxed pace.
To me, the excursion to Montenegro is different, because the best part (for me) was the amazing scenery along the Bay of Kotor on the drive to Kotor. (Whereas the drive to Mostar isn't that scenic.) And for me, having my own car was really helpful driving along the Bay of Kotor; I got to stop and take pictures at five or six different spots plus stop at the beautiful town of Perast (maybe 30 minutes before you hit Kotor). Kotor itself was nice but not amazing - a convenient place to stay, and the breathtaking views from walking the steep "walls" above the town are well worth the exertion.
Also, if you had a night in Kotor (not saying you must), you could drive from Kotor through the mountains to the town of Cetinje. It's a twisty drive up the mountain above Kotor with 25 hairpin turns, but the views down on the bay are unbelievable. (Some find this drive nerve-racking, but I had no trouble with it.) I would only do this drive if you are staying the night; as a day trip from Dubrovnik (in your own car) it would be a whole lot of driving for one day.
You could also drive from Kotor to Mostar without going back to Dubrovnik (if you spend a night in Kotor), through BiH, as I did last May. (But I spent a night in the town of Trebinje, well worth a stop if you drive through it. See my 2015 trip report if you want to see pictures of the beautiful old bridge there.)
Apr 30th, 2016, 02:03 AM
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