Croatia - Wow! A Trip Report.
Jun 19th, 2006, 09:43 AM
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Croatia - Wow! A Trip Report.
Hi -
Here is my first attempt at a trip report. I am not nearly as eloquent as some, but thought I'd share our experience since there seems to be great interest in Croatia, and rightly so.
Croatia June 4-16
We just returned from nearly two weeks in Croatia. What a fantastic place! The scenery is simply stunning, the people are the nicest and most helpful that we’ve ever encountered, the food is heavenly, and the wine superb. We can’t wait to return.
Dubrovnik – 4 nights
We stayed at the Grand Villa Argentina. We had a corner room with wonderful views of old town and the sea. The rooms are very large and elegant. I’d stay there again in a heartbeat. The best breakfast we had our entire trip. We felt Dubrovnik could be seen in a day (don’t miss the walls!), but were so glad to have had the extra nights. We liked Dubrovnik best later in the day when all the cruise ship passengers had left. It was wonderful just to wander around and poke your head into all the nooks and crannies of the old town. Favorite meals were at Proto (great seafood and nice wine list), Spaghetteria Toni (inexpensive and really good), and Mea Culpa (cheap and good pizza). Bruza (“Cheap Drinks”) is a great little spot for drinks!
One day we went to Mljet (Nona Maria catamaran takes about 90 minutes to Polace. Leaves Dubrovnik at 9AM, and returns from Polace at 4:30PM). We rented bikes and bought some picnic/snack foods when we got off the ferry. The store is to the left when you get off the ferry. You must first buy a ticket for the National Park at the kiosk on your way out of town. The ride took approximately 20-30 minutes. One moderate hill, but certainly doable. You can walk to the park from the ferry, but we were really glad to have had the bikes. It was wonderful to explore the lakes, so beautiful and peaceful. We rode to the end of the big lake, where the sea enters. Be sure to bring a swimsuit. The small lake is usually quite warm and nice for swimming. The weather was the coldest on record for June, so we just waded in the water a bit to say we did! You can take a boat to St Mary’s island. There is a restaurant there, although we didn’t eat.
Another day we went to Montenegro. We were going to go with the Atlas tour (Blue) for a cost of 420 Kuna a person (approx $75/pp). However, we negotiated with Igor, our taxi driver the day prior, for 1100 Kuna for 2 people. He picked us up at 8AM and we returned at 7:30 that night. Igor is 22, and was born and raised in Dubrovnik. He is very nice, speaks excellent English, very knowledgeable, and loves his country! This was a great deal for us! If interested, Igor can be contacted at [email protected] or his mobile is 00 385 / 098 / 980-2833. Honestly, we did feel like we should have been charged more. It was a great day, and Igor was just a delight. We ended up giving him extra kuna, and hired him again on a different day for another outing.
Anyway…Montenegro is jaw dropping beautiful! We went to the Bay of Kotor, Budva and Sveti Stefan. In Kotor, we climbed to the top of the Sv Ivan fort. I think it’s something like 1300 steps. It takes a while, so bring some water and try to go early in the day. It’s worth the effort, as the views are amazing. The maze of defense walls on the mountainside are mind boggling. Old town Kotor is nice and worth an hour or two. We stopped in Budva for lunch. Wish I remembered the restaurant, as it was superb. Walked through the town (nice) and splashed our toes in the water for bit. Onward to Sveti Stefan. Beautiful! The only downside is that they charge 7 euro a person to go onto the island (it’s a resort), plus something like 5 euro to park. It wasn’t worth it to us, so Igor just dropped us off and we walked along the beach for a bit and had something to drink. It’s a lovely spot!
Another day we explored the surrounding areas (with Igor). Ended in Cavtat, which is a very nice town just south of Dubrovnik.
Hvar – 2 Nights
We opted to take the ferry from Dubrovnik to Stari Grad. It takes about 6 ½ hours, with one brief stop in Korcula. I recommend bringing some of your own food to eat. The time went be faster than you’d think, thanks to the scenery. Calm water.
