Category: Croatia

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik from walls

The walled city of Dubrovnik should not be missed, it is a gem. All of Dubrovnik’s sightseeing is packed within its walls where thankfully everything is pedestrian. Main streets, like The Placa, become unbearably crowded around midday when cruise boats are docked at the harbor—solution enjoy the main thoroughfares early and late in the day. When the cruise boats are in town head for a café or Gundul Poljana, a quieter square with restaurants where the fruit and vegetable market is held.  Allow a day and a half for all the sightseeing in town. Consider a day at the beach taking a boat from the harbor to the island of Lokrum (or a 20 minute walk to the secluded St Jakob Beach). Extend your stay by taking day trips to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Mostar and Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor. See where we stayed at the end of this blog.

Sightseeing that we enjoyed:

Dubrovnik from walls

Dubrovnik from walls

DUBROVNIK CITY WALLS: The premier attraction is a walk round Dubrovnik’s walls enjoying ever changing views of the city and the sea from your lofty viewpoint. People usually walk in a clockwise direction. Once you have bought your ticket and gone onto the walls you cannot go in and out. You can rent an audio guide but the narration is very dull so we just enjoyed the views and map in hand picked out the buildings we recognized. In summer it is very hot so take a hat, water, sunscreen and your camera. There are several cafes on the seaward side where you can purchase refreshments. The walls are at their most crowded when the cruise ships are docked–do not go. The walls often open at 8am, a great time to go. You can access the walls at three points: just as you enter the Pile Gate, near the Dominican Monastery north of Ploce Gate and by the Maritime Museum near the Old Port.

Franciscan Monastery

Franciscan Monastery Pharmacy

FRANCISCAN MONASTERY (Franjevacki Samostan): Located just inside the Pile Gate. Walk the shaded cloisters to the museum that contains the monastery’s original medieval pharmacy, some relics, paintings and beautiful embroidered robes.

Onofrio's Big Fountain

Fort St Lawrence

FORT OF ST LAWRENCE (Tvrdava Lovrijenac): Just outside the city walls by the Pile gate you see this huge fort, Dubrovnik’s oldest fortress now used for the city’s Summer Festival.

Sponza Palace, Memorial for Fallen & Bell Tower

Placa

Pile Gate

PILE GATE (Gradska Vrata Pile): The main entrance gate to the walled town…you see St Blaise with Dubrovnik in his arm.

ONOFRIO’S BIG FOUNTAIN (Velika Onofrejea Fontana): This giant circular structure in the center of the square dates from the Middle Ages when it was the town’s water storage cistern.

THE STRADUM (Placa): Dubrovnik’s main promenade is the heart of the city. Lined with shops and cafes this is THE place for an evening stroll.

SPONZA PALACE & MEMORIAL ROOM FOR DUBROVNIK DEFENDERS: With its rounded arches and Gothic windows Sponza Palace dates from 1522 when is was the Customs Office. Now it’s home to exhibitions the most poignant of which is on the left as you enter, the Memorial Room of Dubrovnik Defenders with photos of the many young men who were killed fighting the Yugoslav forces in 1991.

BELL TOWER (Gradski Zvonik): The current bell tower replicates one that was built in 1444, The clock is an octopus with one tendril telling the time.  Every hour (and three minutes after) the time is chimed on the bell at the top by two bell ringers.  At the bottom time the time is shown in Roman numerals.

GRADSKA KAVANA (Town Café): Gradska Café has long been the town’s hangout for people watching, drinks and dessert.

ST BLAISE’S CHURCH (Crka Sv Vlaha): You see paintings and statues of St Blaise, Dubrovnik’s Patron saint, all over town. Legend has it that over a thousand years ago St Blaise came to a priest in a dream and warned that the Venetians were about to invade. The priest mobilized the town who prepared for war.  Since then he’s been the symbol of Dubrovnik.

Cathedral

Gradska Kavana

CATHEDRAL (Katedrala): The original 12^th century cathedral was funded by Richard the Lionhart who was shipwrecked nearby on his was to the crusades. In return for his survival he built a church that was destroyed in the 1667 earthquake. This version is 18^th century Roman Baroque.

Dominican Monastery

Dominican Monastery

DOMINICAN MONASTERY MUSEUM (Dominikanski Samostan Muze): The Franciscan Monastery on the Stradum was the poor peoples’s church, rich people came here. Stroll round the cloister visiting the museum with its painting by Titian and the church which is still used by the order.

