Friday, March 30, 2012

flexible itinerary ideas

Since we have 15-16 days in Croatia starting in late October, we have the following rough plan and would welcome ideas and suggestions. We are two couples and will have a car for most of the time.





3 days Dubrovnik, including 1 with car to Montenegro, Cavtat-



renting an apartment in advance



1-2 days on Hvar if possible- so far Jadrolinija car ferry



schedule does not look good for this, unless we find other



ferry options while we are there



3 days in Sibenik or Trogir as a base- suggestions?



1 flexible day with no plans- ideas?



2 nights, Plitvice Lakes Natl Pk- with advance reservations



2 days Istrian peninsula- we do not plan to reserve in advance



2 days Zagreb with advance reservations





We thought that in the off season we could be somewhat flexible, with some reservations as indicated.





We will have a laptop and plan to buy a local SIM card for mobile phone which should help with last minute reserving. Any suggestions as to which SIM card might get the best coverage in these areas?





Thanks






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I like the looks of your plan. As I already said on the other post, you can easily drive up the Peljesac and get to Korcula from Orebic and spend some time there. You could also drive to Split and take a ferry out to Hvar if you wanted to spend time in Hvar rather than Korcula.





I think Sibenik or Trogir would both be good, but I would prefer Trogir. You could easily visit Split from there or get to Krka from there too.





For that flex day, how about spending a night in Zadar? That will get you closer to Plitvice so it won%26#39;t be as long of a drive. Or maybe you will want to spend more time on one of the islands and just be flexible that way.

Diving in Croatia

A friend has invited my son and I to join him on a diving holiday with Croatia Divers based at Vela Luka on Korcula next summer





Just wondering if anyone has dived here, it looks remarkable value for money.





Thanks






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Croatia has some really good diving spots! There are probably some nice wrecks you will visit

room with great water view

Does anyone have a recommendation for a B %26amp; B or apartment for 3 nights in Rovinj that has great water views? We will be there September 14-17. A boutique type hotel would be fine also.





Thanks




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Have a look at www.maistra.com



The %26quot;boutique%26quot; hotels in Rovinj tend to be right in the old town itself with limited sea views.



Adriatic overlooks the harbour and Park is on the other side of the bay but with great views to Rovinj old town.




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Thanks, we ended up booking at Casa Garzotto.




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I%26#39;m sure you will enjoy your stay.



Have a great time!




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Casa Garzotto is a great place but see if you are in the main building or the separate unit. The owners are really nice and Dario is quite helpful




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Thanks for the input, where would be better to stay? I will e-mail them with a request, maybe it will help?






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we stayed at Porta Antica, room overlooked water and we watched fishing boats leave in the am and come back in the afternoon. wonderful stay and close to everything.




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Thanks for the info, we just returned and had a wonderful stay at Casa Garzotto. There is a main building, which we stayed in room #4, and I guess there is an annex that is not as nice. Would highly recommend a stay in the main building. The woman that runs it is absolutely wonderful.

Vis - recommendation for apartments in Vis town

If anyone can recommend anywhere that they have stayed, I%26#39;d be grateful - and idea of cost as well. Only looking for a couple of nights in the next couple of weeks.



Also - why no Vis forum - most of the other islands have one?




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For Vis, contact www.navigator.hr



Vis is still not recognized as a top destination and does not have enough coverage...





You can ask the same thing for Rab Island, krka Island, Losinj... There is MUCH more to Croatia than just Trogir to Dubrovnik and the islands...




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i agree, contact mario and the navigator..we stayed at the villa paula, new name now, and it was wonderful. the nicest place there , we thought. ps vis was my favorite island...




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i meant, contact mario AT the navigator, which is a travel agency. they are really helpful

Zapresic

How long should I allow to get from Zapresic into the centre of Zagreb (early on a Saturday evening) ?



Is taxi the only option? Are there trains / buses?





Thanks






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Taxi would be too expensive, take either public buses or suburban trains.





Buses will drop you off on Črnomerec tram terminal (from there take a tram to the city center).





Trains are much better option; these are very frequent (3-5 departures per hour) and it takes only 20 min to get to the very center of Zagreb (central railway station – Glavni kolodvor)




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Hi there. I%26#39;m going to Zagreb with my partner from 17-23rd October. As he has business M-W, I will be on my own for three days. There is lots on including the ballet at the Nat%26#39;l Theatre, a jazz festival and Zagreb Film Festival. Will it be easy to get tickets? Can you recommend any highlights. I have the Lonely Planet Guide to Croatia, but any off the beaten track ideas would be helpful. I%26#39;m glad that it isn%26#39;t on the tourist route YET!



Suzanne, Godalming, Surrrey



suzstanley@talktalk.net




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November is the month for best jazz festivals in Zagreb so getting tickets for this one in October should be easier. Still, why not asking your hotel to get you tickets before you arrive. Zagreb FF is a nice event, but gets too crowded at times IMO.



Use this link to see what’s on (use the search window to the right with the dates):





www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/…





Music, you can opt for ballet; St Petersburg, Zagreb and Warsaw Philharmonics in Lisinski Hall, Orchestra and Choir of the Russian Kapelle, Chamber Music festival, Baroque Music Concerts, etc.





Perhaps seeing the fair of our home made products on Ethno Eco Fair could be interesting too.





Zagreb is not really a big city and you can do most of the sightseeing by foot (Donji grad and Gornji Grad/Lower Town and Upper Town) . Also, we are not a touristy place so no worries you’ll get stuck with visitors. On the main square (Jelacic Square) is the Tourist Info Office where you can get free walking maps. I recommend stopping by in Zagreb City Museum, a small but very interesting one in Upper Town area.





In one day you can do a trip to Plitvice (2 hrs by bus from Zagreb); our most beautiful national park.





www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/eng/index.php





http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?l=e




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Thank you. That is all very helpful. We had hoped to have an extra week, but have had to cut the trip down to six days. However, we have decided to return in the summer : - )W are keen walkers and I understand that Croatia is FANTASTIC for hiking. How do we get to the



Sljeme Mountains from Zagreb. I understand that this might be closer for us as we really only have a full free day on the 18th October. Usually we do 7-10 mile walks in England. Thanks, Suzanne




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Yes, Zagreb has a mountain right above the city (not really a mountain, it’s only 1100m high) called Sljeme or Medvednica. You can climb it from several directions.





You can see decryption of trails here:





croatia.hr/English/…





I’d go with this one: Sestine - Medvedgrad - Rudnici Zrinskih - Dom %26quot;Graficar%26quot;





To do it you can either:





- take public transport bus to the church in Sestine and proceed from there toward the top;





Or





You can walk all the way from practically Zagreb center (from Dubravkin put). Along the way you will pass that Sestine point, marked as Crkva u Sestinama on this map:





…hrsume.hr/webslike/PlaninarskaStaza.jpg







See here how it looks from up there, the top one is the view from Medvedgrad burg:





pp-medvednica.hr/Medvednica_hr/Medvednica_pa…





Here you can see approx location of Sestine and Medvedgrad:





planinar.hr/PSZ_karta_panorama_Medvednice.htm







The mountain is covered with thick forest and has several lodges (inns) to eat or drink or take a break. It is handy to get up there and back, it is one of favourite city escapes. Here on this link you can see some info.





pp-medvednica.hr/Medvednica_en/Medvednica_en…

boat from makarska to hvar

can you return 2 days later with the boat services in makarska.




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Not fully sure of your question. There is only a regular car ferry between Makarska and Sumartin on the island of Brac. There is another regular car ferry between Drvenik (south of Makarska) and Sucaraj on the island of Hvar. Both ferries are more frequent on the Summer schedule which ends tomorrow compared to the Winter schedule which starts on Thursday.




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If without car, the only way is bus to Split and ferry or cat to Hvar.



With car: drive to Drvenik ferry as Mutiny suggested. No bus.




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ok i love hvar but fancy a change as ive been 3 times this year where do u think i would like if i love hvar.




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Are you looking at just the islands or mainland too? For islands I would suggest Korcula, Brac or Vis.




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i dont want a boring place but it has to be wheelchair friendly for my blind dad.

Naturist Place to stay on March

Hi There..I will be heading to Croatia on March 2010, I know it%26#39;s a bit out of season but would like to know if there is any naturist/nudist place (Hotel, resort, center or spa) where I can stay for a couple of days as well as the best city to find this kind of places, probably a place with indoor facilities to do so. Any other suggestion or informaiton is greatly appreciated.



Thanks for your help!






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Valalta near Rovinj is one of the best places in Europe so it would be best to see if they will be open.



However, march is more of a coat and umbrella month than swimming due to low temperatures




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I don%26#39;t think Valalta or Koversada open until the end of April.



You might struggle to find any naturist resort open at this time of year.



FKK beaches will be available for swimming but it might be a little on the cool side!

Split or Porec

Hi there, am looking to visiting croatia next June and not sure where to book. We like, beaches, nice restaurants, shopping and historics. Where would be the best place to visit and stay. All help appreciated. Thanks TIna




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If the choice is between Split and Porec I would say none of the above. Rather, look at staying in Trogir, which will put you close to Split and the islands.




