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Day 8 – Dubrovnik

Saturday morning we knew that if we had to walk the walls of Dubrovnik with almost no tourists then we have to start early and climb the staircases as soon as the walls open at 8:00am. So we started out of our apartment early, had coffee at Stradun and headed straight to the Tourist Information Center next to Pile Gate. The tickets are HRK 70, which also includes the Fort Lovrijenac. It takes about 2-3 hours to walk around the fort walls.

What is that Owl-shaped head in Dubrovnik old town?

Also see: As you start walking the Stradun (main road) after entering the Old Town of Dubrovnik through the Pile Gate, look carefully and you might spot a strange gargoyle head protruding from a stone wall. It’s on the left side, just next to the entrance to the Franciscan monastery and the stairway that leads up onto the city’s famous walls.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Breakfast	HRK 165 or $32	For 2 persons
Dubrovnik Walls	HRK 70 or $13	Per person
Rector’s Palace	HRK 40 or $8	Per person
War Photo Limited	HRK 30 or $6	Per person
Cable Car	HRK 80 or $16	Per person
Lunch – Pizza	HRK 58 or $11	For 2 persons
Drinks at Cafe Buža	HRK 64 or $13	For 2 persons (beer and wine)
Boat to Lokrum Island	HRK 50 or $10	Per person
Ice Coffee at Lokrum Island	HRK 27 or $6	Per person
Lasagna Dinner	HRK 118 or $23	For 2 persons
Tiramisu	HRK 25 or $5	Per person
Bus from Dubrovnik to Airport	HRK 35 or $7	Per person.

« PREVIOUS – Day 7

Split to Dubrovnik

Diocletian’s Palace & coastal town.

Day 8

Dubrovnik

Old city built on Maritime trade.

« Nine days in Croatia

Expenses – NEXT »

How much did it cost?

List of all the expenses.

Day 7 – Split to Dubrovnik (via Neum, B&H)

The morning routine was pretty much the same – breakfast at the cafe next to the apartment, get ready and we were out for the last leg of our trip to Dubrovnik.

Walking to Autobusni Kolodvor (Bus station) was a 10 minute walk from the apartment. The bus station and ferry dock are right next to each other on the other side of the Riva. Having reached there by 9:30am, we took the 10:00am bus (HRK 120 plus HRK 7 baggage fees; 4.5 hours)

The bus ride from Split to Dubrovnik is on highway 8 all the time and is spectacular all the way. The bus passes through a lot of small towns and the one that is really picturesque is Omiš. Just passing through the town makes you want to stop there and take a lot of pictures, so make sure to keep your camera ready! Although the bus does not stop at Omiš, you can still take some clicks on your way.

Another interesting thing about the bus ride is that all road transport to Dubrovnik passes through 26 km of the Bosnian town of Neum. Police officers may board the bus and you may be asked for a valid identity document when crossing the Neum corridor which belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the bus companies list trip duration of approx. 4 hr, be prepared for a ride of closer to 5.5-6 hr, including Bosnian border checks. The bus stops at a cafe in Neum for 30 minutes. If you’re traveling to Croatia on a visa then you don’t need a separate visa for Bosnia & Herzegovina. Your Croatian visa is good for that part.

See: Crossing Bosnian territory between Split & Dubrovnik, Croatia

Another hour and you will see the massive Tudjman bridge leading to the city of Dubrovnik, which also has the port of Dubrovnik where the tourist ferries dock. The Autobusni Kolodvor (bus station) in Dubrovnik is not close to the fortified Old Town, so either you can take a bus #2 to the Pile Gate or just take a cab (HRK 60, 20 minutes). Upon reaching Pile Gate, you will see the high walls and a lot of tourist buses. Note that the frequency of bus #2 is less, so it’s best to take the cab.

The first thing one would notice upon reaching outside the Pile Gate is hoards of tourists. Dubrovnik is one of the main travel destination for Europeans, especially Italians, Germans and British. The Pile gate lies on the northwest end of the Dubrovnik Old Town and is the main entry point for all tourists who arrive by ferries or buses. This is one of the three gates to enter the Old Town – Pile Gate, Ploče Gate and Buža Gate.

Entering the Pile Gate will directly lead you to the main street of Old Town – Stradun. We wanted to check-in to our apartment to with the help of iPhone Maps we headed to Zakom 3. Meddling our way away from Stradun in to the cobbled and narrow streets of Dubrovnik Old Tow, lined up with cafe’s and restaurants, we reached to our apartment where we were received by Viktor. The beautiful apartment was on the second floor with a window looking over the Zakom street.

After a quick fresh-up, we headed out to experience this gorgeous town and to grab a bite. There are ample restaurants to choose from along the Stradun, but if you walk around a bit you can get different flavors in the tiny and narrow side-streets of the Old Town. The place we decided to eat at is one of the most recommended restaurants in Old Town, right at the fisherman’s port – Lokanda Peskarija. This outdoor restaurant with views of the walls on one side and the hills on the other, you are sitting with hundreds of fishermen boats parked in the bay. Try the seafood platter (HRK 160 for 2 people) – this comes in a huge pan filled with mussels, prawns, sardines, octopus and squids. The meal is the best we have had in Croatia!

We finished our hearty lunch at around 3:30pm and were back in the Old Town. It being Friday afternoon, more tourists were being off-loaded in the city. We walked on the Stradun experiencing this magnificently restored Old Town, which was destroyed after the 1991-92 war.

First stop – the Bell Tower at the southeast end of Stradun, next to Ploče Gate. On top of the tower are the famous ‘Zelenci’ (The Green Ones), bronze statues which strike the gigantic bell every hour. They have been recently replaced with copies and the originals are in the atrium of the Sponza Palace. This tower also displays the time (in intervals of 5 minutes) with the hour in Roman numerals and minutes in numerics.

Display of time in Bell Tower, Dubrovnik

Next on the list was Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Mon-Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 11am-5:30pm). Supposedly, the original church was built with money donated by Richard the Lionhearted who survived shipwreck on his way home from the Third Crusade. The current Roman Baroque cathedral dates from the 18th Century.

Right across the Bell Tower is the Church of St. Blaise, which is built on the plan of a Greek cross and topped with a grand dome. Its wide staircase is a popular place for weary tourists to take a load off and people-watch for awhile.

Inside the church are numerous art treasures saved from the earlier church, including a gold-plated silver statue of St. Blaise, holding a 15th-century model of the city, on the main altar.

In front of the Church is Roland’s Column, (actually in front of the Bell Tower). A slender stone flag staff of the legendary knight. Also known as Orlando’s Column. Ever since its foundation in 1950, the Dubrovnik Summer Festival is officially opened by raising a flag carrying the city’s motto Libertus on Orlando’s staff.

Moving to the other end of Stradun, we stop at the Big Onofrio’s Fountain right inside the Pile Gate. Behind the Big Onofrio’s Fountain is the Tourist Information office (TI). This is the main meeting place for locals and tourists. It’s 16 sided water spouts get water from 20 kilometers away.