We stayed in Hvar at the Hotel Amfora. The hotel is an easy 10 minute walk into town. The hotel is in the middle of a major renovation, and probably won’t be completely done until next season. About half the rooms have been redone. The new rooms are small, but chic. We had problems with the AC, and the hot water took 12-15 minutes to reach our room. The breakfast was so-so. Huge indoor pool, and a beach area out front. I’d give this hotel another try once the renovations are done. Sounds like everything will be stepped up a notch when complete. Very nice and helpful staff. When we complained about the water and AC, they sent us some wine and a fruit/dessert plate.
We loved Hvar! The citadel provides great views. The town is charming. We had a great meal at Konoba Macondo. Hanibal was a disappointment, and overpriced for what we got. There is a fantastic, very small bakery across from the big Konzum grocery store and Market.
We rented two scooters and spent a day exploring the island. The drive on the highway out of Hvar towards Stari Grad and Jelsa is not for the faint at heart! The small side roads are no problem. Our favorite spot was Zavala. Nice little beach. But you must first go through a narrow, very dark, long tunnel. Unfortunately, my husband’s light on the scooter didn’t work, so he had a little “incident” in the tunnel.
On our final day, we took the 1pm catamaran to Split (one hour), where we picked up a car and headed for Istria.
Zadar – 1 night
We stopped in Zadar on our way north, just to break up the day. Zadar has a nice old town, but I probably wouldn’t make a special trip if it didn’t work into my itinerary. Highlights were St Donat’s church, the sea organ (very cool!), and gelato at Donat (the best we had in Croatia). We stayed at the Kolovare. Decent hotel. Closest to the center.
The next day we stopped at Paklenica National Park. This is rock climbers paradise! It was fun to watch. We hiked for a couple of hours, had lunch, then drove up to Opatija.
Opatija – 3 nights
We stayed in Opatija as a base for exploring the area. We stayed at the Miramar, which is located in a very nice, quiet section at the end of town. Miramar was recently renovated, and is lovely. Indoor/outdoor pool, spa, large rooms. Very good breakfasts (fantastic bread!). When I asked for an iron to press some pants, they sent a maid to collect my clothes. She ironed them for free! Very helpful and nice staff. We only paid for breakfast, but they gave us half board (dinner included). The dinner was good, not great. Although the octopus salad was the best we had. Nice wines.
The town of Opatija is not out cup of tea. Way too touristy (mostly Europeans). The architecture was different than anything else, and there is some upscale shopping for those interested. There is a wonderful walkway along the shore for early morning or evening strolls. If we were to go to Opatija again, I’d only stay at the Miramare where it’s quiet and relaxing. Another option would be to stay in Rovinj.
We took day trips to Rovinj and Porec. Both are delightful little towns, although I felt many merchants were too aggressive. Both towns can be done in a day.
We also stopped at Baredine cave near Porec. Worth the detour. A fascinating 40 minute tour. Our guide was hysterical.
One day we spent driving in the hill towns. Our favorites were Motovun and Groznjan. Had a wonderful lunch at Bastia in Groznjan.
Istria is a nice contrast to the Southern Dalmatian coast. Glad we went.
Plitivice – 1 night
We left Opatija mid morning and drove to Plitivice. The scenery was unbelievable. I had never imagined Croatia to be so mountainous. We arrived at Plitivice in the afternoon. Stayed at Jezero – adequate. This place is tour bus central, but worth it ten times over. The lakes are stunning. The first day we spent walking around the upper lakes (took the bus to the furthest point and worked our way back). The upper lakes, in my opinion are the most beautiful. After a while we didn’t even bother putting our camera away. If you only have half a day, I’d suggest the upper lakes. The next day we did the lower lakes. This area has the “big waterfall”. Another enjoyable day. We left in the afternoon to Split, our final stay.
Split – 1 night
On the way to Split we stopped at Trogir. Very nice! In Split, we stayed at Hotel Park. We really enjoyed our stay there. Nice terrace. Across the street from Bacvice beach, which is a perfect swimming area. It’s about a 15 minute walk into old town. We really enjoyed Split. Yes, outside of the old town, Split is a grungy, working class city. But it’s vibrant! Walking along the riva in the evening is great. The sights are fascinating, and the food and fish markets are fun to wander through. Some good shopping. (We bought several bottles of wine at a wine shop to bring home. Gotta love the Dingac!) I’d suggest going into old town early or late to avoid most of the tour bus crowds.
