Just back

Just back from 10 days in Zadar, stayed in Villa Lipa apartments, a fifteen minute walk to Zadar old town (via rowing boat ferry). Taxi from the airport cost 200 kuna which I consider expensive for a ten-twelve kilometre drive. The apartments were clean and had the usual facilities and were reasonable at 45 euro per night for a two bedroom apartment, the owners representative was helpful and approachable. There were four on five restaurants nearby where we ate most nights, the cost for a main meal and a drink varied from around 60-90 kuna per person and the standard was generally high. There was also a bakers shop, a chemists, two grocery stores with butchers within one hundred metres of the apartment. The nearest grocery store was not the self-service type so it was necessary to struggle with the language - how come phrase books don%26#39;t have sensible phrases like, a litre of low-fat milk and a half kilo of unsalted butter please?

Zadar city was clean and quite enjoyable but really a poor mans Dubrovnik.

We went on organised excursions to Plitvice lakes National park (stunning), The Komati Islands (not quite so stunning) and also had our own excursions on the local buses to Sibenik one day, Nin another, and had a ferry trip across to Prago.

The weather had been 29 degrees a day or so before we arrived but dropped suddenly to 12-13 degrees - apparently their lowest October temperatures since 1971 - however this had the unexpected benefit of subduing the mozzies a tad.

We only had one day when it rained but despite the low temperatures on the other days it was warm enough in the sun (but not quite warm enough to tempt me into the sea)

I enjoyed the break and the experience of Zadar region but I think that for me its a case of been there, done that - I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;ll return but I would certainly not discourage others from visiting.

Regards

Peat