My wife and I went to Croatia for the first time in September last year. Rented a villa for a week on the coast in a village about 40 minutes West of Split. Then dropped the hire car back at Split airport, spent one night at a hotel in the centre of Split (easy walking distance of the ferry terminal) and then got the Krilo catamaran from Split to Dubrovnik which takes 4.25 hours. Just checked and Krilo runs that service from mid-April to October, cost just under 30 Euros.
Then spent 2-3 nights in Dubrovnik. Stayed in the Hilton in Dubrovnik, old town (actually a short 500 metre walk to the Pile Gate entrance to the walled town). Hotel was expensive but from memory most are in Dubrovnik. Just a great place to walk around and take in the history (a few steps to get up and down to walk the ramparts which go all around the town) and a good choice of restaurants to sit outside and eat in the evening. I think there are boat trips available to local islands but we didn't do that.
Although we only spent one night there, Split appears very similar. So, depending on your budget, you could arrange a 2 city trip for your parents, i.e. EasyJet flight to Split (wouldn't need a hire car if staying in the city), a couple of days there and then the catamaran trip up to Dubrovnik to stay a couple of days. We flew back from there with BA.
Went there on a work trip in 2018, and felt like it was a good destination to suggest to my parents (who are similar age and interests to yours), although they haven't been yet.
I had a meeting with a bloke from the tourist board while I was there, who told me that the old town, which is the main bit that people go to see, is too small to cope with the number of visitors they have during summer - on a bad day (when there's a cruise ship in town) you can't get a seat in any cafe or restaurant and it's so crowded walking round that you can't see anything and it makes it oppressively hot. I very much doubt that'll be an issue next September with the impact of Covid, so probably a good time for them to go.
Stayed in the beautiful Hilton Imperial, right next to the entrance to the old town, and all of my meetings were around there, so I'm afraid I can't give you much info on what the rest of the city's like.
Went in 2018, stayed in an AirBnB inside the old city. Was basic, but very good price, had aircon and an en-suite, so can't complain. Old city itself is fantastic to wander around. There are a lot of steps on one side of the old city, but you don't have to scale those if you don't want to. Food and drink is significantly more expensive inside the old city compared to outside. We did a boat trip to three nearby islands, that was a fantastic day out and great value for money I thought. We went in May and it was very hot on one of the days (the day we did the walking Game of Thrones tour of course), but September should be nice.
Some friends of mine went in 2019, and they stayed in a rather nice 4 star just to the east of the city that had a free taxi-boat into the old city. So that may be an option, all the benefits of a 4 star hotel with easy access directly into the old city.
I got the ferry from Split to Hvar think it was about an hour or so and then Hvar down to Dubrovnik which took maybe 4 or 5 hours so Split is a fair trek to Dubrovnik but there are other islands to visit closer to Dubrovnik. We also did a trip to Montenegro and the bay of Kotor on a boat as a day trip from Dubrovnik that I can really recommend, absolutely stunning there. As for cost I can't remember exactly but a one way from Hvar to Dubrovnik as roughly £30 I think.
I went in September last year and the weather was perfect, hot but not unbearable. Personally Dubrovnik was my least favourite place of the ones we visited, it was still good but incredibly busy and a bit too touristy. Depends on what your parents are after though.
Pavo last page, was my old log in, more than happy to advise on this thread or PM me. Know the city and area like the back of my hand. Very suitable for any age that appreciates a bit of culture alongside, sun and a clear sea, but yes for a 70 year old couple should really enjoy it. That said, if they go, please ask them to turn a blind eye to Game of Thrones and Star Wars tours. Yes, both have used the city and beaches surrounding the old town for scenes in them, but I think they are an unnecessary distraction from the beauty and rich history of the city.
Stops in Cavtat, on Lokrum and going up Mount Srd (pronounced Serdge) via cable car all worthwhile doing.
We stayed in Cavtat 5 years ago (which was lovely) and got a boat to Dubrovnic for the day. That was enough. Overcrowded with cruise ship passengers and expensive. Our boat trip to Lokrum was much better (takes about 10-15 minutes and cost 80KN at the time which included entry fee to the island). I think I may still have a sea urchin spine stuck in my foot from a swim in the sea on that holiday.
Pavo last page, was my old log in, more than happy to advise on this thread or PM me. Know the city and area like the back of my hand. Very suitable for any age that appreciates a bit of culture alongside, sun and a clear sea, but yes for a 70 year old couple should really enjoy it. That said, if they go, please ask them to turn a blind eye to Game of Thrones and Star Wars tours. Yes, both have used the city and beaches surrounding the old town for scenes in them, but I think they are an unnecessary distraction from the beauty and rich history of the city.
Stops in Cavtat, on Lokrum and going up Mount Srd (pronounced Serdge) via cable car all worthwhile doing.