Right next to the fountain, on the walls of Franciscan Monastery is a single lion-head with a flat head. This is a strange gargoyle head protruding from a stone wall. It’s on the left side, just next to the entrance to the Franciscan monastery and the stairway that leads up onto the city’s famous walls. The head stands some half a meter above the ground, sticking out barely fifteen centimeters. Its top surface is polished like marble. The wall above it is noticeably greasy from the touch of a thousand hands. The head was supposed to represent an owl. It was once the end of a pipe that drained rainwater from the top of the building. The pipes were rerouted a long time ago, and water doesn’t flow from its mouth anymore. Legend has it that if you manage to hop onto the head, keep your balance, and take off your shirt while still standing facing the wall, luck in love will follow you.

A quick walk out of the Pile Gate and back, it was almost time for sunset and and the best views of the sunset can be seen at Cafe Buža, which is located outside the walls overlooking the Adriatic Sea. To reach the cafe, head over to the Gundulić Square.

This is where one finds the morning open market. From the Square, climb the steps up to the Jesuit Church and the historic Collegium Ragusinum. At the top, you will be in an open space called Bošković Square. With the stairs at your back, turn left and cross the square to the Wall, on which you will find a wooden sign with an arrow that directs you to the right, along the Wall, toward Buža.

The huge square up the stairs has the Church of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit College. Ornate Jesuit church, approached via a romantic baroque staircase modelled on the Spanish Steps in Rome (1738). Built between 1667 and 1725 by architect Ignazzio Pozzo, and like most Jesuit churches of the period was modeled on the Gesù in Rome, the mother church of the Jesuits. Mass held in English daily at noon in the summer.

Along the short walk that remains, you will encounter a small, make-shift football (soccer) pitch on which the neighborhood boys have their pick-up games. The Wall will be on the left and a small chapel will be on the right. As you might imagine, the young players are very accustomed to visitors regularly crossing the pitch; simply continue to walk up the street past the small chapel. A short walk further and, on the left, you will find a buža (hole) in the wall through which, depending on the time of day, the sun may penetrate.

After a few drinks and a laid back evening, we headed back to the Stradun, strolling through the narrow streets of Old Town Dubrovnik. A few hours experiencing the lit streets, we headed to the apartment looking forward to the walk on the walls, an island hop and some Tiramisu.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Breakfast	HRK 80 or $16	For 2 persons
Bus from Split to Dubrovnik	HRK 120 + HRK 7 baggage fees or $25	Per person
Apartment	€120 or $175	For 2 nights
Lunch at Lokanda Peskarija	HRK 160 or $31	For 2 persons
Drinks at Cafe Buža	HRK 64 or $13	For 2 persons (beer and wine)

« PREVIOUS – Day 6

Split

Diocletian’s Palace & coastal town.

Day 7

Split to Dubrovnik

Travel from Split to Dubrovnik & day there.

« Nine days in Croatia

Day 8 – NEXT »

Dubrovnik

Old city built on Maritime trade.

Day 6 – Split

My sore eye was better when I woke up early Thursday morning and after a quick shower we were out for a coffee at a cafe right next to our apartment. They also served breakfast (eggs, bacon, fruits, orange juice) for HRK 40. We had a good breakfast and were on our way to the Riva at about 8:00am.

Split Card

The Split Card is for HRK 36 (approx $7) for 24 hours and can be used for the next 3 days without paying anything extra. You get free access to most museums, half-price discounts at many galleries, free public transportation and discounts on shops, restaurants, rental cars and hotels.

Wanting to do the walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace before the tourist crowd dock at the port, we started at the north gate of the palace right next to the imposing statue of Gregorius of Nin, the 10th-century Croatian bishop who fought for the right to use old Croatian in liturgical services. Sculpted by Ivan Meštrović, this powerful work is one of the defining images of Split. Notice the left toe of the statue is polished bronze. Legend has it that if you rub the toe you will come back to Split.

To the west of the statue you’ll see the well-preserved corner tower of the palace. Between the statue and the tower are the remains of the church of St. Benedict with the 15th-century Chapel of Arnir. Peek in to the protective glass and you’ll see the altar slab and altar sarcophagus carved by the early Renaissance master Juraj Dalmatinac.

The Palace has 4 monumental gates – Porta Aurea (Zlatna vrata, Golden gate), Porta Argenta (Srebrna vrata, Silver gate), Porta Ferrea (Željezna vrata, Iron gate) and Porta Aenea (Mjedena vrata). The statue is right outside the Golden Gate, which was once the starting point for the road to Solin. Turn left at Papalićeva and at No 5 is Papalić Palace with a courtyard, loggia and external staircase. Built by Dalmatinac for one of the many noblemen who lived within the palace in the Middle Ages, it is considered a fine example of late-Gothic style with an elaborately carved entrance gate that proclaimed the importance
of its original inhabitants. The exterior of the palace is almost in its original state, but the interior has been restored to the Town Museum (Croatian: Muzej Grada Splita; Price: HRK 10; Hours: 9am – 9pm Tue-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep, 10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat & Sun Oct-May). All captions are in Croatian, but wall panels in a variety of languages provide a historical framework for the exhibits. The museum has three floors, with drawings, coats of arms, 17th-century weaponry, fine furniture, coins and documents from as far back as the 14th century.

We returned to Dioklecijanova, turned left to see the Peristil, the ceremonial entrance court to the imperial quarters and three steps below the level of the surrounding streets. The longer side is lined by six granite columns, linked by arches and decorated with a stone frieze. The southern side is enclosed by the Protiron, which is the entrance into the imperial quarters.

Before moving on we had one of the best coffees in Croatia at the outdoor café right in the square and the ancient stones provide handy seats to relax and people-watch in this popular meeting place.

We headed up the eastern stairs to the Cathedral of St. Domnius (Croatian: Katedrala Svetog Duje; Price: adult/student incl Treasury HRK 10/5; Hours: 7am-noon & 4-7pm), originally built as Diocletian’s mausoleum. It was steep walk up to the tower from where one can see a 360° view of Split.

Moving on, we turned right in the narrow street of Kraj Sveti Ivana, which leads to what used to be the ceremonial and devotional section of the palace. At the end of the street is the Temple of Jupiter (Price: HRK 10), later converted into a baptistery. The headless sphinx in black granite guarding the entrance was imported from Egypt at the time of the temple’s construction.

The oldest monuments in the cathedral are the remarkable scenes on the wooden entrance doors from the life of Christ. Notice the right altar carved by Bonino da Milano in 1427 and the vault above the altar decorated with murals by Dujam Vušković. To the left is the altar of St. Anastasius (Croatian: Sveti Staš) by Dalmatinac, with a relief of The Flagellation of Christ, which is one of the finest sculptural works of its time in Dalmatia.

We followed the signs to the Treasury (Hours: 8am-noon Sun Jul & Aug, 10am-noon Sun Jun & Sep, 11am-noon Sun Oct-May), rich in icons, church robes, illuminated manuscripts and documents in Glagolitic script. Part of the same structure look for the belfry (Price: HRK 5; Hours: 7am-noon & 4-7pm Jul & Aug, 8am-noon Jun & Sep) was reconstructed in 1908 after it collapsed. Notice the two lion figures at the foot of the belfry and the Egyptian black-granite sphinx on the right wall. South of the mausoleum, there are remains of the Roman baths, a Roman building with a mosaic and the remains of the imperial dining hall in various stages of preservation.

