cavergirl

My husband and I are going to Slovenia and Croatia for 3 weeks late in the summer. I am struggling with an itinerary and would appreciate any suggestions. Is Zagreb worth seeing or is just another large city with the usual cathedrals to see? We fly into Ljubliana - do we stay 2 or 3 nights? We are hikers so planned on staying at Lake Bled (probably Hotel Villa Bled)for 3 nights. Then we were going to Istria (Opatjia/Piran/Rovinj??) - should we stay in one or maybe 2 different places? Then to Plitvice for 2 nights?? We want to do some island hopping then so are thinking of 2 nights on Hvar then perhaps a night in Korcula? It sounds like Split is best to do as a stopover rather than an overnighter. We end up in Dubrovnik (4 or 5 nights) and I thought we would try and do a day trip to Mljet (rather than spend the night there) and I saw some postings that Atlas does a good day tour to Montenegro. We will have a car. Thanks in advance for your help.

Syl

Cavegirl,
When exactly are you going because my husband & I are planning the same trip Sept.10?
I just booked the plane today from Montreal to London by Thomas Cook Airlines & Easyjet to Ljubljana this afternoon.
Our itinerary after months of research:
1)Ljubljana 2 nights
2)Pick up car & drive to Bled.Tour
Bled area around lake & next day
take spectacular scenic all day
mountain tour with 3glav
adventures.
3)Following day drive to Skocjan Caves
& Lipica & sleep 2 nights in Piran.
4)Tour Rovinj & Pula. Either sleep in
Pula or start drive to Plitvice &
overnight on way.
5)2 nights in Plitvice.
6)Drive to Split & sleep in Trogir 1 or
2 nights.
7)Ferry to Hvar & sleep 3 nights
8)Ferry to Split & drive down coast
9)Dubrovnik 4 nights (incl.Montenegro & Mljet)
We can't wait to get there.

cavergirl

We are leaving Reno, NV on August 20th and return on Sept 10th so guess we will be passing you in the sky. Your itinerary does sound a lot like ours. Do you have accomodations yet? I saw some postings saying that hotels at Plitvice were sold out in Sept so I am concerned. I sent an email off today to Hotel Jezero. I don't have reservations anywhere yet other than hotel Vila Bled. I am cuious about the mountain tour with 3glav adventures. What is that all about?

victoria_sw3

Hi Syl-

I had to chime in. I am so happy to read that you're doing a day with Domen and his friends at 3glav
adventures. We did their Emerald River adventure day in August of 2004. It was the highlight of our trip to Slovenia--the rafting was unbelievable (not for the rapids but the color of the water is incredible). I am still in sporadic touch with Domen and cannot say enough good things about our day with him. You will love Bled and the surrounding area!

Syl

Cavegirl,
Try www.3glav-adventures.com. Yes, Domen seems like a wonderful person.He has been extremely helpful to us in planning the trip.We've booked Hotel Emonec in Ljubljana (recommended by Rick Steves website),Bomi Pension in Bled, Hotel MaxPiran in Piran, Hotel Croatia in Hvar & in a private accomodation (recommended by a Fodorite) in Dubrovnik.The home owner in Dubrovnik takes his renters on private tours at a reasonable price so no need for Atlas. I've tried booking TC Marco (highly recommended by a Torontonian on Trip Advisor) near Plitvice but they haven't returned my email request. If they don't reply, I'll search on the private accom site for Plitvice area.Since we also have a car, no need to be on sight of the attraction. As per Trogir, still searching. Please note that we don't blow money needlessly on expensive hotels. As long as the room is clean, with private bathroom & is in a good location, we're happy.Who are you renting your car from because it seems cheaper for us to rent it from a Canadian firm since we need European collision insurance & don't drive standard ? As well, we've decided to return the car in Split after Hvar & take the bus to Dubrovnik. We've already done hairpin cliffside drives in Crete & my nerves were shot.Please let me know your further plans. Good luck.

cavergirl

Thanks for the tips on 3glav adventures. I will contact them about the Emerald River Advneture. It sounds wonderful. I just got an email confirming our stay at the Vila Sikaa in Trogir. After reading postings and my guidebooks, it seemed better to stay there than Split. I have still not heard from Plitvice either. I tried faxing them yesterday as a follow up to email but got a busy signal. I have a few other emails out to places, too and am still waiting for responses which is frustrating. Again, thanks for the info on 3glav.

