First time in Croatia, 2 adults, 2 teens. Where and what...
Discussion
Confined by school hold so likely early August, first of all, is that a silly hot time to visit weather wise?
Second - where?! We like the idea of a pleasant seaside place with a sandy beach an led a reasonable selection of eateries. Not wanting to be full of Brits but equally somewhere we can get by without speaking the lingo. Ideally a apartment/villa, or at least something with bedrooms and not just a studio/hotel room.
Any must dos / places / attractions?
Conscious of 1, maybe 2 (sprog may bring friend), 13 year olds so beach/pool would be nice and also anything theme park related would be good - basically some boredom relief for them! Equally some natural beauty would be appreciated by us oldies!
Second - where?! We like the idea of a pleasant seaside place with a sandy beach an led a reasonable selection of eateries. Not wanting to be full of Brits but equally somewhere we can get by without speaking the lingo. Ideally a apartment/villa, or at least something with bedrooms and not just a studio/hotel room.
Any must dos / places / attractions?
Conscious of 1, maybe 2 (sprog may bring friend), 13 year olds so beach/pool would be nice and also anything theme park related would be good - basically some boredom relief for them! Equally some natural beauty would be appreciated by us oldies!
Split/Trogir region is lovely. Kaka Park is a must see and so is a boat trip or Fish picnic out to any of the offshore islands.
Plenty of Croatians speak good English. No sandy beaches in Croatia though, they're all pebbles but the sea is as clear as gin which makes for great snorkeling and diving. If Pre Covid July/Augusts are anything to go by it'll be very busy and very hot.
Not particularly cheap to eat out anymore either and the Kuna/Sterling exchange rate can vary quite a lot.
Plenty of Croatians speak good English. No sandy beaches in Croatia though, they're all pebbles but the sea is as clear as gin which makes for great snorkeling and diving. If Pre Covid July/Augusts are anything to go by it'll be very busy and very hot.
Not particularly cheap to eat out anymore either and the Kuna/Sterling exchange rate can vary quite a lot.
I was on a cruise last month that stopped in Split, Zadar and Dubrovnik.
Having never been to Croatia before I found it all fascinating, the sea organ at Zadar was interesting.
Out of all of them Dubrovnik was the standout. Particualrly if you like Game of thrones (I don't so that threw me a bit). Plenty to do and see, lovely food and everything that needed to be in English was.
Split was interesting for adults but there's probably more for the kids to do/see in Dubrovnik.
Nice people, very welcoming.
Bear in mind I only spent a day at each place so was getting a snap shot.
I recommend the gelato wherever you go!
Having never been to Croatia before I found it all fascinating, the sea organ at Zadar was interesting.
Out of all of them Dubrovnik was the standout. Particualrly if you like Game of thrones (I don't so that threw me a bit). Plenty to do and see, lovely food and everything that needed to be in English was.
Split was interesting for adults but there's probably more for the kids to do/see in Dubrovnik.
Nice people, very welcoming.
Bear in mind I only spent a day at each place so was getting a snap shot.
I recommend the gelato wherever you go!
Edited by 21ATS on Sunday 15th May 15:40
Edited by 21ATS on Sunday 15th May 15:41
rix said:
Confined by school hold so likely early August, first of all, is that a silly hot time to visit weather wise?
Second - where?! We like the idea of a pleasant seaside place with a sandy beach an led a reasonable selection of eateries. Not wanting to be full of Brits but equally somewhere we can get by without speaking the lingo. Ideally a apartment/villa, or at least something with bedrooms and not just a studio/hotel room.
Any must dos / places / attractions?
Conscious of 1, maybe 2 (sprog may bring friend), 13 year olds so beach/pool would be nice and also anything theme park related would be good - basically some boredom relief for them! Equally some natural beauty would be appreciated by us oldies!
Temperature will probably be low 30sSecond - where?! We like the idea of a pleasant seaside place with a sandy beach an led a reasonable selection of eateries. Not wanting to be full of Brits but equally somewhere we can get by without speaking the lingo. Ideally a apartment/villa, or at least something with bedrooms and not just a studio/hotel room.
Any must dos / places / attractions?
Conscious of 1, maybe 2 (sprog may bring friend), 13 year olds so beach/pool would be nice and also anything theme park related would be good - basically some boredom relief for them! Equally some natural beauty would be appreciated by us oldies!
Most beaches are pebble
Almost all Croatians that work in hospitality speak great English.
Split is a good base. Day trips to national parks and Dubrovnik as well as island hopping all possible from there.
We went 2 years ago with a 17 and 19 year old. Stayed on Hvar and in Hvar town. It was great. Had an Airbnb penthouse about 15 mins walk to the centre and 10 mins to a lovely beach.
We were in between lockdowns so it was quieter but still busy. Loved it all!
Rented a RIB one day, scooters for a few days (questionable parenting decision tbh) and had a brilliant time.
There is a stunning archipelago just off Hvar town and loads of boat rental places. Lots of decent boats that don’t require a licence and you get to some stunning places.