SYNAGOGUE MUSEUM (Sinagoga Muzel), Zudioska ulica 5, Tel 020 321 028 When the Jews were forced to leave Spain in 1492 several of them ended up here. By 1546 Zudioska ulica (Jewish Street) had become a ghetto. Today the street is home to the second oldest continually functioning synagogue in Europe that contains Croatia’s only Jewish museum. The synagogue with lattice windows separating the women from the men is on the top floor. Below it is the museum, full of Torah’s and shawls and poignant memorabilia from the Nazi era: armbands and written orders stating that Jews were to identify their businesses.  Only 4,000 of Croatia’s 24,000 Jews survived the Second World War.

Synagogue Museum

Serbian Orthodox Church

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (Srpska Pravoslavna Crka), Od Puca 8. Serbian Orthodox Christians were not allowed to have a church within the city walls till the mid-19^th century. Dubrovnik never had a large Serbian population and most of them fled in the 1991 war. Still a few remain. Candles are lit as prayers. Those at knee high are for the deceased while those higher up are for the living. The gentleman selling candles is happy for people from all denominations to buy and light candles.

ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM (Etnografski Musej Rupe): This 16rh century building is where grain was stored. Rupe means hole like those that you peer down to see the huge underground grain stores. When the grain had to be dried it was moved upstairs to what is now the Ethnographic museum.

Ethnographic Museum

St Jakob Beach

ST JAKOB BEACH: When you have had enough of museums head to the beach. Our favourite is St Jacob’s, well worth the 20 minute walk from the old town—leave the town at the Ploce Gate, after the Hotel Argentina take a right fork and keep walking till you reach a small church. Walk behind the church and you see steep steps going down to the cove. You can rent chairs and there is a little restaurant and a wonderful view of distant Dubrovnik.

APARTMENT VIKTORIJA

APARTMENT VIKTORIJA bedroom

We stayed at APARTMENT VIKTORIJA a 10 to 15 minute walk into town and handily if you want to ride the bus it stops beside the house. The view from our balcony was most spectacular at sunset when the walls and rooftops of Dubrovnik glowed pink against the bright blue Adriatic. Each of the two little apartments are set under the eaves-large enough to each accommodate a bedroom, bathroom, tiny sitting area/kitchen and a rooftop balcony overlooking the offshore island of Lokrum and Dubrovnik. Davorka and her family live downstairs. She is happy to answer questions and make suggestions about restaurants that she frequents. Apartment Viktorija, Frana Supila 59, Mobile +38598427399, €70 – €100, Davorka.pavisa@du.t-com.hr, 2 apartments

APARTMENT VIKTORIJA view balcony

Gundliceva Poljana is the home of the city’s fruit and veg market. Here you find the KONOBA KAMENICE a charming outdoor well-priced fish restaurant—perfect for lunch or dinner. In high season you may have to wait for a table. Konoba Kamenice Restaurant, Gundliceva Poljana 8, Tel 385 (0)20 323 682.

Gundul Poljana Square-veg market

Konoba Kamenice Restaurant

We so enjoyed the excellent quality and good value for money price at KONOBA DUNDO MAROJE Restaurant that we at there on 2 of our 3 nights in Dubrovnik. We are big fans of their grilled fish. Konoba Dundo Maroje (restaurant), Owner Srecko Matana, Kovvacka B.B., 20000 Dubrovnik, Mobile 385 (0)91 541 25 79, Tel 385 (0)20 321 021, Dundo-maroje-konoba@du.t-com.hr.

KONOBA DUNDO MAROJE Restaurant

Diocletian Palace map

Split from cathedral tower

Split is a vast coastal city with a vibrant, atmospheric Old Town at its heart….a maze of narrow alleys, little squares, boutiques, galleries and restaurants. In the 4^th century Roman Emperor Diocletian wanted to retire to his native Dalmatia and built a vast palace here, a palace that forms the nucleus of Split’s sightseeing today. We happily spent two days puttering around before taking a ferry to Hvar and on to Korčula.

Bura apartment

Bura apartment bedroom

While staying in the heart of the old town would have been convenient we found it no hardship to walk the extra couple of blocks to Sperun (street). Jalena and Ana Bura have done an excellent job converting this tiny three-storey house into a lovely apartment. Climb the steep narrow stairs to the second floor living room and kitchen then up a narrow spiral staircase to the bedroom and bathroom under the eaves. BURA APARTMENT, €130, Ana & Jelena Bura, Senjska 3, Split, tel:  915 839 931, buraivan@gmail.com.

