Croatia anyone?

[Wooody]

Has anyone else had the opportunity to visit Croatia? If so, what did you think?

Last summer I visited split, the surrounding island and Dubrovnik, all I can say is that it was simply amazing.

The people, places, weather and food were all amazing.

This was one of the rare times that I didn't go on a cruise and went the independent traveler route. Fantastic.

Would love to hear your own experiences!

 

[BigNick]

We were there a few years ago, at Club Med, with a couple of overnight stops on the drive down and back. Fabulous scenery, friendly people. Coffee as good as in Italy. Very hard to get people to accept tips - a legacy from the Communist time, I guess.

It was also sad to see some of the ghost villages from the recent fighting. In other places, there were bullet holes in the houses; sometimes the front of the house had been patched up but not the sides. There were also some minefields, with signs saying "Danger! Mines" in every language except Serbian...

 

[Jacmac]

Were in port for one day a couple of years ago. Just amazing, would love to go back and spend more time.

 

[ronocnikral]

it's been on my radar for a couple of years, so i'm hopping on to see what others have to say.

 

[samclem]

I had some work there within the last two years. We were on the Adriatic. the climate was very mild and pleasant, the people were friendly, and there was plenty to do and see. Do a bit of reading before you go, the place is full of rich history, but also some cultural "sore spots" that you'll want to avoid in polite conversation. It was a very nice place, I hope to go back.

 

[Chester_A._Riley]

I visited Split and Zagreb about ten years ago. I thought the country was very much like Austria. Neat homes in picturesque settings and everyone I met was friendly enough. Food seemed quite reasonable and the hotels were very clean. In fact, clean would describe the entire environment.

 

[Calgary_Girl]

My family is from Croatia so, yes, I have some experience . I still have aunts, uncles and cousins that live there (some in Zagreb, one in Split, others are spread in small towns around the Dalmatian coast).

I took DH there in 2004 during our "European tour" and we visited one aunt and uncle that live in Imotski for a couple of days, Zagreb for a day, Split for two and four days in Dubrovnik. Hands down, Dubrovnik was the favourite and DH still talks about it. Breathtaking scenery, clean water and friendly people. Dubrovnik beats the pants off of Italy any day and we'd love to go back to Dubrovnik.

 

[kbst]

We were in Dubrovnik for a day last year and loved it. For lunch I ordered " little fish" because I wasn't very hungry. What I got was a plate full of tiny fried fish heads and all. Very tasty though. I would love to go back and spend more time.
kbst

 

[deserat]

Croatia is awesome - have been to Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Korcula and the northern hill towns. Italians and Polish go there for cheaper vacations - food is awesome and cheap compared to US and rest of Europe - very fresh - wines are great. Adriatic is a beautiful clear blue-green color - history is great - Split has the remains of Diocletian's Palace from Roman times. Dubrovnik has the marble sidewalks and stairs - you could feel the slow wearing down of the steps from years of peopl walking on them. Only bad thing - everything is closed on Sunday...like almost all of Europe.

Me - I want to go back - love it there. Price is right, too - although I've seen the prices go up as they've come out from under Tito and Yugoslavia, a civil war (with the Serbs) and flourished with tourist trade.

 

[brett]

Yes, last year and we loved it. We took the ferry to Split, then headed down the coast. Hvar and Kortula were wonderful. We stayed in a pension in Dubrovnik for four nights. It was wonderful...especially at night after the cruise ships left. We rented a car and went to a few locations...Bosnia and then south to Kotor in Montegego. People were very friendly. We want to go back next year on our way to Greece.

 

[chinaco]

I have not been there.. but I would love to go.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Went there in 2006, when the aircraft carrier pulled in to Split. I don't think they liked having 5000 Sailors running around their town, but as most of them returned to the boat, the people came out of hiding, and the city came to life. Food and drink were super cheap, maybe a third of the price in France at that time.

 

[Nemo2]

First there in 1963.....latest time circa 1987/88.....like everyone else, loved Dubrovnik/Split.....(we'd rented a car in Beograd, and took it on the Dubrovnik-Split Ferry: Visit Croatia - Travelling Around - By Ferry

Plitvice is definitely worth a visit:
Plitvice lakes national park - home

 

[GregLee]

Those who recall the 2001-2002 TV series Nero Wolfe, with Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin, or perhaps even read the Rex Stout novels, might be interested in this travelogue that I ran across by Ruth E. Gruber, Investigating the Footsteps of Nero Wolfe - Los Angeles Times. In The Black Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Rex Stout relates a murder mystery which takes Wolfe to his childhood home in Montenegro, a short drive from Dubrovnik, and Gruber visits the places described in the novel. Wolfe himself returned to Montenegro on a fishing boat from Bari. Gruber's piece in the LA Times is from 1987, so a little dated, I'm afraid.

 

[Nemo2]

Sveti Stefan is a spot worth seeing in Montenegro.....a one time fishing village now a hotel.....we didn't stay there, but just walked around and enjoyed the place.