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First, how many days will you be here? Croatia is not a large country and you can easily visit Istria (Porec) and Split (Dalmatia) together. One of the real virtues of Split of course is that it is the jumping off point via ferries from here to Vis, Hvar, Brac and Solta. This quartet of islands offers some marvelous sightseeing, history, swimming, and gastronomy. Split is also home to Diocletian%26#39;s Palace, a 1,700 year-old treasure from Roman times to the present and some excellent museums and as Croatia%26#39;s second largest city, a lot more ammenities than Trogir, with its historic Greek, medieval and Renaissance core does not. Trogir is only 40 minutes away by local bus from Split, but since it is much smaller it makes it more crowded--and unless you have a car, getting to the fine beaches on Ciovo, the island %26quot;attached%26quot; to Trogir by a tiny bridge, can be tough. (You can walk to the sandy blue flag town beach in Split, Bacvice, in 10 minutes from the city center). While Trogir surely is worth a visit for the day, Split is a better %26quot;base%26quot;. And Crostia%26#39;s most-visited destination, Dubrovnik, is a 5 hour bus ride from Split. Porec is completely different than what you see and experience on the Dalmatia coast, so you need to read up about it and as important, where you can go FROM Porec if you want to use it as a base. A good primter to get you started would be a site like www.sightseeingcroatia.com, which has direct links from these cities and towns and many others only to local tourist boards and providers that we have used personally or friends have highly recommended. See as much of Croatia as you can!




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Thanks for that, have seen a holiday in Split, markaska, so may book that one. It looks very nice, and a good base to visit the islands.




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Imagine my surprise. www.sightseeingcroatia.com is located in the city of Split. I would have never guessed that????





I still say take a few hours to wander around Split and then get out of the city and enjoy yourself in Trogir or Makarska if you want to go there.




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I decided to live in Split after traveling up and down the coast over the past several years. One of the main reasons is that being the second largest city (but still a very liveable 200,000 people) it has the best, easiest access to the rest of the country.





The airport, located near Trogir, has lots of direct flights to many international countries and the 45 minute flight to Zagreb is usually less than $50.





But unlike Trogir, Split is Dalmatia%26#39;s hub for the ferry system, bus system and train system (which runs no further south than Split).





The year round cultural scene here and the city%26#39;s infrastructure (from excellent shopping to comprehensive medical facilities) also attracted me. As well of course as the people here, whose interaction with tourists is refreshingly seamless.





In the off season the historic core of Trogir, where the shops as well as the sites are, is practically deserted. This is nice if you want to visit in peace and quiet, but living there year round is more difficult.





During the season, despite the fact that it has more beaches than Split, Ciovo is much more congested, as is Trogir too with its more narrow alleys and chock a block shops and restaurants.





Now that the water taxi from Split to Trogir has improved, I use it (and buses leave twice an hour too) and recommend it to friends and travelers who come here as the best way to enjoy Trogir and still use Split as a base to the islands and to go futher south to Omis, Makarska and Dubrovnik.





Although Split still has the reputation of a transit city, the local tourist board and hotels are reporting that there does seem to be a shift and people are spending more time here. This is a good sign because like Dubrovnik and Sibenik and Zadar, there is much more to enjoy here than just the city historic core.

Weather web link?

Looking for a good, Croatian website for weather forecasts.



I%26#39;ve already checked BBC etc. But I%26#39;d like to be able to check specific towns like:



Zagreb



Varazdin



Opatija



Krk



Crkvenica







Thanks!






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Try the following--- it will show forecasts for most of the cities you have listed. Put Croatia in the search box up top.





http://www.wunderground.com




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http://meteo.hr/index_en.php





There you have for every town in Croatia. HAve a nice stay!

May day (may 1st) in zagreb.

Is may day celebrated in zagreb with festivals, concerts or other entertainment or is it ignored? Any info would help, thanks.




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Yes. Traditionally for more than 115 years it is celebrated in Maksimir park. A bit of labor unions speeches, some concerts, a lot of people simply enjoying a day off.





A few photos:





www.zagreb.hr/default.aspx?id=12830%26gal=327





metro-portal.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/sindikati-n…




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Referring to your nick(tightbudgetking), yes, in Maksimir you will get a bean portion free!

M/S Arion

I am looking at a cruise of Croatia Adriatic coast on M/S Arion and am wondering if anyone has taken one with this outfit. 1) Is the company reliable? 2) Does it dock near the center city of most places such that a self guided tour is option without concern for transportation? 3) Are the accommodations comfortable? 4) Is there any need for porthole/window in room or is most of the travel at night? 5) How is the stop in Albania? 6) How was the overall experience?




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I have just entered the word m/s Arion in the above search box and here are the results:





http://www.tripadvisor.com/SearchForums?ff=1554%26amp;geo=294453%26amp;scope=2%26amp;q=M%2FS+Arion%26amp;sub-search.x=12%26amp;sub-search.y=8%26amp;sub-search=Click+to+search+forums%26amp;returnTo=__2F__

Unpleasant incident in Zagreb

We stayed one night in Zagreb before flying back home from our trip. We enjoyed the sightseeing part of our stay in Zagreb, but had a bad experience with the apartment we booked (Henrik Apartment) and the neighborhood we ended up staying in.





When I booked my room, the person called Daniel replied saying he can %26quot;offered a double room with private bathroom%26quot; for the price of 400kn. And %26quot;in case you plan to arrive by car, I can offer you a free parking space not far from your room inour backyard%26quot;. When I confirmed my reservation and specifically asked for a parking space, I got a more cryptic reply: %26quot;When you get there, just ask for parking space, because we don%26#39;t take note of it. Everybody can park, just emphasize it.%26quot;





When we arrived, we found that there is absolutely NO parking at the hotel premise. I had to park illegally in the bike%26#39;s lane while my wife went in to try to check in. All this time, I was being cursed by all the bikers whom I inconvenienced. In the meantime, they told my wife that if we want to stay in the room in the hotel, we have to find a public paid parking spot on the roadside. Or they can offer us another %26quot;apartment%26quot; nearby which has its own parking. Obviously we took the second option.





It turns out that this %26quot;apartment%26quot; is about 4 blocks more off from the hotel which is already on the fringe of the main area (at or near the southwest end of the green horseshoe). And the %26quot;apartement%26quot; that they referred to turned out to be a room inside an apartment which we have to share the bathroom with 3 other rooms.





But the most scary part is its neighborhood. Not only is this place 15 or 20 minutes extra walking time to the city center, the neighborhood looks very sketchy. When we walked home around 7:30pm (it was already all dark), we were approached by 2 men asking us for some kunas. We ignored them. In New York City, we ran into these annoyances a lot and all you have to do is to ignore them. But in this case, they followed us for a minute or so (felt like eternity) and when we quickened our pace and walked away from them, we got splattered with beer on our backs!





In summary, I would advise people to avoid staying outside of the main tourist area. And be very careful when you deal with Henrik Apartment. I ignored some of the warnings in the reviews when I booked with them and really regretted the decision.




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That sounds like a very unpleasant experience. Thanks for the warnings. It seems to me that the big thing missing in Zagreb are apartments. There are many nice hotels, but it seems to be lacking in apartments. Too bad you had to experience what you went through.




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Sorry to read this, so unprofessional; plus the beer incident. No wonder this city gets so few visitors.




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Don%26#39;t let this put you off going back to Croatia.



These incidents can and do occur in any city in any country.



You appear to live in New Jersey so you know this better than most!




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Sorry to read abt. your bad experience, hoper that the rest of your Croatia trip was good.




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That modern metropolitan mob is really hard to understand.



Back in a day we used to drink beer to the last drop and throw the empty bottles.(Or maybe-their beer was warm already...)

Lapad excursions

We are looking to go to Lapad next year but wonder what excursionas are available. Interseted in Mostar and possibly Montenegro. We do not want to hire a car though, has any one done these excursions and if so how long do they take, how much are they and are they worth it.





Would welcome advice on any other trips folks have recently been on.




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You can take day trips to Mostar and Montenegro by bus or private car. A bus trip with Atlas is the cheapest way to go if you don%26#39;t mind being with a large group. If you prefer a private tour, you can hire a private car with a driver/guide for about 200 - 220 Euros. It will of course be more expensive if you have more people and need a larger vehicle.




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Sorry! I forgot to say where you can arrange a private tour. There are lots of local agencies in Dubrovnik. A good one is called Florio car. I took one of his tours which was great and he seems to be popular on this forum as well.




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Thanks for the advice, I was hoping not to have to hire a car as I like to relax and let someone else do the hard work. Do you know how long it actually takes to get to Mostar and Montenegro by bus and how much roughly it costs?

How long is the transfer

Hi I`m planning to book a trip to Porec Hotel Mediteran, could someone please tell me how long the transfer is? I`m travelling as a package holiday with Portland Direct.



Thanks




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Transfer time 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Enjoy your stay!




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Have just returned from the mediteran it all depends how many drop offs you get we took about 1 hour 15 mins with 2 drop offs.




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Thankyou, I`m sure I will.

Did anyone drive from Zadar to Krka??

I am curious, is it possible to stay in Zadar and take a bus, drive, or cab to Krka?




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Any agency worth its salts should have regular trips to the Krka falls from Zadar. It is possible by bus but not that easy so an organised trip would be better.