Sperun Restaurant

Sperun Bistro

Just steps away from our accommodation we found SPERUN BISTRO the ideal place to eat breakfast offering everything from healthy fruit and yogurt to vast cooked breakfasts. All presided over by friendly owner Zdravko Banovic. Lunch and excellent value for money dinners are also served. Across the street is the more up market SPERUN PRESTAURANT. We so enjoyed dinner on our first night that we kept coming back. Sperun Restaurant & Sperun Bistro, Sperun 3, Split, Tel 021 346 999, Mob 098 449 515, Owner Zdravko Banovic

Highlights of our stay in Split were:

Riva

Riva

WATERFRONT– the RIVA: Strolling the pedestrian promenade along the waterfront is a popular pastime for residents as well as visitors. If you are tired after a day of sightseeing there is no shortage of outdoor cafes where you can sit and people watch.

People's Square

Fish Market

PEOPLES SQUARE (Narodni Trg): Just outside the town walls this most attractive square is called Pjaca (pronounced like the Italian piazza). Here you find the “Iron Gate” into the city, the Gradska Kavana a longtime meeting place for locals (great ambiance, disappointing food) and the onetime City Hall that now host exhibitions.

FISH MARKET: Fancy your fish fresh, this is the place to buy it, come early in the day. In the evening the little square outside the market building is a casual fish restaurant—choose your fish and have it cooked.

FRUIT SQUARE (Vocni Trg): This little square fronting onto the Riva at the roundabout is named for the produce that was once sold here.

Fruit Square

DIOCLETIAN PALACE: Split’s old town is built on the remains of a Roman Palace built for Emperor Diocletian’s retirement (died AD 316). Split’s premier activity is touring the remains of this huge complex in the heart of the city. You can self-tour with a guide book or take one of the many walking tours. Orient yourself by studying the large model of the town at the ferry end of the Riva.

DIOCLETIAN PALACE CELLARS: These massive cellars with their stout pillars were built to even out the palace’s foundation. Over the years they were used for water storage, sewers, the town dump, shelter from marauders and latterly a portion has become the town market with a vast array of mostly tacky souvenirs. Before you go shopping buy a ticket to explore the impressive maze of cellars.

Diocletian Palace Cellars

Diocletian Palace cellars ceiling

DIOCLETIAN PALACE PERISTYLE (Peristil): This impressive square with its red granite pillars is the heart of the palace. Here you find the Cathedral of St Dominus-formerly Diocletian’s mausoleum, the stairs that lead to the domed Entry Vestibule and the entrance to the narrow alley that brings you to Jupiter’s Temple. You’ll find the café on the square offers live music on warm evenings.

Diocletian Palace Peristyle

Diocletian Palace Peristyle

Diocletian Palace entry vestibule

DIOCLETIAN PALACE ENTRY VESTIBULE: The entrance to Diocletian’s living quarters was built to impress. The hole in the ceiling was once covered by a dome and the ceiling decorated with frescoes. The acoustics are perfect for klapa singers who are often found here performing capella harmonies.

DIOCLETIAN PALACE CATHEDRAL OF ST DOMNUS: Climb the steep steps to the top of the bell tower and be rewarded with sweeping views of Split. The tiny cathedral is housed in what was Diocletian’s tomb. You need separate tickets for the cathedral and the bell tower.

DIOCLETIAN PALACE JUPITER’S TEMPLE: Found down a narrow alley off the Peristyle. Diocletian believed himself to be Jupiter reincarnated so opposite his tomb (no houses cluttering the view in those days) he built Jupiter’s Temple. It later converted to a baptistery with a massive 12^th century baptismal font.  Above the font is a statue of John the Baptist by Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia’s answer to Rodin (1883-1962).

DIOCLETIAN PALACE GOLDEN GATE (Zlatna Vrata): This was the main entry into Diocletian’s Palace. It’s double door design kept the palace safe. From the outside of the gate you get an unobstructed view of how the palace walls looked before so many buildings were tacked onto them. The big statue is by Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia’s answer to Rodin, of Bishop Gregory of Nin. People rub his toe for good luck.

Diocletian Palace Cathedral

Diocletian Palace Cathedral Tower

Diocletian Palace Temple of Jupiter

Diocletian Palace Temple of Jupiter

Diocletian Palace Golden Gate

Gregory of Nin outside Golden Gate

Korcula Old Town

Kourcula Old Town

Korčula’s main town is also called KORCULA (pronounced Kohr-choo-lah). The OLD TOWN (Stari Grad) is a small walled peninsula joined to the mainland by a broad flight of steps leading up to the GREAT LAND GATE. From here a broader street leads uphill to ST MARK’S SQUARE, this is the backbone of the town that was built to resemble a fish skeleton. The streets to the left of this one are straight (you can see the sea) allowing the Mistral winds to blow into town. The streets to the right are curved to keep out the Jugo winds. To the south and east of the old town stretch tacky tourist hotels-no need to go there. To the west of town the PUT SV NIK borders the waterfront through some lovely old neighborhoods. You can easily cover the town’s sightseeing in a day.