Immediately to the west of the cathedral are the massive steps leading down through the Protiron into the vestibule, which is the best-preserved part of the imperial residence. The cellars are filled with stands selling souvenirs and handicrafts. To the left is the entrance to the basement halls (Price: HRK 6; Hours: 10am-6pm) of the palace. Although mostly empty, the rooms and corridors emit a haunting sense of timelessness that is well worth the price of the ticket. The cellars open onto the southern gate.

Above the vestibule is Temple of the Aesculapius, dedicated to Asclepius, the Greek/Roman god of healing/medicine, has a semi cylindrical roof made out of hand carved stone blocks which did not leak until the 1940s, and was then covered with a lead roof. This is where male-groups often perform the famous Klapa music.

Klapa Music

The klapa music is a form of a cappella singing that first appeared in Croatia during the 1960s. The word klapa translates as “a group of people” and traces its roots to liturgical church singing. The motifs in general celebrate love, wine (grapes), country (homeland) and sea. The main elements of the music are harmony and melody, with rhythm very rarely being very important. A klapa group consists of a first tenor, a second tenor, a baritone, and a bass. It is possible to double all the voices apart from the first tenor. Although klapa is a cappella music, on occasion it is possible to add a gentle guitar and a mandolin (instrument similar in appearance and sound to tamburitzas).

Right next to Temple of the Aesculapius is the Ethnographic Museum (Price: HRK 10; Hours: 9am-2pm & 5-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat Jun-Sep, 9am-2pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat Oct-May), which has a collection of photos of old Split, traditional costumes and memorabilia of important citizens. Captions are in Croatian.

By the time we were done with the Palace, it was lunch time and we headed out of the Southern Gate onto the Riva to the Adriana restaurant.

With lots of energy after a meal, we thought of taking the first boat or ferry out of Split to the nearby island of Hvar Town and returning back late evening. Unfortunately, all the companies run ferries to Hvar Town and back starting early morning and returning the next morning. They don’t operate ferries returning on the same day. And since we had to head out to Dubrovnik the next morning, we decided to skip this and walk up to the Meštrović Gallery.

It’s a 30 minute walk to the Meštrović Gallery (Croatian: Galerija Meštrović; Price: adult incl Kaštelet HRK 30; Hours: 9am-2pm Tue-Fri, to 1pm Sat & Sun).) from Riva, starting along the coastline, just follow the Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića. You will pass by the Croatian Archeological Museum on the way, which we decided to skip!

Entry into the massive front-yard of Split’s finest art museum – Meštrović Gallery – is free, but you will have to purchase tickets (before entering the main gate) to enter the museum. You’ll see a comprehensive, well-arranged collection of works by Ivan Meštrović, Croatia’s premier modern sculptor, who built the gallery as a personal residence from 1931 to 1939.

Make sure to stop further up on the street at Kaštelet (Address: Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića 39; admission by Meštrović Gallery ticket or HRK 20; Hours: 9am-9pm Tue-Sun mid-May–Sep, 9am-4pm Tue-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun Oct–mid-May), the fortress that Meštrović bought and restored to house his powerful Life of Christ wood reliefs.

While walking back to the Riva we decided to climb the Marjan hill which is a great place for long walks, jogging, and bike rides. Marjan’s peak, Telegrin is 174 m high and gives a wonderful panoramic view of Split. South cliffs are popular within alpine climbers. St. Nicholas church is situated on the east of Marjan, on it’s south side are beautiful St. Jeronimus church and “Gospe od Betlema” church (Madonna of Betlehem). House building is strictly forbidden in order to save Marjan – the lungs of Split.

After another round of coffee at the restaurant on the top of the hill, we wanted to rest ourselves for a while so decided to head to the apartment for a quick nap!

Gaining some strength with a small nap, we were out again and this time to the beautiful Bačvice beach, which was just a 10 minute walk from our apartment. The beach is sandy with some rocky parts, and the sea is turquoise-blue with controlled purity. One of the most famous activities on the beach is playing “picigin” and it is a favorite summer sport in Split, and you can also have fun with other sea sports. The beach has bars, restaurants and patisseries that serves cold drinks or ice-creams. This is the main town beach and it is visited by a large number of tourists, especially in summer months, which are watched over by beach rescuers. Access is also enabled to people with disabilities. There is a leisure park equipped with slides, trampoline, and a rubber castle for the kids. For all those who want to have fun with music and dance, there is a famous club Sheakspeare on the beach, which is opened all night and guarantees a good time.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Morning Breakfast	HRK 40 or $8	Per person
Coffee at Diocletian’s Palace	HRK 24 or $5	Per person
Cathedral of St. Domnius	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Tower of Cathedral of St. Domnius	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Temple of Jupiter	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Lunch at Adriana	HRK 400 or $80	For 2 persons
Basement Halls	HRK 6 or $1.50	Per person
Belfry	HRK 5 or $1	Per person
Ethnographic Museum	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Coffee at Marjan Hill	HRK 30 or $6	For 2 persons

« PREVIOUS – Day 5

Zadar to Split

Travel from Zadar to Split & day there.

Day 6

Split

Diocletian’s Palace & coastal town.

« Nine days in Croatia

Day 7 – NEXT »

Split to Dubrovnik

Travel from Split to Dubrovnik & day there.

Day 5 – Zadar to Split

Woke up on Wednesday morning with a swollen red eye, yet got ready on time and headed out for a much-needed coffee. We wanted to have a one last experience of the haunting Sea Organ before we head out of Zadar, so we decided to sit in the cafe right behind the promenade of the Sea Organ. The weather was a nice 25 deg. C and sitting at the cafe listening to the waves hitting the Sea Organ was quite an experience.

We headed back to the apartment, checked out around 10:00am and on our way to the Zadar Center just outside the fortified Old Town near the footbridge. It was in about 5 minutes that the next Bus #2 was there and we reached Autobusni Kolodvor (Bus Station) in about 15 minutes. There was no one in line at the bus station, so after purchasing the tickets for the next bus (HRK 95 per person, 4.5 hours), we decided to grab a sandwich before we board for the next leg of our tour. The bus was there at the station at 9:50am and it was out at exact 10:00am.

Instead of taking the highway A1 to Split, the bus travels on highway 8, along the coast line stopping at various towns for 10 minutes each; sometimes even in between to pick up or drop off people. Highway 8 is a single lane road on each side and well-maintained throughout, except for some minor construction work in between. If you are driving further south to Dubrovnik from Zadar then we would recommend taking the freeway A1 to Split where it ends and then taking the highway 8 on to Dubrovnik. Although the views of the Adriatic Sea are awesome all the way on highway 8, the best views and towns that you might stop over (if driving) are between Split and Dubrovnik.

After making some 5-6 stops in between, we were in the port city of Split in exact 4.5 hours. Autobusni Kolodvor (Bus station) at Split is about 5 minutes walk from the Riva (promenade) and Diocletian’s Palace. The bust station and ferry dock are next to each other and if you’re staying in the fortified Old Town (Diocletian’s Palace), then just walk right from the bus station (if you’re facing the sea) and within 5-7 minutes you’ll be at the Riva.

