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We loved our trip to Croatia and Slovenia! Highly recommended places to visit!

Why Croatia and Slovenia?

We were initially looking for a nice and different place, with adventure sports and activities. And we found much more in those Eastern Europe countries: pleasant people, nice food, charming cities and amazing clear water!

If you need a "fast plan to your trip" and you have only a few days to spend, our recommendations are:

- a weekend in Split (Croatia), resting at the nice beaches and visiting Diocletian Palace. Spend one day in Brac island and go to Bol Beach!;

or

- a weekend in Dubrovnik (Croatia), visit the old town, go kayaking around the walls of the old town, have a nice dinner around the old town.

or

- a weekend in Bled: take a boat and row to the small island in the middle of that charming lake, visit Bled Castle and take a day tour to Bovec, with canyoning and rafting activities! You will get exausted but absolutely renewed!

Bol Beach: Brac Island (Croatia)

Yes, you are right: we will say again that the water is clear and salty! And, yet, with a nice temperature!

Bol Beach is small (or should we say tiny) and very nice place to spend some time in the water, doing some snorkeling, swimming or just laying down on the beach.

The beach has no sand, but small rocks (so you don't get durty home!)

Recommendations: These are not "must do", but would be nice to know upfront:

- snorkeling equipment: you will enjoy having them around;

- waterproof camera or waterproof protection for your camera would be useful;

- swimming shoes: you can buy comfortable swimming shoes to walk on the rocky beaches and also avoid problems with sea urchins. There are some stores or tents on the streets where you can buy swimming rubber shoes for KN $30 to $40 (Kunas), approx. EUR $6 (six Euros).

Split (Croatia): Diocletian Palace

 Diocletian Palace: open day and night!

Itinerary: how to get to...from...

What we did and recommend!

It was an 8-day trip:  We spent 5 days in Croatia and 3 days in Slovenia.

 - We left Brazil (São Paulo) to Germany (Frankfurt) - Lufthansa (believe it or not, it was the lowest price!)

- From Frankfurt (Germany) to Zadar (Croatia) with Croatian Airlines (also the best price!) Trains were too expensive and would have taken from 9 to 12 hours.

- We rented a car in Zadar (Croatia) and a GPS (which was dispensable, but occasionally useful).  Our trip within Croatia and Slovenia was all done by car. And it was great! The roads are perfect and brand new. Signs were very good as well.

- From Zadar, we visited Pag and Nin in half a day. These are two nice cities within 30 to 40 minutes drive from Zadar.

- From Zadar to Split, by car. We stopped by at Sibenik and Trogir.

- From Split to Brac Island. We took the car ferry to Supetar (name of the city in Brac Island), drove to Bol Beach (HIGHLY recommended! Small and nice local beach)

- From Brac Island to Dubrovnik. At Sumartin, the city in Brac Island, we got the car ferry to Makarska (continent) to get the road again down to Dubrovnik. Please notice that in order to go to Dubrovnik you will cross border with Bosnia-Herzegovina. There are customs cabin for passport controls – shouldn´t take long, but check if you need any visa or authorization from your country (not required to Brazilians). We have got the coastal road, which has a nice view but lower speed limit.

- From Dubrovnik to Plitvice Jezera. This time we took the express roads. Much better and faster! Nearly 5 to 6 hours drive.

- From Plitvice to Ljubljana (Slovenia). Taking the express road to Zagreb is the best option, then heading to Ljubljana. The nearest way would be via local roads, which would take twice the time, with heavy traffic and lower speed limits). We traveled nearly for 3 hours until Ljubljana. Customs control (cabins on the road) very fast – and far better than the huge lines at the airport!

- From Ljubljana to Bled, by car. Nearly 1 hour drive.

- From Bled to Zadar, by car, to the end of our trip. 4 hours drive via Zagreb. We took the road E70 and then A1/E71.

- Now, heading back home, from Zadar we flew via Zagreb and at Pula (nearly 40 minutes flight from Zadar to Pula and another 40 minutes flight from Pula to Zagreb).