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We made this drive 2 weeks ago (Split-Zadar-Skradin/Krka) as part of a longer trip. Driving is easy. The toughest part was getting out of Zadar- our own fault, we were coming from the NW and didn%26#39;t have a map. As you leave town, follow the signs to the new toll autoroute A1. Beautiful road. Took a little over an hour. We stayed in Skradin and walked to the falls and through the park. Would absolutely recommend it. If you can, stay overnight in Skradin, a very nice little town.





MelannyRose




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Awesome, thanks for the response. I am traveling with another young girl. Did you feel safe? Would you recommend some hotels? And oh, I see you are from Canada also, how comfortable were you with driving in Croatia? THANKS!




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I felt safe the entire time in Croatia-- probably the safest-feeling (and cleanest) country I%26#39;ve been to. We were on several islands and up and down the coast and never had anyone bother us for anything. The driving was fine. The A1 is beautiful and the regional roads are also very good (like Europe, in general). Of course,the signage is different from North America but we figured it out pretty quickly. Get a good map (the one from Hertz was ok) and pay attention to the direction you want to head because the turn-offs come quickly. I recommend Hotel Skradinski Buk in Skradin. Definitely go to the falls (and swim, if warm enough). Walk there from Skradin if you%26#39;d like an hour%26#39;s hike. If not, take the boat. We also went to the monastery at Visovac and drove through some very poignant countryside to see the Orthodox Serbian monastery outside of Kistanje. In retrospect, I would have liked more time in this area of the country.

lost camera

Does anyone know the name of the restaurant in Luigija Montija street in Rovinj? We left our camera there!




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The only unit I found in Luigija Montija (on T-Com Croatia maps) is PUTINA marked as a cafe bar.





LUIGIJA MONTIJA 11



HR-52210 ROVINJ



Croatia





Tel: +385 52 811-338




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thank you very much for your help.

walking tour

I found a website called dubrovnikwalks.com Is anyone familiar with this company and do you think it is worth it to do a 90 minute walking tour with them? They meet across from night club Fuego (wherever that is). We have one day in Dubrovnik in July coming off a cruise ship.



Thanks



Ellyn




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This is a tour company which groups tend to be very large, between 30 to 50 guests. Do you really want to spend your limited time being hearded around in such large groups?



Please continue to do more research, you may find a company which is more suited to doing smaller, private tours.





Dobrodosli u Dubrovnik




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As always, you can do Dubrovnik on your own with a help of a guidebook - it is not the same but... For your stay, you can see Cavtat and Konavle and then return to the Old Town.




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I also say that you should go on the walls on your own.




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Yes, anyone can walk the city walls on their own. But they will only know they are looking at the red tile roof tops. In my opinion I believe to really experience the essence of Dubrovnik, one should hire a private tour guide for one day. This makes a visit to Dubrovnik have value and it%26#39;s interesting to hear small antidotes about the town. For example: Tour guides will stop at the Onofrio Fountain, explain who designed it and the year it was built. We%26#39;ve noticed how bored so many of the larger groups are listening these FACTS. Now there are some guides, who do private tours, no more than 4 or 6 guests. They tell the story of life in Dubrovnik, how it was for the pheasants vs the aristocracy. There are some very good guides and some very boning guides. finding a good one is well worth the price.



Walking around Stari Grad (old town) while reading a guide book is difficult and again, boring FACTS. The trick to a good guide is one who has a true love affair with Croatia and Dubrovnik. They are there, keep looking.





Dobrodosli u Dubrovnik




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One of the best local guides is Tea Batinic who has lived here all her life and seems to know everyone and everything .... (00385 98 285 398, or email me for her emil address)




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Can you give me Tea%26#39;s e-mail address so I can find out if she can take us around and what she charges.



Thank you.



My e-mail: copaken@verizon.net



Thanks



Marcelle




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Hi Sharon





Could please email me Tea%26#39;s address?





Regards Wayne




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I took the trip to Dubrovnik the first of July. I don%26#39;t have the detail of the file anymore. I did not use Tea or any other walking tour because they were expensive. We caught a public bus acros from where the cruise ship docked and we got tickets at a store right next to the bus stop. They speak English and it cost about $1 or $2 US currency. the bus was very easy, airconditioned. etc. It drops you off right next to the entrance to the walled city. We walked it on our own, very simple to do and then paid about $10 to gain entrance to walk on top of the walls. It takes about 1 hour to do the entire circumference and gives great views. You can get a walking tour with a group right outside the entrance to the city. Either way, it is a nice city and good for about a 4 hour walk.



Ellyn




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Another option would be to rent an audio guide.





There is usually someone standing outside the Pile Gate who will rent you one that covers the Old City and the Walls. Alternatively, you can hire one that covers just the walls from halfway up the first staircase from Stradun.





You still get all the facts but can go at your own pace and stop for a coffee or ice cream when you need a break. You can%26#39;t ask it questions though!

Manchester to Split direct flights

Hi, was hoping to visit Split %26amp; Trogir this October but there does n`t seem to be a direct flight. Don`t fancy 8 hours on a European trip with several stops, anyone know anything? Thankyou %26amp; eagerly awaiting replies. We`ve done Dubrovnik %26amp; Cavtat. Louise.




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I have lived here over 4 years and travel to the UK at least once every year to see my mother so therefore keep a close check on flights. As my mother lives in the North East of England I am always trying to find flights to Manchester (then take train) but at the moment the only flight I can find to Manchester is with thomsonfly from Dubrovnik. Lately I have been using easyjet from Split to Gatwick and then getting a connecting flight to Newcastle





Have a good trip !




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Thankyou for speedy reply! Thomas cook do Manchester to split but the last flight is 19 september, bit of a short season. Thanks anyway Korcula.(now there`s another place I need to put on my list!) Louise




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Thanks I will try their site and hope that they will let me book Split/Manchester return - unfortunately thomsonfly do not let you book flights from here that is why I have been using easyjet





I forgot to mention that Split itself is easily seen in a day so for the main I would personally stay in Trogir.





Enjoy your trip !




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ive been looking aswell and seem to be struggling. i see theres jet 2 from newcastle but is there nothing else from the midlands area for example. is it all a case of having to travel south as the airlines seem to think no one lives north of the watford gap or if u do all ppl want to do is go to the costas and standard other resorts

Autumn colours & weather

When would be the best time to visit Plitvice for the autumn colours? Was also wondering about the daytime weather? Hope someone can help.




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Here%26#39;s a link that might help





http://www.plitvice24.com/en/weather-plitvice

Trip report - single female travelling alone

I was in Dubrovnik for 9 days from Sept 6 to 15 and had a wonderful vacation. I rented a very nice apartment in the old city, which was a wonderful location as I would be in and out of my apartment a few times a day.



A lot of the same restaurants get recommended on this site, but I tried some new ones that I would like to recommend:



Posat - just above the Pile gate - very nice terrace, excellent service and great grilled fish. I had a whole fish, appetizer, 1/2 ltr of wine and it turned out to be about $65 CDN.



Also recommend Wanda%26#39;s - it is in the old city on the street that runs parallel to the Stradun just up the stairs - had saffron pasta with clams and lobster which was outstanding.



The pasta at Barracuda was delicious, nicely cooked al dente, and they do a great breakfast too. I found a lot of the restaurants had %26quot;omlettes%26quot; that were usually overcooked, but at Barracuda I could get a couple of eggs nicely cooked and some bacon...standard fare.



Mea Culpa is the place to go for pizza, but the slices at Oliva are very good too.



Off the Stradun on the side streets there is a bakery called Niko and also a little bake shop at the top of the Ploce gate that both had great burek (pastry layered with meat). I made that my breakfast or afternoon snack several times.



As for things to do, my favs were:



swimming at Lokrum - take the ferry from the old harbour, have a look around, but the swimming is best on the bay side where the ferry docks; nice big rocks and fresh water showers to rinse off the salt



Lapad - took the bus (catch them all around the top of the Pile gate) to the post office at Lapad, get off and walk down to the water, passing by lots of lovely cafes etc.; then at the water, head to the right and keep walking; the path takes you along the coastline and you will encounter some gorgeous hotels especially Hotel Neptune - stop and have a cocktail at the bar



Dubrovnik Palace - I only wish I could afford to stay here but what a gorgeous place to visit and have a drink, the only place I found with sushi



Cafe Buza - amazing to see this cafe on out outside of the walls



Gruz - I walked back and forth to the new harbour - there is a nice market including fish (if you get there early enough) and the walk is really beautiful.



Very easy to get around, be sure to get outside of the old city - there is lots to see in Lapad, Babin Kuk, Gruz, etc.



As for travelling alone, I felt entirely safe even at night. No issues, always lots of friendly people around. Place is very clean - all in all a tremendous place to go for a holiday. All my friends are amazed at the photos.......



Good luck to all who decide to go.




|||



Nice report, Tania,very useful for future travelers to DU.




|||



Excellent trip report. I will be visiting Dubrovnik next June and your report was a great help. Thanks for sharing.




|||



Off the Stradun on the side streets there is a bakery called Niko and also a little bake shop at the top of the Ploce gate that both had great burek (pastry layered with meat). I made that my breakfast or afternoon snack several times.



------------------



yeah we went here many times as it was just around the corner from out apartment. great cakes and pastry




|||



I was also in Dubrovnik travelling alone. I agree, I always felt safe.