We had a very good meal at Konoba Varos. The scorpion fish was excellent!
We are hoping to go back to Croatia again in a couple of years. We’d like to charter a sailboat and explore more of the islands!
Sorry this is so long!
Here is my first attempt at a trip report. I am not nearly as eloquent as some, but thought I'd share our experience since there seems to be great interest in Croatia, and rightly so.
Croatia June 4-16
We just returned from nearly two weeks in Croatia. What a fantastic place! The scenery is simply stunning, the people are the nicest and most helpful that we’ve ever encountered, the food is heavenly, and the wine superb. We can’t wait to return.
Dubrovnik – 4 nights
We stayed at the Grand Villa Argentina. We had a corner room with wonderful views of old town and the sea. The rooms are very large and elegant. I’d stay there again in a heartbeat. The best breakfast we had our entire trip. We felt Dubrovnik could be seen in a day (don’t miss the walls!), but were so glad to have had the extra nights. We liked Dubrovnik best later in the day when all the cruise ship passengers had left. It was wonderful just to wander around and poke your head into all the nooks and crannies of the old town. Favorite meals were at Proto (great seafood and nice wine list), Spaghetteria Toni (inexpensive and really good), and Mea Culpa (cheap and good pizza). Bruza (“Cheap Drinks”) is a great little spot for drinks!
One day we went to Mljet (Nona Maria catamaran takes about 90 minutes to Polace. Leaves Dubrovnik at 9AM, and returns from Polace at 4:30PM). We rented bikes and bought some picnic/snack foods when we got off the ferry. The store is to the left when you get off the ferry. You must first buy a ticket for the National Park at the kiosk on your way out of town. The ride took approximately 20-30 minutes. One moderate hill, but certainly doable. You can walk to the park from the ferry, but we were really glad to have had the bikes. It was wonderful to explore the lakes, so beautiful and peaceful. We rode to the end of the big lake, where the sea enters. Be sure to bring a swimsuit. The small lake is usually quite warm and nice for swimming. The weather was the coldest on record for June, so we just waded in the water a bit to say we did! You can take a boat to St Mary’s island. There is a restaurant there, although we didn’t eat.
Another day we went to Montenegro. We were going to go with the Atlas tour (Blue) for a cost of 420 Kuna a person (approx $75/pp). However, we negotiated with Igor, our taxi driver the day prior, for 1100 Kuna for 2 people. He picked us up at 8AM and we returned at 7:30 that night. Igor is 22, and was born and raised in Dubrovnik. He is very nice, speaks excellent English, very knowledgeable, and loves his country! This was a great deal for us! If interested, Igor can be contacted at [email protected] or his mobile is 00 385 / 098 / 980-2833. Honestly, we did feel like we should have been charged more. It was a great day, and Igor was just a delight. We ended up giving him extra kuna, and hired him again on a different day for another outing.
Anyway…Montenegro is jaw dropping beautiful! We went to the Bay of Kotor, Budva and Sveti Stefan. In Kotor, we climbed to the top of the Sv Ivan fort. I think it’s something like 1300 steps. It takes a while, so bring some water and try to go early in the day. It’s worth the effort, as the views are amazing. The maze of defense walls on the mountainside are mind boggling. Old town Kotor is nice and worth an hour or two. We stopped in Budva for lunch. Wish I remembered the restaurant, as it was superb. Walked through the town (nice) and splashed our toes in the water for bit. Onward to Sveti Stefan. Beautiful! The only downside is that they charge 7 euro a person to go onto the island (it’s a resort), plus something like 5 euro to park. It wasn’t worth it to us, so Igor just dropped us off and we walked along the beach for a bit and had something to drink. It’s a lovely spot!
Another day we explored the surrounding areas (with Igor). Ended in Cavtat, which is a very nice town just south of Dubrovnik.