It might just be me but the whole "TV / Film tour" tour thing really bugs me. You go to Dubrovnic because of Game of Thrones? It's like the busloads of Americans that go to Oxford for the Morse tours...Oxford FFS...
went October last year. Museum down by the harbour was a good visit. Good background on the city and its history in parallel with the Venetian empire. There was a small, possibly temporary, archaeological museum tucked away near one of the land gates. I'd recommend that to get a flavour of how the city has grown. On the wall walk there was a naval museum - critical of course to the City's growth. Didn't have car so we did a scenic open top bus tour in the evening. Wow, some superb views from the bridge and overlooking the City at sunset. Can't remember where, but saw a good exhibition on the recent Civil War and what the city went through.How the hell they live peaceably next to old enemies I will never know. Last but not least is the wall walk.Brilliant
It might just be me but the whole "TV / Film tour" tour thing really bugs me. You go to Dubrovnic because of Game of Thrones? It's like the busloads of Americans that go to Oxford for the Morse tours...Oxford FFS...
Went to Croatia last year and it was one of the best experiences I have had from a holiday
We went to Dubrovnik, walked the walls on one of their hottest days ever, truly took my breath away and it was one of those places you could feel the history of the place. It was expensive but I imagine the premium on loving inside those old walls is prohibitive to cheap food and drink, plenty of other places to eat and drink in Dubrovnik outside of the city walls to save a couple of Dina
I'd love to go back to Dubrovnik and spend a good 5 or 6 days in the area, felt there was so much more to see in that area of Croatia
I am eyeing up driving down through Europe to spend a good 2/3 weeks in Austria, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia.
The Dalmation coast was one of the most beautiful settings of anywhere I have been
Went to Croatia last year and it was one of the best experiences I have had from a holiday
We went to Dubrovnik, walked the walls on one of their hottest days ever, truly took my breath away and it was one of those places you could feel the history of the place. It was expensive but I imagine the premium on loving inside those old walls is prohibitive to cheap food and drink, plenty of other places to eat and drink in Dubrovnik outside of the city walls to save a couple of Dina
I'd love to go back to Dubrovnik and spend a good 5 or 6 days in the area, felt there was so much more to see in that area of Croatia
I am eyeing up driving down through Europe to spend a good 2/3 weeks in Austria, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia.
The Dalmation coast was one of the most beautiful settings of anywhere I have been
I also spent so much on a prostitute once that I also couldn't afford to eat. Great experience.
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Then spent 2-3 nights in Dubrovnik. Stayed in the Hilton in Dubrovnik, old town (actually a short 500 metre walk to the Pile Gate entrance to the walled town). Hotel was expensive but from memory most are in Dubrovnik. Just a great place to walk around and take in the history (a few steps to get up and down to walk the ramparts which go all around the town) and a good choice of restaurants to sit outside and eat in the evening. I think there are boat trips available to local islands but we didn't do that.
Although we only spent one night there, Split appears very similar. So, depending on your budget, you could arrange a 2 city trip for your parents, i.e. EasyJet flight to Split (wouldn't need a hire car if staying in the city), a couple of days there and then the catamaran trip up to Dubrovnik to stay a couple of days. We flew back from there with BA.
I had a meeting with a bloke from the tourist board while I was there, who told me that the old town, which is the main bit that people go to see, is too small to cope with the number of visitors they have during summer - on a bad day (when there's a cruise ship in town) you can't get a seat in any cafe or restaurant and it's so crowded walking round that you can't see anything and it makes it oppressively hot. I very much doubt that'll be an issue next September with the impact of Covid, so probably a good time for them to go.
Stayed in the beautiful Hilton Imperial, right next to the entrance to the old town, and all of my meetings were around there, so I'm afraid I can't give you much info on what the rest of the city's like.
Some friends of mine went in 2019, and they stayed in a rather nice 4 star just to the east of the city that had a free taxi-boat into the old city. So that may be an option, all the benefits of a 4 star hotel with easy access directly into the old city.
I went in September last year and the weather was perfect, hot but not unbearable. Personally Dubrovnik was my least favourite place of the ones we visited, it was still good but incredibly busy and a bit too touristy. Depends on what your parents are after though.
Stops in Cavtat, on Lokrum and going up Mount Srd (pronounced Serdge) via cable car all worthwhile doing.
We went to Dubrovnik, walked the walls on one of their hottest days ever, truly took my breath away and it was one of those places you could feel the history of the place. It was expensive but I imagine the premium on loving inside those old walls is prohibitive to cheap food and drink, plenty of other places to eat and drink in Dubrovnik outside of the city walls to save a couple of Dina
I'd love to go back to Dubrovnik and spend a good 5 or 6 days in the area, felt there was so much more to see in that area of Croatia
I am eyeing up driving down through Europe to spend a good 2/3 weeks in Austria, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia.
The Dalmation coast was one of the most beautiful settings of anywhere I have been
Hopefully the current covid storm has blown over by then... 🤞