I stayed at the Jinx and Jinxy right outside of the old town. It is is fantastic location with even more fantastic views. It is about a 5 minute walk to Old town and you can reach several beaches within 5 to 15 min depending on which beach you want to go to. The room was clean, but I cant say enough about the patio and view you have from the apartment of the old city. I would definetely go back. I think staying close to the wall is worth it while in Dubrovnik, you cant beat the atmosphere in the old city at night. If you want to walk to Lapad, it took me 45 minutes from the Jinx and Jinxy, you can also take a local bus there so it isn%26#39;t a problem navigating the city .





I went kayaking off in the Elephite islands. That was definitely a highlight of the trip. I stayed on the islands of Lokrum, and I agree with Tania, this is the best place to swim.




|||



A great report and glad that you enjoyed Dubrovnik !





We were there at the same time, although we based ourselves at Cavtat, and I have wrote a feedback report on the Trip Advisor page for cavtat:





tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g303804-i10581-C…





For us, Dubrovnik was magical and had a great feel and atmosphere, and like you say felt very safe and friendly.





We went to Gruz and walked around the market there - it was a really good walk back to the old town, and like you say, beautiful !





Cheers




|||



Wonderful report Tania:-) Also travelled solo and although was only there for 4 days (Sept 4-7) specifically for a Wedding..I, too, couldn%26#39;t have felt safer in this incredible City! Thanks and Enjoy!




|||



Can you pls advise the details of the apartment you stayed in? Thanks




|||



Hi,



Here is the link to the apt where I stayed.



home page: www.dubrovnik-online.com/apartment_mira/



E-mail: apartmentmira@gmail.com





The location was perfect for me, room was very clean, very simple, comfortable bed, good bathroom with great shower and lots of hot water. It did not have a TV which was okay with me. There was a small radio in the corner, but I never used it, - stuck with my IPOD. No clock radio/alarm. Had air conditioning but I did not use.



There was a noise factor - the coffee shop below gets very crowded at night with young people till sometimes 2 am, and it is right under the bedroom window. I am a light sleeper and at first was quite upset, but I got some good earplugs and between those and my IPOD (and some wine) managed just fine. Also you ear everything that goes on in the early morning hours in the city - it is all stone, so noise echos. So for example, when the bars are removing their recycling in the morning it can be noisy. That being said, for the price I received, I was more than willing to put up with a bit of noise. The landlady%26#39;s sister Esna worked a stand nearby and was around for any questions I had. She gave me some great suggestions of where to go and they always worked out wonderfully (e.g. take the bus to Lapad). She also did my laundry for a small, reasonable fee.



When are you planning to visit there?



Tania




|||



Thaks so much Tania. We are a family of 4 from Perth, Australia and will be there in July 10. Anymore insights or tips from your trip would be greatly appreictaed.



We are looking for a 2 bedroom apartmet up to US 150 -200 a night. Our plans at this point are to spend 3-4 dys in Istria and then head to Dubrovnik from which point we hope to do some sailing. Cheers




|||



Check out this place then:



http://www.dubrovnik-edi.com/index.html



The apt was right at the top of Pile Gate just outside the old city. Very good location - I did not personally see the units, but met the owner Edi.



July will be very busy and probably quite hot. If you decide to walk the walls of the old city, do it first thing in the morning (opens at 8 am). The view is outstanding.



Have fun!

weather ? end of january

Hi,





I%26#39;m thinking of taking a trip to croatia at the end on January and was wondering what the weather is typically like?





Thanks!!






|||



You have not specified the area, but I am afraid Jan is the worst weather(winds and evtl.snow).

Just got back - our itinerary if it helps

Hi - we%26#39;ve just got back from 9 fantastic nights in Croatia and what a beautiful place.



We wondered if going at the end of September was too late but have to say it felt like the best time of year as lovely and hot but bearable and not too crowded.



Here%26#39;s what we did if it%26#39;s helpful to anyone planning.



We arrived at Dubrovnik Airport and were collected by Korkyra Travel Agency (tel 00 385 20 711 750) but just google and you%26#39;ll be able to email them. They were waiting at the airport and drove the 2-2.5 hours to Korcula. It was Euro 50 each which would have been quite a bit cheaper had our flight got in earlier when they do a shuttle run. We used them to come back from Korcula to Dubrovnik Old Town and then it was Euro 20 each.



In Korcula we stayed at Apartments Depolo which was in a great location.



Korcula Town is very pretty and a day or two is enough or use it as a base to discover other places.



We then got on the 6am catamaran - www.krilo.hr to Hvar and stayed one night at House Gordana which again was lovely and less than a 5 minute walk from the action. To be honest we%26#39;d missed the party season if that%26#39;s what you%26#39;re going for but still nice and lively and worth a visit. We took a 15 minute boat ride to Parmizana which had a lovely beach and the best ever bar where we could lay in hammocks with a cocktail overlooking the sea.



We then got the krillo back to Korcula and Tony picked us up for the 15 minute drive to Lumbarda to Apartments Val which was heaven for a 2 night stay (would have stayed another night if we could have) - amazing food and he%26#39;s such a fab host. We hired his board for the day to go to some of the islands and we hired his bikes another day to ride around the vineyards.



Finally Korkyra travel agency took us to Dubrovnik where we have 4 nights at Villa Adriatica with a balcony with a view to die for. Fantastic location and although little details could do with some attention is was fab.



The centre of the old town is best avoided between 12-2pm when the cruise ships are in and it%26#39;s horribly packed but once they%26#39;ve gone it%26#39;s lovely. I dread to think what July and Augst are like.



We used some recommendations to eat at Mea Culpa and Restaurant Dubrovnik which were spot on and how can you possibly miss Cafe Buza - definitely go there for drinks to watch the sunset but get a seat early as it%26#39;s popular.



We took a day trip to Mljet which was stunning and we had the most lovely guide organised by iva.miletic@yahoo.com. Not cheap at Euro 240 for 5 people but it was a wonderful day



Lokrum was a bit of a disappointment so I wouldn%26#39;t bother going there.



We will definitely revisit Croatia as it has something for everyone.




|||



Thanks much for your report. I am headed for Zagreb today (from Ljubljana) and will eventually make it down to Dubrovnik, then back up to Korcula and Split. I emailed Korkyra over a week ago asking about their shuttle service from Dubrovnik to Korcula and never got a reply. Perhaps I will have to call them - or ask the owner at the soba where I am staying to check with them for me. I really hoped to use Korkyra%26#39;s shuttle instead of the regular bus because in part the regular bus doesn%26#39;t leave Dubrovnik til the afternoon - I hope Korkyra%26#39;s does!





After two nights in Korcula, I%26#39;m planning to take the catamaran on to Split via Hvar but hadn%26#39;t planned a night in Hvar - won%26#39;t even have time to get off and visit Hvar which is a shame. I have two nights in Split - perhaps I could steal one for a night in Hvar? At least I%26#39;d arrive in Split early that last day and won%26#39;t have to leave Split until mid-afternoon the following day.





How would you compare Hvar and Korcula? I know they are very different and Hvar is much more upscale - but should I be worried about missing Hvar?




|||



Thank you for the report, Stonesy.



Andrew, yes, do steel the nights from Split in favour of Hvar.The last morning is enough for Split.



IMO Korcula is a mini Dubrovnik, Hvar is somehow different, it is not easy to tell the difference.




|||



Do Hvar!

car ferry questions

We wanted to go from the Peljesac peninsula to Korkula and Hvar, spending one or two nights on either or both of them and then proceding to Split or other town on the coast- but the time of year has reduced ferry schedules on Jadrolinija.





Which other ferry companies take cars to Hvar or Korkula or both? If we can coordinate ferries we would love to spend a day or two on an island.....but we cannot spend 3 nights which the Jadrolinija Marco Polo would require.





Help please. Thanks






|||



There is am all year around regular daily car ferry from Orebic on the Pelesjac penninsula to Korcula - here is the timetable :-





http://korcula.net/grad/pitanja/q11.htm





Have a good trip !




|||



Yes don%26#39;t worry about the Marco Polo schedule. Just drive up the Peljesac and take the ferry across from Orebic and enjoy some time in Korcula.




|||



GREAT! Okay now is there a way to get on and off Hvar by car ferry and from where?





Thanks




|||



The ferry port on Hvar is in Stari Grad so when you look for the ferry schedule that will be your arrival and departure port.




|||



I realize that the ferry point on Hvar is at Stari Grad but where might we get an off season ferry to get to Stari Grad since the Marco Polo only runs twice a week?





We can get to and from Korcula from Orebic daily and that is great information.





Do we get a ferry from Korkula to Stari Grad or from a mainland spot?




|||



Take the ferry to Stari Grad from Split. Even in the off-season there should be enough ferries per day to make it work for you.




|||



I think this is the missing link for connection Korčula- Hvar(not S.Grad):



http://korcula.net/grad/pitanja/krilo.htm



Pls, note this is a catamaran-passengers only!




|||



There is also a car ferry from Drvenik on the coast to Sucaraj on the island of Hvar. Then you would have to drive across the island to get to Hvar Town.




|||



Barry, I understood that Larkav wanted to get to Hvar from Korcula.




|||



But she did ask if there was a mainland spot to get out there, that is why I said things about Split and Drvenik.

Slatine to Split by boat June 1 2010?