Hvar – 2 Nights
We opted to take the ferry from Dubrovnik to Stari Grad. It takes about 6 ½ hours, with one brief stop in Korcula. I recommend bringing some of your own food to eat. The time went be faster than you’d think, thanks to the scenery. Calm water.
We stayed in Hvar at the Hotel Amfora. The hotel is an easy 10 minute walk into town. The hotel is in the middle of a major renovation, and probably won’t be completely done until next season. About half the rooms have been redone. The new rooms are small, but chic. We had problems with the AC, and the hot water took 12-15 minutes to reach our room. The breakfast was so-so. Huge indoor pool, and a beach area out front. I’d give this hotel another try once the renovations are done. Sounds like everything will be stepped up a notch when complete. Very nice and helpful staff. When we complained about the water and AC, they sent us some wine and a fruit/dessert plate.
We loved Hvar! The citadel provides great views. The town is charming. We had a great meal at Konoba Macondo. Hanibal was a disappointment, and overpriced for what we got. There is a fantastic, very small bakery across from the big Konzum grocery store and Market.
We rented two scooters and spent a day exploring the island. The drive on the highway out of Hvar towards Stari Grad and Jelsa is not for the faint at heart! The small side roads are no problem. Our favorite spot was Zavala. Nice little beach. But you must first go through a narrow, very dark, long tunnel. Unfortunately, my husband’s light on the scooter didn’t work, so he had a little “incident” in the tunnel.
On our final day, we took the 1pm catamaran to Split (one hour), where we picked up a car and headed for Istria.
Zadar – 1 night
We stopped in Zadar on our way north, just to break up the day. Zadar has a nice old town, but I probably wouldn’t make a special trip if it didn’t work into my itinerary. Highlights were St Donat’s church, the sea organ (very cool!), and gelato at Donat (the best we had in Croatia). We stayed at the Kolovare. Decent hotel. Closest to the center.
The next day we stopped at Paklenica National Park. This is rock climbers paradise! It was fun to watch. We hiked for a couple of hours, had lunch, then drove up to Opatija.
Opatija – 3 nights
We stayed in Opatija as a base for exploring the area. We stayed at the Miramar, which is located in a very nice, quiet section at the end of town. Miramar was recently renovated, and is lovely. Indoor/outdoor pool, spa, large rooms. Very good breakfasts (fantastic bread!). When I asked for an iron to press some pants, they sent a maid to collect my clothes. She ironed them for free! Very helpful and nice staff. We only paid for breakfast, but they gave us half board (dinner included). The dinner was good, not great. Although the octopus salad was the best we had. Nice wines.
The town of Opatija is not out cup of tea. Way too touristy (mostly Europeans). The architecture was different than anything else, and there is some upscale shopping for those interested. There is a wonderful walkway along the shore for early morning or evening strolls. If we were to go to Opatija again, I’d only stay at the Miramare where it’s quiet and relaxing. Another option would be to stay in Rovinj.
We took day trips to Rovinj and Porec. Both are delightful little towns, although I felt many merchants were too aggressive. Both towns can be done in a day.
We also stopped at Baredine cave near Porec. Worth the detour. A fascinating 40 minute tour. Our guide was hysterical.
One day we spent driving in the hill towns. Our favorites were Motovun and Groznjan. Had a wonderful lunch at Bastia in Groznjan.
Istria is a nice contrast to the Southern Dalmatian coast. Glad we went.
Plitivice – 1 night
We left Opatija mid morning and drove to Plitivice. The scenery was unbelievable. I had never imagined Croatia to be so mountainous. We arrived at Plitivice in the afternoon. Stayed at Jezero – adequate. This place is tour bus central, but worth it ten times over. The lakes are stunning. The first day we spent walking around the upper lakes (took the bus to the furthest point and worked our way back). The upper lakes, in my opinion are the most beautiful. After a while we didn’t even bother putting our camera away. If you only have half a day, I’d suggest the upper lakes. The next day we did the lower lakes. This area has the “big waterfall”. Another enjoyable day. We left in the afternoon to Split, our final stay.
