Trip Report - Croatia
Sep 17th, 2003, 04:38 PM
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Trip Report - Croatia
Some of you have asked me for a short trip report, so here you go. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Day One: Left London Heathrow on Croatia Airlines. We did not leave London until 5:30 p.m. and arrived in Zagreb around 8:30 p.m. Croatia Airlines was great. The service was good and the flight attendants were very polite. I had quite a long layover in Zagreb so I hung out with an English man I met on the plane that happened to be staying at my hotel in Dubrovnik. For a short while we weren?t sure if we would be able to land in Dubrovnik due to strong winds, but we finally got clearance and got in about 12:30 a.m. My new friend had a car service picking him up, so he offered me a lift. Both bus and taxis were waiting for the flight to arrive for those of you who might be wondering about late arrivals. I stayed in the Bay of Lapad area at the Hotel Komodor. This was a 3 star hotel but the rooms were fine. The staff was friendly and they had a nice breakfast in the morning. There is also a nice pool to lounge around in the afternoons with a drink bar. There were a lot of cafes and bars within walking distance of the hotel, as well as a nice park and beach, although the beach was a little too rocky for me.
Day Two: I had arranged a city tour of Dubrovnik through Atlas. The bus picked me up right on time and we went high above the city to see the panoramic view of the old town. It was so beautiful. Afterwards, we went on a walking tour of the old town and had a guide explain the history of the city. We visited Rector?s Palace, The Franciscan Monastery with a 14th Century Pharmacy and the market where you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables and souvenirs. Afterwards, you were given some free time to browse the old city on your own. I went back to the hotel and relaxed by the pool, as well as taking a nice walk around the area. I had dinner at the Hotel Komodor that night with my English friend. We shared some nice local wine.
Day 3: I took the day trip to Montenegro with Atlas. This is one excursion not to miss. You start off driving through the towns of Risan and Perast and with your first stop in the walled city of Kotor. Afterwards, you work your way up the 25 serpentine road. There are 25 hairpin turns on the mountain after which you end up in a small village where the restaurant serves sandwiches and wine or juice. We then continued with a stop at a museum in Cetinje. Our last stop was the lovely resort town of Budva. It was very pleasant there with an old walled city to explore as well as two nice beach areas with cafes, fast food stands and restaurants. On the way back to Croatia, we took the bus across the water on a ferry to shave some mileage off of our return drive. This really was such an interesting day. That evening I had dinner at the Restaurant Konavoka in the Bay of Lapad. The restaurant had wonderful selections of seafood, meats, pasta and pizza. There was a lovely upstairs patio for dining with a bar downstairs as well.
Day 4: Bus trip to Split. Took the bus from the bus station in Dubrovnik. This is a 4-1/2 hour bus ride, but was really lovely. You pass through Bosnia for a short time and need your passport with you. We got to Split about 1:30 p.m. and I checked into the Hotel President. This hotel is a 5 star and very new. It was also very modern and the staff couldn?t have been nicer there. It is only as short walk to town from there. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring Diocletian's Palace. The palace is one of the most famous architectural and cultural constructs on the Croatian Adriatic coast. It is a blend of both old and new combined. After that, I went to the market in Split where they have fruits, vegetables, meats, souvenirs, etc. I spent the evening wandering around on the promenade in town. There are lots of cafes for drinks or coffees. Make sure you have some ice cream while you are in Split.
Day 5: Took the bus to Trogir from Split. It is only about a 30 minute bus ride if you go from the bus station. The local buses are a little bit cheaper, but take a lot longer. Trogir is a lovely town with a walled city and there was a nice market there. I was there on a Sunday. This was one of my favorite towns that I visited. Afterwards, I went back to Split and spent a couple of hours at Bacvice Beach. This is an area where the local people go on a Sunday afternoon. There is a nice beach as well as cafes, bars and ice cream shops. I had a slice of pizza for dinner this night at Buffalo Pizza in the food court near the train station. You can?t beat the price of 7 Kuna for dinner. I spent the rest of evening by walking around near the marina and then hiking up the stairs and hills in Marjan. There is a lovely view of the city from up there.