We are planning a visit to Slatine June 1 - 7, 2010 and will not have a car. We%26#39;d like to be able to travel to Trogir %26amp; Split by boat rather than by bus. I%26#39;m looking for information re: Split-Trogir boat Tri Sestrice. Was it running the first week of June 2009? Thanks.






|||



The Sestrice was running the Split-Slatine-Trogir route at that time this year and as of yesterday is still operating. Usually four trips a day, so there should be no problem. Same 20kn fare as last year.



I%26#39;ll try to get the e mail or phone and send it along next time I;m on the Riva.




|||



Thanks! This info is much appreciated. K




|||



The last timetable I saw ran to 30th September. The details of the people that run it are on their website inlcuding an e-mail: mario.andrijolic



@gmail.com



The boat ran from 1st June to 30th September this year so you could be the first people on it next year! See: http://www.buraline.com/




|||



thanks to both sightseeingcroatia %26amp; Jude C. K

'The Deep'

Hi!





Can anyone tell me if %26#39;The Deep%26#39; nightclub will be open in late April - (April the 24th to be precise)?? If not are there any equally good nightclubs that will be open?





Thanks.

whats is the weather like at christmas

Thinking of a christmas break for 7 days



is there enough to do? and is the weather okay




|||



I wouldn%26#39;t do 7 days unless you are in a very nice hotel with lots of faciliities. Many restaurants etc close down. I did a fairly wet and cold Easter a couple of years ago (that very early one in March) and if we hadn%26#39;t been staying at the Dubrovnik Hilton with pool, sauna etc it would have been a bit depressing. No guarantees on the weather - it might be a couple of degrees warmer but you%26#39;re as likely to have good weather in Brighton!




|||



Thank you for replying trying to think of a city break but think we will end up sking somewhere

Taxis from Dubrovnik Airport to Astarea Hotel Mlini

Does anyone know approx how much I should expect to pay for this taxi jpurney? Are taxis metered or do you negotiate a price? Am going to Mlini on 8 October.




|||



Hi Bobblenose





The taxi%26#39;s are metered. Milni is fairly close to the airport so at a guess I%26#39;d say around €15. I took a taxi to Dubrovnik old town and from memory that was about €30.




|||



Thanks a lot for info! Kia Ora!




|||



Mlini is a little more than half way to the Old Town from the airport and taxis generally charge about 20 Euro for the trip. It may be a bit cheaper on the meter.

Apartment Booking Problem

After having read positive reviews on this site of Garden%26#39;s Apartments in Old Town Split, I booked %26quot;Zelena%26quot; for 8 nights in May 2010 through HostelBookers. I paid a deposit and was sent a confirmation of my booking. Yesterday I received a phone call from Croatia from the owner saying that HostelBooking prices were wrong; he must cancel my booking; and he would send me his own website address and I should book through that. He said that the deposit that I had %26quot;lost%26quot; with HostelBookers would be used for my new booking. When I received the owners website address and accessed it, I was astounded to read that the apartment fee had increased by 135% to Eur85 per night...Hotel prices surely! I emailed the owner to check that I had understood him correctly. He confirmed that I had, and offered to refund my deposit. I have phoned HostelBookers and they are looking into it. They were as shocked as I was.



Can I please ask if anyone has any advice or has had a similar problem. I feel that several issues come to light here:-



1. Can the owner put up prices at anytime, even near to a holiday with no forfeit, even when a booking has been confirmed?



2. Is a booking contract only one way? ie. If the renter breaks the contract they lose their deposit; if the owner defaults they are simply obliged to return any deposit.



3. Do good Trip Adviser reviews encourage apartment owners to put their rates up unreasonably? Might this not lead to gazumping... travellers offering more to rent an apartment that has already been booked?




|||



Why would you want to spend 8 days in Split anyway.



give it a miss and hit Trogir and daytrip if necessary to Split.




|||



This is an ugly situation! I would say that the owner is just one of the apartment owners who cannot see anything but money and the greed for few more euros is far greater than a need to establish a good relationship with HostelBookers or his clients on a longer period.



All sorts of %26quot;bastards%26quot; are renting apartments and that is not like with hotels that you have someone to complain...





It should be that the owner must return you the deposit and that would be the best option.





Like Mausgrass said, why staying in Split all 8 days? Islands for few nights?




|||



Thank you for your responses. I have decided to try Trogir. I must admit that I hadn%26#39;t done my homework and wasn%26#39;t really aware of the options.



I still haven%26#39;t had my deposit returned from the defaulted booking. Even though my credit card payment was to Hostelbookers, they insist that the apartment owner needs to repay the money!




|||



Good choice in staying in Trogir, a much more charming place anyways. Sorry to hear about your troubles and hopefully everything goes well for you with that.




|||



-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

TripAdvisor staff removed this post because it did not meet TripAdvisor's forum posting guidelines with prohibiting self-promotional advertising or solicitation.

We ask all of our members to keep their forum messages free of self-promoting advertisements or solicitation of any kind - members affiliated with any tourism-related business should not include commercial contact information or URLs in their forum messages.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 5:17 pm, August 25, 2009


|||



I haven%26#39;t found hostelbookers to be very good when I had a problem with them in the past.





If they and the apartment owner are batting back and forth about who owes you the money, just let your credit card co. know the problem and ask them to refund you. They will then pursue hostelbookers for you.




|||



Sir,





We are so sorry to hear for all your troubles !



I do NOT how how is possible that You booked %26quot;Zelena%26quot; for 8 nights in May 2010 through HostelBookers in August 2009 ? ( Date 17 Aug 2009 )



It is true that I saying that HostelBooking prices were wrong; because in August 2009 I do not add prices and availability calendar at agency HostelBookers for 2010 ? and I must cancel Yours booking . After that I was contact agency HostelBookers and he said that the deposit beck to You !



Is nice to hear from You that You read positive reviews on this site of Garden%26#39;s Apartments in Old Town Split , but I do not understund why You not contact me directly like my other guests ..... ? tripadvisor.com/VacationRentalReview-g295370…





Please look us up if you decide to come back to Split as we would like to provide You with the most memorable stay you could experience if given another chance.





Sincerely,





Management Team of Garden Cottages %26amp; Apartments - Old City Split




|||



I too have had problems with hostel bookers, not in Croatia though ... once you pay them they don%26#39;t seem to have a great follow-up service, or even care if you have any problems with the property when you are there.





I%26#39;ve also used Garden Apartments in Split and had a wonderful stay. Don%26#39;t write them off because of a bad hostel bookers experience.

Fantastic Apartment Kolic!!

This Apartment is in the very centre of the old harbour (no hills to climb). It is an old house that has been renovated to a very high standard. We enjoyed our stay here watching boats sail in and out of the port from our private terrace/balcony.The owner picked us up at the airport and dropped us off at the port in Dubrovnik. After seeing other apartments and hotels that we had considered, we were very pleased with our choice and can recommend Kolic Apartment and Cavtat 100%. Trip advisor won%26#39;t allow me to put on contatc details for the owner - but you can find him by a google search of Kolic Apartment Cavtat




|||



We came back a couple of weeks ago having stayed at the top of %26quot;that hill%26quot; It was a killer in the mid-day sun and only slightly better in the cooler evenings. We would return to Cavtat and would want to stay in the harbour area next time, so that is great info. It is a wonderful place to chill and relax.




|||



We stayed on the hill overlooking the bay. Our apartment was fairly basic but the view from the balcony was absolutely stunning. We had no problem with the walk up but felt for the people that did.



Loved Cavtat and would definitely return again




|||



Hi





I%26#39;ve googled this apartment a few times and can%26#39;t find it, do you have a website or contact details?





Thanks





Cats




|||



Yes I do, but trip advisor won%26#39;t let me post them here - send me a private message and I will give them to you




|||



Hi - if you are looking somewhere very central with a stunning view, have a look at my review on Tija Apartments. Then you get the best of both worlds!




|||



Hi





I did and I%26#39;ve booked an apartment there for next week, really looking forward to our trip.





Thanks for the review!





Cat




|||



Hi everyone,





would someone mind messaging me a link or website, too?





kind regards, Elizabeth




|||



Funnily enough I had just looked at the details for this apartment before going on Trip Adviser and seeing your post (is this fate?) and thought it looked fabulous! I am thinking of going to Croatia next year for the first time with my family (I have wanted to go for years) and have spent hours searching on the internet for the %26#39;right location and right accommodation%26#39;.





Although I note this particular apartment has only one bedroom, and a lounge with sofabed for 2, in your opinion do you think it would be suitable for me and my husband and our two teenage daughters (who will be 13 and 16 next year)? They usually like a swimming pool, but if the nearby beaches are ok I think they would forgo this for a nice apartment - what do you think?





We usually travel independently and like a nice beach area and local shops and a bit of culture (nearby Dubrovnik appeals to me) with the opportunity to visit other nearby places. Not having to hire a car would be great for my husband, as he likes to totally wind down on holiday. On an evening we like to have a wander around, have a drink and sometimes go out for a meal, although we do eat in too to keep within our budget.





Not keen on anywhere too %26#39;touristy%26#39; ie masses of big hotels and sunbed pitches on the beach. Hope I can find something to suit! Your response would be much appreciated.





Thanks.





Jules




|||



holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/cavtat/83866




|||



Hi Jules





We never used the sofabed as there were only 2 of us ...so I don%26#39;t really know what it was like, however the living area is quite large so it wouldn%26#39;t be too cramped if the bed was down.





