A fabulous trip. Most people visit Dubrovnik from a cruise ship for a day or on a Spring break for a few days of parties. Lorraine and I drove over 2,200 kilometers, starting with 3 days in Zagreb, the capital, 2 days in Pula, 3 nights in Zadar, 3 days in Split, a car ferry to the island of Hvar for two days, then 4 days in Dubrovnik and 4 days in Kotor in Montenegro. Along the way, some daytrips from Hvar, Split and Dubrovnik. In several places we had guided tours. We then had a couple of days at the Plitvice Lakes and a 4 day stopover in Spain on the way home. What a trip! Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Our walking tour of Zagreb included the St. Mark's Church. Unfortunately, next door to it the Croatian parliament is being rebuilt, that is why so many construction offices in the photo. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Our apartment in the center of Zagreb looked over the old Dolac food and fruit market. I wish I took the photo a day earlier when there were many more stands open, with their red umbrellas. Cherries were in season and I think we ate more of them than even before. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
After Zagreb, we rented a car and drove to our new apartment in Pula. This is the view from the apartment. The Arena, a Roman amphitheater, was completed in the 1st century A.D. and had space for 23,000 people. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
It is the sixth largest Roman Amphitheater, after Rome's Coliseum, and others in Verona (been there), Catania, Capua and Arles. It is still used for summertime concerts. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Walking back home from a dinner in Pula's old town. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
We had breakfast of croissants, O.J., Guatemalan coffee, AND A VIEW! Spectacular! Click on any photo to see a larger image.
The old town of Pula is centered now, as it was 2,000 years ago, on the Forum, now full of restaurants. On one side is the perfectly preserved Temple of Augustus, built between 2nd century BC and AD 14. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
There is a 3rd century AD Roman mosaic, that was in some rich person's house and was discovered after WW2 bombings. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
After Pula, a long drive to Zadar. We got there late, but around the corner from our apartment was a nice restaurant looking over the harbour. Much of the trip involved eating in splendid restaurants and drinking excellent Croatian wines. Service was very good and everyone speaks English. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Another walking tour of historical Zadar. Behind us is St.Donatus church, named after an Irish bishop who lived here in the early 800's. He must have enjoyed some of the good local wines. Why else would he move from Ireland to Zadar? Click on any photo to see a larger image.
The Romans conquered Zadar in the 1st century AD. It is often bypassed by visitors heading to Split or Dubrovnik, but is very interesting. Our apartment looked over the harbor and the Adriatic sea. We had another good walking tour of historical Zadar.
We also visited the Zadar historical museum. I did not take photos of the many exhibits, but this was good!
After Zadar, we drove to Split, where we had a hotel, not an apartment. And we walked to the Diacletian Palace in the center of town, built in the 3rd century AD. Diacletian was a soldier and so successful that he became Emperor at the age of 40. While other emperors died or were murdered, he retired to his native Dalmatia and his palace. On the left is the 3rd century AD Cathedral of St. Domnius, where Diacletian is buried. The tower was added later.
Being a tourist is really hard work. I requires frequent refreshments. Thank god that just outside one of the 4 gates of the Diocletian Palace is a bunch of restaurants. This one seemed the best. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
This one, the Cafe Central was opened in 1776, the same year as United States was founded. They will also be celebrating 250 years. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
From Split, most people head to Dubrovnik, but we took a two-hour car ferry to the island of Hvar, where much of the local wine is produced.
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The town of Hvar has a splendid harbour, tours to nearby islands and some pretty big yachts moored.