We were received by our host at House of Sandra apartments. It was a 12 minute walk from the bus station to the apartment. We had booked the Room P1 which was a beautiful two single-bed, one bath apartment with kitchen and all the basic facilities, including Wi-Fi. It’s a 7 minute walk from the Riva up on to Kralja Zvonimira.

Accommodation in Split

As mentioned by most travel guides on Croatia, you will be facing a hoard of old women renting their apartments (with Sobe or Apartmani signs) as soon as you step out of the bus. Some of them will offer rooms or apartments in the Old Town or Diocletian’s Palace which may be expensive. Make sure to check the location of the apartment and then settle on the price. Split has a good network of bus services and even if you may have to stay a bit far off the Riva, you will get buses all year-round.

Before booking any apartment, get the location and walk up to the Tourist Information Center right outside the gates of Diocletian’s Palace on the Riva. Check the bus availability, timings and routes from the Riva to the apartment location. If it all sounds good then walk back to the bus station and close the deal. You can also take the phone number or the apartment owner before heading to Riva so you can confirm the deal over the phone before someone else can grab the deal!

It was a beautiful 24°C day in Split and we walked over to the Riva soaking in the majestic promenade with beautiful views of the Split port where all the ferries dock. This is the main sea-side promenade lined up with restaurants and cafes and also has one gate entrance to the Diocletian’s Palace. The Tourist Information Office is on the Riva along with some consulates and embassies of European countries like Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, etc.

We were tempted to walk in the palace but we wanted to do a whole walking tour and sun was going to set soon, so we decided to keep that for the next day. Walking past the TI office and consulates, we headed to the main “square” or street called Marmontova (outside of Diocletian’s Palace), over to the Croatian National Theatre (Croatian: Hrvatsko narodno kazalište).

Right next to the Croatian National Theatre is the Franciscan monastery (Croatian: Franjevački Samostan), which had a beautiful painting of Christ along with the zodiac signs and peasants worshiping the lord.

Walking past the Marmontova, we decided to stop over at the Art Gallery (Croatian: Galerija Umjetnina), which was founded in 1931. There is a permanent exhibition of paintings and sculptures from the XIVth century to the present day. From time to time contemporary artists exhibit their works. Because of their artistic ex ellence one should mention the works by Andrija Alesi and Juraj Čulinović from the XVth century, by Andrija Medulić from the XVIth century, by Matej Poncun and Frederik Benković from the XVIIth century and the paintinqs of the Gothic Renaissance an Baroque Venetian masters. Valuable icons from the XVth to the XIXth century are on display. Of special importance are the icons from the period between the XVIIIth-XIXth century which were painted by masters from Boka Kotorska. The most numerous works are those of the Croatian artists Bukovac, Medović, Desković, Meštrović, Vidović and Job. Hours: Monday 17:00-20:00; Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00; Sundays and holidays closed. Price: HRK 20 or $4.

After spending some time at the Art Gallery, we headed back to the Riva for some coffee, then a walk home to freshen up and back at Riva just before the sunset. As the sun sets, the lights at the promenade go on and one can see the most stunning views of the port and the Riva during the night time. Walking around the Diocletian’s Palace offers some breath-taking views of the Palace tower and walls.

Split, being a port town, is busy with hundreds of tourists that alight from the ferries from various Croatian and Italian towns, especially on weekends.

We walked up the Riva to the Šperun street for dinner at the Šperun restaurant. This is one of the most recommended places to eat by several guides. The sea food is considered amongst the best you will find in Split.

A walk back to the Riva and after some Tiramisu ice-cream, we called it a day and headed back to our apartment.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Morning Coffee	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Sandwich at bus station	HRK 36 or $7	Per person
Bus from Zadar to Split	HRK 102 or $20	Per person; HRK 95 for bus and HRK 7 for baggage
Apartment in Split	HRK 500 or $98	For 2 people, 2 nights
Art Gallery	HRK 20 or $4	Per person
Evening Coffee	HRK 12 or $2.50	Per person
Dinner at Šperun	HRK 135 or $26	For 2 persons

« PREVIOUS – Day 4

Zadar

Coastal town of ‘Sea Organ’.

Day 5

Zadar to Split

Travel from Zadar to Split & day there.

« Nine days in Croatia

Day 6 – NEXT »

Split

Diocletian’s Palace & coastal town.

Day 4 – Zadar

It was a beautiful Tuesday morning in Zadar, although my eye was more red than the day before. Having tried Visine in the eye and no results, I decided to go to the hospital’s emergency services. The pharmacy told me that the nearest hospital was on the other side of the town, about 20 minutes walk. So we crossed over the footbridge and walked around the narrow streets in the main city to reach the hospital.

All the signboards in the hospital were in Croatian and there was not a single human being whom we could have asked for the doctor’s office. That is when Google Translate app came handy – all I had to do was type in the Croatian text and got them translated in English. This is how we could figure out what was where in the hospital and eventually found the emergency services room. There were 2 lady doctors and 2 nurses sitting there, gossiping! I explained my condition to a doctor who didn’t speak English, but lucky for me a nurse did. She diagnosed my red eye as conjunctivitis, wrote a note and asked me to go to another hospital at the other end of the Old Town that had a eye specialist.

We walked back to the Old Town, past the small streets on the other side and reached the hospital. Again, everything in Croatian and no one spoke English. We bumped into a old lady and just showed her my eye. All she said was “follow me” and lead us to a Russian-era style building and in to the doctor’s office. We thanked her and waited for our turn to see the doctor. In about 10 minutes, I was in there. A 5-minute checkup and I was out with a prescription.

Walking back to Old Town, I picked up the eye-drops at the pharmacy and headed straight to a cafe for some much-needed Bijela Kava (Cafe Latte).

Sea Organ, Zadar, Croatia
Sounds of the Sea Organ (Morske Orgulje) in Zadar, Croatia. May 2011

Now we were all set for the first site of the day – Archaeological Museum (Jun-Sept 9am-9pm all days; Oct-May 9am-3pm Mon-Sat; Price: adults HRK 15, students & seniors HRK 10; add HRK 3 for expert guidance). The museum was founded in 1832 making it the second oldest museum in Croatia, and one of the oldest in this part of Europe. As the state museological institution it covers the area of the District of Zadar, together with the islands of Pag and Rab. Several departments exist within the museum: the Prehistoric Department, Roman Department, Medieval Department, Underwater Archaeology Department, Education Department, Conservation-Restoration Department, Library Department, as well as the Museum of Nin Antiquities.

Right across the museum is the Church of St. Donat of Zadar (Croatian: Crkva sv. Donata u Zadru) which is the largest Pre-romanesque building in Croatia. It is also one of the most impressive churches of centralized type of the Carolingian period in Europe. You can climb the tower of the church (Mon-Sat 10am-3pm; HRK 10) for a beautiful view of the city and Adriatic Sea.

View of Zadar from top of Tower of Church of St. Donat

Next to the St. Donat Church are the remains of The Roman Forum – one of the best preserves Roman Forums in existence. This is a common place for locals to stroll, sit down amongst the ruins and enjoy a nice summer day.

