THREE COUNTRIES IN 10 DAYS
Where can we go to where we have never been before, not too far away, not too expensive, with decent weather and which is at least a bit different culturally to places we have already seen. Honestly, it was a bit of a challenge but eventually we received a big ‘leg up’ from friends who said “we fancy going to Croatia, how about you?”.
Minutes later we were planning the trip and before long we realised that, for good measure, we could add a visit into Montenegro and another into Bosnia Herzegovina; both within easy reach, especially if we based ourselves close to Dubrovnik, Croatia’s old walled town on the coast.
The outcome was a 10-day stay at the beginning of May, a time of the year we felt confident of temperatures circa 22/23 degrees.
We flew from Gatwick on the early flight which landed us in Dubrovnik at around 11 am local time – and one hour later we arrived at our hotel in Lapad, the peninsula close to Dubrovnik, clearly visible from the upper cable car station and also the location of the main marina and any visiting cruise ships which berthed on the other side of the inlet from the hotel.
This being our first day, we decided to keep things simple. i.e. settle in, unpack cases, get organised, have a drink, go for a walk nearby. We opted for turning left out of the hotel, crossing the road and following the waterside path. This route was soon interrupted when we found ourselves in a residential area but knowing that the houses now separated us from the Adriatic we persevered until we found some steps between the houses that took us back to the path running alongside the water.
The novelty of being in a new country plus the usual curiosity of what was (a) living in the water and (b) around the next corner, kept us going until we reached a bar (Beach Bar Ponat) set on the hillside within an area of woodland and still just a matter of a few steps from the water’s edge. This turned out to be a really nice surprise and a great place to stop, have a drink and take in the first of numerous views that we would enjoy during the trip.
After wandering back to the hotel it was almost time to get ready for dinner and drinks afterwards which was also time to reflect on how much we had done since arriving just a few hours earlier.
The food at the hotel was proving to be very good with plenty to choose from, including for those with Gluten-Free requirements. Our first breakfast on Day 2 also failed to disappoint so it was easy to ‘fuel-up’ for going into Dubrovnik for the first time. The buses are regular and very good without being too expensive but the rep at the hotel suggested we looked at using Uber as and when it suited us. This turned out to be very good advice as not only did it work out cheaper when split between the four of us but also the response times are very good and little time gets wasted. Consequently, we opted to visit the small seaside village of Cavtat. 
Cavtat is about halfway between Dubrovnik in Croatia and the border with Montenegro. It’s a lovely place to spend a few hours and make sure you explore because what we thought to be a short little promenade area with a few boats in a Marina and the backdrop of a church and some surrounding buildings transpired to be a sideshow to the main event which was tucked around a corner where the bay on the opposite side opened up to an even more attractive and much longer promenade with shops, cafes, restaurants, boat tours and ultimately a church on the peninsula from where you can climb to the very neat and tidy cemetery from where the views of Cavtat prove to be well worth the effort.
From here, we took a bus back ‘home’ to Lapad, dinner at the hotel and drinks afterwards with a game of cards. Plans were made for the following day and our first proper day in the old town Dubrovnik where would start to take advantage of our 3-Day Passes.
After breakfast we booked an Uber which we took to the Pile Gate entrance of the Old Town at Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is busy with visitors even in early May but our driver assured us that in comparison to July and August that this was quiet. Between the four of us we decided that we would each buy a 3-Day Pass for the old town and walk the walls today. The Passes are 50 Euros for 3 consecutive days and the entrance to the Walls is 40 Euros each so all but 10 Euros of the cost of the Pass was covered immediately. It’s therefore something that can save you some money with certain things being free of charge when you have the Pass (but not everything – e.g. the cable car is not included).
It was a lovely day and we were happy that the weather forecast was generally proving to be incorrect; and this continued to be so for most of our 10 days. Walking the walls can be challenging with many steps to navigate and, as the day warmed up, we were grateful for a convenient bar stop at one of the high points on the walls, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. We were only about one quarter of the way round at this point but, with one of the higher climbs being close to where we started, it proved to be enough to sustain us for the rest of the walk which is really worth doing with many views and places of interest including some for any ‘Game of Thrones’ fans.
For the rest of the day we strolled around the streets and lanes of the old town occasionally tempted by a restaurant for lunch and later, at what ended up as a daily ritual, an ice cream parlour. We also made plans for how to spend the days either side of three pre-booked excursions that we had paid for before travelling. These excursions covered a trip to Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina (on Day 4), a 3-Islands Tour (on Day 6) and a visit to Kotor and Perast in Montenegro (on Day 8). We also had to consider a birthday that one of us had during the holiday and where to go for a ‘special’ meal on that evening.
