Its been a month since I got back from a 3 week vacation in Croatia, and I thought I%26#39;d finally sit down and speak my mind. I hope no one is offended by any of my views
Zagreb: I arrived in Zagreb to the smallest and most depressing airport I have ever been to. It really brought me down for a while, and I thought I had made a mistake by choosing Croatia. My accomodation was unfortunately way out of town in the Novi Zagreb area, which was also quite shabby. The downtown area was nice (Ban Jelacic square, Zrinski Square), with a lot of parks, but not a whole lot to do. Maybe it was because I came in August, where most of the people from the capital head to the coast, or maybe because I stayed too long in Zagreb (4 days). It is a pleasant and clean city, but there is not much to do, and you can see most of the interesting sights in a few hours.
Split: Most people give it bad reviews, but I truely loved it! It had more of an authentic Croat feeling than some of the islands nearby. The whole area by the Riva and Diocletian%26#39;s palace is picturesque, and the place comes to life at night with concerts, traditional folk dancing, etc etc. Here, you can really experience how Croats live, as opposed to some of the other places. I really enjoyed my time in Split, and encountered some of the most friendly and hospitable locals in Croatia. I would definitely recommend Split to anyone in a heartbeat .
Hvar: The biggest dissapointment of my trip was Hvar Town. It was packed in August with thousands and thousands of tourists (mainly noisy Italians). Its basically a small harbour town where you spend all day lying on the %26quot;beach%26quot; and all night partying with other tourists.While that may be ideal for many, it certainly is not my cup of tea. I was also shocked at how expensive everything was, from the hotel to apartments to restaurants to even the grocery store. However, I did pass by the town of Stari Grad for a few hours, and enjoyed the more relaxed and laid back nature of the place. The views in Stari Grad are also just as stunning as Hvar Town, if not more!
Bol: Another big dissapointment. A small stretch of beach is basically all what Bol is. And it is extremely crowded in the summer, so good luck trying to find a place to sit. Supetar failed to impress me as well.
Dubrovnik: As touristy as I expected it to be, the Jewel of the Adriatic did not fail to dissapoint. I fell in love with the place as soon as I arrived. The Old Town itself is breathtaking. Climbing the walls of Dubrovnik will be one of the greatest experiences of my life. There is not much night life, but the city itself has a lot to offer. Spending time between the beach, museums, parks, or simpling strolling through the narrow streets of the Old Town or hanging out at a coffee shop on the Stradun, there is never time to be bored! I would definitely go back there again!
Lokrum: Another hidden gem just off of Dubrovnik. 15 minutes away from the Old Town Harbour, you get off and feel like you%26#39;re on your own. While most people tend to flock by the many coves/beaches, I settled for exploring the inland of the island. What I got were beautiful trails, where I was surrouned by the view of the ocean and the lush, green trees that towered over me. I even saw peacocks roaming freely on the island. A must see for all nature lovers!
Transportation: Transportation was cheap and widely available, whether by land, sea or air.
Food: While it lacked in diversity, quality was fairly good. Prices were cheap in Zagreb, moderate in Split, and expensive in Dubrovnik, Hvar and Bol.
Overall, my trip to Croatia was a nice one. If I ever went back, I would like to see Zadar (which I passed by on my way to Split), and some other cities on the coast that would be less touristy. Dubrovnik and Split would also be on my agenda, but I%26#39;d skip Zagreb and Hvar.
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While I dont share your opinion of Bol (although to be fair I was there at a less crowded time of year), I couldn%26#39;t agree with you more about Lokrum! It is a jewel and while not undiscovered, it is not nearly as popular as it should be. It was certainly one of the highlights of Dubrovnik (along with the walls as you descirbed and a concert by the Symphony in the Rector%26#39;s Palace). Thank you for your review; I am sure it will be helpful to alot of people.
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This is a great review! Although, I find many people enjoying Zagreb when it is full of people in spring and fall or just take day trips to Zagorje (Trakoscan!)
Hvar is also lovely but another place that is better as a base to explore rest of the island. Each island of Croatia is a hidden gem and don%26#39;t judge it just by the most touristy part but take the walks to the shore or to the hillside and there will be plenty of great discoveries! Have you been to Blaca desert monastery on Brac, vineyards or southern slopes of Hvar...? If you decide to visit again, make sure you include Vis island!
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I agree. Vis was the highlight of the islands for me!
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Another Vis fan here! Much nicer than Hvar in my opinion. I also love Mljet. Agree with Lokrum. Bol does not interest me, either.
Next time you should spend time in Istria - pure magic in my opinion. The hilltowns are incredible, as are the people. You can so easily get off the beaten path in Istria. Zadar is good, too. Pag Island is an interesting day trip as well.
Plitvice Lakes are incredible if you have not been there yet. Just superbly breathtaking - it truly feels like Paradise.
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Go to Hvar in September, much quieter and prices come down.
We paid less for an apartment on the outskirts of Hvar town last year than we did in Mali Losinj this year. Both trips were September. What a difference in weather.
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i agreee, vis and istra oh heck, i loved it all. and hiking with alan from secret dalmatia, that was a highlight...he took us to the coolest wine bar in skradin, a day i will never forget!!!
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Sounds like maybe you might go back to Croatia someday?
I know the feeling exactly!!!!
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thanks for a great trip report; i%26#39;m trying to get some ideas for my next trip and you gave me some!
i wanted to ask about the weather around this time of the year.. is it still good? i don%26#39;t want to go on summer, i prefer late september or early october..
another question, which might seem stupid but not for me (trust me)..are there too many mosquitos or another kind of insects i should be aware of? i had problems with that on my last holiday.
Thanks!
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