- From Zagreb (connection) to Frankfurt (Germany) and to Sao Paulo.
(Although Lufthansa and Croatia Airlines are the same company, we booked our tickets separately but it worked well with our luggage leaving Zadar straight to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Just a few comments:

We checked our luggage at Zadar airport, with Croatia Airlines, and they successfully managed  to get it straight to Brazil, even with all the connection flights we had. It was perfect!  Both Lufthansa and Croatian Airlines are Star Alliance and we were surprised that it worked so well! We were extremely satisfied with both Lufthansa and Croatian Airlines services.

Unfortunately there were no Ryanair flights available from and to the places we wanted to go. But we used Ryanair in other trips and they were good. Just notice that Ryanair flights generally uses small and distant airports. So consider additional 1 or 1,5 hours in your trip. The transportation (bus or shuttle) to those airports are generally provided by  Ryanair for free and are very good. Check time schedules and where to get the free transportation from the main airports.

Moving around Croatia and Slovenia

We rented a car in Croatia (Zadar) and traveled around the country up to Slovenia. In fact, we were informed that public transportation was not so good or trustworthy.

Car rentals are not so expensive (nearly EUR 30.00 per day) and we were free to pick or change our destinations as we wanted.  As mentioned before, we did not plan our whole trip at first and some of the cities we visited were based on  recommendations we got from local people. Great recommendations, we should say! 

The roads were great and brand new! (Our trip was in August 2011). Signs on the roads and streets were also very good. We had a GPS (rented with the car - does not worth it) which helped a little - really just a little! Sometimes we preferred to follow our insticts and maps rather than following the GPS directions.

In order to cross Croatia from North to South you will find basically two main roads: the coastal and the express road. The coastal road (8) has a nice view of the Croatian coast but with a lower speed limit. The highway (A1 / E71/ E65) is better if you are looking for a fast way to get from one place to another. You will have to pay toll in the express road.

So, in addition to the distances between cities, pay attention to the roads you will use when planning the time distance of your trip. Google Maps may give you a good estimation of time for both roads. Usually the coastal road takes double the time. Beside, highways are so good and calm that you can drive very fast! Really!!

Here´s another precious tip anywhere you go in the world: get good maps! In Croatia and Slovenia, as in most European countries, you can find free maps at Hotels, Information Centers and, of course, you can always count on Google Maps (wonderful tool!)

Ferry Boats are also a good way, or sometimes, the only alternative to get to nice islands. Get informed about the time schedule and prices. It is recommended to arrive at least one hour ahead from ferry departure. Ferry rides take nearly 1 or 2 hours from continent to the island, depending on your destination.

You will need to 'park' your car in the ferry line, get out of the vehicle, and go to the ferry ticket center to buy your ticket. (This was something new for us! In Brazil, you don't have to leave your car. You just stay in line and you get your ferry ticket before getting inside the ferry, just as a toll cabin on the roads).

You can check the time schedules and prices of the ferries at: 
http://www.jadrolinija.hr/
http://www.directferries.pt/jadrolinija.htm

And you can always ask for information. Croatian and Slovenian people are very kind and will be pleased to help you.

We did not speak Slovenian or Croatian language, even though we tried to learn some basic words, but most people (specially young) speak fluent English. As there are lots of Italian turists, most Croatian and Slovenian people also speak Italian. No matter which language you speak, Slovenian and Croatian people will do their best effort to communicate with you and get you what you want.

About internet, in most hotels and Villas (family owned) in Croatia and Slovenia, you will find free internet available. However, in some, signal quality may be poor inside rooms.

Bled (Slovenia) : Vintgar Gorge in Triglavski National Park

Do you remember the movie "Ice Age", where the squirrel is after a nut and the ice walls crack from top to bottom, and the cold water comes to fill the narrow space between the ice walls? Well, it looks like this part of the movie was inspired in Vintgar Gorge!

This place has rock walls which seems to have been split hundred of thousands of years ago, with an exceptionally crystal clear water (and very very cold, though!) running through its cracks . The water is so clear and so inviting that we tried to get into it, but it was too cold for us. We put our feet into the water up to the knees and in 5 to 10 seconds it all started to hurt the bones as we couldn't feel our toes! (In fact we did see some brave kids in the water, but we promise we will try harder next time.)