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We had a lovely apartment with a view of the harbor. The problem is getting in from far away parking into the town, where cars are not allowed. Thank god our hosts helped carry suitcases into town and upstairs and on our way out booked us a tuk-tuk to take them back to parking. Look at the big boats near our apartment. This photo is from yet another great restaurant. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
The next day we went up the mountain to the ancient citadel that protected the town for centuries. The big yachts in the harbour the day before left for somewhere else. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
The centuries old citadel was actually used to shelter people during the 1990 Yugoslav army invasion of much of Croatia. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
The Croatian coast and the islands are spectacular. The roads are superb, there is no garbage anywhere, bathrooms are clean, everything works and is easy to navigate. It is not cheap, but it is fabulous. We made a day-trip from Hvar to one of the best wineries which also has yet another super restaurant. Life on the tourist trail is really hard! More on restaurants below. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
From Hvar, we took another car ferry back to the mainland and made it to our next apartment in Dubrovnik in the afternoon, just in time for dinner. Most people head to Dubrovnik first, but we already spent 10 days travelling around the country. About 4 blocks from the apartment was the base station of the cable car that we took to another absolutely wonderful restaurant, The Panorama (what else?) with views of the Old Town Dubrovnik deep down below. See photo of the town with walls all around it. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
We had yet another interesting walking tour of Dubrovnik, with a knowledgeable guide. Aside from history, he also pointed out to Lorraine "Kamenice", the best local oyster restaurant. "Kamenice" means oysters in Croatian. So, after the walk, we went there for lunch. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
But in the Dubrovnik oyster restaurant, we learnt where their oysters come from. It is a town call Ston, about an hour north. So we made a day trip, returning partly to where we came from. Ston is an ancient mediaeval town and "Mali Ston" (or "Little Ston") is where the oyster beds are. Apparently, they benefit from a mix of fresh water and seawater. The restaurant is right next to them and Lorraine had a blast, see photo. Restaurants, restaurants, restaurants ... Click on any photo to see a larger image.
The old town Ston was protected by enormous walls, see above Lorraine and up the mountain.. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Ston also has a large fortress, like a smaller Dubrovnik. A nice daytrip. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Apart from sightseeing and eating in restaurants, some serious shopping. It turns out that coral is not just from the Caribbean or Australia. There is also a variety from the Adriatic sea. Lorraine happy. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
After Dubrovnik, we continued south. It took us 3-1/2 hours to cross the border from Croatia to Montenegro, so we stopped at yet another super restaurant there for lunch. Lorraine was thinking buying a boat, so I wrote to all friends to send money, but a couple pointed out that it was a Sunday and banks closed. What a pity. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
It took us a while to find our Kotor (Montenegro) apartment, because our phones stopped working. After we got lost, someone helped us. Our apartment looks on the Bay of Kotor, see the cruise ship. On the flat rooftops in front of us, we observed a family of seagulls for 4 days. They had 5 young grey, ugly looking chicks that could not yet fly, so they kept bringing them food. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
We took yet another cable car to yet another great restaurant high above Kotor. A beautiful small country. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
An absolutely beautiful view from the top. On this day, just two cruise ships. The next day, there were four. We took yet another cable car to yet another great restaurant high above Kotor. A beautiful small country. We made a daytrip to Budva, another old town, this one with dozens of luxury hotels. Kotor is like a small Dubrovnik, but was not damaged in the 1990 war, so it is original, not like the "Disney" style reconstructed Dubrovnik. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Old town Kotor, Montenegro. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
At this point, we have been driving almost three weeks south, bit by bit, but now we had a 600 kilometer long ride back to the Plitvice Lake in the north of Croatia and a hotel in the forest. This time the border crossing from Montenegro was easy. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Beautiful National Park of Plitvice Lakes. Driving around Croatia, we realized there are many National Parks in the beautiful country.
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Beautiful National Park of Plitvice Lakes. In the forest lodge parking lot, cars from all over Europe.
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Splendid views of the Plitvice mountain lakes and waterfalls.
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We went from lookout to lookout point. These are hidden deep in the forest and are not signposted, but we met a tourist from Chile who told about them. The park charges 40 Euros to enter, so I suppose they don't want people to know that these spectacular views from the top exist, quite near our forest lodge.
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Waterfalls everywhere.
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Is this spectacular or what? Yet another good restaurant at the entrance to the park. Lorraine had a fresh water trout. If you see little dots below, those are dozens of people seeing the Plitvice Lakes from below, see the next photo blown up. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Hundreds of people sightseeing. It is really beautiful and well worth a trip. But this was the end of our Croatia vacation.
Then on to Zagreb and Madrid for a little stopover in Spain. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
On our way from Croatia and from Madrid, we stopped for a night in a nice Spanish town of Albacete and ran into a religious procession blocking entry to our hotel in the main square. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Valencia, a good dinner with Isabel and her friend Philip, a German. What a small world. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Valencia, with Isabel in a tapas bar for lunch. What a lovely city. We have not been here before. She likes studying there. Click on any photo to see a larger image.
Valencia, with Isabel and her room mate, in a beach restaurant that Hemingway visited and made famous. The end of this trip.
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