Off to Croatia - advice

[Charles Chodkowski]

We leave for Croatia in three weeks time for a seven week round trip, any last minute advice from any one. Thank you.

[Bill Ord]

Be prepared for very poor roads that will test the build quality to the limit.There is no camping allowed off camp sites and no Aires de Service. Prices are on a par with Italy and the state of the camp sites leaves much to be desrired. Nothing seems to ever get finished. Allow lots of time for any journey particularly on the islands as roads there are usually extremely poor. There are practically no beaches as you or I would recognise them as the land tends to drop steeply into the sea. We've been twice in the last five years and went the second time as we thought that the first time was too close to the civil war but little had changed. The up side is the scenery is beautiful and the people for the most part are friendly and helpful but really it's a long way to go for what can be seen and done almost anywhere in the Med. The Istrian peninsula we found to be much the better area compared to the Dalmation coast but the islands are worth a trip particularly KRK which is accessed by a bridge rather than a ferry.

Bill Ord

 

[malc d]

We went to Croatia in 2004. Stayed mostly in Istria area and on the island of Rab. Went in September when there was plenty of space on sites.

Would recommend a visit to Plitvice Lakes - an area of about sixteen lakes which descend like a staircase - clear azure waters and teeming with fish.

Stayed at Camping Korana from which a regular bus service goes to/from lakes.

Stay on main roads, we tried a short cut back to the coast from the lakes and ended up on what we would describe as a bridleway, although it still had road signs. (Plus, there were warnings that the forests on either side were minefields!)

We did come across one road described as a motorway but that seemed to mean that it was smooth and had a white line down the middle. Single lane in each direction.

The coast road is winding and scenic so don't expect to get along very fast.

 

Stayed on Bijela Uvela campsite near Porec and camping Polari near Rovinj and were quite happy with both.

Beaches at both these sites were rocky and it was best to wear something on your feet.

Can't remember the name of the site on Rab Island, which has some good sandy beaches.

 

The sea was excellent for swimming or snorkelling as it was warm,clear and very often like a millpond.

Hopefully I will be able to go again sometime.

 

 

[Vernon B]

Interesting account Bill. I wonder if you spent any time in Slovinia and whether road/sites/prices were any better there?

 

Vernon

[Ina]

We visited Croatia and Slovenia about 3 years ago. We stayed on the island of Krk too, also near Porec. We thought that there was a lot of improvement going on where campsites were concerned, the ones we stayed on were spotlessly clean. Beaches, as has been said, are mostly stony/pebbly, but on the site near Porec we watched dolphins and nearly burned our supper because of it!

Slovenia - we stayed in Ljubljana, where they were improving the site whilst we were there and hadn't got very far at that time. The toilets were grim, but I have no doubt that that will now be a very nice site. Also stayed on Camping Bled, by the lake, again, a superb site, spotlessly clean.

All in all, I can honestly say that the sites we stayed at, with the exception of the one in Ljubljana, were very good, and the one in Ljubljana now takes Camping Cheques, so must be ok too.

 

Ina.

[peedee]

I went in 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree Istria is the more developed but I think you would be missing so much by not visiting other areas but as someone has already pointed out stick to the main roads.

You can read my visit report >here.<

 

peedee