Croatia & Slovenia

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: Dubrovnik
Why: Rick is correct that the city is overrun during the day. However, after the crowds have headed back to their cruise ships, the city is absolutely beautiful. It's definitely a must.

Worst: Kotor, Montenegro
Why: Unlike Mostar, Kotor didn't offer anything significantly different from what we had already seen in Croatia. And, as other travelers have pointed out, definitely not worth the wait at the border. We were stuck in the line for over an hour each way.

Rose in Frankfurt am Main, Germany 11/04/2009

Best: Mostar
Why: Brought the reality of the conflict to life.

Richard Lee in Ottawa, ON Canada 10/23/2009

Best: Rovinj
Why: The twisty roads and lovely working harbor. You get a taste of real life being there.

Worst: Dessert place in lake bled, Slovenia, " s'mon slascicarna"
Why: The creme cake was dry, airy and spongy. It was also pretty tasteless!

Amy Adler in Baltimore, Md USA 10/22/2009

Best: Plitvice Lakes National Park
Why: Stunning scenery; gorgeous place

Barbara Lagrou in Tacoma, WA USA 10/21/2009

Best: Hiring PeterVlasic to take us on a wine tour
Why: It was a great day, in addition to wineries he took us to tomp of Mt Srd, the botanic gardens, Ston, the salt flats and a couple of hidden coves to swim. We also used him for airport transfers. Very reliable, great English. Highly recommend. He told us to skip Mostar; we should have listened

Worst: Atlas trip to Mostar in Bosnia
Why: 12 hours on a bus and 3 hours in Mostar in 104 degree heat. A major tourist trap; every just wants money. And if you have been to Turkey or Tunisia, there is nothing special about Mostar's Muslim community. The guide in Mostar was very knowledgeable. Atlas doesn't tell you about the 1 1/2 hours each way wasted picking up and dropping off passengers. A complete waste of time.

Pat Vinkenes in Arlington, VA USA 09/13/2009

Best: Driving up the pass in the Julian Alps
Why: Wonderful sights, great history and a fun drive - not scary at all. We especially enjoyed the WWI history museum in Kobarid.

Worst: Beware the suspension bridges!
Why: This wasn't a bad experience, but the suspension bridges over the Soca River are getting a little care-worn. Lots of rotten boards and some spots where you can see through the wood to the river below. Bouncing probably not recommended!

TCL in Union County, NJ USA 07/15/2009

Best: Korcula
Why: A delightful quiet sidetrip. Can't miss the big sights - Dubrovnik, Split, Ljubljana - but glad we took 2 days to relax in Korcula.

Jan Henderson in Laguna Beach, CA USA 06/03/2009

Best: Rovinj
Why: Charming, unspoilled, beautiful, loved the town, atmosphere, and people in Croatia. First of all, we were very impressed by the city of Rovinj, the landscape and the water, because it was our first stay in Istria. I am personally very impressed of this region, I did not know how beautiful it is! Our stay in Rovinj and especially in Villa Cissa was a great and a wonderful experience! We enjoyed it a lot!

Anna in Puhringer, Vienna, Austria 12/08/2008

Best: Istrian Penninsula
Why: The charm of an Italian seaside village with a fascinating political history and half the tourists (and a third of the price). What a treasure!

Jakara in Baltimore, MD USA 11/13/2008

Best: Dubrovnik and Hvar
Why: Dubrovnik during shoulder season was a joy. The ease of access, friendly hospitality, and excellent service without combating the hordes was a blessing. We drove across Hvar after catching the ferry at Drevnik and that was a smart choice as we saw wonderful contrast in topography and beautiful vistas. Hvar is a beautiful relaxed island.

Worst: Kotor, Montenegro
Why: We would have benefited from an extra day in Croatia as opposed to the insufferable wait and indifference at the border into Montenegro. Although Kotor has potential it lacks the friendly, clean and organized appeal of Croatian cities.

D Caron in Calgary, AB Canada 10/15/2008

Best: tie: Dubrovnic and Plitvice Lakes
Why: The history and ambiance of Dubrovnic, balanced by the incredible natural beauty of the lakes.

