Upcoming Croatia Trip

Well I am doing a tour first of April, to Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro. The tour hits many of the larger cities as well as the smaller towns on the Adriatic. Has anyone been before? Any tips and suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

I think the only way to delete a thread is if the originator PMs a moderator and asks them to delete it. Have a fantastic trip. Sounds amazing!

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make sure to go to Split to see Diocletians palace

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Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Think Venice, but smaller and cleaner (and with stone streets instead of canals).

Best12bars is absolutely right: walk the old city walls. I did so three times in the weekend I was there.

Also make a point to see the old Jewish quarter and, if possible, the Dubrovnik synagogue: it's the oldest surviving temple in Europe in terms of continual use, even during WWII. There are at least two major cathedrals (from different periods) inside the Old City itself.

It may not be as spectacular as Diocletian's palace in Split, but there is a park about a block outside the north gate that has architectural elements from the Greek, Roman and Islamic periods.

And the main street in the old town has many shops and cafes, sort of like the Piazza San Marco in Venice.

There are also forts on the bluffs overlooking the town, but they were still repairing the damage from the civil war when I was there.

I had too little time there and I hope to take my husband someday just to "hang out".

Dubrovnik is like the crown jewel in a necklace, because the entire Croatian coast is gorgeous. I would only quibble with Best12's characterizing the Adriatic as "blue". To my eye it is aquamarine, and I've never seen a sea or ocean that precise color anywhere else.

Updated On: 3/1/14 at 11:04 PM

I'm also going to be in Croatia this summer, looking forward to seeing responses. Already have Plitvice Lakes, Split, and Dubrovnik planned. Maybe a stop in Makarska.

I've also been to all of those places, and they are some of the most beautiful spots in the world.

You've received great 'advice' about Croatia - so I'll chime in regarding Montenegro.
I spent some time in Kotor, and, while small, is just lovely.
A fortified city, the history and buildings are fascinating. Be sure to see the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon and climb the hills to the fortification at the top. It's a hike, but so worth it. (Wear sneakers and climb the steps early in the day, when it's less crowded and not in direct sun).

If you have time to explore the areas around the bay of Kotor, there are many old fortresses in the hills, and are wonderful to explore.

It's a beautiful, beautiful part of the world. Enjoy and promise to report back so we can all hear about your travels!

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Updated On: 3/2/14 at 02:40 PM

What about Mostar and Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina? When I was there in 1998, those ancient cities were still in the midst of guerrilla war and were off-limits to tourists.

But I assume they are much safer now. I heard wonderful things about both places, but people were describing how the places had been before the civil war. (A thousand year-old bridge in Mostar was lost to bombing.)

I think you'll find that Kotor and Dubrovnik (at least the walled portion of the city, old town) have a very similar feel - it's just the scale that is different). And the cats. There are 100s of cats running around Kotor. It was a big surprise, but maybe shouldn't have been since the weather app called the location Cattoro!

When you're walking the walls in Dubrovnik, if you want to take a break, there is a wonderful, literal hole in the wall that opens out to a bar called Buza that overlooks the Adriatic and a small island off the coast. It's a great spot to cool off, especially if it does end up being warm - we went in October and it got HOT, especially on the walls in the sun) - and stare out at the beautifully blue water, as previously mentioned.

GavestonPS, the tour companies I was speaking of was your more popular, Globus, Trafalgar , etc. If you go to their websites I don't believe their are escorted tours just to Bosnia, or include countries like Bulgeria and Romania, that at this time , I am not interested in. I am sure there are local companies that provide day tours to those areas in Bosnia from Croatia, as well as religious groups. I am on a 11 day tour, with a tour manager, with minimal free time to divert from the itinerary. If I was on my own I am sure I could find a company to take me to those areas. Of course, I did state in my previous response "I maybe wrong".

Updated On: 3/3/14 at 07:48 PM

I just went on my tour company's website and they do include Bosnia with a Croatia and Slovenia trip, but it is only one day of a twelve day trip.

I'm sorry if I seemed to be pressuring you, artman. As I said, we weren't allowed near the historic areas in central Bosnia when I was there in 1998; we were confined to a small area near the Croatian border that had been swept for mines and was under the protection of NATO troops.

So I didn't see the older historic parts of Bosnia and I'm certainly not pushing you to go there. I thought we were just having a general discussion about our experiences in the Balkans and what we had heard from tour guides, other travelers, etc.

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip no matter which stops you decide to include.

One quick story: during the civil war, the Serbs took position on the bluffs overlooking Dubrovnik and shelled the old town for many months. (This is quite a sore point among Croats, because Dubrovnik has no particular military use and the residents felt they were being shelled out of spite.)

But our guide told me that while the Serbs shelled by day, the Croats repaired the damage by night. The locals knew that once the war ended, they would be dependent on foreign capital from tourism and were careful to keep the historical attractions in good repair.

As far as I know, Dubrovnik was never subject to the ethnic cleansing that occurred in other parts of the former Yugoslavia. There certainly was damage from shelling. (Even though it looked beautiful when I was there, one could still find holes in boarded up windows that revealed the damage behind the facade.) But compared to the areas where mass killings took place, Dubrovnik fared much better.

Maybe that's why your friend downplayed it. Or maybe, as a Bosnian, she feels her people suffered so much at the hands of Croats AND Serbs, that any comparison is unfair. (Obviously, these are guesses on my part.)

ETA: whichever tour you take and whatever you see, color me green with envy!

Updated On: 3/5/14 at 07:55 PM