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Going to Croatia for 7-9 days in early June

Going to Croatia for 7-9 days in early June

Old Mar 27th, 2015, 08:45 AM
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Going to Croatia for 7-9 days in early June

Never visited Croatia before and really would like some help.

DW and I (early 60's) will fly in (from Stockholm or maybe Riga) to one of the coastal towns. DW loves islands, ferry trips, snorkeling (not diving) and adorable old villages. I'm on board. No car - we hope to get around by ferry mostly, if possible, and by bus as needed. We pack very light.

We aren't sunbathers, and we aren't looking for a party. We would enjoy two, or maybe three, 3-night stays within reasonable travel distance of each other - don't want to spend a whole day getting from one base to another - and maybe a short day trip from each base. We are completely ambulatory and would enjoy a couple of 1-2-hour walks every day (which in a city might include a walking tour.) Budget is modest-moderate.

I've been doing some reading... Rovinj sounds great. Hvar, Korcula, and Rab sound like accessible and perhaps interesting islands. Dubrovnik sounds maybe a bit "high-end tourist" for our travel style. Not sure where (if anywhere) DW might get in some good snorkeling (she'd like to do this independently, no boat tour.)

We'll be heading to Slovenia by bus or train after our time in Croatia.

I'm struggling to put a plan together... hope you experienced folks will have some comments and suggestions!
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Old Mar 27th, 2015, 09:32 AM
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I don't have specific suggestions, because you can find what you are looking for by flying into any of the coastal towns. The tough bit is that you head into Slovenia at the end. So, I suggest just looking at your flight options and cross reference with the ferry schedules. It all depends on how much you wish to travel--it sounds like not a lot, so perhaps you would like to focus on the north of the country. However, from Split to Zadar to Zagreb for the train to Ljubljana is not onerous.
I did not find Dubrovnik high end at all, but it does get mobbed with cruise passengers, and I don't think it is what you are looking for.
ferry schedules: http://www.jadrolinija.hr
some additional catamarans (note dates carefully): http://www.krilo.hr/en/
a bus schedule consolidator website: http://www.buscroatia.com
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Old Mar 27th, 2015, 05:27 PM
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"Hvar, .... Dubrovnik sounds maybe a bit "high-end tourist" for our travel style."

IME, Hvar is WAY higher-end than Dubrovnik! In fact, it never occurred to me to think of Dubrovnik as a "high-end tourist" destination. It can be a bit overrun by cruise ship travelers during the day, but I found it easy to get away from the crowds and absolutely lovely at night. Hvar Town was decidedly higher-end than I prefer -- beautiful, yes, but I was glad that I chose to spend only a few hours there. And Stari Grad, also on Hvar Island, is decidedly NOT high-end! I found it quiet, lovely, and off-the-beaten track.

For information on snorkeling options, you might want to check the Lonely Planet guide -- it typically provides good coverage of that kind of thing.
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Old Mar 27th, 2015, 06:51 PM
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Rovinj is very nice and sounds like it meets your criteria. You might also look at Split.
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 03:19 AM
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You don't say when you want to visit but to make the most of your time, look at flying from Skavsta to Zadar with Ryanair, normally not that expensive.
The ferry (www.jadrolinija.hr) will take you to Mali Losinj and then from there or Cres you can take the catamaran (www.island-losinj.com) to Rijeka.
From there, several bus companies will take you on to Rovinj or Pula (www.buscroatia.com)
Enjoy!
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 06:33 AM
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Very helpful responses. So I may feel mostly at home in D'nik. My ignorance about Croatia is clearly boundless, so thanks for that.

After much checking I've booked a flight there - I couldn't make Split happen, and Zadar just wasn't possible without a 3-day wait in Stockholm or a post-cross-Atlantic-flight race between Stockholm airports and a 22:00 arrival in Zadar.

Thanks Malvacya for that info. I think we'd like to make our way to Rovinj, and I had not yet discovered the catamaran from Mali Losinj to Rijeka, which might be just the way to get there.

I've read some old posts suggesting Cavtat for a quieter experience with good walks and scenery; bus into D'nik for a visit. Any thoughts on that strategy?
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 10:35 AM
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You are flying into Dubrovnik. You should work your way north to Split using the ferry system.Dalmatia is where its at in Croatia.

http://www.krilo.hr/en/sailing_schedule.html

http://www.croatiaferries.com/

http://www.dubrovnik-travel.net/day-...rom-dubrovnik/
http://www.dubrovnik-travel.net/
http://www.dubrovnik-travel.net/apartments/
http://www.dubrovnik-travel.net/mlje...national-park/
http://www.dubrovnik-travel.net/lokrum-island/

Kapetan Luka sails this route everyday in June
Dubrovnik (16:30)
Mljet (17:45-17:50)
Korcula (18:20-18:30)
Hvar (19:35-19:45)
Brac (20:15-20:20)
Split (20:45)

One extreme is to spend your vacation in the Dubrovnik area with local day trips, then a final day on the ferry to Split.
Another would be 3 nights in Dubrovnik,then overnights (1-3) on one or more of the islands on the ferry route. One or more nights in Split then take the train from Split to Slovenia via a change over in Zagreb.