Worst: Kotor, Montenegro
Why: Although the bays are scenic the town is dirty and uninteresting. We wished we had spent an extra day hanging out in Dubrovnic.

Barry Teasley in Goldsboro, NC USA 10/09/2008

Best: Korcula Town on the island of Korcula, Croatia, and Lake Bled, Slovenia, in June of 2008.
Why: The Thursday evening Moreska sword dance on Korcula Island was much more than we anticipated. The views were breathtaking, island ambiance was peaceful, swimming in the Adriatic relaxing, and the food, especially the 7am fish market, delicious. Another favorite place was Lake Bled, Slovenia, which offered a beautiful path-lined lake surrounded by villas in a quaint village.

Worst: The national parks are breathtaking, but challenging.
Why: The only English speaking person on the staff at our guest house in the workers' town near Plitvice Lakes National Park was not home from school yet, in June, and communication was difficult. With help from the park staff, we were able to manage the foot paths between the workers' settlement (where we stayed) and the national park. It was too costly to stay in the park. Croatia's national parks are quite lovely and worth exploring, however, the only map you get is on the back of your ticket. Signs and park employees are few and far between. Krka National Park, close to Sibenik, was equally difficult to navigate with no maps and few signs. The only bus back to Sibenik was at 5pm. It was a beautiful spot to visit.

Amy Kileen in Bakersfield, CA USA 08/20/2008

Best: Buza and Buza II, in Dubrovnik
Why: Nothing like sitting outside those city walls, watching the sun go down and people (Texan cruise passengers, in particular) jump off the cliffs into the water. We went the next day and swam at Buza II. The Dubrovnik town walls are a close second. Third would be the Plecnik house in Ljubljana.

Worst: Hike from Hvar to Milna
Why: as stated above - really glad we didn't go all the way to Velo Grablje. We were expecting something much different. However, the beaches along the trail are wonderful, and we were glad each time we reached one.

Evan in Seattle , WA USA 07/10/2008

Best: Lake Bled & the Vintgar Gorge
Why: Lake Bled was relaxing and beautiful. We enjoyed the hike to Vintgar Gorge, the Gorge itself, and the scenic hike back with views of Bled.

Lisa Valle in Sycamore, IL USA 07/03/2008

Best: Dubrovnik, dalmatian islands, plitvice lakes.
Why: All were such a gem. The islands gave us the opportunity to get away from it all. Plitvice was beautiful.

Worst: Split, Zagreb
Why: In Split we just spent too many (3) days there. Can be done in fewer. Zagreb also only needs a day. It is just an old capital still transitioning from communisim.

Paul in Seattle, WA USA 06/24/2008

Best: Hvar, Rab, Dubrovnik, and Split
Why: Hvar was very pleasant and lived up to its most beautiful reputation, Rab for its medieval towers and beautiful harbor area. Dubrovnik for its historical significance. Split for the fact that the Diocletian Palace is still an integral part of the vibrant city.

Worst: Motovun, and Dubrovnik
Why: Motovun, even though it is a Unesco World Heritage site, is undergoing restoration. And, Dubrovnik is over-run with tour buses. As bad as Venice? Almost. When the buses disgorge their passengers the sites and wall to wall with people. As stated in the guidebook "Go now, before its as overrun as Venice - it's almost too late."

Russell Dohrmann in Boulder, CO USA 06/20/2008

Best: Lake Bled, Slovenia
Why: This was a great "vacation from our vacation" spot. Besides being a beautiful location, the laid-back attitude was just what was needed after hitting several cities in a row.

Worst: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Why: I loved Dubrovnik - really. However, this town in 100% touristy. Climbing stairs to the edge of town did not let you escape the tourist grind. In hindsight, I would have dropped in on Dubrovnik as a day trip, walked around the wall, and had a beer or two along the Stradun. My time would have been better spent on Dalmatian islands or Split.

Tim in Bay City, TX USA 06/15/2008

Best: Dubrovnik and Plitvice Lakes Park
Why: Impressive architecture and surroundings for Dubrovnik and natural beauty of Plitvice. We especially enjoyed Pero Klaic tour of Mostar with side trip to Mt Sud over Dubrovnik and hearing about his experience in recent war.

