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Message
Trip Report: Croatia/Slovenia/Northeastern Italy
Posted on 10/25/18 at 8:26 pm
Posted on 10/25/18 at 8:26 pm
Some selected photos out of 400+
Date: 10/8/2018 - 10/22/2018
Countries Visited: Croatia/Slovenia/Northeastern Italy
Croatia
Drove to Opatija, Croatia for the first night. A charming seaside town on the Adriatic Sea. It has a bustling night life and the meal and wine were very reasonable (a theme in all of Croatia).
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Words can't describe the magnificence of this UNESCO World Heritage site. It's been #1 on my "bucket list" for a long time.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is a 295-sq.-km forest reserve in central Croatia. It's known for a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, that extend into a limestone canyon. Walkways and hiking trails wind around and across the water, and an electric boat links the 12 upper and 4 lower lakes.
This place can get CROWDED. Imagine hoards of tourists (mainly Asian, and I won't go into "Selfie Sticks".) trying to traverse a narrow walkway (wooden, about 5 ft. wide generally in a lot of the park around the waterfalls). But, October is a great time to visit and we were smart to arrive first thing, so we got to see the park initially with very little people.
Spectacular!
Slovenia
Stop! Do not pass go. If there was a place I'd move to in a nano second, it would be Slovenia. Clean. Modern. Incredible outdoor activities and scenery. Cheap. Has it all. My favorite country by a mile.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
An amazing, clean, vibrant city.
Ljubljana is Slovenia's capital and largest city. It's known for its university population and green spaces, including expansive Tivoli Park. The curving Ljubljanica River, lined in outdoor cafes, divides the city's old town from its commercial hub. Ljubljana has many museums, including the National Museum of Slovenia, displaying historic exhibitions, and the Museum of Modern Art, home to 20th-century Slovene paintings and sculptures.
What made this visit special was I got to meet a dude I'd been corresponding with on Trip Advisor on what to do in Slovenia. He was incredibly helpful, spoke (and wrote) perfect English. And, his daughter was tour guide, so we hired her for the morning and got the inside scoop on what to see and do.
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Spectacular alpine lake set at the foot of the Julian Alps. The beauty was offset by the "touristy feel" of the area.
Lake Bled is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a tourist destination. The lake is 35 km from Ljubljana International Airport and 55 km from the capital city, Ljubljana.
Things To Do In Lake Bled
Special mention goes to "Finefood Berc", a small restaurant in an inn. One of our best meals of the trip!
We left and went to the amazing Vintgar Gorge next.
It's a close second to Plitvice in terms of the spectacular scenery.
Kobarid, Slovenia
OMG! My "happy place". Best place on the trip by far.
Kobarid is a settlement in Slovenia, the administrative centre of the Municipality of Kobarid. Kobarid is known for the 1917 Battle of Caporetto, where the Italian retreat was documented by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The battle is well documented in the museum in the centre of Kobarid.
I can't decide if it's the WW1 history that surrounds you or the magnificent scenery that makes it so special. A paradise for active nature set against one the most horrific periods of world history that few know much about.
The Forgotten Front
One can only imagine the life during this time. Being shelled constantly. Gas attacks. Avalanches. Cramped, unsanitary conditions.
The Battles of the Isonzo were a series of 12 battles between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies in World War I mostly on the territory of present-day Slovenia, and the remainder in Italy along the Isonzo River on the eastern sector of the Italian Front between June 1915 and November 1917.
Estimates vary, but some say there were up to 1.2M casualties. Half of the entire Italian war death total – some 300,000 of 600,000 – were suffered along the Soca (Isonzo).
More on things to do around Kobarid
Italy
Capriva del Friuli, Province of Gorizia, Italy
This is WINE country people. Eat and drink. Eat and drink. Burp.
Went to Udine, Italy for a few hours. Not a fan.
We did have a nice side trip to the quaint little town of Cividale del Friuli.
Treviso
Our last stop was in Treviso. It was surprisingly one of the more enjoyable stops of the trip. Definitely stop if you wanted to drive into Venice for the airport (about 45m or less).
Treviso is a city in northeastern Italy with many canals. On the central Piazza dei Signori is the Palazzo dei Trecento, with battlements and vaulted arcades. The Fontana delle Tette is a 16th-century fountain that used to dispense wine. Nearby, the Duomo features a neoclassical facade, Romanesque crypt and a painting by Titian. The Civic Museums’ main site, the St. Catherine complex, has medieval frescoes.
