Croatia plus Montenegro and Bosnia

My inlaws have just got back from Croatia. Bol to be precise. Papa in law was raving today about the sea, the sky and the mountains of the Dalmatian coast.

It got me longing to return to this country.

My fave place is Korcula - we stayed on the south side near to Brna - nice bay.

Hvar - in summer has unbelievable rich peoples boats in the harbour. Bit of a fashion show with the girls strutting round the quay.

KRkEasy to reach from Munich in a day. Nice intro to the delights further south.

MljetFantastic national park. Our accommodation was crap here as we slept above a rtestaurant which stank of fish.

Perast, Kotor in Monenegro This thousand year old village is one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. They have a tradition every year where they throw rocks into the sea near an artificial island with a church on. The poeple look to healthy because they are always seemingly in the water.

Mostar, BosniaOne of the most amazing experiences in Euroipe. The first mosques appear here as we go eastward to Asia. Bombed out builödings and bullet holes in the sides make the visitor here feel like a BBC reporter!

So which is your fave?

btw the new Auto bahn is amazing!

All of the above and lots more besides, both along the coast and further inland. Too many to mention, but the less "modernised" the better.

(Btw, Mostar is in Herzegovina, the locals can be pretty touchy on that issue )

While we're on the topic... I am planning a short (5 days or so) trip to Dubrovnik. I'd love some feedback on daytrips from Dubrovnik... and perhaps the best way to travel from there. Any ideas? I am not planning to drive, so I guess it is boat or bus?

Thanks!

Rijeka, if you look behind the shipyards and imagine the town with a lick of paint is a beautiful place. All the Austro-Hungarian arcitecture and the wonderfully friendly locals. On the Istrean peninsula, there are delightful villages - Motovun, Opatja, Porec. Krk island and Krk town so picturesque. Then there is Vrbnik on the other side of the island wher you can buy some of the countries finest wines from old ladies on their doorsteps. In Dalmatia, I found Split to be fascinating but the people where very brusque and impolite. A little further up is Sibenik which is my favourite place in Croatia, and a perfect base to tour the surrounding area (including Krka national park - see pic) and the surrounding villages.

We went in 2004 -- our favorite coastal area was Opatija/Rijeka. Couldn't believe how CHEAP everything was there. We stayed in a 4 star hotel that was just gorgeous and paid less than an average hotel elsewhere.
Plus the people there were just so friendly.
But there is more to Croatia than just the coast...I am biased as my mother's family comes from Nasice, near Osijek & the Hungarian border. We travelled there by train from Zagreb, took about 3.5 hours and it was a beautiful ride (although sad seeing the bombed out buildings & train stations still closed down).
So if you get the chance, see some of the interior of the country too!

My in laws are planning a trip there this fall, I think I've bugged them enough about it!

Of all three (keeping to the title of this particular thread), though in my opinion all of the former Yugoslavia is well worth a visit.

Thanks. I know i won't make it all the way down the coastline... just looking more for a couple easy trips using Dubrovnik as a base...

The island of Lopud is close to Dubrovnik (the ferry to Korcula stops there I think) and it's very nice. You can walk across the island on an easy path to a wicked sandy beach on the other side which is in a nice cove with good swimming and a beach bar (and if I remember correctly an FKK area too).

Easy to while away an afternoon there.

excellent. Thanks!

You could also cross over into Montenegro and visit the Bay of Kotor - breathtaking scenery at every turn, and there are a lot of them,
believe me - and Kotor's Stari Grad (old town).

what is the best way to get into montenegro from Dubrovnik? Do we have to take a bus, or are there other options???

Split and the islands of Hvar and Brac are my fav places.

We are going to head to Dubrovnik for a holiday in a couple weeks, do most people speak english? As a Canadian are travel visas required?

Certainly more than in Germany.

I don't want to take this off topic, though I gotta say something..

I have heard a number of times on the board over the last week or so, people complaining about the lack of people in Germany who can speak English. I don't know where you people are living, but I find it difficult to find a person here that does NOT speak English. I always try to use German, and I am constantly spoken back to in English.. hell, I order a burger at McDonalds they respond in English.

You are not going to find a better rate of English speaking people in Croatia (or most of Europe for that matter) than you will in Germany.

A statement of fact is hardly a complaint.


For my part, I'm right here in Munich.


My experience has been the exact opposite.


Some of us already have, which is why we feel we can give an informed opinion on the matter.

You were right about one thing, you're taking the thread off topic. Some others might like to comment on the rate of English spoken in Dubrovnik, and Hockeywidow still needs an answer to her second question, i.e. whether Canadian citizens need a visa to enter Croatia.

I've spent a fair amount of time in Croatia and have a couple of Croatian friends, I've lived in Munich for over 10 years and I really think you there's no contest that German's speak better English. (In fact I even speak German with the Croats I know). In Munich, you'd be very hard pushed to find a German who doesn't speak English, in Croatia, I'm told and have also experienced, once you're off the tourist track, it's impossible to find anyone who can speak English.

Please tell me where that particular Munich can be found!

I live in Deggendorf and find it extremely hard to find people to speak english with!!!

Sitting here with 2 brochures on Croatia trying to booka holiday! I don't have any clue about any of the resorts. Does anyone have any info on places suitable for a family holiday with kids aged 4,6,7 years??

Thanks

The Mostar Bridge was a very famous and historical bridge before its destruction in 1993 during the war in Bosnia and Hercegovina (part of the former Yugoslavia). The elegant bridge spanned the River Neretva and was designed by the Ottomans. It was completed in 1566 after nines years of building and the surrounding town became a thriving trading centre. The bridge was 29 metres in length and stood at a height of 20 metres, a classic example of a single span, stone arch bridge and was an example of advanced technology in its time. It became a World Heritage site during the twentieth century..

Be warned that the beaches down there are mostly grit not sand. As I noticed my one year old quite comfortable on pebbled playground yesterday we decided to go back down there soon. We love Korcula the most. The old town is nice to wander round.

If you want to see the glamourous lifestyle of the yacht bunch go to Hvar habour. Sometimes there are unbelievable yachts moored there.

Mljet has a wonderful national park but dont end up staying in a room above a pub like we did in the harbour.

Bol on Brac does have a famous beach which is beautiful but the accommodation is far from the beach.

My father in law was raving yesterday about the new motorway down to Split thru the Karawanken tunnel in Austria, so it is possible to reach Croatia in a day now. Previously you had to over night in Slovenia which btw is no bad thing.

If you go in June or September it is pretty quiet so you can actually just drive down and find "Sobe" or "Zimmer" signs and ask for a place for a few days which is what we will be doing most likely.