tripplanner001

One More Day in Dubrovnik

Today was our third and final day in Dubrovnik, and on our agenda were Lokrum Island and Mount Srd. We began our day at the Old Port from where we boarded our ferry boat to Lokrum, just a 15-minute ride away. We spent about four hours on the island. On the grounds are the ruins of a Benedictine monastery, botanic gardens, a fort (Fort Royal), and rocky shoreline. We enjoyed taking advantage of the walking paths on the island, relying on the helpful map and marked trails. The highlight of our visit is a visit to the fort, from where we drunk in spectacular views of Dubrovnik Old Town and the surrounding areas. Even better was a quiet path exiting the fort and veering to the left, from where we came upon multimillion-dollar views of Old Town. Equally mesmerizing were the views of the city from the boat ride back from Lokrum Island.

Back at the Old Port we walked over to the Hilton, where we had reservations for afternoon tea. Great way to spend a lazy afternoon - and with air conditioning too. We went for one more round of shopping, including a couple of jewelry purchases for the lady in our party, before retiring to our hotel to rest.

By 6:00 we were out again. Our destination was Mount Srd, which we reached by cable car. The views over Old Town Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island, the Lapad Peninsula, and its surroundings were beyond breathtaking. Definitely one of the most memorable views we've fortunate to feast our eyes upon. We stayed for about 90 minutes drinking it all in before returning via cable car.

We noticed life picking back up after a quiet morning. The restaurants were flowing with people and the streets were brimming with people on their pre-dinner stroll. There were no cruise ships in port today. On Sunday a Viking ship called in Dubrovnik as did one from Le Ponant. Yesterday - Monday - there was an MSC ship in port. While I have visited European port cities in which multiple ships called and the passengers quickly overwhelmed the destinations, I preferred the atmosphere of Sunday if not Monday as opposed to today. Perhaps because of the low numbers of residents or businesses catering to locals within the Old Town walls, life seemed missing without more people. I could only imagine what the scene must have been like at points over the last year.

We chose Taj Mahal, a restaurant specializing in Bosnian food, for our final meal in Dubrovnik. The food was magnificent. Some of it reminded me of Serbian cuisine as well as Turkish, but everything we ordered and ate was unique and distinctly Bosnian.

Dubrovnik met all of our expectations and then some. Three nights was perfect for us although we would not have been bored with a couple more. While we could linger in Dubrovnik for longer, neighboring Montenegro awaits. Join us on the other side of the border tomorrow.

joannyc

What did you think of the Hilton? I'm thinking of doing a points redemption stay there.

Reading54

Care to share thoughts on your Dubrovnik lodging, Hotel Stari Grad? Did it meet your expectation?

When you went to Hilton for afternoon tea, you mentioned that it had air conditioning. Does Hotel Stari Grad have air conditioning?

Thanks!

rialtogrl

I hope when you come to Montenegro you will have time to visit Cetinje, the old royal capital. It is a beautiful town totally different than coastal Montenegro. And a few degrees cooler, too. I love it here.

But I expect you will focus on the Bay of Kotor, I am sure you will love it! Anyone wanting to know if three days in Dubrovnik is too much needs to read your report, required reading! Thanks for posting after your busy days.

rialtogrl

Joannyc, the Hilton is big and a lot of tour groups stay there. I have never stayed there, I suppose I would with points, but I have been to Dubrovnik many times - I stayed in a hotel for one night last month for the first time ever because my apartment was not available the first night.. I think for a first visit you might like better to stay outside the Ploče gate, along Frana Supila there are many apartments. I almost always stay in the same place there, with a view of the old town from the terrace and kitchen window. The Hilton is close to the very busy Pile gate, where the city buses stop, the tour buses, taxis, ubers, etc. I am sure inside the hotel is nice and free does not suck. But you are contributing to the local economy more if you rent a little apartment. Just my two cents, if there are other Hiltons you have your eye on elsewhere.

tripplanner001

@joannyc, the Hilton is a grande dame hotel. The decor is clean, beautiful, and the colors are very appealing. The exterior is tasteful and the interior modern. The location just outside of the city walls is good. Service is attentive. Judging from the common areas, it is one of the nicer Hilton properties we've visited. Unless you choose a property within the Old Town, this is the next best option.