Apartment Leut, Korcula

Apartment Leut, Korcula

We were thrilled with where we stayed in the heart of the Old Town at STUDIO-APARTMENT LEUT. This delightful second floor apartment overlooks a narrow pedestrian street. With its high ceilings and open plan design there’s a feeling of spaciousness to the place. The little kitchenette is more than adequate for fixing breakfast or lunch. The bed is king-sized and the coach converts to a double bed large enough to accommodate a child. Be sure to patronize Dragon’s restaurant handily located just outside the city walls. Studio-apartment Leut, €55 per night, Žitnica 2, 20260 Korčula, tel: 385 (0)20 715-719, mob 385 (0)91 371-1777, mob:385 (0)91 504-8110 anaglasovac@yahoo.co.uk, Owners Ana Glascova & Dragan Curać.

Sightseeing highlights:

Great Land Gate

GREAT LAND GATE (Velki Revelin): A steep flight of broad stone steps leads up from the harbor to the Great Land Gate the main entrance to the Old Town. Climb the tower to see a small exhibit.

FRANJO TUDMAN SQUARE: Renamed in 2001 after the first president of Croatia. To the left is the is the 16^th-century Town Hall and Rector’s Palace and to the right is a tiny church dedicated to St Michael.

ST MARK’S CATHEDRAL (Katedrala Sv Marka): This small town had a bishop for over 500 years hence this beautiful little cathedral. Above the main alter is a Tintoretto painting. On the altar on the left is a statue of St Rok pointing to a wound in his leg-he’s a popular Croatian saint believed to help cure illness. In the main entrance lobby is a statue of St Blaise by Ivan Mestrovic. On the walls are weapons, relics from the battle of Lepanto in 1571.

Cathedral

ABBEY TREASURY (Opatska Riznica): Next to the cathedral in the onetime bishop’s palace has a wide ranging collection of artifacts from St Theresa’s necklace to two tiny drawings by Leonardo da Vinci

MARCO POLO HOUSE (Kuca Marka Pola): Born here in the 13^th-century Marco Polo is definitely Korčula’s favorite son. The house that claims to have been his birthplace is in poor repair though the city has plans for a museum. In the meantime you can climb the little tower. On the same street is the Marco Polo Gift shop selling everything Marco Polo. You can have photo taken with the life size Marco Polo and Kublai Khan.

OLD TOWN WALLS: The walls and towers date from the 13^th century. In the 19^th-century the defenses had become obsolete and the town decided to use the top half of the wall to build new houses thus improving air circulation in the town and creating a promenade. In several places the towers and walls have been reconstructed.

Marco Polo House

Franz Tudman Square

Old Town Main Street

Old Town street

Korcula walls

Korcula walls

Hvar

Hvar

Hvar is a picturesque island whose main town has the same name. HVAR town (pronounced Var) clusters around its waterfront with St Stephens’s square opening directly to the harbor and the old town terracing up the hillside. Passenger boats arrive directly at the harbor making it a handy daytrip from Split, or a handy 5-6 hour stopping point when taking the ferry from Split to Hvar and on to Korčula which is what we did. Around the square you find the ARSENAL building housing a museum explaining the towns importance on the sailing route between Venice and the Mediterranean. The CATHEDRAL OF ST STEPHEN dominates the square. The most interesting sight is the BENEDICTINE CONVENT (Benediktini Smostan) with inmates spend their lives making intricate lace. The FRANCISCAN MONASTERY, reached by walking along the waterfront beyond the harbor, rounds out the sights in town. A 20 minute uphill hike finds you at HVAR FORTRESS high above the town.

Up a flight of steps from the main square from and half way down a narrow alley we found LUNA RESTAURANT an excellent place to spend much of our rainy day on the island. Lots of simply delicious seafood, everything very fresh and tasty. Up two flights of stairs is a roof terrace—definitely “the” place to eat when it’s not raining. Manager Tomislav Rudan, 1 Petar Hektorovica, Hvar, Hvar Island, tel 385 21 741 400.

Luna Restaurant, rooftop terrace

Luna Restaurat, Hvar

Upper Lakes

Lake Kozjak ferry

Ariel view Lower Lakes

The Plitvice Lakes is one of Croatia’s major tourist attractions, a verdant valley of 16 lakes strung together with waterfalls and tumbling rivers with miles of elevated wooden walkways. Stay one or two nights and spend the day hiking. We spent one night, were in the park as it opened, hiked all day and drove to Split in the late-afternoon. Buy a detailed map as you enter the park-there is a small map on the back of your ticket.