I’m a cyclist so took a half day to go on a guided ride which was damn good fun too.
Ferry from Split is fast and easy.
If it loads properly, this beach was 10 mins from where we stayed
We were in between lockdowns so it was quieter but still busy. Loved it all!
Rented a RIB one day, scooters for a few days (questionable parenting decision tbh) and had a brilliant time.
There is a stunning archipelago just off Hvar town and loads of boat rental places. Lots of decent boats that don’t require a licence and you get to some stunning places.
I’m a cyclist so took a half day to go on a guided ride which was damn good fun too.
Ferry from Split is fast and easy.
If it loads properly, this beach was 10 mins from where we stayed
Edited by Harleyboy on Wednesday 18th May 11:35
Harleyboy said:
We went 2 years ago with a 17 and 19 year old. Stayed on Hvar and in Hvar town. It was great. Had an Airbnb penthouse about 15 mins walk to the centre and 10 mins to a lovely beach.
We were in between lockdowns so it was quieter but still busy. Loved it all!
Rented a RIB one day, scooters for a few days (questionable parenting decision tbh) and had a brilliant time.
There is a stunning archipelago just off Hvar town and loads of boat rental places. Lots of decent boats that don’t require a licence and you get to some stunning places.
I’m a cyclist so took a half day to go on a guided ride which was damn good fun too.
Ferry from Split is fast and easy.
If it loads properly, this beach was 10 mins from where we stayed
If you like the hvar idea, maybe look at staying in the town of stari grad. It’s a 20 minute drive from hvar town, still has a lot of life, but has fewer tourists and is cheaperWe were in between lockdowns so it was quieter but still busy. Loved it all!
Rented a RIB one day, scooters for a few days (questionable parenting decision tbh) and had a brilliant time.
There is a stunning archipelago just off Hvar town and loads of boat rental places. Lots of decent boats that don’t require a licence and you get to some stunning places.
I’m a cyclist so took a half day to go on a guided ride which was damn good fun too.
Ferry from Split is fast and easy.
If it loads properly, this beach was 10 mins from where we stayed
Edited by Harleyboy on Wednesday 18th May 11:35
Croatia? Sandy beach? You can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. It's a rocky coast. Even minuscule Montenegro has probably got more sandy beaches than Croatia.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Bannock said:
Croatia? Sandy beach? You can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. It's a rocky coast. Even minuscule Montenegro has probably got more sandy beaches than Croatia.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Not sure when you were there, but they’ve now finally completed the motorway network from the north coast down to near Dubrovnik. Great roads Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
elise2000 said:
Bannock said:
Croatia? Sandy beach? You can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. It's a rocky coast. Even minuscule Montenegro has probably got more sandy beaches than Croatia.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Not sure when you were there, but they’ve now finally completed the motorway network from the north coast down to near Dubrovnik. Great roads
Bannock said:
elise2000 said:
Bannock said:
Croatia? Sandy beach? You can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. It's a rocky coast. Even minuscule Montenegro has probably got more sandy beaches than Croatia.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Drink the local beer and wine, it's far cheaper than imported and universally excellent.
It looks like a small country but by God it takes AGES to get anywhere along the coast in the summer. The road (yes, road, single, pretty much the whole length of it) is very busy and congested in the summer, one end of the country to the other is an all day job.
It will be HOT in August. HOT HOT HOT. OK I'm a blue skinned ginger Scottish person so it might be relative, but I find it unbearably hot in July and August, although I'm talking about the far south here, maybe it's a bit cooler up Istria way. And everywhere touristy will be busy - maybe not with English but it will be rammed with Germans, Dutch, Czechs, all sorts. It's a very popular coast for central Europeans who can drive there relatively easily.
Not sure when you were there, but they’ve now finally completed the motorway network from the north coast down to near Dubrovnik. Great roads
Ah ha. That's good news. It has been a while, I'm driving to Montenegro this summer via Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade, then coming home via Dubrovnik, Zagreb so I'll look forward to seeing that. Still a long old poke up the coast but very scenic!
I’ve been doing drives to split at least once a year since 2004, so seen the motorway get gradually longer each time! They are building a bridge to Dubrovnik which opens this summer I think, so you can bypass driving through Bosnia.
elise2000 said:
Nice.
I’ve been doing drives to split at least once a year since 2004, so seen the motorway get gradually longer each time! They are building a bridge to Dubrovnik which opens this summer I think, so you can bypass driving through Bosnia.
I've driven to Belgrade and back before, but this'll be the first time I haven't flown to Montenegro/Croatia.
What's your favoured route to Split? Assuming a Dover crossing, is it via Brussels/Munich/Ljubljana or do you try the Lyon/Milan way?
Harleyboy said:
There is a stunning archipelago just off Hvar town and loads of boat rental places. Lots of decent boats that don’t require a licence and you get to some stunning places.
