annja

Hello,

I am in the very beginning of planning my first trip to Croatia. I want to combine a bit of sightseeing with a beach holiday, so I don't want it to be very intensive. I can't decide whether I should take a flight to Zagreb or to Split. I think most people come right to Split, but I was thinking about going to Plitvice lakes from Zagreb (I plan to move around by bus, not a car) and then move to Split and finally Dubrovnik. I think my holiday will take 10-14 days.

What do you think of Zagreb? Is it worth including it or I can take a bus to Plitvice from Split as well? What other places would you highly recommend to visit? I am thinking about September.

yorkshire

While you don't need several days there, Zagreb is a pleasant place to start a trip that will include Plitvice and continue to the coast. I would choose that over backtracking from Split.

Andrew

If you have 14 days, it would be practical to start in Zagreb - or even Ljubljana, Slovenia - and work your way down to Plitvice, Split, and Dubrovnik. In between, you could stop in Sibenik (lovely town), Trogir (very close to Split - easy day trip), an island (for example, Korcula or Hvar), or detour to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina for a night. If you want another national park on your agenda, add Krka National Park north of Split, very close to Sibenik.

kja

I really enjoyed Zagreb and consider it seriously underrated – BUT, of course, it depends on what you want to see and epxerience! (I spent 2.5 days there, and wish I’d given it at least 3 days.)

With 10 to 14 days, I think it will depend on your priorities, as that is not nearly enough for all Croatia offers. If your priorites are for the area around Split and north, flying into or out of Zagreb could make a great deal of sense. If your priorities include parts south of Split (e.g., Dubrovnik or Korcula), I’m not sure I would try to include Zagreb, instead deferring it until you have time for other parts of northern Croatia (e.g., Istria) or Slovenia.

Hope that helps!

annja

Thanks for your advice, it's really helpful. But the more I read, the more questions I have.
I want to go to Plitvice by bus from Zagreb to try to avoid the tour bus crowds. Do I get it right that the bus leaves from the main bus station? Does it stop at both entrances to the Plitvice natural park? Are the trails well marked there?
Also I will have an extra free day in Zagreb, so any suggestions of what to do are welcome. I was thinking about a day trip to Varazdin or may be Trakoscan castle, which one may be more interesting?
Finally, I have read that there is a beautiful cemetery in Zagreb, is that true? If yes, how can one get there?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Andrew

I tried to visit that cemetery in Zagreb a few years ago before flying out of Zagreb, but there was a big funeral that day so I couldn't find anywhere to park! It's just north of the center - can't remember the name but should be easy to find, it's very famous. Try the Wikitravel page for Zagreb.

I'm pretty sure the bus stops at both Plitvice park entrances. The stops are on the main road, the D1. The car parking lots are adjacent to the bus stops, so you'd have about the same walk to the park as any driver parking a car there for the day. It's fairly obvious - at entrance #2 which I am familiar with, you walk through the hotel parking lots down into the park. Plitvice is a very developed park - everything is well marked with signs, with different letters for different trails. There are man-made boardwalks in many parts to take you over water sometimes, and there should be plenty of people, too, plus some park employees to answer questions and give you route suggestions.

Even in September I would expect quite a lot of people at the park. I would take the earliest bus possible. Some people use Plitvice as a stop on the way to say Split. There's at least one company that will take you from Zagreb to Split with a stop at Plitvice for some of the day. Not sure about the timing or whether you would get there later than a public bus, but it would save you from backtracking back to Zagreb if you are planning to head back to Split the next day anyway. Staying overnight at the park on the way south would also let you get into the park first thing in the morning (7AM) to beat the crowds.

Day trips: the little town of Samobor west of Zagreb is nice. A long train day trip might be Ljubljana (about 2.5 hrs each way).

kja

I suspect that the cemetery you mean in Zagreb is the Mirogoj, which you can easily reach by bus from the city. I thought it well worth the visit!

If you have an extra day in Zagreb, Varaždīn might make for an interesting option. If you are interested in cemeteries, the Varaždīn cemetery isn’t as beautiful, IMO, as the Mirogoj, but is interesting, particularly as a contrast.

Another option you might consider is Čakovec, particularly if you have any interest in Secession architecture, for example, the Zgrada Doma sindikata. The castle in Varaždīn is, I’d say, a bit more typical of those in the area; the castle in Čakovec has an excellent museum of the region’s culture and ethnography.

BTW, all of these options are covered in the Rough Guide.

The trails in the Plitvice Lakes are very well marked and, at least when I was there, there were park rangers at the entrances who were there to help plan a route that matches one’s interests and time. I strongly recommend starting at entrance # 1 if at all possible. Go in Entrance 1, admire the absolutely stunning view over the *lower* lakes, step aside to see Velika Slap, then visit the *lower* lakes, making one's way to the boat stop at P3. After crossing the lake by boat, walk around the *upper* lakes before taking the shuttle back (through P2) to P1. Plan on about 6 hours for that walk.

Hope that helps!

digitcm

Hello, I am planning on spending 3 days in Zagreb this June. Can you offer some must do things ? Kja, I see you have good knowledge of city and area. Also plan to spend one full day in Plitvice Lakes. Thank you.

kja

@ digitcm: What to see and do depends on your interests! Its a city with a variety of museums that I found of interest, a beautiful cemetery (Mirogoj), a lovely botanic garden, various churches, a vibrant market, various parks and public squares, a stunning National Archive, etc. Of the half dozen or so guidebooks I used when planning my time in Zagreb, the one that provided the most comprehensive coverage of Zagreb was the Rough Guide, so I'd strongly encourage you to consult it. For the Plitvice Lakes, plan on 6 hours or more (including time for the boat that connects the lower and upper lakes), and by all means, start at the lowest part of the park so you are facing the falls as you proceed. Hope that helps!

ievabalo

I would do Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik- definitely get down there. If you want sand beaches, Split is much better option than Pula - Istria is known for its rocky coast and the beaches are mostly artificially made.

PolSmit

Post by Ievabalo
"I would do Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik- definitely get down there. If you want sand beaches, Split is much better option than Pula - Istria is known for its rocky coast and the beaches are mostly artificially made."

There are very few sandy beaches anywhere in Croatia, you will find that beaches with tiny grit are cleaner than sand.
It is not true to say most beaches in Istria are artificially made!