Unfortunately this day we forgot to load our camera battery and we had to be satisfied with the amazing images in our memories... and postcard photos! But, in our next trip, we will take an extra camera battery and will get back with cinematographic pictures.

Vintgar Gorge is nearly 4 kilometers from Bled (some people go by bicycle from 'downtown' Bled. As we had a car we just used it!).

Vintgar Gorge with its amazing clear and cold water!

Watch out in Croatia and Slovenia: bees!

Croatia is also known for its good honey. Obviously, where there is honey, there is bee! And, yes, there are quite a few bees around in the restaurants and parks.

We were in Croatia and Slovenia during the summer and there were not thousands of bees around, but usually a couple or more bees would appear when you open a bottle of juice, Ice Tea or a soft drink. The bees are always after sweet things.

To be honest, we should say that the bees were not exactly anoying all the time, but we did get a little uncomfortable with some of them around, specially during breakfast in open places. We saw no one being stinged by a bee or any other problem with them, except that they were flying around.

So, ladies, if you are not fan of bees, you should also avoid using perfumes and body moisturizing during your trip, at least during the day!

A bee in Bled, helping us write a post card!

Slovenian and Croatian wines

A Brazilian well known newspaper announces that people are just discovering the riches of Slovenian and Croatian wine. The first paragraph says that no wonder Slovenia has great wines "for a country which national anthem is called "a toast".

Here is another piece of information: when traveling around the cities in Croatia and Slovenia, we noticed several fruit trees, on the streets and backyards, full of pulpy fruits like grape, peach, kiwi and pear. In other words, the fruits grow anywhere!! The fruit market is colorfull and with a nice fruit smell.

The parking lot at Bol Beach, in Brac (Croatia) was surrounded by kiwi trees! So you can just park your car in the shadow, under a kiwi tree!

Do we need to say anything else? We recommend you to try some Croatian and Slovenian wines during your visit! Just ask for a bottle of wine while you enjoy the view in one of the restaurants inside the Diocetian Palace, in Split, Croatia or at Bled Castle, in Slovenia!

Cheers!!

Preciosidade balcânica

Por: Rodrigo Uchoa Seção:consumo, Estilo de vida

Olha, não é de se espantar que a Eslovênia tenha grandes vinhos. Afinal, o hino do país se chama "Um Brinde" e uma de suas estrofes faz loas às vinhas, que "frutificaram os vinhos" que "renovam a esperança no peito exausto". É dica certa de que eles levam a coisa a sério. Mas mesmo assim vêm criando espanto, desde que a importadora Decanter resolveu aumentar seu portfólio trazendo vinhos tanto da Eslovênia quanto da vizinha Croácia.

"As pessoas têm se mostrado impressionadas pelo frescor e vivacidade do que temos apresentado", diz Mateja Perovsek, da Decanter no Rio de Janeiro. Mateja (pronuncia-se Mateia), uma eslovena radicada há quatro anos no Brasil, é amiga de alguns dos bons produtores eslovenos e foi uma das mais entusiasmadas quando a Decanter resolveu investir na procura por vinhos de seu país. E foi procura mesmo. As vinícolas lá são pequenas - há cerca de 28 mil delas - e dos 90 milhões de litros produzidos anualmente só 6 milhões são exportados. Na vizinha Itália, só para comparação, a produção está beirando os 5 bilhões de litros ao ano. Essa vizinhança com a Itália mostra também suas rivalidades.

Há muita gente dizendo que, na região - entenda-se aí o Friuli italiano e a Primorska eslovena -, é a Eslovênia que tem os melhores terroirs. E é aí que está a vinícola Simcic, que foi garimpada pelo sommelier Guilherme Correa. De lá sai um pinot grigio de excelente acidez que deve ganhar mercado aqui.
Cerca de 75% dos vinhos eslovenos são brancos, principalmente de castas como pinot grigio, riesling, sauvignon blanc e ribolla gialla - já é hora de ir se acostumando com essa última. "Eles [os vinhos brancos de seu país] têm tudo a ver com o clima do Brasil, com a gastronomia. Fico feliz que estejam fazendo sucesso."
Já da Croácia, a importadora começou a trazer os exemplares da vinícola Korta Katarina. Uma das estrelas é o Plavac Mali, de uma casta autóctone que já foi confundida com a italiana primitivo - é na verdade uma "prima torta". E, como a primitivo, tem tudo para agradar o gosto dos brasileiros. É afinal tempo de balcânicos aqui.