Worst: crossing border into Montenegro
Why: The border crossing was slow in both directions. We suspect that the relationship between Montenegro and Croatia is still strained. The Bay of Kotor is beautiful, but probably not worth the hassle of the border crossing.

Jeanne Barsanti in Watkinsville, GA USA 06/09/2008

Best: Predjama Castle/Skocjan Caves
Why: Definitely worth doing as a daytrip from Bled or Ljubljana. Stopped at the castle on our way down to the Skocjan caves. Didn't tour the castle, but just seeing it was worth the side trip. The caves were amazing, and the finale with the roaring river 150 feet beneath you was awesome.

Conny Mincks in Williamsburg, Va USA 05/28/2008

Best: Slovenia and Zagreb
Why: Loved that country..found Rick's advice re Lake Bled very helpful\I was part of a small travel group and did my own thing in many areas, thanks to my guidebook, particularly in Zagreb and Lake Bled

Valerie Lambertson in South San Francisco, CA USA 05/03/2008

Best: Diocletian's Palace in Split
Why: Attended Sunday Mass in the oldest church in Western Christendom. Toured the outside of the walls and the cellars. The Roman's were marvelous engineers. But when I saw the shoddy repairs that were done during the Middle Ages it really brought the Dark Ages home to me. When Rome fell Europe lost engineering ability along with literacy.

Julia in San Francisco, CA USA 04/28/2008

Best: Diocletian's Palace in Split
Why: Attended Sunday Mass in the oldest church in Western Christendom. Toured the outside of the walls and the cellars. The Roman's were marvelous engineers. But when I saw the shoddy repairs that were done during the Middle Ages it really brought the Dark Ages home to me. When Rome fell Europe lost engineering ability along with literacy.

Julia in San Francisco, CA USA 04/28/2008

Best: Plitvece Lakes National Park, Largoska Dolina area & cities of Ljubljana, Rovinj, Mostar & Kotor. Island of Korcula.
Why: Plitvice (Croatia) and Logarska Dolina (Slovenia) for their amazing natural beauty. We enjoyed hiking in both areas. In Ljubljana(Slovenia) we stayed right on the square of the old town market. The location was great for walking all parts of the compact & architecturally beautiful downtown area. Great conversations with many working college students that speak 4-5 different languages. Walked to Joze Plecnik House where we enjoyed a most interesting private tour. In Rovinj(Istria Croatia) we stayed on the waterfront enjoying the fishermen come & go & the breathtaking sunsets. An impromtu violin & guitar concert on a small side street below our apartment window was a real treat for hours one day. The city has narrow white stone streets that we wandered. Photograpghy was a delight here. Mostar(Bosnia) should not be missed! The evidence of war is still very present and made past history very real. The Turkish cultural influenes & mosques are quite beautiful. It was rainy the day we drove to the Bay of Kotor. We stopped at the town of Morinj for lunch at Konoba Catovica Mlini restaurant. It was the highlight of the day. The sun came out while we were there & we enjoyed one of the most memorable meals in our 30 years of travel....due in large part to the setting. Our waiter although formal became very friendly when we engaged him in conversation. He gave us a beautiful color photo brochure of the restaurnant & the waiters. Kotor(Montenegro) is charming & was fun to explore. Korcula Island was great for walking & driving. Had an apartment with a super view of Korcula town where we could watch the wind surfers race from the mainland to the island.

Beverly Clauser in Ramona, CA USA 01/31/2008

Best: Dubrovnik
Why: Beautiful sights while walking the walled city, delicious restaurants and relaxing outdoor cafes, interesting historical stops, friendly shop keepers.

Worst: Hvar
Why: We took the ferry from Drevernik and ended up on the opposite end of Hvar...had to drive a long winding, narrow, mountainous road for two hours to Hvar Town. Then our accomodations were not the best at Pension Oaza...no heat or warm water on a cold night. (End of season?) Then, to get up and drive that horrible road back to catch the ferry! Please warn people about this!