Opposite from the Roman remains is the magnificent Cathedral of St. Anastasia (Croatian: Katedrala sv. Stošije). It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Zadar. The cathedral was nearly destroyed in the last war and was built in the Romanesque style. It is the largest church in all of Dalmatia (the coastal region of Croatia). The church’s origins date back to a Christian basilica built in the 4th and 5th century, while much of today’s building was constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Hidden away behind the St. Donat Church lurks the Orthodox Church of St Elijah (Croatian: Crkva svetog Ilije), which originally ministered to the needs of the Greek sailors in the Venetian navy before being handed over to the Serbian Church in the mid-eighteenth century, when the campanile – now with tufts of grass growing between its heavy blocks of stone – was added.

Following Siroka (subsequently J. Bjankinija) west from here, you’ll soon arrive at Trg tri bunara, given its name by the three wells (tri bunara) dating from the eighteenth century on its northern side.

Turn left down A. Papavije and bear left again at the end to find the Franciscan monastery (Croatian: Frarjevači samostan), said to have been founded by St. Francis himself when he visited Zadar in 1219, and purllportedly the oldest Gothic church in Dalmatia, though it’s actually a fairly durenovation with a flat eighteenth-century roof. A doorway leads through to a plain but pleasing courtyard lined with the graves of Zadar nobles.

Returning back to the main street Siroka, we headed to the main square called Narodni Trg, which took over from the Forum as the main focus of civic activity in the Middle Ages. It’s overlooked by the sixteenth-century Guard House (Croatian: Gradska straža), a low, single-storey building with a soaring square clock tower, built in 1562. The niche to the left of the main entrance houses a fine bust of the Venetian governor G.G. Zane from 1608, sporting stylized furrowed brows and a veritable carpet of a beard. Immediately opposite, the Town Loggia has been enclosed in plate glass and transformed into an art gallery.

Southeast of Narodni trg, on Trg Petra Zoratića, the Baroque St Simeon’s Church (Croatian: Crkva svetog Simuna) was rebuilt in the seventeenth century to act as a fitting shrine for the bones of St Simeon, a minor saint who is supposed to have held the Christ Child in the Temple. The body was originally stored in the Church of St Mary the Great until its demolition to make way for the city walls in 1570.

Walking back to the center and then towards the main gate on the northwest-end, a stop at the Pet Bunara (five wells) and we decided to take the stairs up and walk the walls of the fortified Old Town. Some of the beautiful views of the Zadar peninsula and the Old Town can be seen from the walls.

By the time we were done with all these, it was time for dinner and we headed to another most recommended restaurant – Giardin – outside of Old Town, across the footbridge on the other side.

Having done with a hearty meal, we headed home and calling it a day.

Partner Offers

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Archeological Museum	HRK 15 or $3	Per person
Morning coffee	HRK 10 or $2	For one person
Church of St. Donat Tower	HRK 10 or $2	For one person
Sandwich for lunch	HRK 22 or $5	For 2 people
Dinner at Giardin	HRK 235 or $46	For 2 people

« PREVIOUS – Day 3

Zagreb to Zadar

Travel from Zagreb to Zadar & day there.

Day 4

Zadar

Coastal town of ‘Sea Organ’.

« Nine days in Croatia

Day 5 – NEXT »

Zadar to Split

Travel from Zadar to Split & day there.

Day 3 – Zagreb to Zadar

Having finished all the sights of Old Town Zagreb, we were on our way to our first Adriatic Sea-side town – Zadar. We had checked the bus timings at the Tourist Information Center the previous day and there are buses running every hour between Zagreb and Zadar that takes approximately 4 to 4.5 hours. So before a long journey we decided to go back to Ivana Tkalčića for a quick Bijela Kava (HRK 10).

All national buses arrive and depart from Autobusni Kolodvor (Bus Station) – this is the term referred to main bus station in every city of Croatia. To reach the bus station, we took the tram #6 going to Sopot and after about a 20 minute ride, we reached at Autobusni Kolodvor.

Trams

Trams run every 10-15 minutes, but some tram routes overlap so it’s best to check the tram map and see if you can catch an earlier tram which has a different number but stopping at the destination. All trams stop either at the main square – Trg bana J. Jelačića – or at Glavni Kolodvor (train station). The signs on the trams has a number and usually three lines of text – top one is where it originated, middle one is the current tram station and last line is the destination. If you don’t see this then just ask the tram driver for the correct direction it is going in or just ask for the stop.

Zagreb Tram Map (click for bigger version)

The ticket counters are very friendly and most of them speak English. All bus stations have an information window so you can check the bus timings and prices before proceeding to the ticket counters. Having reached about 45 minutes early for the 10:00 am bus, we decided to grab a quick sandwich and wait for the bus.

Sandwiches at stations

Don’t expect the food at the bus station stalls to be anything more than bread, slice of turkey and a slice of cheese. Unless you want to go to specific stalls that sell some good pizza slices or anything but a sandwich!

Our bus arrived at 9:40am and after loading the baggages, we settled in. The bus rolled out sharp at 10:00am.

Notes on buses

All bus services charge for each baggage which is anything between HRK 1 to HRK 7 (cash only).
The space in the overhead bins is not enough for a backpack too, although you can tuck in a small purse or a small backpack under the seat in front of you.
Some buses have toilets in them.
All buses make a 10-15 minute halt somewhere on the way – either at a bus station of another city or a gas station.
Tipping HRK 1 to 3 to the driver is encouraged, depending on the number of bags you have.

After about 2.5 hours, the bus made a 10-minute stop at a gas station close to the A1 highway. There was a cafe that served coffee, hot chocolate, sandwiches and ice-cream. A quick bite to eat or sip coffee and we were back on the highway A1 on our way to Zadar.

If you decide to drive from Zagreb to Zadar, make a stop at the Plitvice Lakes National Park for some stunning views of the waterfalls and the lakes. To reach Zadar, take the highway A1 and after taking the “Zadar” exit, follow the signs to Center (you can see the word ‘Center’ on the sign boards or just follow the sign with a circle that has a dot in it.)

We arrived at Zadar at about 2:30pm, and the bus station was buzzing with teenagers going home from school. An inquiry at the information gate of Autobusni Kolodvor Zadar, we waited for about 15 minutes for Bus #2 to the city Center. It costs HRK 8 per person and in about 20 minutes you are at the ‘Center’, which is right outside the walls of the Old Town.

The beautiful Old Town is fortified and there’s a gate right next to the bus station. We made our way inside the cobbled streets and headed to Zadar’s Tourist Information Center. Having not booked a hotel or apartment in Zadar, we stopped at the TI, right on Narodni Trg (main square) to inquire about available apartments. The lady at the counter spoke fluent English, German, Croatian, Russian and Italian as soon as we asked about a hotel or apartment, she made a quick phone call and within 5 minutes an old woman stopped by and took us to see some ‘Sobe’ she was renting. A couple of hundred feet and we were brought in to this old building with three vacant apartments rented by her – one on the ground level and two on the third floor. We took the one on the ground level for HRK 300 or about $60 a night.