@Reading54, we were glad we chose the Hotel Stari Grad. Our primary consideration was a hotel within Old Town, as we want to be able to enjoy the city at all hours of the day and night. The convenience of staying in Old Town was important to us. The Stari Grad is a 4-star boutique property, and lives up to it. The rooms are spacious, the bathroom adequate, and the service is warm and welcoming. Yes, there is air conditioning in the rooms. My remark about air conditioning at the Hilton was about being outdoors in the heat and humidity for several hours before then and dining indoors for some respite.

@rialtogrl, you're welcome. I usually like more days to begin with but I cannot imagine not having at least three days in Dubrovnik. Even with three days we were moving at a pace with some down time in between. Cetinje is on the agenda for tomorrow along with Perast and other destinations.

And in response to your earlier question about masking and other safety measures, there are definitely more precautions in place in Dubrovnik. Almost all of the shops require masking upon entrance. This goes for museums, ferries, the cable car, etc. The ones that do not enforce are hotels and restaurants. About 20% wear masks in the streets. Distancing was in place on the Lokrum ferry and restaurants are mixed in their spacing; most offer indoor as well as outdoor dining although some on offer outdoor dining.

Into the Mountains, Black Mountains...Well, Not Really...

After a most memorable 11 short nights along the Dalmatian coast, it was time for us to say goodbye to Croatia temporarily. Next up - the small country of Montenegro to the south. After enjoying a good breakfast at a cafe just in front of our hotel on the Stradun, we met our driver outside of the Pile Gate for the trip to Montenegro. The drive from Dubrovnik to the border between Croatia and Montenegro was smooth sailing and took just under an hour. Immigration and customs took about 30 minutes; prior to the pandemic at this time of year, it had reportedly been as long as 60 to 90 minutes. Once we entered Montenegro again, it was a smooth trip winding our way around the Bay of Kotor to Kotor.

Entering Montenegro, we noticed a lot more of the ugly, Communist-era architecture that one sees in cities all across Central and Eastern Europe and even the South Caucasus. The drab welcome soon transitioned to the spectacular scenery of the Bay of Kotor. The tall jagged mountains dropping almost vertically to the bay. The coastline dotted with tasteful red-tiled roof buildings. People swimming in the way and boats bobbing in the water. The beautiful tint of blue of the water. The picture-perfect scenery reminded us of the South Island of New Zealand and in particular Milford Sound, only the views are even more expansive. Definitely wow! We're glad we made the decision to stay for a couple of nights than visit as a day trip from Dubrovnik.

Upon arrival in Kotor three hours after we left Dubrovnik, we dropped off our bags at the Hotel Astoria and began our exploration of the city. We walked around the old town and visited the Cathedral of St. Tryphon, several other churches, and the clock tower. Kotor is small enough that was easy to walk around and peek down small streets and alleyways, pop into shops, and just enjoy being in a beautiful town surrounded by impressive mountains.

The mountains called us. We ascended the mountain just beyond the town walls, following a continuous series of stone steps and walkways to the Church of our Lady of Health and the fortress above. The climb took a pain-staking 2 hours given the intense heat and humidity, but we enjoyed every step. The views of Old Town Kotor and the Bay of Kotor were astounding at every turn. We enjoyed an hour at the top before making our descent, which took approximately 30 minutes.