Split – 1 night
On the way to Split we stopped at Trogir. Very nice! In Split, we stayed at Hotel Park. We really enjoyed our stay there. Nice terrace. Across the street from Bacvice beach, which is a perfect swimming area. It’s about a 15 minute walk into old town. We really enjoyed Split. Yes, outside of the old town, Split is a grungy, working class city. But it’s vibrant! Walking along the riva in the evening is great. The sights are fascinating, and the food and fish markets are fun to wander through. Some good shopping. (We bought several bottles of wine at a wine shop to bring home. Gotta love the Dingac!) I’d suggest going into old town early or late to avoid most of the tour bus crowds.
We had a very good meal at Konoba Varos. The scorpion fish was excellent!
We are hoping to go back to Croatia again in a couple of years. We’d like to charter a sailboat and explore more of the islands!
Sorry this is so long!
Jun 19th, 2006, 09:55 AM
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Thank you for this, issy.
Croatia is really calling to me. Why it should be so and not one of the thousands of other destinations out there I don't know, but every report I read tears at my heartstrings more, and I know I have to go there SOON!
Croatia is really calling to me. Why it should be so and not one of the thousands of other destinations out there I don't know, but every report I read tears at my heartstrings more, and I know I have to go there SOON!
Jun 19th, 2006, 10:55 AM
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issy,
MANY THANKS!!!!
We leave in two weeks now!!!!!
Your post is packed into my Trip notebook.
We are also staying at Villa Argentina in a deluxe room with balcony and sea view and I can't wait. We are staying 5 nights. We first get in late for the first night over, and I know you can see Dubrovnik in a day, but why rush?
We already booked with Atlas for Montenegro and this is fine with us, but Igor sounds very nice.
DH has now expressed interst in Sarajevo. Do you know if Atlas goes there or perhaps your driver? I'm not as interested as he is, but any info would be appreciated by you (or anyone else).
Tell me more about the Villa Argentina, so you can get me more excited than I already am!!!!!
We are also eating at Macondo for my husbands birthday once we hit Hvar. Glad to hear hotels are renovating, but would have liked them to be done in time for my visit.. oh well. We are staying at the Hotel Croatia.
Please share any more tips, hints, etc.
And thanks a mil......
MANY THANKS!!!!
We leave in two weeks now!!!!!
Your post is packed into my Trip notebook.
We are also staying at Villa Argentina in a deluxe room with balcony and sea view and I can't wait. We are staying 5 nights. We first get in late for the first night over, and I know you can see Dubrovnik in a day, but why rush?
We already booked with Atlas for Montenegro and this is fine with us, but Igor sounds very nice.
DH has now expressed interst in Sarajevo. Do you know if Atlas goes there or perhaps your driver? I'm not as interested as he is, but any info would be appreciated by you (or anyone else).
Tell me more about the Villa Argentina, so you can get me more excited than I already am!!!!!
We are also eating at Macondo for my husbands birthday once we hit Hvar. Glad to hear hotels are renovating, but would have liked them to be done in time for my visit.. oh well. We are staying at the Hotel Croatia.
Please share any more tips, hints, etc.
And thanks a mil......
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:00 AM
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also,
we are staying at Hotel Park in Split as we make our way down from Zagreb on the way to Dubrovnik for an overnight. Tell me anything more about the hotel.
We've hired a private guide for the Palace the next day , as right after that we'll get in the car and head for Dubrovnik.
I just realized I did not fax the credit card info yet for the Atlas tour to Montenegro. I could still use Igor. What do you think? I do like organized day trips ( would never sign up for a complete tour as my vacation) but do like the day trip ones. Did you feel Igor was a good historical guide. DH needs to hear good info; did Igor provide? Or was he more like a driver?
again.. thaks a mil and so glad you had a good time, welcome home!
we are staying at Hotel Park in Split as we make our way down from Zagreb on the way to Dubrovnik for an overnight. Tell me anything more about the hotel.
We've hired a private guide for the Palace the next day , as right after that we'll get in the car and head for Dubrovnik.
I just realized I did not fax the credit card info yet for the Atlas tour to Montenegro. I could still use Igor. What do you think? I do like organized day trips ( would never sign up for a complete tour as my vacation) but do like the day trip ones. Did you feel Igor was a good historical guide. DH needs to hear good info; did Igor provide? Or was he more like a driver?
again.. thaks a mil and so glad you had a good time, welcome home!