Here are the contact details of the good woman who rented the apartments:

A very small room with not much space to move around, still had all the basic facilities like sink, double-bed, refrigerator, microwave, coffee-maker, etc. The worst part of the apartment was the bathroom – a tiny ‘room’ with no particular shower area. The whole tiny bathroom was a shower area and also had a commode! And this is the outside of the room:

We settled in and then headed out to the worlds-only Sea organ. On the northwestern corner of Zadar’s Riva (seaside promenade) just a few steps from the Ancona-Zadar ferry station is a remarkable piece of urban architecture. Opened in April 2005, the world’s only Sea Organ (Croatian: Morske Orgulje), designed by architect Nikola Bašić, is one of the most memorable sights in Zadar, Croatia. Within the perforated stone stairs that lead to the sea are pipes with whistles that generate sighs when the sea waves pushes air in them.

Sea Organ, Zadar, Croatia
Sounds of the Sea Organ (Morske Orgulje) in Zadar, Croatia. May 2011

The effect is unique and harmonic and if a ferry is passing by then the sounds are loudest. The sculpture is seventy meters long and has thirty-five organ pipes built under the concrete; as you move along the promenade the sounds and harmonies change.

We spent some time sitting by the steps of the Sea Organ and soaking in the sounds of it. Luckily for us, some ferries were docking in and out of the harbor which made some waves in an otherwise calm sea. The sounds are the loudest when a ferry passes by or if the day is windy.

A long walk on the Riva lead us to the eastern side of the town; from where we got inside and strolled the city, buying some more postcards, checking out some souvenir shops and just experience this beautiful town.

By the time we were done walking around, I was experiencing some redness in my eyes so we went to the pharmacy and they suggested going to the hospital for the doctor’s checkup, since they don’t have over-the-counter eye drops. The day was almost over and I knew that the hospital would be closed so I went back to the apartment and put some Visine in my eye to reduce the redness.

It was time for dinner and headed out to Kornat restaurant (mains starting from HRK 50, Liburnska Obala 6, Zadar 23000), right next to the bus station, facing the Adriatic Sea. This is one of the most recommended restaurant in Zadar.

After a hearty dinner, it was almost sunset time which is best seen from the Sea Organ. So a quick 7 minute walk from Kornat we reached back to the Sea Organ to experience one of the most beautiful sunset view in the world.

Right next to the Sea Organ is the huge “Sun Salutation” – solar panels that during the day absorbs the sun’s rays and during the night create spectacular play of light. Wait until it’s dark and you can experience this dancing light event.

It was a nice 20 minute walk back to the apartment through the narrow lanes of Zadar. We called it a day and looked forward to experience a new bright, sunny day in Zadar.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Zagreb to Zadar Bus	HRK 106 or $21	4 hours, per person
Morning coffee	HRK 10 or $2	For one person
Sandwich at bus station	HRK 10 or $2	For one person
Apartment in Zadar	HRK 600 or $118	For 2 nights
Kornat restaurant	HRK 340 or $66	For 2 people

« PREVIOUS – Day 2

Zagreb Sights

Second day in the capital city.

Day 3

Zagreb to Zadar

Travel from Zagreb to Zadar & day there.

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Day 4 – NEXT »

Zadar

Coastal town of ‘Sea Organ’.

Day 2 – Zagreb Sights

Sunday morning coffee was easy to find considering Zagreb is the city of cafes. The problem was finding one at 7am! Most cafes open at 7am on weekdays, but on weekends it’s 9am. We were ready by 7.30am ready to explore the city before any tourists come in. Heading out towards the main square at Trg Josip Bana Jelačića, we stopped over at one of the newspaper stands that advertised “T-Mobile Simpa” pre-paid cards. For HRK 50, you get a SIM card and unlimited texts with not-sure-how-much calling time; although you can make international calls too. Upon activating the SIM card, I immediately received a text message (in Croatian which was translated using Google Translate app for iPhone) saying browsing Facebook is free on the data network!

Upon reaching the main square, you can hear all the hustle-bustle at the Dolac Market, where locals sell anything under the sun – mainly flowers, fruits, vegetable and a few stalls of souvenirs. Walking past the busy Dolac market, we reached Ivana Tkalčića where you can be assured to get an early coffee.

Apart from all the varieties of coffees you will find in Croatia, there are two main which are our favorites – Coffee with milk and Bijela Kava (Cafe Latte). Each costing anything between HRK 10 – 30, our preferred choice was Bijela Kava. Realizing it was an early Sunday morning, we took our time sipping coffee and watching the locals buy and sell things at the Dolac Market.

A lot of guidebooks recommend purchasing the Zagreb Card, so we headed over to the Tourist Information office at the main square (Trg bana Josip Jelačića 11; Tel: +385 1 48-14-051, +385 1 48-14-052; hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am-8pm; Sat: 9am-6pm; Sun 10am-4pm). If you stand in front of the Josip Jelačića statue facing the main street (Illica), the TI is located on the left at the intersection of Trg bana J. Jelačića and Bakaćeva.

Zagreb TI — Zagreb Tourist Information Center

One of the best thing to do in Croatia before you start on your tour is to visit their TIs. They have some amazing information and they speak English. The Zagreb Card comes for 24 hours (HRK 60) or 72 hours (HRK 90) and gives you unlimited access to all public transport (trams, trains, buses and funicular) and discounts to museums, restaurants and other activities. We noticed that no one swiped their tickets or cards on trams or buses on Sunday, so it may not be worth spending that money on the card. You may want to list down the prices of all the places you want to visit and the discounts you may get, and maybe it might not be worth buying the Zagreb Card.

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We started with our “Zagreb Walking Tour” which takes about 3 hours to finish. Note that some cathedrals, museums and places of interest may be either entirely closed or closing early on Sundays so plan your tour accordingly.

One of the events you don’t want to miss is the cannon shot fired exactly at noon at the Lotrščak Tower. Since 1877, the Grič cannon has been fired every day at noon commemorating an event from Zagreb’s history. According to legend, a cannon was fired at noon one day at the Turks camped across the Sava River and to demoralize them. The local explanation is that the cannon shot allows churches to synchronize their clocks. Climb the tower (HRK 10, 11am-8pm Tue-Sun) for an amazing 360-degree view of the city.

Zagreb Cannon firing shot from Lotrščak Tower

Near the tower is a funicular railway (HRK 10, free with Zagreb Card), which was constructed in 1888 and connects the Lower and Upper Towns. It was easy to reach the main square from the bottom of the funicular station. Keep walking straight until you reach the end of the road and you will reach Illica. Head left on Illica and you will reach the main square in about 5 minutes.

Just north of the Lotrščak Tower, you will see the majestic St. Mark’s Church (Croatian: Crkva Svetog Marka; Hours: 11am-4pm & 5.30-7pm), with its colorful tiled roof depicting the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia on the left, and the emblem of Zagreb on the right. The 13th-century church was named for the annual St Mark’s fair, which was held in Gradec at the time. The Gothic portal composed of 15 figures in shallow niches was sculpted in the 14th century. The present bell tower replaces an earlier one that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1502. The interior contains sculptures by Meštrović.

On the left side of this church is Banski Dvori – the Presidential Palace and on the right is Sabor – Croatian Parliament building. The Banski Dvori (Ban’s Palace) was once the seat of Croatian viceroys and is now the presidential palace. The building is composed of two mansions, houses courts, archives and other government offices. The palace was bombed in 1991 by the federal army, allegedly citing an assassination attempt on President Franjo Tuđman. From April to September there is a guard-changing ceremony every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon. Leave Markov Trg by Ćirilometodska to see a sculpted stone head representing Matija Gubec, the leader of a celebrated peasant rebellion who was allegedly beheaded on the square.