Source : Valor Econômico, from September 9, 2011 (www.valor.com.br).

Plitvice Lakes - Croatia National Park

This special place was recommended by our dearest Dutch friends. And we found the place really amazing!

Plitvice Lakes is a National Park in Croatia, also a UNESCO World Heritage. The park is very well organized, clean and with good indications and signs about the tracks and routes to follow.

The only bad thing about the park is: you cannot swim in this inviting clear water. There are other national parks in Croatia where it is possible to swim. We will definitely visit those parks in our next trip!

No photoshop needed! The water is amazing green and clear!

I was waiting for some dinosaur to appear behind the untouched leaves of this waterfall...!

Well, no dinosaur appeared and we all continued our pleasant walk and great day at the Park!

Ljubljana: Slovenia Capital

Ljubljana Lovers Locked! (note: Lubljana means "beloved")

Ljubljana streets and castle view.

Bled (Slovenia): Balloon ride

Bled is a nice and charming city in Slovenia for its pleasant lake, with a small island in the middle of the lake. We didn't find out (yet) why  there is a church in a small island in the middle of the lake.

In one side of the lake remains the Bled Castle, which provides a great view of the city with its lake and imposing mountains.

Spend the day and have a "cream cake" or "Kremsnita", in Slovenian.



Unforgettable balloon ride, in Bled!

Mark this word: "Pekarnica". It means "bakery" and they are amazing!

Try the "burek", a type of sandwich with cheese or meat.

Pag (Croatia): 30 minutes drive from Zadar

Pag streets - pretty white stones on the buildings, floor and everywhere!

Roman and Turkish architecture side by side!

Pag nice and calm beach: crystal clear (...and salty!) water!

Places to visit

Croatia is an amazing country and each city has its own charm!

We were very lucky to find nice and friendly Croatian people who recommended great cities and places to visit during our trip: (we learned that Croatian people ARE extremely nice and friendly with tourists, always!)

- Zadar (exceptional old town, natural sea organ)
- Pag (charming 2 hour tour with a beach with crystal sea water)
- Nin
- Trogir
- Sibenik (if summer time don't miss boat trip)
- Split (very charming city, with Diocletian Palace)
- Brac Island (Bol Beach! Fantastic!)
- Dubrovnik (Great old city inside walls - exceptional sea water with kayak tour around old town)
- Plitvice Lakes (National Park with amazing water)

- Pula: unfortunately we were not able to go this time. They have a Roman Arena/ Colosseum like Rome and Verona. Everyone recommends a visit around Pula.

Slovenia is the world's capital of ski jumpers. It is also known as the best country in Europe for mountain activities. Well, as we were there during summer time, our fun was inside water. Exceptional canyoning, rapel and rafting on crystal clear white water - although river level was not more than 2.

We also visited :

- Ljubljana
- Bled (specially charming and romantic city!)
- Bovec (where all adventure sports begin!)

One of the best things about this two countries is that the cities are well structured to receive turists and are not full or spoiled with turists all around. In other words, you will be able to feel the spirit of each city and will also be extremely well treated as a welcome guest everywhere you go.
We did not exactly planned our whole trip...in fact, we booked each hotel the night before we arrive at each city. And it worked great! We used booking.com, analyzed the best options based on accomodation prices and specially, guests comments! It worked just fine!

Find out more about each of this amazing places and cities in the next posts!

About this blog

It was not so easy to find focused information about Croatia and specially Slovenia. We found some websites about these countries, but few information about main places to visit, how to get around from one city to another etc. Even so, we decided to go on an amazing trip to these two countries.

Our trip was focused on these two countries natural beauties and adventure sports or activities (rather than museums and churches).

We hope you find some nice tips for your trip! (And feel free to also share your experience with us, because we will definitely visit Croatia and Slovenia again! There ismuch more to be seen!)

(We also apologize for not being able to write the proper accentuations in the Slovenian and Croatian words).