Croatia - Dubrovnik, Split & Montenegro
Croatia
No trip to Europe is complete without a visit to Croatia and the beautiful Dubrovnik.
Croatia shares borders with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia/Herzegovina & Montenegro, and nestles against the Adriatic Sea.
The main tourist centres include the capital city of Zagreb, and the popular tourist sea ports of Split & Dubrovnik . There are also a number of Islands scattered along the Dalmatian coast.
Getting there
It is very easy to get to Croatia from Europe. There are ferries from Italy, cruise ships from various Mediterranean ports, flights from many European cities and a good road system for self-drive holidays.
When to go
In the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik and they shall find it.” July - August is the peak season due to European Summer school holidays. Try going in the shoulder season when there are less tourists and the weather is slightly cooler! Still, it is a beautiful place no matter when you visit!
Dubrovnik
I first found myself in Dubrovnik in 2005. I travelled on Austrian Airlines (when they operated out of Australia) to some European city before connecting through to Dubrovnik. I have loved visiting this city ever since!
Dubrovnik © Holidays Beckon
I was to find myself a stranger in a foreign land! What was I doing here? A strange currency known as the Kuna & a room in someone's house that I had booked through the internet. Don't ask me how I found the place! It wasn't as if AirBNB existed back then!
Anyway, I somehow made my way from the airport to the "apartment". It was hot & had no air-conditioner! But I made it my home for 5 days & loved every minute of my stay!
I used to walk into the Old City every day, stopping at the "internet café" along the way. It somehow connected me to the rest of the world, whilst giving me a sense of "escape". At the end of the day I would seat myself at table in a bar that overlooked the castle on the hill and enjoy a couple of vino's before finding something for dinner & strolling back to my room.
During the days I walked the city walls or I caught the boat out to Lokrum Island to sunbathe with the locals. I gazed into the crystal clear calm waters of the Adriatic before easing myself into the sea for a swim to cool off before heading back to the port & finding my way home again.
Dubrovnik © Holidays Beckon
Dubrovnik © Holidays Beckon
Dubrovnik © Holidays Beckon
On another visit to Dubrovnik I included a trip to the top of Mount Srdj by cable car. From here you can enjoy breathtaking views over the Old Town & Lokrum Island.
Dubrovnik © Holidays Beckon
Dubrovnik © Holidays Beckon
Montenegro
When I found myself with some spare time (haha! I didn't have anything else to do remember!), I decided a day trip to Montenegro was in order. I am so pleased I did this. It was an amazing, amazing experience that has stayed with me to this day!
The tour included a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage medieval coastal town of Kotor on the Gulf of Kotor. It houses the impressive Kotor Cathedral and the fortifications that protected the city.
Kotor © Holidays Beckon
A short drive in from Budva is the old royal capital Cetinje. Wow, the history of this place blew me away!! The relationship between the King of Montenegro and the last Tsar of Russia produced important results for Montenegro including financial subsidies and supplies of arms & ammunition. There are amazing photos of the families together, not to mention displays of the exquisite gifts bestowed upon them. I found it rather poignant & sad, considering the demise of the Romanov family.
But I'm so pleased to have experienced it!
Cetinje © Holidays Beckon
The day ended with a visit to the Budva Riviera including the medieval walled city, sandy beaches and diverse nightlife of Budva.
Budva image by falco @ pixabay.com
Split
The final leg of my Croatian journey was a bus trip from Dubrovnik to Split.
I had arranged to catch an overnight ferry from Split to Ancona, so caught an early bus arriving in Split around lunch time. The journey takes approximately 3.5 - 4 hours. After finding somewhere to leave my suitcase, I headed off to explore the delights of this coastal town.
Split © Holidays Beckon
The old town of Split includes an ancient palace built for the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the turn of the 4th century AD.
Split © Holidays Beckon
Split © Holidays Beckon
After spending time looking around in the heat of the day I settled at an outdoor bar for a refreshing glass of wine before heading off to the port for a bite to eat. I then boarded my ferry heading for Italy & yet another journey!
So many wonderful memories!!
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