Croatia, our fist visit.

Oh, and Mostar of course, and we the second Hôtel we stayed in was in Bosnia, right on the beach in Neum.

We also preferred Split to Dubrovnik.

Wow - what an amazing trip. Never thought it was possible to pack so much into 6 days. And we had amazing, warm, sunny weather. We now need a holiday to recover- actually a quiet week at home will do nicely.

Lakes and Dales national parks, so many small villages, a couple of Islands as well as Sibenik, Zadar, Dubronik and Split. Fabulous.

It has been rebuilt as was, so I am looking forwards to seeing it. We have been warned to be very careful with what we say, as 'sensibilities' are still very raw with many people who lived through those dark times.

Fleurpepper

We are going to Mostar for the day, I remember seeing the devastation during the Balkans war, and that magnificient bridge destroyed. It has certainly been a region of instability for a very long time, and wounds are hard to heal.

I thought it was in 1919
Yes, just after WW1

FleurPepper I've not been to Mostar, we wanted to go when we were over there the first time and just before the beautiful bridge was destroyed. However, it meant starting out at 5 am after a big trip the day before.
I'll go next time, I thought

As Fleurpepper mentioned, Plitvice is the place to visit especially in autumn with all the leaves changing into their autumnal colours. I was there in ‘69 and still remember its beauty.

Croatia is a beautiful country, and very clean too.

I have only been to Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas. It is busy, that's true, but it is very impressive. There is a lovely island, Lokrum, just a 10 minute boat ride away and a pretty and peaceful arboretum, Trsteno, about 25 minutes out of Dubrovnik.

Our neighbours always go to Split because they prefer it to Dubrovnik. They say it is cheaper and there are some fantastic trips you can do from there.

I am lucky to have a brother who lives above Montreux. His next door neighbour used to be Mr Bean ;)

MerylStreep

FleurPepper
If you go again ( for longer) and your ok with caves, you must try this.

www.familyadventureproject.org/krizna-jama-family-caving/

Thanks.

As said, this visit is just a first one as a recognition trip- to plan other trips for the future.

FleurPepper
If you go again ( for longer) and your ok with caves, you must try this.

www.familyadventureproject.org/krizna-jama-family-caving/

MerylStreep

FleurPepper
Don’t advertise how lovely Slovenia is ? It’s still a beautiful un- spoilt country.

Ah well- yes, get you. The train journey from Italy was just amazing. Old fashioned train with cabins, and windows that opened! We spent the day standing in the aisle watching the amazing wild countryside. And Ljubjlana (??? sp) was so lively, but in a very nice, friendly way. Lots of groups of young people, tons of fun, but no sloven, agressive drunken behaviour. And our RbnB was in a beautifully renovated house right by the river, with great Café below, and everything around us. (next stop was Bled, then Graz and Insbruck- never had the chance to Inter-Rail as a student- so that was fab - we travelled light and at 2 nights in each place, and 3 in Bled). (Montreux- Verona-Gorizia- Bled- Ljubljana-Graz-Innsbruck-Montreux, then home).

We are going to Mostar for the day, I remember seeing the devastation during the Balkans war, and that magnificient bridge destroyed. It has certainly been a region of instability for a very long time, and wounds are hard to heal.

Fuseta, Korcula is lovely!

Callistemon21

Yugoslavia wasn't always one country - it was created after WW1 and named the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes until 1929, when it became Yugoslavia.
It was a rather uneasy combination of fairly disparate countries.

I thought it was in 1919.

''
U.S. Recognition of the Independence of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, 1919.

On February 7, 1919, the United States recognized the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes through a statement released to the press by the U.S. Acting Secretary of State Frank Polk. The United States considered this new state as the successor state to the Kingdom of Serbia.''

My mother was at boarding school in Munich with the daughters of the Queen's representatives in Zagreb- and was invited to stay with them twice, in their mansion in Zagreb and their Castle in Bled. 1929 or 30. They all lost their lives when Tito took power.

Yugoslavia wasn't always one country - it was created after WW1 and named the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes until 1929, when it became Yugoslavia.
It was a rather uneasy combination of fairly disparate countries.

We were there then too and the People who ran the local restaurant told us when Tito died there would be war and Yugoslavia would be no more but broken up into different regions (and they were right )

We spent our honeymoon in the then Yugoslavia in 1971 .It was still very remote and very poor in parts. Plivitce lakes and waterfalls were stunning and the people were so friendly. Coastal scenery amazing too .

FleurPepper
Don’t advertise how lovely Slovenia is ? It’s still a beautiful un- spoilt country.

It's going to be a looong day! Pick up at our local town at 2am for early flight. They didn't tell us about this at the time of booking and paying! Ah well...

We went to Slovenia earlier this Summer, and Austria, all by train- with inter-rail, with my 84 year old brother! Slovenia was fabulous, and Lubljana (sp???) we loved.

My mother visited Yugolslavia several times in the late 20s- before the Revolution. Living at Court in Zagreb and Lake Bled. When it was still all one country. We went to Bled with all her old photos this Summer- quite moving. Sadly the Topplice Hôtel, the best in Bled at the time, was closed.

A few years ago we drove through Croatia on our way to Greece. The scenery was breathtaking, we stayed in a few places including Pula, Rab island and Cavtat. The people we met along the way could not have been more friendly or helpful and the food was fabulous.

I’m sure you will have a super holiday.

The lady who pedicures my feet went there this summer. She has three small children and commented too that the stony beaches weren't much fun for the little ones.

I do recommend swotting up a bit on the history as it is so alien to anything we are used to. The crusaders went through there on their way to Jerusalem. We spent a holiday in Slovenia and saw many relics of that part of their past. Also their wines are not to be underestimated.

We went to Coatia in 1986 with my then teenage daughter. She went back during the war there with a convoy of aid and they were impressed when she said she had visited before . I listened to every news broadcast in case they were in trouble and was so glad when they got back .

Korčula is lovely (or was, it's a long time since we've been there).
Korčula Old Town is like a mini Dubrovnik.

Will report back fuseta.

I have just booked a holiday in Croatia for next September. Starting with a couple of nights in Split and then a week in an apartment in Korcula,I will be very interested to hear what Korcula is like.

A walk round the walls of Dubrovnik is recommended too, well worth it if you have time.