For a glimpse of your vacation view these:
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-rea...iatic-delights

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-rea...lkan-sidetrips
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 12:04 PM
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Thanks for all that, dugi-o.

Yes, I'd already zeroed in on the K. Luka route (thanks, yorkshire) and I think that's just what I'll do... was originally thinking of including Istria (maybe Rovinj and more) and then heading to Slovenia from there, but you seem to be saying just the Kapetan Luka route with the islands and Split is a better plan for my time, right? It would clearly take less ground travel time. What do you think of stopping for a day in Zadar on the way north after Split? Still worthwhile after doing the D'nik-Split segment?
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 12:57 PM
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I can't tell you how to spend your time as I am sure you will enjoy wherever you go, but I can say that we were very glad we took the time to add Istria (specifically Rovinj) to our visit to Croatia.
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 06:45 PM
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"What do you think of stopping for a day in Zadar on the way north after Split? Still worthwhile after doing the D'nik-Split segment"

IMO, Zadar is nothing like either Dubrovnik or Split. And it offers some very enjoyable options. But so do tons of other places in Croatia. With only 7 to 9 days, you have to be selective. And none of us can tell you what will most appeal to you.
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Old Mar 28th, 2015, 10:56 PM
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" was originally thinking of including Istria (maybe Rovinj and more) and then heading to Slovenia from there, but you seem to be saying just the Kapetan Luka route with the islands and Split is a better plan for my time, right? "
Emphatically yes! Dalmatian Coast > Istria. Having said that , I do like Rovinj. Venice-Istria makes a good short vacation.

"What do you think of stopping for a day in Zadar on the way north after Split? Still worthwhile after doing the D'nik-Split segment"
I am partial to Zadar. My Dad was born on Dugi Otok (Long Island). Zadar is the gateway to Dugi Otok. Zadar to Dugi Otok is a 2 Hour Jadrolinija ferry ride. As kja says,Zadar is different from Dubrovnik and Split. Using the old Michelin rating system, its worth a detour. If you are going to stop over in Zadar add a second day and make a day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park. It can be reached by public transportation (bus) from Zadar in 1-3/4 hours each way or by organized tour.You could also stay overnight in the park and go to Slovenia from there. That is a world class National Park, Michelin- worth a journey!
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 05:06 AM
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Thanks all the great tips, everyone.

I think I now have a doable route for 9-10 days that bypasses Hvar and includes stays in Dubrovnik, Korčula (1 night,) Trogir (in place of nearby Split, which we'll visit,) MAYBE Zadar (for a flight to Pula,) and Rovinj. We'll use the bus to Ljubljana from there.

Q: Is it a mistake to book rooms without A/C during the first 10 days of June?

Q: Are ferry and bus fares static? Is it wise to pre-book?
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 06:40 AM
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I could do without a/c in a typical early June, as I am out most of the day and the air is cool at night, but I was in Mali Losinj last June during an unusual early heat wave and was glad to have it! Most apartments will have a unit, they just are not used much.
I don't know what you mean by static. They set a schedule and follow it unless there is a weather or mechanical event, both of which are rare. I would not feel a need to book transport in advance in June.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 07:09 AM
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Thanks for the A/C advice.

What I meant by "static" is whether fares are the same whenever you buy, or whether they change over time as tickets sell.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 10:02 AM
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Good to see that you are now at the high end 9-10 days. With that you are now able to see all of essential Croatian coast. I would not make A/C a requirement.Finding a nice place to stay in your price range is more important.On my last trip we rented an apartment in Dubrovnik using this agency owned by a young American couple, Andrew & Michelle Kehoe, who live in Dubrovnik.
They are very helpful and very easy to deal with. There is good info on their website.

http://www.dubrovnikapartmentsource....&intPageID=859
http://www.dubrovnikapartmentsource....p?DASID=D17000
http://www.dubrovnikapartmentsource....p?DASID=D17001

The fares are static for ferries and buses. There are no advance purchase discounts that I know about like some France(PREM)/German Trains.
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Old Mar 30th, 2015, 04:05 PM
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I second dugi_otok's observation about the Plitvice Lakes National Park -- the single most un-missable place in all of stunning Croatia, IMO.
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