Dinner tonight was at Galion, a high-end seafood restaurant located right on the water. It was one of our top dining experiences on this trip so far. Another magnificent end to a spectacular day.

tripplanner001

One more observation: the fortress of Kotor reminds me very much of the Inca fortresses in the Sacred Valley of Peru and at Machu Picchu, except the fortress at Kotor used mortar. The shapes of the building structures with its straight edges and as well as the curvatures immediately make me think of the resemblance. And let's not forget the shapes of the windows. It's interesting that some places we visit makes us think about and compare it to other places, and in some ways influences our impressions of it.

joannyc

@rialtogrl: Thanks very much for your input! I definitely appreciate it. I have a boatload of Hilton, Marriott and IHG points so I want to use them where I can. But, trust me, I will be investing heavily into the local economy. I will be staying in local apartments where I cannot find a hotel that suits my needs or location within a town. And, I'll be eating out twice a day, in addition to hiring tour guides, etc. I haven't laid out my trip by days yet but think it will be about 6 weeks long.

@tripplanner001: Thanks very much for the info on the Hilton! I continue to follow your trip very closely and am really enjoying your TR!

zebec

TP, thank you for this TR. Glad to hear how things went well. Btw, just tonight I finally resurfaced post-covid for a social night out, a pissup with old pals. One regaled the rest of us with tales of his recent Croatian vacation. His itinerary was nearly identical to yours.
I am done. the end.

tripplanner001

@zebec, you're welcome. The Split to Dubrovnik itinerary seems to be well trodden so I am not surprised to hear that someone else had a similar itinerary. Both Croatia and Montenegro have far exceeded our expectations and we expect to return.

Sea and Sky

The beautiful Bay of Kotor outside of our hotel window invited us to play and we obliged. After a satisfying cook-to-order breakfast at our hotel, the Astoria on an inviting public square, we met up with our driver, Mili Jaukovic with Montenegro M Tours, for a short walk to the dock for a morning tour of the Bay. Our destination - Our Lady of the Rocks Church across the waters from Perast. We enjoyed the hour-long sail in the bay from Kotor to the island church, with sublime mountain peaks and coastal villages at every glance. The water was a perfect blue. The sky matched. We also benefited from a gentle and cool morning breeze that made the ride even more enjoyable. Simple on the outside, the interior was very beautiful. I expected to see an Orthodox Church but instead found a Roman Catholic one, although the church featured some Orthodox art and aesthetics. After the visit we sailed over to the town of Perast for a short walk in the town before sailing back to Kotor.

From Kotor we headed by vehicle to Budva, on the Adriatic coast. We spent about an hour in the Old Town wandering the lanes, looking inside a couple of churches, and taking a few photographs before making our way up the mountains into the interior of Montenegro - its heartland. Our destination was Cetinje, the former royal capital city of Montenegro. We stopped for lunch just outside of town at National Restaurant Belveder before sightseeing. Given our full schedule, we had limited time in Cetinje, just enough for a short walk around town and a visit to the palace of former King Nikola. Cetinje feels like a big country town. The architecture looks and feels more Central European, which makes sense given its Austro-Hungarian influences. It is also unlike the other places we've visited on this trip. As places of historical and political significance goes, the town is home to several museums.

Soon enough, it was time to return to Kotor. We stopped at Njegusi for some prosciutto tasting before working our way down the mountains to Kofor. While we were satisfied with our sample of the varied parts of Montenegro within one day we regretted not having an extra night. Our time today would have been much more enjoyable if we had dedicated one full day to the Bay of Kotor and Budva and another one to Cetinje and the interior.

For dinner we chose Cesare across from our hotel. We were attracted to the nice aromas coming out of the restaurant last night and again as we walked out of our hotel this evening.

tripplanner001

Seaside Exclamation Point

Just when we thought we've enjoyed the best of the best of the Dalmatian Coast and the Bay of Kotor, we were proven wrong. After a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, we met our driver for the trip back to Croatia - to the seaside village of Cavtat. The trip once again took three hours with almost half of it at the border crossing from Montenegro into Croatia.

We arrived in Cavtat in the middle of the night, which provided us with a half day to ensure the laid-back atmosphere and beautiful sceneries that is this village. After a light lunch, we took a lazy stroll through the waterside promenade making our way around the peninsula. We also took in a couple of churches and the unique Art Deco Racic Mausoleum. The seaside stroll was a treat. We enjoyed watching people swimming in the azure blue waters, gazing at Dubrovnik Old Town in the distance, and absorbing the sweet scene of fresh pine throughout out walk. Much of Cavtat is what I would picture a typically Provencal village to be like even though I've never visited.