Day 6: Ferry from Split to Dubrovnik. I took the Croatian ferry line Jadrolinija (The Dubrovnik). We left at 7:00 a.m. and our first stop was Stari Grad. Not much to see from the ferry as it is about a 15 walk to the village. We had lovely weather until we got to Korcula and then the weather turned rainy. This was the first rain in Croatia in 6 months (my luck). The ferry ended up being very choppy the rest of the way and people were getting seasick. I was glad when we got to Dubrovnik 2 hours late. I checked into the Hotel Argentina this night. This is a 5 star hotel and is about a 10 minute walk from the old town. After using the fitness center and swimming in the indoor pool, I walked next door to the Hotel Excelsior and had dinner there outside on the terrace.
Day 7: I had breakfast at the Hotel Argentina (which was great) and then I climbed the walls in the old town. The cost is 15 Kuna and is worth every one. The walk is approximately 2 kilometers ((1.2 miles). Keep in mind that there are stairs, so if you are not fit or have problems walking, you may not want to attempt this climb. Try and find Cafe Buzza for a cold drink on the outside wall by the sea. Since there was a little sun this day so I could make use of the beautiful pool at the Hotel Argentina. In the evening, I strolled the old town. There are so many cafes to choose from. The streets in the old town are a maze of steps, shops and restaurant. I am sure I missed half of the streets. Dinner was from a bakery called Galeta (I believe) right on the same street as the Hotel Argentina. Again, can?t beat 10 Kuna for a dinner. Later on I tried the local beer at the Hotel Excelsior. There were a bunch of Americans and Brits in town for a conference and they were good company.
Day 8: Took the local bus to Cavtat. There are also boats that go from the old port in the old town (which I am sure would be nicer), but it was raining. This is another lovely little town. It is about half an hour on the bus. It was pouring by the time I came back. I had dinner my last night at the Hotel Argentina. The restaurant is really nice, but I preferred the breakfast there.
Day 9: Flew back to London via Zagreb and Riejka. The flight from Dubrovnik left late, but Croatia Airlines held all of the flights in Zagreb for those of us that had flights to London, Vienna and Amsterdam. Again, the service was fine on Croatia Airlines and I was back in London right on time.
Hope this helps anyone going over to Croatia soon. You will love it.
Day One: Left London Heathrow on Croatia Airlines. We did not leave London until 5:30 p.m. and arrived in Zagreb around 8:30 p.m. Croatia Airlines was great. The service was good and the flight attendants were very polite. I had quite a long layover in Zagreb so I hung out with an English man I met on the plane that happened to be staying at my hotel in Dubrovnik. For a short while we weren?t sure if we would be able to land in Dubrovnik due to strong winds, but we finally got clearance and got in about 12:30 a.m. My new friend had a car service picking him up, so he offered me a lift. Both bus and taxis were waiting for the flight to arrive for those of you who might be wondering about late arrivals. I stayed in the Bay of Lapad area at the Hotel Komodor. This was a 3 star hotel but the rooms were fine. The staff was friendly and they had a nice breakfast in the morning. There is also a nice pool to lounge around in the afternoons with a drink bar. There were a lot of cafes and bars within walking distance of the hotel, as well as a nice park and beach, although the beach was a little too rocky for me.
Day Two: I had arranged a city tour of Dubrovnik through Atlas. The bus picked me up right on time and we went high above the city to see the panoramic view of the old town. It was so beautiful. Afterwards, we went on a walking tour of the old town and had a guide explain the history of the city. We visited Rector?s Palace, The Franciscan Monastery with a 14th Century Pharmacy and the market where you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables and souvenirs. Afterwards, you were given some free time to browse the old city on your own. I went back to the hotel and relaxed by the pool, as well as taking a nice walk around the area. I had dinner at the Hotel Komodor that night with my English friend. We shared some nice local wine.