We did hire a guide for the day and toured the "Prosecco Region" for a day. Forever spoiled and now plan to throw the 'ish we bought at Costco away (maybe later). SO much difference.
La Strada De Prosecco
So there you have it!
What I Learned
Random ruminations:
*Take some Euros with you to start. Those toll booths on the autostrada can be INTIMIDATING if you don't have money or know what the hell you're doing.
*Try to learn some of the local language. You ain't gonna do it all, but at least try. I found most spoke English everywhere in Croatia and Slovenia. In Italy, not so much. They appreciate it if you try. And Google Translate can be your friend.
*While American tourism is increasing in this region, most tourists come from Germany and Austrian. And it's fairly free at this point in life from the "Asian hoards" that come in mass on tours.
*Croatia and Slovenia are CHEAP!! Beer and nice wines for 3-6EU.
*You walk more than you think you will, so pig out. I lost 1.5 pounds and I was concerned about the consumption. Wife lost 6 and ate much more than me.
*You're an ambassador of the US, so act like it. Avoid being boorish and get sucked into talking politics (only got a couple of negative commentaries, so I was surprised).
*They like Americans IF you act fun and try to fit in. We're still kind of a novelty of sorts in Eastern Europe.
*October is an AMAZING time to go. Great weather. Less tourists.
*Global Entry is your friend. Let me repeat that: Global Entry is your friend! Whisked through JFK like a boss. Well worth the money, plus you get TSA Pre check on domestic flights.
Date: 10/8/2018 - 10/22/2018
Countries Visited: Croatia/Slovenia/Northeastern Italy
Croatia
Drove to Opatija, Croatia for the first night. A charming seaside town on the Adriatic Sea. It has a bustling night life and the meal and wine were very reasonable (a theme in all of Croatia).
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Words can't describe the magnificence of this UNESCO World Heritage site. It's been #1 on my "bucket list" for a long time.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is a 295-sq.-km forest reserve in central Croatia. It's known for a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, that extend into a limestone canyon. Walkways and hiking trails wind around and across the water, and an electric boat links the 12 upper and 4 lower lakes.
This place can get CROWDED. Imagine hoards of tourists (mainly Asian, and I won't go into "Selfie Sticks".) trying to traverse a narrow walkway (wooden, about 5 ft. wide generally in a lot of the park around the waterfalls). But, October is a great time to visit and we were smart to arrive first thing, so we got to see the park initially with very little people.
Spectacular!
Slovenia
Stop! Do not pass go. If there was a place I'd move to in a nano second, it would be Slovenia. Clean. Modern. Incredible outdoor activities and scenery. Cheap. Has it all. My favorite country by a mile.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
An amazing, clean, vibrant city.
Ljubljana is Slovenia's capital and largest city. It's known for its university population and green spaces, including expansive Tivoli Park. The curving Ljubljanica River, lined in outdoor cafes, divides the city's old town from its commercial hub. Ljubljana has many museums, including the National Museum of Slovenia, displaying historic exhibitions, and the Museum of Modern Art, home to 20th-century Slovene paintings and sculptures.
What made this visit special was I got to meet a dude I'd been corresponding with on Trip Advisor on what to do in Slovenia. He was incredibly helpful, spoke (and wrote) perfect English. And, his daughter was tour guide, so we hired her for the morning and got the inside scoop on what to see and do.
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Spectacular alpine lake set at the foot of the Julian Alps. The beauty was offset by the "touristy feel" of the area.
Lake Bled is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a tourist destination. The lake is 35 km from Ljubljana International Airport and 55 km from the capital city, Ljubljana.
Things To Do In Lake Bled
Special mention goes to "Finefood Berc", a small restaurant in an inn. One of our best meals of the trip!
We left and went to the amazing Vintgar Gorge next.
It's a close second to Plitvice in terms of the spectacular scenery.
Kobarid, Slovenia
OMG! My "happy place". Best place on the trip by far.
Kobarid is a settlement in Slovenia, the administrative centre of the Municipality of Kobarid. Kobarid is known for the 1917 Battle of Caporetto, where the Italian retreat was documented by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The battle is well documented in the museum in the centre of Kobarid.
I can't decide if it's the WW1 history that surrounds you or the magnificent scenery that makes it so special. A paradise for active nature set against one the most horrific periods of world history that few know much about.