Syl

Cavegirl,
On what basis did you choose Villa Sikaa? I'm a little worried because there's no parking place near the hotel.Please let me know your choices elsewhere.

dcdee

cavegirl-- We visited some of your destinations in Sept/Oct 04, starting in Ljubljana. We had planned to stay 3 nights in Ljubljana but left after two. Ljubljana's historic area is interesting but rather small and it doesn't take that long to feel that you've pretty well seen what there is to see. We went to Lake Bled for the day. We did not do any hiking but it is a beautiful area to do so.

We stopped at the Villa Bled which you probably know was where Marshall Tito entertained foreign dignataries. We walked through the public areas and gardens overlooking the lake-- a very lovely spot on the south side of the lake near the island church. (One interesting thing was that there was an old, long Cadillac Fleetwood with 1972 Minnesota license plates parked in a prime location near the front door. Perhaps you will let us know if it's still there.)

We spent three nights in Zagreb. We liked it but many people aren't impressed. It certainly does not compare to the coastal areas but it's interesting as being different from the other areas you'll visit. The Dolac market also had the most reasonably priced and greatest variety of handicraft items we found in our 2+ weeks in Slov/ Croatia..

One of the days there we drove to Varazdin, a beautiful smaller town about 50 miles away with an old town largely of Baroque buildings, well maintained for the most part,including several churches, the town hall and a 16th century castle.

Syl-- We stayed in Trogir three nights, two at Vila Sikaa. We did not have any trouble finding a parking space on the street in front of the hotel (we were there the last week in Sept). If you'd like off street parking, you might consider Apartmani Bakica, about 200 meters beyond Vila Sikaa but still an easy walk to the old town island. We spent one night there in a second floor apartment on a hillside overlooking the old town. It was almost new, very clean, roomy and airy with two balconies overlooking the old town-- for 60E per night in Sept 04. We would have spent all three nights there but we had guaranteed two nights at Vila Sikaa but arrived a day early without a reservation and Sikaa was filled, so we stayed that night at Apt. Bakica which we liked better and was less expensive. It is not directly on the road and was in a quiet area.

cavergirl

dcdee, Thanks for the feedback on Ljubljana. Glad we are only staying there 2 nights. We generally prefer to spend more time out of the larger cities and didn't want to have to give up a day somewhere else. We are booked at Villa Bled for 3 nights. We will check out the Cadillac and get back to you on that. I read about Vila Sikaa in my guidebook - Croatia, The Bradt Travel Guide and thought it looked nice on the web. I am having trouble getting responses from the hotels in Plitvice. Anyone know anything about how to get through to these people? I am also not having much luck with Hvar. And thanks Syl for the info on 3glva. I emailed back and forth with Domen and we are set for a day tour with him plus he said he will help us with some ideas for hikes on our own. He even offered to loan us some hiking sticks.

Syl

Cavegirl,
Have you tried Hotel Croatia In Hvar?
Where have you decided to stay in Istria?

cavergirl

I haven't tried Hotel Croatia in Hvar. I have emails out to 2 apartments and Hotel Podstine. We are staying at the Hotel Angelo d'Oro in Rovinj. Opted for Rovinj rather than Opatjia.

olyman

We stayed in Piran for 4 days this last summer(Hotel Piran) and cried when we had to leave. There is something special about that place. Wandering the little streets at night was magical. We found it easier to just stay in Piran and drive down to Pula to see the Roman sites. We also drove over to Rovinj to look at the hotels, beach, and town to see if we wanted to stay there for a few nights. Umag is also very close too. Decided just to stay in Piran at night and enjoy the company of the Slovenians on vacation there (not to say that the Croatian people weren't nice as well). The hotels in Rovinj were nice, but more on the large, cement variety. We spent quite a lot of time walking along the waterfront and beach just south of Rovinj and had lunch there, but just felt that Piran was right for us.