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:06 AM
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tripgirl, if you end up going to Sarajevo please let me know. Hubby and I are planning on spending a night in Bosnia, probably Mostar, and I would like to visit Sarajevo. DH is nervous enough about driving to Mostar so he's unsure about driving to Sarajevo, but I have a Bosnia guidebook and it sounds like an interesting city.
Tracy
Tracy
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:15 AM
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Thanks for the great report. I will be in Durbrovnik in August, coming from Sarajevo and Mostar, and then traveling to Montenegro. I have a reservation at Sveti Stefan, but I may stay, instead in Kotor. Thanks again for very informative post.
Michael
Michael
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:18 AM
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Wow indeed !
Here is a photo gallery---do not miss the Bay of Kotor on the 2nd page.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3882
Here is a photo gallery---do not miss the Bay of Kotor on the 2nd page.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3882
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:45 AM
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For those of you contemplating going to Croatia, just do it! I've yet to hear of anyone being "underwhelmed" with Croatia. To the contrary.
Tripgirl - I don't have any information about Sarajevo. Sorry. You will love the Grand Villa Argentina. By far, the nicest hotel we stayed in. The rooms are large, with a sitting area. Chocolates on your pillows at night! Dark wood paneling throughout the hotel. Very elegant. Nice indoor hot tub and pool (cool). The grounds are small, but very nice. Fabulous terrace. Small pool down by the water. Ahhhh...I want to go back! 5 nights is not too much for Dubrovnik. There are plenty of other areas to make day trips to. There is an Atlas travel agent in the hotel lobby. You can book your excursions there. I didn't feel the need to book in advance. Not sure if that's true in July. Igor did provide us with some historical information, but probably not as much as what you would get from an organized guide. It would be unlikely for him to know about the significance of the lion on top of the arch, for example. For us, Igor worked out just fine. We had a guidebook about Montegro, so we received information there. We have a hard time doing anything in a group. We always end up wanting to go on to the next thing before the group does. But that's just us. We are more about getting some basic history and essence of a place. As for Split - I think a private guide for the Palace is a great idea. We almost did that, but it was at the end of the trip and we opted to not do it. Hotel Park is nice. There is a little restaurant that serves some really good wine by the glass just around the corner (on the other side of the park). I forget the name, but the hotel told us about it. Stellon (sp?) on the beach out front and to the left serves up decent food and nice views. Be sure and stroll the riva in the evening...with a gelato in hand of course. As for Hvar, apparently the permit process for renovation is rather lengthy, and all of the hotels that are renovating are way behind schedule.
Carta- My husband is fine, but he was a bit of a mess at the time. Nothing a few packs of bandaids and a bottle of something from the bar in Zavala couldn't fix. The bartender there just pulled it out from under the counter and said "clean with this". No label, but smelled mighty strong! Thanks for your help and suggestions you provided me early on.
Happy and safe travels everyone.
Tripgirl - I don't have any information about Sarajevo. Sorry. You will love the Grand Villa Argentina. By far, the nicest hotel we stayed in. The rooms are large, with a sitting area. Chocolates on your pillows at night! Dark wood paneling throughout the hotel. Very elegant. Nice indoor hot tub and pool (cool). The grounds are small, but very nice. Fabulous terrace. Small pool down by the water. Ahhhh...I want to go back! 5 nights is not too much for Dubrovnik. There are plenty of other areas to make day trips to. There is an Atlas travel agent in the hotel lobby. You can book your excursions there. I didn't feel the need to book in advance. Not sure if that's true in July. Igor did provide us with some historical information, but probably not as much as what you would get from an organized guide. It would be unlikely for him to know about the significance of the lion on top of the arch, for example. For us, Igor worked out just fine. We had a guidebook about Montegro, so we received information there. We have a hard time doing anything in a group. We always end up wanting to go on to the next thing before the group does. But that's just us. We are more about getting some basic history and essence of a place. As for Split - I think a private guide for the Palace is a great idea. We almost did that, but it was at the end of the trip and we opted to not do it. Hotel Park is nice. There is a little restaurant that serves some really good wine by the glass just around the corner (on the other side of the park). I forget the name, but the hotel told us about it. Stellon (sp?) on the beach out front and to the left serves up decent food and nice views. Be sure and stroll the riva in the evening...with a gelato in hand of course. As for Hvar, apparently the permit process for renovation is rather lengthy, and all of the hotels that are renovating are way behind schedule.