For dinner we treated ourselves to a seafood feast at Restaurant Leut. Sitting by the water while enjoying the freshest food and watching the sun set on the Adriatic for the last time on this trip. What a finale.

tripplanner001

Returning Home

Travel during pandemic times require additional planning and time. For our return trip home, we flew from Dubrovnik to Madrid to NYC to DC. This meant we needed to understand and fulfill obligations for Spain in addition to the United States. Spain requires the completion of an online form that generated a QR code for entry as well as for transit. For the United States, we require a negative COVID-19 test at most 3 days prior to travel; the test may be PCR or antigen. Croatia makes it easy for us to fulfill the testing requirement as it has set up testing facilities in all its major airports.

After breakfast and goodbyes to the staff at Villa Pattiera, conveniently located, with spacious rooms and a terrace overlooking the water, and our favorite hotel in this trip, we took a taxi to Dubrovnik Airport, which took 10 minutes. We arrived at the airport 4 hours prior to our scheduled departure, not knowing how long the COVID-19 testing and results would take. Also, we didn't have preprinted boarding passes, so we factored that in too (we tried to print boarding passes, which works for some but not all of us; Iberia's website is not the easiest to use). At the testing center, we filled out a form, paid the 200 kunas each for our antigen tests, were administered the tests within 5 minutes, and received our results in Croatian and in English, complete with stamps and all, in 15 minutes. Then the wait began. Iberia's check-in counters do not open until 2 hours prior to the flight, which meant we had more than an hour of idle time; better that than rushing though. Iberia's staff at Dubrovnik Airport was only able to issue tickets from Dubrovnik to Madrid, which meant we needed to obtain our onward tickets in Madrid. The flight itself was uneventful albeit a bit delayed.

Upon arrival at Madrid, we were greeted by a Oneworld agent who took us to the ticket counter (a perk of Emerald status), checked our COVID-19 test results, and issued us our tickets. Unfortunately it went downhill from there. Security was not the kindest to us. They insisted on opening every bag we had. Part of the frustration was due to communications gaps. The security agents only spoke Spanish, which we didn't fully understand. When we spoke to them in English, we only received responses in Spanish. Of the four of us, I was the only one who have a rudimentary understanding of Spanish, which meant going between the stations. The walk to our gate was also a long one. It took roughly 20 minutes to get from the security checkpoint to the gate. Once we reached the gate, we were in for a rude surprise. The line to get past the checkpoint to the gate was very long. Even though a separate line for Oneworld status was advertised, it was not honored. The line moved very slowly. We stood in line for approximately 45 minutes before we were being processed. Our passports were checked again along with our negative COVID-19 results. We were asked to sign an attestation that we met the requirements for entry to the United States as required by the U.S. government. Here too, the agents did not speak English.

Finally, we were at our gate. Needless to say, our flight was delayed given the number of passengers who needed to complete processing (our flight was full). We arrived at JFK slightly ahead of schedule and immigration and customs were a breeze as normal given our Global Entry status. From there we headed to the gate for our flight to DC. Again, the walk to the gate was long. Twenty-five hours after leaving our hotel in Cavtat, we arrived home.