Day 3: I took the day trip to Montenegro with Atlas. This is one excursion not to miss. You start off driving through the towns of Risan and Perast and with your first stop in the walled city of Kotor. Afterwards, you work your way up the 25 serpentine road. There are 25 hairpin turns on the mountain after which you end up in a small village where the restaurant serves sandwiches and wine or juice. We then continued with a stop at a museum in Cetinje. Our last stop was the lovely resort town of Budva. It was very pleasant there with an old walled city to explore as well as two nice beach areas with cafes, fast food stands and restaurants. On the way back to Croatia, we took the bus across the water on a ferry to shave some mileage off of our return drive. This really was such an interesting day. That evening I had dinner at the Restaurant Konavoka in the Bay of Lapad. The restaurant had wonderful selections of seafood, meats, pasta and pizza. There was a lovely upstairs patio for dining with a bar downstairs as well.
Day 4: Bus trip to Split. Took the bus from the bus station in Dubrovnik. This is a 4-1/2 hour bus ride, but was really lovely. You pass through Bosnia for a short time and need your passport with you. We got to Split about 1:30 p.m. and I checked into the Hotel President. This hotel is a 5 star and very new. It was also very modern and the staff couldn?t have been nicer there. It is only as short walk to town from there. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring Diocletian's Palace. The palace is one of the most famous architectural and cultural constructs on the Croatian Adriatic coast. It is a blend of both old and new combined. After that, I went to the market in Split where they have fruits, vegetables, meats, souvenirs, etc. I spent the evening wandering around on the promenade in town. There are lots of cafes for drinks or coffees. Make sure you have some ice cream while you are in Split.
Day 5: Took the bus to Trogir from Split. It is only about a 30 minute bus ride if you go from the bus station. The local buses are a little bit cheaper, but take a lot longer. Trogir is a lovely town with a walled city and there was a nice market there. I was there on a Sunday. This was one of my favorite towns that I visited. Afterwards, I went back to Split and spent a couple of hours at Bacvice Beach. This is an area where the local people go on a Sunday afternoon. There is a nice beach as well as cafes, bars and ice cream shops. I had a slice of pizza for dinner this night at Buffalo Pizza in the food court near the train station. You can?t beat the price of 7 Kuna for dinner. I spent the rest of evening by walking around near the marina and then hiking up the stairs and hills in Marjan. There is a lovely view of the city from up there.
Day 6: Ferry from Split to Dubrovnik. I took the Croatian ferry line Jadrolinija (The Dubrovnik). We left at 7:00 a.m. and our first stop was Stari Grad. Not much to see from the ferry as it is about a 15 walk to the village. We had lovely weather until we got to Korcula and then the weather turned rainy. This was the first rain in Croatia in 6 months (my luck). The ferry ended up being very choppy the rest of the way and people were getting seasick. I was glad when we got to Dubrovnik 2 hours late. I checked into the Hotel Argentina this night. This is a 5 star hotel and is about a 10 minute walk from the old town. After using the fitness center and swimming in the indoor pool, I walked next door to the Hotel Excelsior and had dinner there outside on the terrace.
Day 7: I had breakfast at the Hotel Argentina (which was great) and then I climbed the walls in the old town. The cost is 15 Kuna and is worth every one. The walk is approximately 2 kilometers ((1.2 miles). Keep in mind that there are stairs, so if you are not fit or have problems walking, you may not want to attempt this climb. Try and find Cafe Buzza for a cold drink on the outside wall by the sea. Since there was a little sun this day so I could make use of the beautiful pool at the Hotel Argentina. In the evening, I strolled the old town. There are so many cafes to choose from. The streets in the old town are a maze of steps, shops and restaurant. I am sure I missed half of the streets. Dinner was from a bakery called Galeta (I believe) right on the same street as the Hotel Argentina. Again, can?t beat 10 Kuna for a dinner. Later on I tried the local beer at the Hotel Excelsior. There were a bunch of Americans and Brits in town for a conference and they were good company.
Day 8: Took the local bus to Cavtat. There are also boats that go from the old port in the old town (which I am sure would be nicer), but it was raining. This is another lovely little town. It is about half an hour on the bus. It was pouring by the time I came back. I had dinner my last night at the Hotel Argentina. The restaurant is really nice, but I preferred the breakfast there.