The Forgotten Front
One can only imagine the life during this time. Being shelled constantly. Gas attacks. Avalanches. Cramped, unsanitary conditions.
The Battles of the Isonzo were a series of 12 battles between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies in World War I mostly on the territory of present-day Slovenia, and the remainder in Italy along the Isonzo River on the eastern sector of the Italian Front between June 1915 and November 1917.
Estimates vary, but some say there were up to 1.2M casualties. Half of the entire Italian war death total – some 300,000 of 600,000 – were suffered along the Soca (Isonzo).
More on things to do around Kobarid
Italy
Capriva del Friuli, Province of Gorizia, Italy
This is WINE country people. Eat and drink. Eat and drink. Burp.
Went to Udine, Italy for a few hours. Not a fan.
We did have a nice side trip to the quaint little town of Cividale del Friuli.
Treviso
Our last stop was in Treviso. It was surprisingly one of the more enjoyable stops of the trip. Definitely stop if you wanted to drive into Venice for the airport (about 45m or less).
Treviso is a city in northeastern Italy with many canals. On the central Piazza dei Signori is the Palazzo dei Trecento, with battlements and vaulted arcades. The Fontana delle Tette is a 16th-century fountain that used to dispense wine. Nearby, the Duomo features a neoclassical facade, Romanesque crypt and a painting by Titian. The Civic Museums’ main site, the St. Catherine complex, has medieval frescoes.
We did hire a guide for the day and toured the "Prosecco Region" for a day. Forever spoiled and now plan to throw the 'ish we bought at Costco away (maybe later). SO much difference.
La Strada De Prosecco
So there you have it!
What I Learned
Random ruminations:
*Take some Euros with you to start. Those toll booths on the autostrada can be INTIMIDATING if you don't have money or know what the hell you're doing.
*Try to learn some of the local language. You ain't gonna do it all, but at least try. I found most spoke English everywhere in Croatia and Slovenia. In Italy, not so much. They appreciate it if you try. And Google Translate can be your friend.
*While American tourism is increasing in this region, most tourists come from Germany and Austrian. And it's fairly free at this point in life from the "Asian hoards" that come in mass on tours.
*Croatia and Slovenia are CHEAP!! Beer and nice wines for 3-6EU.
*You walk more than you think you will, so pig out. I lost 1.5 pounds and I was concerned about the consumption. Wife lost 6 and ate much more than me.
*You're an ambassador of the US, so act like it. Avoid being boorish and get sucked into talking politics (only got a couple of negative commentaries, so I was surprised).
*They like Americans IF you act fun and try to fit in. We're still kind of a novelty of sorts in Eastern Europe.
*October is an AMAZING time to go. Great weather. Less tourists.
*Global Entry is your friend. Let me repeat that: Global Entry is your friend! Whisked through JFK like a boss. Well worth the money, plus you get TSA Pre check on domestic flights.
4
Posted on 10/25/18 at 8:40 pm to Nole Man
My character count has maxed out in the sticky so I am petitioning for the admin’s to give me an exception for this one thread
Posted on 10/25/18 at 8:49 pm to HoustonGumbeauxGuy
They can hide the other posters in that thread until your next post in the sticky is the second post in the thread, then you can add to it
Posted on 10/26/18 at 12:38 am to Nole Man
This is incredible! I've been wanting to visit Eastern Europe, specifically Croatia and Slovenia for many years. I'm hoping to get back into teaching/coaching, so next summer may have to be the time. (Even though I know you said October, but oh well)
Posted on 10/26/18 at 7:10 am to LSUButt
quote:
This is incredible! I've been wanting to visit Eastern Europe, specifically Croatia and Slovenia for many years. I'm hoping to get back into teaching/coaching, so next summer may have to be the time. (Even though I know you said October, but oh well)
Thanks. I love traveling any time of the year frankly. But, I can say a general theme is avoid the frikkin' hoards, which tend to start around holiday periods (Christmas), or the summer (after May). April's a great month too, but each season has it's appeals.
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Posted on 10/26/18 at 8:19 pm to Nole Man
Awesome! Very happy to hear about Slovenia being great as we are planning a trip there. I've actually heard that from someone else that returned this week too. We originally planned to do Croatia/Slovenia together, but strongly considering just taking our time in Slovenia alone.