Carta- My husband is fine, but he was a bit of a mess at the time. Nothing a few packs of bandaids and a bottle of something from the bar in Zavala couldn't fix. The bartender there just pulled it out from under the counter and said "clean with this". No label, but smelled mighty strong! Thanks for your help and suggestions you provided me early on.
Happy and safe travels everyone.
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:53 AM
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wow, what a great trip report! Just in time too. I will be leaving on July 1st for Croatia with my girlfriend. We will be there until the 11th. We plan to do 3 days in Dubrovnik and then try to find a ferry or catamaran to go to Korcula for maybe 2 days and then on to Hvar for another 2 days or so. Did you stay in Hvar town or Stari Grad? I don't recall seeing which. From there I figure we'll probably head on to Split for the remainder of the time and check out the city and try to do some day trips from there before either catching a train or a flight up to Zagreb to fly home. I think my main concern is the ferry service? You day trip from Dubrovnik to Montenegro sounds very interesting. Are there places we can book a day trip like that in Dubrovnik once we get there? Or does it have to be done in advance? Thanks!
Jun 19th, 2006, 12:15 PM
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Juice -
We took the Marco Polo ferry (Jardolinija) from Dubrovnik to Hvar - Stari Grad. It makes a stop in Korcula, where you can get off. You could then catch another ferry on a different day and go from Korcula to Hvar. The Marco Polo ferry is not a high speed catamaran. I'm not sure if that is even available, but that would be optimal. We stayed in Hvar town, and would stay there again.
There are numerous ferry options from Split for other day trips to islands.
I don't know if you necessarily have to book to Montenegro or other areas in advance, but if you only have a few days in Dubrovnik, it might be worth looking into. Most of these excursions don't run every day. Atlas is by far the biggest travel agent in Croatia. You might want to check with them about excursions, and see how they fit your itinerary. If it comes down to only one day that would work, I'd personally book it in advance.
LowCountry- Many of the locals say September is ideal. Warm water, and fewer crowds. You'll love it.
We took the Marco Polo ferry (Jardolinija) from Dubrovnik to Hvar - Stari Grad. It makes a stop in Korcula, where you can get off. You could then catch another ferry on a different day and go from Korcula to Hvar. The Marco Polo ferry is not a high speed catamaran. I'm not sure if that is even available, but that would be optimal. We stayed in Hvar town, and would stay there again.
There are numerous ferry options from Split for other day trips to islands.
I don't know if you necessarily have to book to Montenegro or other areas in advance, but if you only have a few days in Dubrovnik, it might be worth looking into. Most of these excursions don't run every day. Atlas is by far the biggest travel agent in Croatia. You might want to check with them about excursions, and see how they fit your itinerary. If it comes down to only one day that would work, I'd personally book it in advance.
LowCountry- Many of the locals say September is ideal. Warm water, and fewer crowds. You'll love it.
Jun 19th, 2006, 12:44 PM
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Thanks for your report. Isn't the Argentina wonderful? Breakfast on the terrace with that wonderful view was so relaxing and perfect. I have to admit, when I walked into the hotel, fresh off the ferry with no reservation and saw that view from the lobby I was moved to tears. And was even more tearful when they had a sea view room for me.
Did Igor drive you up the moutain where you could have the bird's eye view of the Bay of Kotor? If anyone else uses him, be sure to ask him to do this.
By the way, Croatians are not only very nice people, the men are very handsome!
Did Igor drive you up the moutain where you could have the bird's eye view of the Bay of Kotor? If anyone else uses him, be sure to ask him to do this.
By the way, Croatians are not only very nice people, the men are very handsome!