Our trip to Croatia and Montenegro far exceeded our expectations. There was plenty to see and do, the vibe is lively but relaxed, the people were warm, and the food delicious, which made for numerous wonderful memories. It's definitely a place to which we intend to return. I hope you were able to enjoy some of our travels with us. I stand ready to answer questions that you may have, especially if you are thinking about or planning a trip on your own. I intend to share photos of the trip once I sort through them, which will likely be in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you.

rialtogrl

Hvala for posting your detailed report! I am so sorry your journey back was such a drag.

small world, I saw you in Cetinje. You walked right past me, twice, I was sitting in a cafe. Yesterday I saw Mladen, owner of Montenegro M tours and I mentioned it, he confirmed Mili was in Cetinje with you all. He wanted to make sure you had a nice time.. for those interested, this is the website of Montenegro M tours… https://mtours.me

I am really looking forward to your photos and thanks again for posting in such detail. Sitting down every night to write a report, after a busy day is truly impressive!

tripplanner001

@rialtogrl, you're welcome. I am glad to pay it forward, especially during these times when travel may be confusing, as I've benefitted so much for these fora the past several years. Travel is always a feat of logistics; I guess having to pay a little extra is okay given where things are in the world and we were fortunate enough to be able to travel.

Small world indeed! Sorry we didn't know you were in Cetinje when we were. Would have loved to sit down for a cup of coffee with you.

rialtogrl

agreed.. we are fortunate.. and next time you come to this region, coffee for sure!

russ_in_LA

Thanks for the great report! Will be bookmarking it for our upcoming trip!!

joannyc

Thanks very much for a wonderful TR, tripplanner001! I will be using a lot of your tips for my trip!

geetika

Thanks a ton for this TR, I’m bookmarking it too, we’re thinking of about 7-10 days in Croatia starting June 2nd week 2022. How hot was it tripplanner, did it get unbearable, especially in the afternoon hours? Can’t wait to see your pictures…

tripplanner001

@russ_in_LA, you're welcome. I cannot wait for your report when you go. I've enjoyed your reports over the years including your most recent one to Portugal.

@joannyc, you're welcome. Glad that there are aspects of my report that are helpful to you. If you have questions, please ask, as I may not have captured everything.

@geetika, you're welcome. The weather was in the high-80s, low-90s, sunny, with high humidity every day - pretty much like the U.S. East Coast during this time of year. The afternoon hours tend to be hotter and more humid, which in my opinion is typically the downside of travelling in the height of summer in Europe. We made the most of it with plenty of sunscreen, water, and coffee and gelato breaks. If you are not used to the humidity - more a factor than the heat, IMO, then I would try to be indoors between around 2-3 and 6-7 in the afternoon. My favorite times were the mornings before 10 and after 7 when things were cooler, but also when the streets come alive, especially in the evenings.

tripplanner001

As promised, here is a collection of representative photographs from my two-week trip. Enjoy!


Peristyle Square, Split

Split cityscape from atop the bell tower

Riva at night, Split

Roman amphitheater, Salona

Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Trogir

Trogir town square and beyond from atop the Cathedral

Kamerlengo Fortress, Trogir

Trogir cityscape and Riva promenade

Split from the water

Hvar harbor and fortress

Hvar town square

Hvar town and harbor from fortress

Velo Grablje, Hvar

Vrboska, Hvar

Stari Grad, Hvar

Korcula land gate

Klapa singers, Korcula

Moreska sword dance, Korcula

Moreska sword dance, Korcula

Moreska sword dance, Korcula

Soline landscape, Mljet

Church of St. Mary, Mljet

Villa Korta Katarina and Winery, Orebic

Plavic Mali grape, Korta Katarina Winery

Ston cityscape and salt flats

Ston city walls

Luza Square with Church of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik

Bell Tower and Sponza Palace, Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik old harbor

Dubrovnik harbor in evening light

Stradun at night, Dubrovnik

Old Town Dubrovnik from Fort Lovrijenac

Benedictine monastery, Lokrum Island

Old Town Dubrovnik from Lokrum Island

Old Town Dubrovnik and Lokrum Island from atop Mount Srd

Old Town Dubrovnik

Kotor town square

Cathedral of St. Tryphon, Kotor

Old Town Kotor from fortress

Kotor fortress and town walls

Kotor, harbor, and mountains

Bay of Kotor waterfront landscape

Church of Our Lady of the Rocks

Perast cityscape

Budva from above

Cetinje Monastery

Blue Palace, Cetinje

Cavtat cityscape

Sunset over the Adriatic, Cavtat