The scenery looks amazing and have heard nothing but good things about the people.
The scenery looks amazing and have heard nothing but good things about the people.
Posted on 10/26/18 at 9:48 pm to speckledawg
quote:
Awesome! Very happy to hear about Slovenia being great as we are planning a trip there. I've actually heard that from someone else that returned this week too. We originally planned to do Croatia/Slovenia together, but strongly considering just taking our time in Slovenia alone. The scenery looks amazing and have heard nothing but good things about the people.
I could spend weeks in Slovenia. So much we didn't see. Postojna Cave. Goriska Brda is an absolutely stunning wine region. The Russian Chapel in Kranjska Gora. Seriously, I'd spend 2 weeks around the Kobarid area alone. We just touched on this beautiful country.
I view Croatia as a similar situation. I loved Opatija. Plitvice is maybe 2:45 from Ljubljana and should be your top destination. The coast itself would take weeks to explore.
Chances are you probably won't go back, so why not split it? If you had like two weeks do like a 7/7 kind of thing?
Posted on 10/27/18 at 8:42 pm to Nole Man
I did a similar trip (minus Italy) last year and wrote a trip report. I love this part of Europe too and agree you get a lot of bang for your buck without some of the modern hassles that now accompany other parts of Europe.
One thing I didn't see in your report was Zagreb. Some people don't care for Zagreb but I loved it. Great, charming European capital. And you can do Plitvice as a day trip from there (or stop by on your way to Split/coast.
I've heard other people that love Slovenia say not to tell anybody you enjoyed it because they don't want it to be spoiled by tourism.
Posted on 10/28/18 at 6:16 am to AUFANATL
quote:
I've heard other people that love Slovenia say not to tell anybody you enjoyed it because they don't want it to be spoiled by tourism.
We didn't go to Zagreb. I hated Slovenian and would never go back again.
(But for you folks on the forum paying it forward...!)
This post was edited on 10/28/18 at 6:17 am
Posted on 6/5/23 at 9:48 am to Nole Man
Forgive the old bump- but I have a few questions as we hope to head to this region in the next 18 months.
Looking at your map picture, I am curious as to where you flew in/out of?
I am assuming you used a rental car, or did you travel by train?
Any time on the Croatian Coast? Split or Dubrovnik?
Thanks for a great review
Looking at your map picture, I am curious as to where you flew in/out of?
I am assuming you used a rental car, or did you travel by train?
Any time on the Croatian Coast? Split or Dubrovnik?
Thanks for a great review
Posted on 6/5/23 at 10:38 am to slinger1317
quote:
Forgive the old bump- but I have a few questions as we hope to head to this region in the next 18 months.
Looking at your map picture, I am curious as to where you flew in/out of?
I am assuming you used a rental car, or did you travel by train?
Any time on the Croatian Coast? Split or Dubrovnik?
Thanks for a great review
Blast from the past! Thanks.
We rented a car in Venice and drove. Split it with another couple. Only coastal town we visited was Opatija, which we really liked. Whatever you do, you HAVE to go to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Next to Crater Lake maybe, the single most spectacular natural scenery I've ever seen!
We're actually planning a new trip, possibly in 2024 or 2025, wherein we'd fly into Dubrovnik (Maybe Split?). Spend more time in Croatia, then on the Montenegro and Bosnia.
FYI, I found this other review helpful: LINK.
Posted on 6/5/23 at 10:51 am to Nole Man
Thanks for the info!
Croatia was never on our radar until we watched Below Deck who did a couple seasons along the Croatian coast.
We then went down the rabbit hole and found Plitvice Lakes and other places. Thanks again!
Posted on 6/5/23 at 10:58 am to Nole Man
quote:
fly into Dubrovnik (Maybe Split?). Spend more time in Croatia, then on the Montenegro and Bosnia.
Just did exactly this in April. Highly recommend. Dubrovnik was great, but Kotor and Mostar made the trip. Easy drive between all 3 as well.
Posted on 6/5/23 at 12:11 pm to speckledawg
quote:
Just did exactly this in April. Highly recommend. Dubrovnik was great, but Kotor and Mostar made the trip. Easy drive between all 3 as well.
Would like to know about this trip! Are you going to do a trip report?
Would you fly into Dubrovnik? Or split?
How long did you spend in Bosnia?
Any "must do's" along the way?
Thanks!