There's a water taxi transfer from Havr town quay to the marina at Palmizana on the largest island and if you follow the footpath from there over the top of the hill to the south side of the island you'll find some great restaurants overlooking Vinogradice bay. Trip Advisor is your friend here but Baccus was good.
If you can rent a day boat there's plenty of lovely coves all round the islands to explore but check the forecast before you go over. There's a wind acceleration zone between the islands and Havr itself and even though it's not far it can get pretty rough.
Bannock said:
elise2000 said:
Nice.
I’ve been doing drives to split at least once a year since 2004, so seen the motorway get gradually longer each time! They are building a bridge to Dubrovnik which opens this summer I think, so you can bypass driving through Bosnia.
Oh yeah? That would be handy. It's 4 hours from my place in Montenegro to the end of the motoway at Ploce, by the looks of it. Would be nice to shave a bit off.
I've driven to Belgrade and back before, but this'll be the first time I haven't flown to Montenegro/Croatia.
What's your favoured route to Split? Assuming a Dover crossing, is it via Brussels/Munich/Ljubljana or do you try the Lyon/Milan way?
We always take the tunnel then Brussels Munich Ljubljana. Can’t be doing with the French road tolls/traffic police/crazy Italian drivers! Usually we have an overnight stop near Aachen then another near treffen.
Cheers, good to have it confirmed I'm going the right way! I ski near Ljubljana every year, it'll be wierd driving past there in the summer, not stopping, and in my own car. Thinking about driving to that instead of flying next year but winter is a different beast, you need winter tyres and chains and all that malarkey.
We went to Dubrovnik in1998 stayed at the Excelsior right on the ocean next to the castle and old town which was a very nice place to dine on an evening apart from one restaurant that wasn’t set up for Barclaycard.
Some buildings still had bomb damage from the war back then and even in August it was pretty quiet, we did a few boat trips can’t remember where.One evening in the hotel there was an amazing electrical storm coming in off the Adriatic which was spectacular to watch from our sealview balcony if a little frightening.
Some buildings still had bomb damage from the war back then and even in August it was pretty quiet, we did a few boat trips can’t remember where.One evening in the hotel there was an amazing electrical storm coming in off the Adriatic which was spectacular to watch from our sealview balcony if a little frightening.
Superflow said:
We went to Dubrovnik in1998 stayed at the Excelsior right on the ocean next to the castle and old town which was a very nice place to dine on an evening apart from one restaurant that wasn’t set up for Barclaycard.
Some buildings still had bomb damage from the war back then and even in August it was pretty quiet, we did a few boat trips can’t remember where.One evening in the hotel there was an amazing electrical storm coming in off the Adriatic which was spectacular to watch from our sealview balcony if a little frightening.
When I visited Dubrovnik in 2005 there was no damage at all, but when we went over the border to Mostar and Sarajevo there was damage everywhere. Such a contrast Some buildings still had bomb damage from the war back then and even in August it was pretty quiet, we did a few boat trips can’t remember where.One evening in the hotel there was an amazing electrical storm coming in off the Adriatic which was spectacular to watch from our sealview balcony if a little frightening.
elise2000 said:
Superflow said:
We went to Dubrovnik in1998 stayed at the Excelsior right on the ocean next to the castle and old town which was a very nice place to dine on an evening apart from one restaurant that wasn’t set up for Barclaycard.
Some buildings still had bomb damage from the war back then and even in August it was pretty quiet, we did a few boat trips can’t remember where.One evening in the hotel there was an amazing electrical storm coming in off the Adriatic which was spectacular to watch from our sealview balcony if a little frightening.
When I visited Dubrovnik in 2005 there was no damage at all, but when we went over the border to Mostar and Sarajevo there was damage everywhere. Such a contrast Some buildings still had bomb damage from the war back then and even in August it was pretty quiet, we did a few boat trips can’t remember where.One evening in the hotel there was an amazing electrical storm coming in off the Adriatic which was spectacular to watch from our sealview balcony if a little frightening.
elise2000 said:
When I visited Dubrovnik in 2005 there was no damage at all, but when we went over the border to Mostar and Sarajevo there was damage everywhere. Such a contrast
We stayed just outside Dubrovnik in a town called Cavtat. Very nice little place with a yacht harbour.To get to Dubrovnik we would catch a little boat for about a 40 min ride down the coast. There is an wrecked hotel on the coast that still bears all the scars of the fighting. Old Dubrovnik has been fully repaired but there are still plagues on walls remembering the fighting & showing the damage done.
GT03ROB said:
elise2000 said:
When I visited Dubrovnik in 2005 there was no damage at all, but when we went over the border to Mostar and Sarajevo there was damage everywhere. Such a contrast
We stayed just outside Dubrovnik in a town called Cavtat. Very nice little place with a yacht harbour.To get to Dubrovnik we would catch a little boat for about a 40 min ride down the coast. There is an wrecked hotel on the coast that still bears all the scars of the fighting. Old Dubrovnik has been fully repaired but there are still plagues on walls remembering the fighting & showing the damage done.
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff