packed

Thanks for the report. Another one I want to file in our "todo" travel.

vmonk

Hey James_P, We did not, but my friends who went liked it...especially because one of them is interested in all things history/military. I think it would have been interesting to hear more perspectives about the war. It blows my mind that it happened so recently and people were sheltering behind walls built hundreds of years ago. I would have liked to have seen Lake Bled in Slovenia as well. We lost a little steam towards the end - traveling with a toddler took it out of us.

Ackislander

This is a great, great report, one of the best I have ever read. It is extremely informative, and it shows a real, intelligent personality coming through.

I have been to all the places you mention except Korcula and would make a few comments.

(1) we needed air conditioning in October; I can't imagine what wonky a/c in August must have been like.
(2) I really liked starting at the upper lake in Pitlivice with a break for food in the middle after the boat ride. The down side is that you go downhill for a long time, then you have to climb like hell to get out of the gorge.
(3) I live on Nantucket here in the US, and the ferry from Split to Hvar was just like being at home, with the same madness getting on and off, but with the addition of heavy smoking on board.
(4) We are a tourist economy here, and I do know that the last weeks before Labor Day are a real test of patience and good will.

noe847

Thanks for the trip report and especially the very helpful tips! We're going to visit a friend who lives near Split in September or October, and we might just adopt your itinerary! We'll likely fly into and out of Venice.

hhms

This was such an informative report, totally awesome! I am headed to Croatia in May and you have shared a lot of excellent, helpful tips that will help with my planning!
Thanks!

kja

I somehow missed this wonderful trip report until just now - thanks so much for posting! It sounds like you and your family handled some very stressful moments with grace and ended up with good memories -- so glad to hear that!

I thoroughly agree with your observation that Venice and Rovinj are quite different. The only "real" similarity IMHO is the design of the church tower.

I also noted that you selected Hvar Town over Korcula Town in part because you had read that Korcula is a "mini-Dubrovnik." FWIW to any subsequent readers of this post, I disagree. Like Dubrovnik, Korcula is walled, but I didn't find that a compelling similarity. Unlike Dubrovnik, which has a stunning array of Renaissance architecture, Korcula has mostly medieval architecture. For me, that made them seem very different.

VMay

Croatia has been a long desired destination to visit on my wish list for traveling. The plan was to fly from Italy to Croatia in Zadar, with Ryanair line, which is a common and inexpensive air line. The biggest concern was our orientation on the cities that we planned to visit, given that we were without a car, and we didn´t know if the traffic connection in the Croatian coastal cities was good.

We got the recommendation of a friend who had previously traveled to Croatia, not to rely too much on public transport buses, because their coverage isn´t very good. That's why we opted for the option of renting the taxi at the airport.

Upon arrival in Zadar, we decided for www.taxicroatiatransfer.com/en/, that were situated at the entrance of the airport, informing us that their taxis are offering taxi service in the other Dalmatian tourist destinations, which we were planing to visit. The plan was to continue to Sibenik, Split and Biograd, which we successfully visited, being so relaxed and happy with the decision and possibility of going around the city by taxi.
Croatia is a beautiful country and without doubt a destination worth seeing and spending your vacation, with guaranted enjoyment.