The excursions unfortunately interrupted our 3-Day Pass which basically covered our days 3 to 5 with Day 4 being spent in Mostar. We were unanimously keen to take in the Salvador Dali Exhibition that was in Dubrovnik but this wasn’t included so decided to do that later in the trip. The same could be said for the Cable Car but, for now, we focused on getting the benefits that we could from the Pass during the two days available and there were plenty. Various museums and/or galleries plus the obligatory churches, cathedral and monastery.
So, back to Dubrovnik.
With it being coastal, there are areas along the waterfront (at what is effectively the port) that are set up nicely with bars and restaurants that are only accessible by entering the old town interior from one of the gates (such as Pile Gate). And it is from the Port that you can also take a boat to the nearby island of Lokrum. It’s well worth the 20-minute ride each way and two or three hours of your time to wander around among the Peacocks, old buildings and forest walks. But that’s for another day.
The Maritime Museum is also in the Port area and is covered by the 3-Day Pass.
Like many places, Dubrovnik looks very different at night. Very well lit with a different but still very welcoming atmosphere. We were looking forward to sampling it when we return to eat at The Dubravka Restaurant on Friday evening (Day 5 for us).
Back at the Hotel Lapad we enjoyed another evening meal and relaxed a bit before the early start and long day to Mostar the following morning. The fact that we would miss breakfast was well catered for by the hotel with individual bags provided for us to take on our journey which began at 06:30. Despite the early start it wasn’t a particularly long journey but there is a delay at the border as every passport is checked, copied and stamped.
Bosnia Herzegovina immediately felt less affluent and that was certainly reflected in the prices of food and drink when compared to what we had found in Croatia (which was almost the same as the UK).
There was also a change in the weather, but Mostar remains an interesting place to visit for its history and the cultural difference that is apparent. The bridge is the star attraction of the town, famous for its role in the Balkan War. Following its destruction, which literally divided the town, the bridge has now been rebuilt in the original style and both sides of the river are now once again joined.
Because it is a small and compact town with one main area of tourist focus it was understandably busy all around the area of the bridge but there were enough cafes, bars and restaurants to be able to find a table for lunch and a drink at very reasonable prices.
After Mostar, today’s journey incorporated a stop at the Kravice Waterfalls and these were a nice surprise. There are a few steps and some walking down to the base of the falls but there are many photo opportunities from top to bottom. And on cue, the sun came back out for us.
The bus back to Dubrovnik, slowed by the Border Control again, just about made it back to our hotel in time for dinner. It had been a long, full and very enjoyable day.
Obviously, we had now just wasted the second day of our 3-Day Pass so we would be back to the old town tomorrow to make the most of the Pass but value for money was already not an issue. And so it was. Uber booked and soon after breakfast on Day 5 and we were back at Pile Gate to fill in a few more gaps on our Dubrovnik experience. We strolled through to the Port and found the kiosk selling tickets for the boat over to Lokrum and a short while later we were disembarking on Dubrovnik’s nearest neighbouring island.
It was a warm day and getting warmer but it’s nice that Lokrum has so many trees to provide shade almost everywhere if and when needed. There is plenty to see and do although it is not inhabited. However, it does have a history including once being owned by Archduke Maximillian I and being one of the locations used to film Game of Thrones, something that Dubrovnik and Lokrum attempt to take full advantage of. There is also a Botanical Gardens, a Monastery, a Fort and a salt water pool cheekily named The Dead Sea. Make sure you’ve got your trainers on but it’s time well spent on the island and only 20 minutes to get back to the old town. Boats run every half an hour. Beware the fighting Peacocks!!
In the evening we had a birthday to celebrate so we forfeited the very good food at the hotel for a pre-booked table at the Dubravka Restaurant, just outside the old town walls near the Pile Gate, between the walls and the Fort. Food excellent, service excellent, location excellent; enough said. We ended the day with a lovely walk around the old town at night and of course a drink before heading back to Lapad.
Our 3-Day Pass was now fully exhausted and our Sixth day was back on the road or rather back on the water because today we did the Three Islands Cruise to the Elephite Islands; namely Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan. The cruise included lunch and unlimited drinks and was remarkably inexpensive. All three islands are a little different and, quite simply, on a sunny day it was a lovely way to spend a day in Croatia. The staff on board were very attentive and the free time on each island never felt rushed but we still made it back for dinner in plenty of time.
It was now Sunday (Day 7) and we had absolutely nothing planned. Fill in the gaps we thought - an Uber to the top Srd Hill (the upper station of the Cable Car) was the outcome. Rather than take what we felt was an expensive return ride on the cable car we saved a little cash by taking an Uber to the top (still not cheap and many taxis refuse to do this journey due to the lack of a return fare) and just buy a single ticket for getting back down. There is also the option of a pathway to walk back down (or up) should you choose to do so.