Cavtat sounds ideal for you (though it may be a bit quiet for teenagers!) the apartment is only a few yards from a lido and there are plenty of others on the peninsula along a lovely walk. There are no sandy beaches as such in this area. Lots of nice bars and restuarants along the promenade - nice to sit at sunset and watch all the yachts come in to berth for the night.





We didn%26#39;t need to hire a car as there are good bus services to Dubrovnik and other places, or there is the watre taxis. I would also recommend the day boat trips to the islands (sorry can%26#39;t remember their name) but it can be booked on the harbour from the kiosks.





Have a great holiday



Esther

where to stay in june 2010

im planning on visiting dubronik in june 2010 for a week for my wifes surprise 30th birthday. Can anybody suggest any good hotels close to the old town which dont have many kids? And any excursions which are worth doing there. My wife loves exploring and the history on places, oh and really good food.





Please can somebody help me!!!!



regards matt




|||



5 star Hilton, Excelsior or Argentina would be great and there is even Pucic Palace 5* and Stari Grad 3* in the Old Town.





Excursions: Mostar, Montenegro, wine tour of Peljesac,,,




|||



For excursions look into Mostar and Korcula.




|||



The Hilton and Excelsior are very %26quot;adult%26quot; hotels and there shouldn%26#39;t be a problem with children. The Argentina probably also falls into the catagory, but I%26#39;m just not that familiar with it.





Does your wife also like really good wine? If so, a wine tour to the Peljesac peninsula is a great day trip and can be combined with a stop in Ston for the best seafood in Croatia.




|||



thanks for the details if anyone else has any info please keep adding your helping me greatly here




|||



Hi,



Maybe you can thing about private accommodation which is cheeper than hotels.



We can recomend to you Apartment and Room Lukre, near old town, 2 minutes walking distance from Old town. It offers private tours with the car and boat. Visit web site to find more information.



www.dubrovnikapartment-roomlukre.com



Also read rewievs at Tripadvisor about this accommodation (great comments).




|||



Just returned from DBV-fabulous place! We loved our private accommodations inside Old City walls at 1 Peline. Two apts in house--a 2 BR 2nd fl., 1 BR 1st fl. Well equipped, clean, modern (since this pre 1667 house was shelled in the 91-92 war). I believe the cost is 90E and 70E-a bargain inside walls. Ana and Zonko Kovac.Fd it on homeaway.com prop.#424030. Owners email is Zvonko.kovac@du.t-com.hr Good thing you are young! The steep stairways everywhere are challenging for us older folks.





Only negative re: trip is weak dollar making great wine and other things quite expensive. Eat at Taj Mahal, Nishta and Kaamenice. Best island trip is Korcula (we sailed for a wk, visiting 5 islands).



DBV is a magical place. You%26#39;ll love it.




|||



Hi



We have just returned from Dubrovnik and stayed at the Rixos Libertas,5* which is about a 15 minute walk ( a bit hilly ) to the old town or get a bus just outside the hotel every 5 mins.



This hotel is outstanding just look at there web site. the views, bars, spa, casino, pool, restaurants,rooms.. you will not be dissapointed.





Were ever you stay have a great time, you old romantic you.





IAN

itinerary help-best order

I%26#39;m planning a trip for June.



Here are the places I want to see.





Dubrovnik-5 nights



day trips to Lokrum, Cavtat?



wine tour Peljesac



Kotor-2 nights



Mostar-2 nights



Korcola-3 nights





Don%26#39;t know whether to include Elefiti Islands?



Can you help me with the order that makes the most sense?



We like to drive ourselves.



Thanks




|||



We drove from Dubrovnik to Korcula via Ston (a nice stop) %26amp; Peljesac, then back to Ston then to Mostar. The drive, while quite scenic, is not very relaxing.



If you%26#39;re driving, you cannot do wine tasting as there is a zero tolerance law for drinking and driving.





While we like Mostar, we think one night is sufficient, and that%26#39;s including a visit to Pocetelj (highly recommended) and Bagayj.





The Old Town of Korcula can be seen in a couple of hours. I think 3 nights maybe an overkill.





We looked into going to Kotor, but decided to go to Mostar instead. You can look into joining a package tour to Kotor from Dubrovnik. It can save you some hassel at the border crossing.




|||



If you want to minimize the amount of driving you will do in a single day, the best order would be Kotor - Dubrovnik - Korcula - Mostar. But, none of these places are so far from each other that you can%26#39;t make it from one to the next within a few hours.





I agree that 3 nights in Korcula may be too much (2 is probably enough, unless you just plan to relax on the beach) and that 2 nights in Mostar may be too much (1 is probably enough). This would give you more time in Dubrovnik and in Montenegro. You might want to spend an extra night in Montenegro and add Budva to your itinerary and spend an extra night in Dubrovnik and take a tour to the Elafiti Islands (although you could probably do this with 5 nights in Dubrovnik anyway).




|||



Wine tour must be with an organized tour, as the prev.poster said. It was meant Blagaj near Mostar and not Bagay.



You may have up to 0,5 promill alc when driving, but if there is an accident you are guilty for not having 0.




|||



I have done some more research.



What about arriving in



Split-2-3 nights



Rent a car



Brac- 1 night?



Hvar-3 nights



Korcula-1 night



Dubrovnik-4 nights



Montenegro -2 nights-Mostar or Kotor?



Then returning to Dubrovnik for departure




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have you thought of the coolest island ever...vis???we loved it the best.




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I just checked out Vis and it looks like just the kind of island I would love.



Where did you stay?



Did you stay in Split or Trogir?



Have you been to Brac, Hvar or Korcula?




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www.frommers.com/destinations/vis/D57268.html - Cached - Similar -





find-croatia.com/beaches-croatia/vis-beach1.… - Cached - Similar -



we stayed at the villa paula, which is now called something else. we used mario from the navigator agency to take us to the hotel and used them to rent mini bike...



1. Re: Vis or Hvar?



Oct 03, 2009, 4:55 PM



Destination Expert



for Sun Valley, Ketchum, Beach Vacations



depends on what you are after...we LOVED VIS...the greatest rest. Villa Kaliopa was an incredible experience, since i am a chef..the staff, including the owners were dancing to the greatest music, food was so romantic, and the setting in the garden..we ate their almost every night. then we rented motor scooter and discovered the hidden beaches, tavernas, and wowo, just loved the island. don%26#39;t miss it.





find-croatia.com/beaches-croatia/vis-beach1.…





check out this hidden gem. we arrived, hiking down the hill, to hear classical music. the owner came in on his dinghy, and we had a beer, a bit warm, but an out of body experience...





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Reply





charley48



idaho



1,956 forum posts



2. Re: Vis or Hvar?



Oct 03, 2009, 4:56 PM



Destination Expert



for Sun Valley, Ketchum, Beach Vacations



and don%26#39;t forget Istria...http://www.san-rocco.hr/ lets talk romantic...hill top towns, oh my





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SORRY this is a bit of a mess, but i copied a post i wrote for the vis vs hvar...



so romantic and wonderful. when in the middle of the island on the bike, the locals were in the midst of grape harvest. they gave us grapes to eat with them...i thought i had died and gone to heaven. so easy to get around, and mario, sister and father were of great help...enjoy




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i see that you are from Santa Barbara, we go all the time. Son is a lawyer there...




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Allsons,





If the choice is between Split and Trogir, definitely go with Trogir and just spend a few hours in Split.

Flying in/out of Pula. Help with 5 day itinerary pls!

G%26#39;day all,





Have had quite a browse through this forum and there%26#39;s heaps of great advice. But a lot of the stuff that is relevant to my travelling party is at least a year old, so I figured it was worth asking for help anyway.





My name%26#39;s Jess, I%26#39;m 28, an Australian living in London, and eagerly awaiting my holiday to Croatia (arriving on the 8th of October). I%26#39;m travelling with my 26 year old sister and our 26 year old girlfriend.





We%26#39;re all making our Croatia debut, and to be honest, a little overwhelmed by what to do during our five and a half day (5 night) stay. Most people I know who have visited Croatia have done one of those sailing tours, and it%26#39;s just not our thing. We%26#39;re all a bit over that hugely boozy phase of our life, and enjoy doing things that are a little of the tourist beaten track.





I%26#39;m hoping some fantastic Pula local is going to be reading this with some grand plans of things we could do during our stay?





We%26#39;re not sure whether we base ourselves in Pula or do a couple of nights in different places? We%26#39;re very much open to suggestions. We like authentic cultural experiences, pretty village towns, eating, drinking nice wine, a bit of relaxing on the beach and love snorkelling (if that%26#39;s still an option at this time of year? is there somewhere to hire equipment from?).





How easy is it to hire a car? Would we need one for day trips? Or is it easier/more cost effective to use buses/trains?





We probably prefer B%26amp;Bs or cheap self-catering apartments if you have any suggestions? Budget wise, we don%26#39;t need anything fancy. Just something safe and secure.





We%26#39;re all foodies and would be interested in doing a cooking class if there is one, or even if anyone has a friend who%26#39;s a great cook who would like to share their knowledge with a journalist, a doctor and a human resources officer! We are happy to pay/buy the ingredients/get some nice wine or all of the above if you know of someone who would like a bit of a cultural exchange experience?





Well I know that%26#39;s a bit of an information overdose, but I appreciate any tips you have. Some of my most memorable holiday moments have come from the suggestions of locals, and I would love if that was the case in Croatia as well.