Plitivice’s Lakes are divided into Upper Lakes (Gornja Jereza), Kozjak Lake and Lower Lakes (Donja Jereza).  There are two entrances: Entrance 1 (Ulaz 1) by the Lower Lakes and Entrance 2 (Ulaz 2) by the Upper Lakes where you find the 3 hotels that are in the National Park (Hotel Plitvice, Hotel Bellevue, Hotel Jerezo described at the end of this blog). There is no town of Plitvice.

The terraced lakes and waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes are a tremendous attraction so daytrippers come from Zagreb and Split—it can be crowded. In September we avoided the crowds by doing the following: entered the park at entry 2; walked down to boat stop 1; took the first boat to boat stop 2; walked the LOWER HALF (most scenic part) of the Upper Lakes in a circle back to boat stop 2; took the boat across Lake Kozjak to boat stop 3 where we had lunch; walked Lower Lakes visiting Supljara Cave and Big Waterfall (Veliki Slap); climbed the steep path to entrance 1 and took the shuttle bus back to entrance 2 and our hotel.  In the busier summer months I suggest you reverse our plan starting walking at entrance 1—thus keeping the crowds behind you.

Upper Lakes

Upper Lakes

UPPER LAKES  (Gonja Jezera): The most scenic stretch of lakes and falls is found in the Upper Lakes.  From entrance 2 a short walk brings you to Lake Kosjak and boat dock 1 where you take a ferry across the lake (5 minutes) to boat dock 2, follow signs for G2 and C as boardwalks and pathways lead you to Gradinsko Lake. When you reach the top of Galovac Lake  follow H and G1 signs back to boat dock 2 making your walk a loop through this most spectacular part of the  park.

Lake Kozjak

LAKE KOSJAK (Jesero Kosjak): Lake Kosjak, the parks largest lake, sits between the Lower and the Upper Lakes. The 20 minute boat ride between the two halves of the park gives you a chance to admire the scenery. You can take an evening stroll from boat dock 1 along the shore of the lake.

LOWER LAKES (Donja Jezera): Just beyond entrance 1 the canyon opens up to vistas of the park below, a maze of lakes with boardwalks threading between them. You descend a steep path with switchbacks offering views at every turn. Follow the path G2 that winds you to boat dock 3 on Lake Kozjak  where you take the ferry to the Upper Lakes—handily there are bathrooms and small restaurants at the boat dock.  Two interesting detours off the main path are to Supljara Cave and Big Waterfall.

Lower Lakes

Supljara Cave

Lower Lakes: Supljara Cave:  A boardwalk heads off over a small lake to Supljara Cave a large airy cavern that surprisingly was a backdrop in several 1960s Italian and German Spaghetti Westerns.

Lower Lakes: Big Waterfall (Velki Slap) The tallest waterfall in the park Velki Slap is a worthwhile 10 minute detour off the main path in the Lower Lakes.

This website gave us lots of information www.np-plitvicka-jereza.hr

Hotel Plitvice

HOTEL PLITVICE : The nicest of the 3 hotels in the park. Rooms vary from small to larger with a sitting area – priced accordingly. Public rooms are spacious and open. The restaurant offers well-priced rather institutional food. When booking on the website consider booking half-board-including dinner. Location is perfect-when you have been walking all day it is nice to have a nearby hotel. Book online. (50 rooms, Tel 053 751 100, €85-€120, http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/index.php

Hotel Bellevue

HOTEL BELLEVUE: The simplest of the three hotels in Plitvice National Park. We stayed here. Rooms are very small, best if only one person moves round the room at a time! The location is perfect. The buffet breakfast offered lots of choices. There is no restaurant we walked 50 yards to Hotel Plitvice. We booked on the website and found the half-board-dinner-package good value for money. Book online. (80 rooms, €55-€75, Tel 053 751 700, http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/index.php)

HOTEL JEREZO: A sort of 70s style hotel. The rooms are large and comfortable—not luxurious. With over 200 rooms it’s the largest of the 3 hotels in the park and consequently most coach tour groups stay here. Like the other hotels in the park the food is somewhat institutional. Location is absolutely perfect. Book online. (200 rooms, €110-€120, Tel 053 751 400, http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/index.php)

Lower Lakes

Velki Slap, Big Waterfall

Shuttle Bus Plitvice Lakes