Please visit this link – Zagreb Sights – for more on the sights of Zagreb included in the Zagreb Walking Tour guide.

By the time we were done it was about 1pm and some hearty lunch at Cafe Kerempuh, a few steps above and overlooking Dolac Market. After an hour’s lunch, we decided to take the tram and go on a ‘city tour’. We hopped on to Tram #6 which goes to East Zagreb and back to the main square. After a pleasant two hour ride on the tram, we went back to Ivana Tkalčića for some Bijela Kava and rest our legs from all the walking around town. Spending time at the cafe and people watching was relaxing and it was time to head back to the main square and take right on the main street Illica, lined with shopping stores.

A ‘long’ walk on Illica gives you a perspective on how this country has come up to EU standards in just twenty years after a long war to independence. Major brands across the world has their stores lined up on this street busy with trams and cars driven on tram tracks.

All the walking and back took us to Ivana Tkalčića for some dinner. Returning back to our apartment, we called it a night.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
Croatian Naïve Art Museum	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Lunch at Kerempuh	HRK 185 or $36	For 2 persons
Zagreb Card	HRK 60 or $12	per person, for 24 hours
Lotrščak Tower	HRK 10 or $2	Per person
Dinner	HRK 66 or $13	For 2 persons
SIM Card	HRK 50 or $10	T-Mobile Simpa Card
Post Cards	HRK 10 or $2	5 postcards, HRK 2 each
Mailing Postcards	HRK 28 or $5.50	All postcards mailed to U.S.

« PREVIOUS – Day 1

Zagreb

First day in the capital city.

Day 2

Zagreb Sights

Second day in the capital city.

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Day 3 – NEXT »

Zagreb to Zadar

Travel from Zagreb to Zadar & day there.

Day 1 – Zagreb

We arrived at Zagreb on Saturday at 5.15pm on Croatian Airlines and getting out of the airport was a breeze. Zagreb airport (IATA: ZAG) is really small for a capital of a European country. There are no gate-entrances from the aircraft to the airport. The plane will stop on the tarmac and upon taking the staircase down from the airplane, you will be received by a bus waiting for passengers to get in, that will take you at the airport.

Marina and Franjo, our hosts from inZagreb apartments received us at the airport. A 30-minute drive to the city center (Old Town), following the “Zagreb Center” signs was pleasant and easy. In one of the cobbled-streets (Petrinijska) was our apartment on the first floor. Similar to apartment buildings in United States, entrances to apartment buildings in Croatia requires a key. We had a clean, beautiful one bedroom apartment with all the basic facilities – towels, coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave and internet.

After settling in and a quick shower, we headed south on Petrinijska. A 5 minute walk and we were at Glavni Kolodvor (Train Station) – the main train station of Zagreb from where all the national and international trains depart or arrive.

Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor (Main Train Station)

Right next to Glavni Kolodvor is the main post office (Hrvatska Pošta) and stopped by to send some postcards for friends & family around the world. Most post offices in Croatia carry postcards, but the best ones can be bought at souvenir shops or roadside newspaper stands (HRK 2-3).

Walking west on the street right across Glavni Kolodvor, we turned north on Trg Karlja Tomislava. On the right of the street are major consulates and embassies, whereas on the left is the Zrinjevac park, where you will see a lot of teenagers in groups or elderly people walking their dogs. At the intersection of Trg Karlja Tomislava and Josipa Boškovića, you will see the Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti (Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts). Keep walking on Trg Karlja Tomislava and you will reach the main square – Trg Josip Bana Jelačića (pronounced: Trig Yosip Baanaa Yelachicha).

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Just past the main square is the Dolac Market where locals sell flowers, vegetables and fruits every morning starting 6am. And walking up a few steps from Dolac Market, on the left is the street Ivana Tkalčića, which is lined up with cafes and restaurants. On a weekend evening, you can see teenagers and young people drinking and partying out at practically every restaurant here.

Our hosts from inZagreb recommended Agava, which is an upscale restaurant as compared to others on the street. It’s a bit high-up from the main street with good views of the other cafes around Tkalčića.

After a sumptuous meal, we walked back to our apartment and called it a day.

Total Costs

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

What	Cost	Notes
inZagreb Apartment	$235	€75 per night + €20 airport pickup.
Agava Restaurant	HRK 300 or $58	For 2 people
Postcards & mailing to U.S.	HRK 10 + HRK 28 or $7.50	Five postcards in all

« PREVIOUS – Planning

Tips & Information

Some tips & info to get started.

Day 1

Zagreb

First day in the capital city.

« Nine days in Croatia

Day 2 – NEXT »

Zagreb Sights

Second day in the capital city.

Planning, Tips & Information – Croatia

Planning

List
We made a list of all the destinations we wanted to cover in one week and how much each leg will cost in terms of USD (payments are accepted in EUR or HRK). This included airline tickets, bus, ferry, taxi and car rental.

Accommodation
There was some minimal research involved in booking hotels. Across Croatia, one can find a Soba from any port of entries – ferry terminals, bus stations or train stations – though it is not easy to find one at the airports. These are apartments or rooms that someone will rent out for anything between €50-€100 a night. You can just walk up to any of these and will be hoarded by the old women selling the single rooms in their homes. You can also knock on the doors of houses with sobe or zimmer (rooms available) signs. Make sure they are authentic and government authorized.

Sobe in Croatia

If you decide to go with proprietors at the bus or ferry station, try and ask the location or you could get stuck way out of town. Clarify whether the price is per person or per room. Figure out the exact number of days you plan to stay and when in the day you plan to check out so you don’t get stuck with a surcharge. If you land in a room or apartment without a blue sobe or apartmani sign outside, the proprietor is renting to you illegally! They will probably be reluctant to provide their full name or phone number and you’ll have absolutely no recourse in case of a problem.

We chose to stay at some of the finest and recommended apartments and had to be booked in advance (which is also recommended since they get booked for the Spring and Summer season), mainly because it is mandatory to have confirmed hotel booking for Croatian visa.

Visa
Although U.S. and E.U. citizens do not require a visa to travel to Croatia for 90-days, being non-U.S. or non-E.U. citizens, we required a visa to Croatia. So getting all the documents together was a task. Visa fees are $47 + $20 shipping (Check the Croatian Consulate website if you need a visa to travel to Croatia or not). It takes about 2-3 weeks for the visa to be issued.

If you are driving from North Dalmatia to Dubrovnik, you will passing through 30 miles of Bosnian region and you do not require a visa to drive through.