Hope to hear from you soon...





All the best,





Jess






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I will just start by saying that you should spend at least a night or two in Rovinj. If you can afford it I think it is best to rent a car as it will give you the option to go where you want, when you want. You should look into going to some of the Hilltop towns of Istria such as Hum, Motovun, Buzet and Grozjnan.





You might also want to look into going to the Postojna caves in nearby Slovenia and while there you could also take in Predjamski, a castle a few km away from Postojna.





www.flickr.com/photos/jumpinjack/283738266/




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Thanks so much for your prompt reply!





I did a quick Google search and noticed Rovinj is very close - only 45 minutes drive, so we will certainly take up your suggestion. Can you recommend any accomodation in Rovinj, or any parts of the town that would be best for us?





And as for car rental companies - is it just the regular ones or is there a tourist information site that lists the companies that cover Pula?





The hill top towns you mention also look beautiful - are they each day trips in themselves or do you think we could do a couple in a day? And would it be best to do this from Pula or Rovinj?





That cave castle looks simply magnificent - something different to the usual European castles as well, which is a nice change.





Do you know if there%26#39;s any difficulty or visa required to cross the Croatian border into Slovenia?





Again, sorry to bombard with all the questions.





Please know your advice is greatly appreciated!




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I don%26#39;t think you will need a visa to get across the border to Slovenia. All that is needed will be your passport. The castle is a neat place to visit though. I think you can look into many car rental companies so maybe just start searching and see what you can find for a deal. I have heard that there was quite the shortage of cars this past summer, but I would doubt that you will have a hard time finding one at this time of year. I think my father used Hertz this past summer. I think the hilltop towns are close enough together that you will be able to do a couple of them in a day at least. Thats why it would be better to have a car and not have to rely on public transport. I think Rovinj would be a great base for you to explore from. I do think that Pula would be good to wander around for awhile, but I would suggest that you stay in Rovinj though.




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Hi again! More advice needed please!





I%26#39;m not sure whether to do:





A) pula %26gt; rovinj (stay 2 nights) %26gt; somewhere near buzet (stay 2 nights) and do day trip into caves at slovenia %26gt; SOMEWHERE on the way back to pula (stay 1 night) %26gt; fly out of pula around midday.





or





B) pula %26gt; buzet (would love a suggestion of a good town to stay that would be accessible to slovenia but also some of the pretty hilltop villages) to stay two nights %26gt; down to rovinj with a visit through some more villages to stay in rovinj for three nights %26gt; drive to pula the morning of the day we fly out.





I figured it was better to go inland first then end up on the coast as it%26#39;s a closer drive to pula on the morning we leave.





I also don%26#39;t know what is a good half-way point between pula and postojna to base ourselves for two nights?





Or can we do day trips to all of the above from a base in Rovinj for the whole five nights? Seemed more practical to stay somewhere up near the border for a couple of nights?





Help please!!





Much appreciated,





Jess




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Istria is not that big, one base only is OK, but you must have a car for at least one day, some villages are reachable easily by local buses and some not. You will plan it once there, no crowds, really no neeed for planning in advance, one day you will go east the next day north etc. Beaches, not sure if you will dare to swim, but maybe the sea will be warm enough for you. Truffle season started today, the main events taking place in Livade.



FYI Slovenia is a part of EU no visas needed.




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Thanks again for the reply.





I think the plan is to just get an apartment in Rovinj for the entire five days and do day trips from there...





However, people are recommending we visit Plitvice and the national park does look spectacular. Would it be too far to do a day trip to Plitvice? Should we plan to spend a night there?





Similarly are the caves in Slovenia too far for a day trip?





Also, I just realised, there are two areas called Livade in Croatia! I thought the one further south meant it would be too far for us to visit for the Truffle festival, but if we only need to go to Motovun, that makes things much simpler! Might be a good place to see if we can find a truffle hunter who we can pay to take us hunting?





This is the accommodation we were thinking of in Rovinj - is this in a good area? We are likely to just hire a car for the entire trip, do you have to pay for parking in Rovinj?



holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/rovinj/30190





Thank you a million times over




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Plitivice you can do in one day . Distance from Rovinj is about 250km, so get up earlier to get there sooner. Postojna Caves is about 2 hours from Rovinj by car. If you go remember to buy vignette (weekly vignette price is 15EUR). No need to spent nights there.





Motovun, Grožnjan, Livade, Hum you can do in one day.





The apartment is in a good area. 3 minutes from the main square in old town. Also it is in the pedestrian zone so you can%26#39;t go with the car inside, but the parking is less than 5 minutes away (price is 2 kn for hour, or 1 kn during the night).

going tommorrow

Im off to dubrovnik tommorrow, staying in lapad, are there any last minute tips or things I should know or any recommendations before I go




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cafe buza google my post wish i was there!!




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How wonderful for you, riverparkview;-) Go..and ENjoy!

Croatia trip report, including Makarska & hotel Park

Just returned from a fantastic weeks holiday in Croatia, 06/09/08 to 13/09/08 based in the resort of Makarska.





We booked a package holiday with UK tour operator holiday options which specialises in Croatia. Stayed in the hotel Park in Makarska on a half board basis.





Hope you will find the report useful when planning your trip.





Flights





Travelled from Bristol to Split with Brussels Airlines on a Avro 96 seater jet. Aircraft looked relatively new with leather seats and was relatively comfortable. Outward flight 2hrs 55min, return flight only 2hrs 30min. Both flights were on time, crew were friendly and efficient with a very smart appearance. Complementary food was served (ham salad sandwich and chocolate bar) along with tea, coffee and soft drinks which was more than adequate for a short flight. I was particularly impressed with the captains announcements which were always clear and passengers were always kept informed about the progress of the flight. It was the first time I have travelled with this airline and overall I was impressed, would definitely travel with Brussels airlines again.





Transfers





We arranged our transfers from Split airport to Makarska through the tour operator holiday options. After a little bit of waiting around for the outward transfer the return transfer back to the airport was smooth with no delays. Journey time from the airport to the resort approximately 1hr 30min. Please remember than when leaving Croatia you have to pack all batteries, e.g. cameras, shavers etc in your hand luggage. If you pack them in your hold luggage you will be asked to take them out in the airport. The airport authorities were very strict on this rule when we came home on Saturday, it does not apply for your outward journey, only coming home.





Accommodation - Hotel Park, Makarska.





The brochure describes this hotel as “an example of Croatia’s new breed of quality, 21st century hotels”. Brochure was not wrong, hotel was fantastic from start to finish. To be honest, I could not fault any aspect - we were extremely lucky as were upgraded to a suite on arrival. The suite had two floors with two bathrooms and two flat screen televisions and all of the rooms were very large. We had a sea view from all rooms with amazing sunsets which reflected in the bathroom mirrors! Hotel was extremely modern and immaculate, food was very good and staff were friendly and helpful. I have written a detailed review in the hotel section (definitely 5/5), should appear in the hotel section shortly. I have also included lots of photographs, there is not a great deal of information about this hotel or photos on the net. In the meantime, if you have any questions let me know.





Makarska





This was our base for the duration of the holiday. Thought Makarska was a very pretty resort, sitting in the middle of a horseshoe bay against a spectacular backdrop of the Biokovo mountains. I could admire the mountains all day, can understand why there are the tallest mountains in the Mediterranean. I recommend a visit to the towns museum which traces the towns history. Another point of interest is the Franciscan monastery which was built in 1400. This houses a wonderful sea shell collection which is open daily from 10am to 12pm. St Marks church is also worth a visit which features a baroque silver altar. After reading reports that Makarska was extremely busy in July and August I was glad to find that September was a lot quieter and in my opinion is an ideal time to visit. I would not want to visit in the height of the summer season. We had a good lunch time meal in the Adriatic restaurant on the harbour in Makarska, lovely fresh food with reasonable prices. During our stay in Makarska we visited the following places :-





Tucepi





We caught a small taxi minibus from Makarska harbour (close to hotel Porin) for 12kn, (under £1.50) very cheap and efficient, journey time 5 - 10 minutes. There is no set timetable, buses run every twenty minutes. The minibus does not take you into Tucepi itself, its drops you off on the main road and you will have to walk into Tucepi down a little hill (uphill coming back) but it is only a two minute walk. I thought Tucepi was a charming quiet resort with some lovely restaurants along the harbour and was extremely pretty, a lot smaller and quieter than Makarska. We originally booked in the hotel Laurentum in Tucepi two years ago but we had to change our travel plans because the airline cancelled the flights. We visited the hotel and it looked really nice in a very quiet position overlooking the harbour with a lovely waterfall and flowers outside.





Jelsa (Hvar) %26amp; Bol (Brac)





We went on a trip on the Pasat boat from Makarska to Jelsa %26amp; Bol. This was good value for money, 150kn (about £16) which included lunch on board the boat, either fresh fish or chicken. We left Makarska at 08:30am and arrived in Jelsa (Hvar) at 10:20am. The island of Hvar is the second largest in the Adriatic and in 1997 was voted as one of the ten most beautiful islands in the world by the traveller magazine and is known as the “Madeira of the Adriatic”. I have been to Madeira several times and am a big fan, it does remind me of the beautiful and lush vegetation. We only had an hour to explore the 16th century main square which is surrounded by baroque style building and take lots of photographs but it was really nice. Could have stayed there a lot longer. At 11:20am we left Jelsa bound for Bol and arrived at 12:30pm after a lovely fish dinner.