When at the top the view is obviously outstanding but there is more to Srd Hill than just the view. The outdoor café-restaurant is related to the Dubravka Restaurant and offers good quality food and drink options while the indoor facilities provide a less expensive option. In addition, there is also a very good Museum telling the story of the Balkan War in the early to mid 1990’s. Unexpected, this was a nice surprise and explained a lot about something we knew little about.
Back at the bottom of Srd Hill the walls of Dubrovnik are right in front of you and we entered once again but for the first time not through Pile Gate. This alternative entrance gave us a higher access which placed us at the top of the long staired alleyways that we viewed on numerous occasions from ground level inside the old town. The parallel lanes along the hillside that cut across the alleyways contained more bars and eateries as well as shops so while the two women browsed, the two men sat and enjoyed a beer. No excuse required but, despite the forecast (again), it was another warm and dry day!
Reunited, the four of us stayed at the restaurant and had lunch before doing some old town wandering, exploring a few shops and taking the usual afternoon ice cream from one of the vendors. We had gradually ticked off the Cathedral, Monastery and various churches and museums during our times in Dubrovnik so by the time we fly home we should be able to say we have properly seen it.
Reflecting over dinner back at the hotel we remembered that the following day was our trip to Montenegro and therefore another early start and another packed breakfast in a bag to collect at the Hotel Reception before we made our way to the coach.
The Croatia-Montenegro border was less than an hour away but with Border Control plus a few miles the other side we were expecting a couple of hours travel time to get to Kotor but with some nice scenery along the way as much of the journey was coastal. The programme for the day was a visit to Kotor for a few hours and then a boat ride to one of the small islands and the village of Perast where our coach will meet up with us again for the journey back to Croatia and Dubrovnik.
And Remove Dubrovnik from what we had so far seen in Croatia and the scenery in Montenegro had, in my opinion, a bit of an edge over Croatia. The landscape was more mountainous than hilly, and the Adriatic Sea seemed trapped, looking more like a Fjord and the feeling of being by an open sea in any normal sense was simply non-existent.
On arrival in Kotor, we were met by a local guide who gave us a 30-minute talk about the town and its history. Thereafter, we had a few hours of free time before meeting up for the boat. Kotor itself was compact, neat and tidy with much of its history centred around the walls and defences on the hillside high above the town. Tourism, similar to Herzegovina (Mostar), is more than welcome in Montenegro, to invigorate what is a sleepy economy. The countries certainly have something to offer.
We left Kotor by boat and headed for the island called ‘Our Lady of the Rocks’, a very brief stop for a few photos before the hop to nearby Perast. I really liked Perast; much more a village than the small town of Kotor and it felt a little upmarket too. We needed a bit more time in Perast but unfortunately it wasn’t possible on this occasion.
The journey home is picturesque and felt slightly quicker – maybe Border Control didn’t take quite as long as it did in the morning. The weather had turned and now it was more in tune with the recent forecast; cloudy with showers but by the time we arrived back in Lapad the sun was out again. The immediate thought was hopefully it would remain that way for our final full day tomorrow!
The last full day was going to be a relaxed one. Again, no plans (apart from Dali!), just the effort of getting back to the Old Town to see what we could find that we had so far missed. A tough day interrupted only by food and drink. And we did happen upon another museum dedicated to the fallen in the Balkan War back in the 90’s. Very nicely done and we were pleased to see it.
I had seen a Salvador Dali Exhibition in Bruges many years previously and was quite happy to see it all over again if it turned out to be the same. Regardless, this was a completely different set of works by Dali and, for me, always interesting and ticked another box.
Dali’s interpretations of Alice in Wonderland were great and brought our day (and almost the holiday) to a close and we headed for the Bus Stop just across the road from Pile Gate. Dinner was waiting back at the hotel.
Our final act was to wander along the marina path before stopping on our way back at a small wine bar, a matter of yards from the hotel. They showed us the workroom at the back where they made and bottled the wine themselves. Racks of bottles lined the walls; the place was like a Tardis. Grateful for the spontaneous tour we sat and had a drink and listened to the ‘old school rock’ music playing. It was a lovely little place with good people running it and a relatable collection of vinyl records that all added to a good last chapter of our stay in Croatia.
This was certainly a busy ten days but it all worked perfectly and a future trip to the Northern half of Croatia is highly likely with cities such as Split and Zadar being the potential bases.
This featured blog entry was written by david.byne from the blog New Territory.
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