Posted on 6/5/23 at 1:19 pm to Nole Man
quote:
Would you fly into Dubrovnik? Or split?
How long did you spend in Bosnia?
Any "must do's" along the way?
Split is meh, Dubrovnik is solid but like someone else said Croatia is best when you are on the smaller islands, Hvar especially is great.
You can fly into both Dubrovnik and Split easily and take the ferry to/from.
The plitvice lakes are obviously stunning but the hoards of tourists sucks.
ETA wherever you go in Croatia, the itinerary should include being out on the water as much as possible, it is incredible.
This post was edited on 6/5/23 at 1:21 pm
Posted on 6/5/23 at 1:21 pm to Nole Man
Glad you enjoyed Treviso. That is our decompression stop after flying into Milan. We will rent a car in Treviso and then head to the Dolomites for a few days.
Posted on 6/5/23 at 10:41 pm to Nole Man
quote:
Are you going to do a trip report?
Possibly. I've been insanely busy since getting back.
We flew into Dubrovnik and it was super easy. Only plane there on a Tuesday afternoon (I imagine it gets very crowded in summer). We took Uber to our AirBnB in old town and only got a rental car a few days later when we left.
quote:
How long did you spend in Bosnia?
2 full days in Mostar, which was plenty as it's small. We did make a day of the drive from Kotor, stopping at Kravice Falls & did the trek up Apparition Hill in Medjugorge (highly recommend if you're considering it).
quote:
Any "must do's" along the way?
2 places that I would 100% stop on the way: Perast, Montenegro and pay someone 10€ to take you out to the Island (Our Lady of the Rocks). Also had a good lunch by the water there.
Mali Ston, Croatia - stopped here for lunch on the drive back from Mostar to Dubrovnik before going home. It's an amazing drive on brand new highway and bridge. The rental car worker recommended that route and a few restaurant options. We chose the "lesser" looking option there (Villa Koruna), but it turned out great (food and people) and was a highlight.
Only regret of the trip was not getting to do the Ladder of Kotor, but crazy hail storms wouldn't let us even begin.
This post was edited on 6/5/23 at 10:42 pm
Posted on 6/5/23 at 10:43 pm to hiltacular
quote:
ETA wherever you go in Croatia, the itinerary should include being out on the water as much as possible, it is incredible.
Agreed. We were there in April, so it was a bit chilly. We took the ferry to Lokrum Island on our first day there, which was the best weather day. It was great.
Posted on 6/7/23 at 5:02 pm to speckledawg
Just got back from Austria, northern Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia. All were incredible. I agree that Ljubljana is a must-see. I will be going back. Rovinj, Croatia was incredible as well. I highly recommend. It has an Italian feel with it’s own unique style.
Posted on 6/10/23 at 8:18 pm to slinger1317
I'd suggest flying into Zagreb as an option as well if the itinerary works for you. It's actually closer to Plitvice than Split is. I drove from Zagreb down to Dubrovnik. I enjoyed a little stop in Omis just south of split. The mountains come right to the coastline there so it's a dramatic effect. Took ferry out from Split to Hvar and then small boat to Pakleni Islands. There's also cool little beaches all along the coast between Split and Dubrovnik. Only thing I'd change is probably go from 3 days to 2 days in Dubrovnik. It's a cool looking old town, but it's not a functioning real town any more (the number of days in Dubrovnik is a debatable topic).
Wife was pregnant at the time so that adjusted plans plus I went in summer 2021 which was great because tourism numbers were basically 1/3 of normal due to COVID. So I can't speak to crowding issues that were plaguing Croatia before and probably now.
Last note. I think the suggested times to go may be a little off. Went in early July and it was already hot as balls. August is high season but frick that. The sun off the stone can be brutal. Sweat my arse off walking the old town Dubrovnik walls. I'd look at pushing the shoulder season. I'd bet it will be plenty warm enough.
Wife was pregnant at the time so that adjusted plans plus I went in summer 2021 which was great because tourism numbers were basically 1/3 of normal due to COVID. So I can't speak to crowding issues that were plaguing Croatia before and probably now.
Last note. I think the suggested times to go may be a little off. Went in early July and it was already hot as balls. August is high season but frick that. The sun off the stone can be brutal. Sweat my arse off walking the old town Dubrovnik walls. I'd look at pushing the shoulder season. I'd bet it will be plenty warm enough.
This post was edited on 6/10/23 at 8:27 pm
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