Lana Gilster in Minneapolis, MN USA 11/09/2007

Best: Bosnia
Why: we took a day trip to Bosnia from Dubrovnik. if you remember the war in 1992 this is a must see even if at the time you didnt understand why everyone was fighting...hits home when you see bombed out buildings. Something every American should see and try and understand. They never see Americans there so our tour guide was amazed to hear we were from NY.

Sarah in Hoboken, NJ USA 11/09/2007

Best: Drive to Kotor Town, Montenegro
Why: It was beautiful, beautiful and a wonderful day trip from Dubrovnik

Worst: Drive from Kotor Town to Lepetani for the ferry
Why: Road was only wide enough for one and a half cars. If we had known that, we would have gone back the way we came.It was scary!

Shannon Hamilton in North Little Rock, AR USA 11/05/2007

Best: Rovinj
Why: Such a cute, little quaint harborside town with cobblestone streets, colorful laundry hanging outside buildings....delightful!

Linda in Torrance, CA USA 11/04/2007

Best: Mostar
Why: As the guide book suggests, a very different part of Europe where East meets West. We made a day trip from Dubrovnik and hired a private local guide for the afternoon who, as it turned out, was a Muslim and could provide significant insight into the tenuous relationship between the Moslem, Catholic and Serbian Orthodox population.

Christl Kasler in Walnut Creek, CA USA 10/31/2007

Best: Logarska Dolina
Why: Spectacular sceanery, friendly people

John Benedict in South Lake Tahoe , CA USA 10/02/2007

Best: Dubrovnik
Why: A lovely city and magnificent ambience.

Milena in Chicago, IL USA 09/25/2007

Best: Julian Alps Tour with Tina
Why: Tina was a wealth of information on the area (as well as being able to tell stories about Rick). I can't immagine doing the Julian Alps drive on my own in one day, but it was a joy with Tina.

Neil Johnson in San Jose, CA USA 09/20/2007

Best: Kotor Montenegro
Why: A walled city which had more charm than even Dubrovnik-

Veda Faler in Bainbridge Island, WA USA 09/16/2007

Best: Skocjan Cave, Vitgar Gorge
Why: Even if you've seen too many caves, you've got to see this one! It equals Carlsbad as the best I've ever seen. My only hesitation is for older folks, as the walk is long, brisk and (at times) slippery. It's probably not for seniors, unless they are avid walkers.

The Virgar Gorge is a must see near Bled. Easy for car travellers. It would be a long hike from Bled.

Worst: Ljubljana and the Plecnik House
Why: "Worst" is a massive overstatement, but saying that Ljubljana is the "next, next Prague" is silly. It's a very pleasant provincial city, but it's no Prague. If one is travelling in Slovenia, one should certainly spend a day enjoying the city. But no reason to get there otherwise. Regarding the Plecnik House, I found it interesting for the reasons stated in the book: it's very low key, and you get "closer to the man" than in most house tours. But 3 triangles? That's grade inflation! It's a relative modest attraction, at least to non-Slovenes.

Dave in Philadelphia, PA USA 09/04/2007

Best: Skocjan cave
Why: The bridge across the cavern reminded us of the final scene the the Lord of the Rings trilogy!

Krista Fouquette in Foley, MN USA 08/29/2007

Best: Dubrovnik
Why: The beauty of the city.

Patrick Tillman in Dallas, TX USA 07/29/2007

Best: dubrovnik
Why: amazing city. So hauntingly beautiful and it is a great base for any day trip you like.

cathy harrell in alexandria, VA USA 07/08/2007

Best: Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj
Why: Lake Bled: simply magical! Be sure to pack your swimsuit.

Lake Bohinj: We are the back-to-nature types so this was more our style. But we loved the restaurants and night scene at Lake Bled once the sun went down.

Ljubljana - Fell in love with this city. Just wish we had more time to sample all of the restaurants and flavors of gelato. Our favorite cafe was the Abecaderium with it's fountain and live music. Highly recommend Gostilna AS, too. Farmer's market is a must!

Gayle Wheeler in Champaign , IL USA 07/08/2007

Best: Plitvice Lakes National Park
Why: absolutely gorgeous

Lisa Riegel in New York, NY USA 06/11/2007