Croatia-three question please Forums

Grizzly

We're thinking of going to Croatia for a total 6 weeks trip in mid- to late August through September starting from either Calais or Dunkirk.

Tentative plans are to go through Germany, Saltzburg and Ljubljana and return via Venice, Switzerland and France travelling sensibly but not lingering too long on the way.

Three questions please:

1. Does anyone know roughly when campsites close in Croatia ? Are we going to find them all shut towards the end of the period ?

2. I understand that wild camping is definately off but would we be welcome and safe in restaurant car parks and the like if we could not find an open site ?

3. What are the MUST SEEs in Croatia ?

G

bognormike · Moderator

Hi Grizzly

It's getting a long time ago now (!), but we did Istria (the northern bit just south of Slovenia) in Sept04; see my log
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/blog-display-jid-113.html

you shouldn't have any problems in September, and one site we went to - camping bivillage neat Pula is open all year. There are quite a few sites in the camping cheques book. Not sure whether anybody enforces no wild camping, but you shouldn't have a problem finding sites.
We would have liked to go down to Dubrovnik, but it's a long haul. As you can see we did a day trip to Venice from Porec; good value. Porec was pleasant enough, a bit touristy; Pula is a working town with roman ruins all over the place - the ampitheatre is superb.
a link to istria touring
http://www.istra.com/index.asp?j=eng

Ljubjana in Slovenia is nice; well worth a couple of nights stop; the campsite has been updated since we were there (I think), and if you've got bikes, the it's the best place we've found for getting about on them. All traffic has to give way to bikes! The market is superb; such a contrast to what is available in the shops in Croatia - strange that there was very little meat for sale in the shops in Croatia, but the restaurants seem to be well provisioned.

Grizzly

Brilliant Mike

I've just printed the blog off for a good read. Many thanks for the information. I feel reassured already.

G

Rapide561

Hi Chris

My understanding of wild camping is Croatia is that it is a "no no", but out of season, I suspect it might be OK. As for parking at a pub etc etc, I raised a post ages ago about this and a MHFer from Slovenia seemed to think this would be acceptable. Can't find the post though.

Russell

coral

We are going to Croatia this summer to.

We will visit the Plitvice lakes.

Don Madge

Grizzly

Don..thank you very much. Even apart from the Croatia link that looks like an enjoyable site. I wish Magbaz would come back on line. I do enjoy their travels.

G

Don Madge

mounty47

We had an extended trip to Croatia 5 years ago., We found an idilic camp site about 30 miles south of Dubrovnic right on a sandy beach,we where not impressed with the site in Dubrovnic, very busy but good facilities, (not many of these in Croatia, normally pebbles) beaches I mean. The campsite was set in a horse shoe bay and could only take about 10 vans. Just keep motoring south virtually on the border of Montenegro. You will find it listed under the official Dubrovnic website. Again Montenegro is definately worth a visit with canyons, mountains, beaches, everything wrapped up in a small country. If you are planning to travel for 6 weeks go there as well.
We returned by catching the ferry from Dubrovnic to Rijeka, it departs at 8am travels through the islands, Kortula, Hvar etc and arrives in Split at 8pm. You then pass the less interesting part of Croatia by night, arriving refreshed the next morning. I cant say a lot for the Croatian food though! It saves the long drive home up the coast and is nice and relaxing. I don't know the price now but it cost us around £180 for 2 with a cabin, evening meal and 24' van. Real good value! The northern part south of Rijeka can be a bit of a drag and the coast is definately more interesting after Zadar, especially the Makarska riviera. Another must are the caves and castles in Slovenia on the way down or up! Plenty of much improved campsites all the way down the coast. We used camping cheques and you will see a lot of sites in Croatia taking them, a lot more than there were when we travelled. Again the site at Zadar takes camping cheques.
Hope this helps,
Regards, Mounty.