General Tips

Croatians or Croats are proud of their country, so it’s best not to get in to political discussions, although they will not hesitate to talk about the post-Yugoslavia war.
Practically everyone smokes in Croatia, and almost everywhere! Legally, smoking is allowed in places that are not covered by 3 walls, but restaurants and sobe owners will tell you that you can smoke inside as well. A cigarette pack will cost HRK 15 – 30, depending on the brand.
Almost everyone speaks English. You can approach anyone in Croatia with a “Dobro Dan” (Good day) and ask questions in English, but slowly.
Croatians are extremely helpful in showing directions or just about anything. We asked an old woman for directions to Stone Gate in Zagreb and she went out of her way to lead us to a street from where we could reach the place.
The tourist information center is your best bet for any information local or national. The personnel speak more than 3 languages (usually Croatian, English & German) and will give you whole lot of information about places to visit, costs, bus and ferry timings and directions.
All over Croatia, post offices can be easily recognized by the word “Pošta” (Poshta) and post boxes are yellow colored with the same words. Or look out for this sign:

Language

“J” is pronounced as “Y”. Which means Josip is pronounced Yosip.
“ć” and “č” is pronounced as “ch”.
“š” is pronounced as “sh”.
“ž” is pronounced as “zh”.
Dobra dan – Good day. Greet everyone with this irrespective of what time of the day it is.
Dobro Jutro – Good Morning.
Dobra večer – Good evening.
Hvala – Thanks.
Molim – Please. This can also be used for ‘excuse me’ or ‘you’re welcome’ after a thanks.
Zdravo – bye
Ulaz – Entry
Izlaz – Exit

Accommodation

You will hoarded with old women advertising their sobe at every bust top, ferry stop or taxi stand. Make sure to decide on a price and the location of the sobe. After you decide they will take your passport information, which is required by Croatian laws, but make sure to ask for a legal receipt of your stay.

Although all apartments that you rent in Croatia will provide clean towels and napkins, they do not come with shower gel or soap. They do have hand-wash liquid soap at the basin. A backpacker’s tip – use the hand-wash liquid soap for shower.

Money Tips

Most Croatian restaurants or businesses, including sobe or apartments, will accept Euros, but be prepared to use the local currency – Kuna. The exchange rate is approximately EUR 1 = HRK 7.3 and USD 1 = HRK 5.1.
You are not required to tip in Croatia. There may be times when the restaurant receipt clearly say “Service charge not included”, even then you are not required to tip, but if you do then it’s appreciated.
Prices of everything include a whopping 23% tax. So the amounts mentioned on everything includes this tax.
Tap water in Croatia is safe and drinkable. Water is charged at restaurants and it is wise to carry a bottle of tap water while you’re on the go.

Transportation

One of the best ways to travel around in Croatia is by bus or ferry. They have excellent bus services and not too cheap.
The ferry services may not be available all year round so make sure to check the schedules before planning for one. Croatia Traveller provides an excellent schedule of ferries available for €5.99.
Driving in Croatia can be a great experience too, especially if you’re driving from Zadar to Dubrovnik. The highway 8 traverses along the coast with stunning views of the Adriatic Sea.
Major car-rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Avis, Alamo and Europcar have offices across main cities of Croatia. There are a lot of local companies who provide services at a cheaper rate, but the downside is to return the car at the same location as pick-up.
Expect to pay anything between HRK 1 – 7 per baggage in the bus. There is not enough space in the bus for a small suitcase, but very small carry-ons like backpacks and purses that can be carried inside the bus are not charged.

Hospitals

Be prepared to get completely lost in the hospitals on Croatia as everything is in Croatian!
Although some doctors may speak English, the local staff may not. You will have to try and find your way to the doctor’s office.
Make sure to get receipts for all the services that you may need to claim from the insurance company after you get back.
Hospitals and doctors offices don’t accept credit cards so make sure you have enough cash with you. It’s best to ask the cost of everything prior to being treated, that way you’re prepared to shell out some serious dough.

Itinerary

Prices or rates are indicative in USD but can be different depending on the exchange rates. The corresponding and actual rates in either EUR or HRK are mentioned in the Notes column.
Prices or rates for car rental, food & drinks and taxi fare are estimated numbers. Actuals may vary.
Estimates for transportation will be added as and when available.
All prices are per person, except for apartments which are for two persons, per night.
Check out the Local Ferry Guide from Croatia Traveller

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = HRK 5 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.

Day	Where	What	Est. Cost	Notes
1	Zagreb	U.S. to Zagreb	$1,260 $235	ORD/ZAG & DBV/ORD via Lufthansa. Booked via Dada Tours Hotel: €75 per night + €20 airport pickup.
2	Zagreb	Old Town, Walking Tour	$11 $0.50 $2 $100	Zagreb Card (60kn for 24 hrs) Funicular Croatian Museum of Naïve Art (10kn) Meals, etc.
3	Zagreb – Zadar	~~Alamo Car Rental~~ Bus	$21 $100	~~€80 incl. insurance~~ HRK 106 Meals, etc.
4	Zadar		$170 $100	Apartment: €60 per night Meals, etc.
5	Zadar – Split		$20 $100	Bus Meals, etc.
6	Split		$99 $4 $1 $6 $100	Apartment: €80 €68 for 2 nights Diocletian’s Palace (20kn) Jupiter’s Temple (5kn) Meštrović Gallery (30kn) Meals, etc.
7	Split – Dubrovnik		$25 $100	Bus Meals, etc.
8	Dubrovnik	Walk around the Old Town walls	$170 $14 $5 $7 $100	Hotel: €60 per night Walk Old Town Walls (70kn) Franciscan Monastery (25kn) Rector’s Palace (35kn) Meals, etc.
9	Dubrovnik		$7 $20	35kn for bus to Airport Meals, etc.

Hotels

Hotels or apartments can be booked either online (if available) or by simply sending them an email and they will send a link to a website where you can make payments. Recently, PayPal opened their system to accept Croatian Kuna, so this may definitely be easier and safer for travelers and owners to book in advance. Some hotels or apartments will hold a booking in your name and you have to pay upon arrival. Check with them for the best way of booking – on arrival or in advance.

Zagreb
inZagreb Apartment ‘City’
Price: €75 per night + €20 airport pickup
Address: Remetinečka 13, 10000 Zagreb
Email: info@inzagreb.com
Website: inzagreb.com

Split
Room P1, House of Sandra
Price: €68 for 2 nights for a room
Website: www.vjekoslav-cvitkovic.iz.hr

Dubrovnik
Siena II Apartment via Dubrovnik Apartments Source
Price: €120 for two nights
Website: www.dubrovnikapartmentsource.com

Planning

Tips & Information

Some tips & info to get started.

Expenses

How much did it cost?

List of all the expenses.

« Nine days in Croatia

Day 1 – NEXT »

Zagreb

First day in the capital city.

Croatia – Eight Days Trip Report

Where: Zagreb, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik
How: Airlines, Bus
Who: Two backpackers

Map

A – Zagreb
B – Zadar
C – Split
~~D – Hvar~~
E – Dubrovnik

Map

	Planning Planning, Tips & Information Some tips & info to get started.
	Day 1 Zagreb First day in capital city.
	Day 2 Zagreb Sights Second day in capital city.
	Day 3 Zagreb to Zadar Travel from Zagreb to Zadar & day there.
	Day 4 Zadar Coastal town of ‘Sea Organ’.
	Day 5 Zadar to Split Travel from Zadar to Split & day there.
	Day 6 Split Diocletian’s Palace & coastal town.
	Day 7 Split to Dubrovnik Travel from Split to Dubrovnik & day there.
	Day 8 Dubrovnik Old city built on Maritime trade.
	Total Costs How much did it cost? List of all the expenses.

April 26, 2011 • Travel On The Dollar