Day 9: Flew back to London via Zagreb and Riejka. The flight from Dubrovnik left late, but Croatia Airlines held all of the flights in Zagreb for those of us that had flights to London, Vienna and Amsterdam. Again, the service was fine on Croatia Airlines and I was back in London right on time.
Hope this helps anyone going over to Croatia soon. You will love it.
Sep 17th, 2003, 05:24 PM
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A great report, Deborah. I'm glad you had such a nice time. Was it crowded while you were there, or was tourist season pretty much over? I did't think of doing the city tour. Sounds like a smart thing. I will definitely do it next time.
Sep 17th, 2003, 06:24 PM
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Yes, it was still pretty busy. Tours were full. There were a lot of Italians in Split because the Blue Line ferry comes over from Anacona. Mostly Europeans though. Not many Americans about.
Sep 18th, 2003, 07:37 AM
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Deborah, thanks for sharing this with us. We will also be staying at the Hotel Argentina in Dubrovnik. Several of the excursions, etc. that you mention are also on our itinerary. We may need to add Cavtat and will certainly try Restaurant Konavoka. I am not expecting great food, but it would be nice to be surprised. We were surprised with some lovely meals in Poland last year. Thanks again for the information, and I'm glad you had a good trip.
Sep 18th, 2003, 07:50 AM
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Carroll:
I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how good the food is. My shrimp risotto at the Hotel Excelsior was my favorite meal of the whole trip. My mouth waters thinking about it. I didn't care for dinner at the Hotel Argentina, but breakfast is wonderful and there's even champagne. There is also an Atlas desk right at the HA to help you. Make sure you tell us all about your trip when you get back.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how good the food is. My shrimp risotto at the Hotel Excelsior was my favorite meal of the whole trip. My mouth waters thinking about it. I didn't care for dinner at the Hotel Argentina, but breakfast is wonderful and there's even champagne. There is also an Atlas desk right at the HA to help you. Make sure you tell us all about your trip when you get back.
Sep 18th, 2003, 08:39 AM
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Deborah -
We must have experienced some of the same rain - I didn't mind - it hadn't rained for 9 months there so they needed it .
Sounds like you had a great trip.
Did you eat at the Rustica Taverna at the Hotel Excelsior? The view and the food are great.
I'll hopefully pull together my notes this weekend and post.
We must have experienced some of the same rain - I didn't mind - it hadn't rained for 9 months there so they needed it .
Sounds like you had a great trip.
Did you eat at the Rustica Taverna at the Hotel Excelsior? The view and the food are great.
I'll hopefully pull together my notes this weekend and post.
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Sep 18th, 2003, 08:49 AM
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I stopped in the Taverna Rustica and you are right, it is a lovely restaurant, but I didn't stay there because I was on my own and felt more comfortable out on the terrace. The service couldn't have been nicer. I know they needed the rain, but I just wish it waited til I left on Thursday!! Oh well, next time, all sun hopefully. As someone at the hotel said "the land was thirsty". Looking forward to your post.
Sep 18th, 2003, 10:03 AM
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Deborah your report made me laugh...you said it hadn't rained in 6 months...which means the last time it rained was when I was there! And they really were hoping for more rain at that time...
Glad to hear you had a good time!
Glad to hear you had a good time!
Sep 18th, 2003, 02:49 PM
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Hi
Thanks so much for your report on Croatia. We are leaving on Friday, 9/20/03. Flying in Franfurt and then Adria Air to Lubljana where we are picking up a car. We found that if you want to go to Croatia from Italy, you can't rent a car there.
Really good report, you hit some of the oplaces we are intending to go. Glad you enjoyed it.
alan
Thanks so much for your report on Croatia. We are leaving on Friday, 9/20/03. Flying in Franfurt and then Adria Air to Lubljana where we are picking up a car. We found that if you want to go to Croatia from Italy, you can't rent a car there.
Really good report, you hit some of the oplaces we are intending to go. Glad you enjoyed it.
alan
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