After arriving at Bol we turned right from the port to walk to the Church which took approximately 10 minutes. We walked over the beach and rocks but you if you have walking difficulties I would walk along the road as it is much easier. The church is definitely work a visit and combined with the clear waters and lots of greener the area is very pretty. After the church we walked back to the port (10 minutes) and towards the famous ’Zlatni Rat’ beach which took another 25 minutes. I have visited Bol previously, my last visit was over 20 years ago and is just as pretty. The only change I noticed was walking along the flat promenade under the trees towards the Zlatni Rat beach. There were quite a few stalls along the promenade, was not there 20 years ago. We spent approximately 3hrs 30min in Bol, caught the boat to Makarska at 4pm, arriving at 6pm. Excellent day trip and definitely recommended.





Mostar - Bosnia %26amp; Herzegovina





We visited Mostar in Bosnia %26amp; Herzegovina on a organised day trip with the UK tour operator holiday options. The actual tour was with Elite travel and I was very surprised that holiday options was charging the same price as Elite (380kn per person, approximately £43), usually booking through a tour operator costs more than booking with the provider direct. At 8.30am we left Makarska and travelled along the coast and mountains towards the Bosnia boarder. We had a coffee stop by some very pretty lakes close to the Bosnian boarder - sorry cannot remember the name of the lakes. I will write a separate review of Mostar in the Bosnian forum later in the week. In the meantime, if you have any questions let me know.





Weather (6/9/08 - 13/9/08).





We were extremely lucky with the weather, lots of sunshine and very warm with temperature around 32C. The only exception to this was on the day we returned home, we had a thunderstorm during the early hours of Saturday morning and there was a lot more cloud and cooler with temperature around 24C.





All good things come to an end and it is back to work tomorrow. Croatia is a beautiful country and all of the locals were always friendly and helpful. Hope to return next year, plan to stay in a resort close to Dubrovnik. If you have any questions, let me know.




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hi welshtraveller





excellent review there and full of info, will be staying in the same resort next summer (well late may/early june) for two weeks and we%26#39;re already reading up and doing our homework!





when you%26#39;ve done you%26#39;re mostar review would you be able to reply back to this thread with the link as mostar is one place we%26#39;d love to visit whilst we%26#39;re in makarska next year, just anything you can remember, times, prices, where you went, what you did etc





did you visit split during your stay? and also did you go up the mountains which back onto the resort?




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Hi Jason %26amp; Lynz,





Mostar - After the stunning scenery of Croatia I was a bit disappointed when we crossed the Bosnian boarder, there was a fair amount of litter on the side of the road. As we travelled closer to Mostar you could see some burnt out buildings and a relatively sparse landscape. On arrival at Mostar we were greeted by three beggars, two of them were on their own while the other one had a baby. This was made worse by the fact that we had a 1hr 30min guided tour included in the trip and we had to wait for the guide to arrive. As the whole coach of people were stationery waiting for the guide the beggars walked around us, at this point I wanted to go back to Croatia.





When the guide finally arrived (he was waiting for us in a different location) we had a tour of the old town which included a Turkish House and a mosque. After the tour we had some free time (about 2hrs) to stroll around and browse among the many craft shops along the cobbled streets. The centre of Mostar and the view from the bridges (the main attraction) is extremely pretty. We had lunch in a local restaurant overlooking the river with excellent views. We were advised by the courier that the majority of restaurants accepts Croatian kunar, Bosnian marks or the Euro. However, when we paid for the meal in Croatian kunar we had a shock as it was quite expensive, goodness knows what exchange rate they used. Personally, I would take some euros or Bosnian marks with you. Another tip is to take some good walking shoes, there are lots of cobbles and they are quite slippery, especially when walking over cobble bridges with wooden slants at a slight angle! Oh and most importantly, don’t forget your passport.





We did not have enough time to visit Split or travel to the mountains. It is extremely easy to catch a bus from Makarska to Split or there are tours which combine Split %26amp; Trogir (280kn per person) with Elite and Atlas excursions. Atlas and Elite also have tours to the Biokovo Mountains for 340kn per person, lunch included.





Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, let me know. Currently planning my next trip to Croatia in 2009, looking forward to my next visit.




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Hi there,





Thanks for posting back so quickly, it looks like you%26#39;re quite a regular on the forum looking at your recent posts





It%26#39;s a pity you had to wait for the guide to turn up but it sounds like the place itself sounds very nice and pretty - well worth the trip im thinking.





The trip that you went on, did you have a choice whether you wanted to do the tour etc or did you have to go around with the group?





Only reason I ask is that we had a day trip (from Rovinj) back in June and on the boat over there they offered us extra tours/things to do/see for extra money. I don%26#39;t regret doing the extras but part of me would of preferred to have had the day by ourselves doing our own thing, and Mostar sounds much smaller than Venice.





Thanks for the advice with the Euro%26#39;s, thats worth remembering. Talking of money, how much did the trip cost you and what were the timing%26#39;s like (pick up and drop off from Croatia.





We%26#39;re going for two weeks next year so we%26#39;re aiming to see as much as possible whilst we%26#39;re over there. I like the sound of the tours up the Biokovo Mountains, I%26#39;ve read somewhere on here that a company does sunrise tours where they take you up the mountains, you view the sunrise and then they give you a tradtional Croatian breakfast, that also appeals to me.





Where abouts are you heading to in Croatia next year and how many times have you been so far? We%26#39;ve only had a week in Rovinj but it was more than enough to make us instantly want to go back - infact we booked next years holiday within two weeks of being back in the UK!





Jason




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Hi Jason,





We did not have a choice about the guided tour, the guide was quite insistent that we stayed together as a group. Like you, don’t regret doing the tour but I did find the Turkish house and the mosque a little boring, seen these before on different holidays.





We left Makarska at 8.30am and arrived in Mostar at 11.30am. On the return journey, we left Mostar at 4pm, arrived back 6.30pm. The Mostar trip cost 380kn per person.





Elite travel have a half day tour of Biokovo, which includes transportation, guide and food : -





“We invite you to enjoy a walk in the Biokovo mountain. We start by bus and after a short drive we will continue by foot. The climb takes us higher and higher as we enjoy the spectacular view of the Makarska Riviera and the islands - so don’t forget your camera! Later on, we will walk down and take a short stop for some delicious local food - cheese, smoked ham and wine”





Not sure how much this trip costs, but at a guess around 340kn.





We have visited Croatia before, stayed in Brac and Budva in Montenegro. We are currently looking at hotels on the outskirts of Dubrovnik or an island such as Lopud for one of next years holidays. We have had a a few holidays and city breaks this year to Lisbon, Mainland Spain %26amp; Lake Garda - Croatia is definitely one of our favourites and like you want to go back. In fact, I did not want to leave!





Where are you staying Makarska? We stayed in the Hotel Park and it was absolutely fantastic, have a look at my review in the hotel section for further information. I have also included some photographs which may be of some assistance.





If you have any further questions, let me know. Happy planning!




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Hi, thanks for your informative report. we are travelling to croatia June 2009 staying 4 days in Dubrovnik and 5 days iN Podgora which in on Makarska riviera, just wondering as you were in the area did you go to this town. IT was recommended to us but dont know alot about it...cheers




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Hi, We did not have enough time to visit Podgora so I am unable to help. I think June and September is probably the best time to visit as July and August is usually busy. We are currently planning our Summer 2009 holiday in Croatia, may see you in Dubrovnik in June! Have a good holiday.




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hi welshtraveller, sorry for not getting back to you sooner after your detailed reply there





thats great, thanks for all the comments and info, i should imagine we%26#39;ll have a few more questions nearer the time, no doubt once xmas has been and gone we%26#39;ll be able to look into exactly what we%26#39;re doing when we go and how much cash to take etc





talking of cash, were there plenty of ATM%26#39;s in makarska? in rovinj there were loads and i said next time we went we%26#39;d take less cash and use the card, just want to make sure there%26#39;s enough ATM%26#39;s for us to do that





also, can you recommend any eating places in the resort? we%26#39;re going half board but will look to eat out 3-4 times to break the fortnight up a bit and sample some of the local food




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Hi Jason - There is a minimum of two banks in Makarska, there is definitely one ATM machine close to the hotel Biokovo in the centre, not sure if there is anymore. As we had half board we did not eat out in the evening but we did have a good lunchtime snack in the Adriatic restaurant close to the harbour. If you need further information let me know.





Ps - When you stayed in Rovinj, did you visit Opatija? Thinking of going there next year.




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Hi there,





Opatija is one place we didn%26#39;t go to, from memory it%26#39;s one place I quickly looked at as a potential day trip but it never happened, I don%26#39;t think our operator did trips there either.





It looks an ideal location if you want to do youir day trips, you%26#39;re in easy reach of Plitvice where I would of loved to have gone this year, you%26#39;ve also got Risnjak national park, your islands, Istrian villages are closeby and of course you%26#39;ve got what looks like an amazing view down the coast





Thanks re the ATM%26#39;s and banks, doesn%26#39;t sound as many as there were in Rovinj but I%26#39;m sure there%26#39;ll be plenty!




|||



Thanks Jason. If you have further questions, let me know. Have a good trip.