Istria, Plitvice, Dalmatia

 

Italy - Postojna Cave - Umag

Travel individual way by car, ferry back to Split - Ancona, stay + tour.
Findings countered on this country: as I have seen, beautiful interior with wonderful Plitvice lakes, which alone are worth a trip to Croatia.
The interior is green, a succession of hills and mountains covered with virgin forests, ranging from small and remote countries that seem to come off from mountain, and that only now are trying to recover from the war that ruined their quiet.
Discreet the sea from Zadar to Split. We stayed around Sibenik: sea, long beaches of stones, and the usual difficulties upon entering the sea for the presence of pebbles.
Very crowded, but the Krka National Park, pleasant towns with historic typical centres that is possible to meet along the way.
Findings rather negative regards Istria and hotel facilities in Istria, which I found the ugliest I've seen in all my life; it has been perhaps an unfortunate year, but the sea was completely invaded by algaes (Umag up to Pula, I do not know well), so dense that just not didn't allow bathing for days, but made the landscape really disconcerting: and being at sea without swimming is certainly not the best.
Findings also negative regards hotel complexes: although two of the most popular tourist complexes in the country, we found a serious disorganization in the management structures, particularly in the kitchen and in cleaning of common areas (for example the pool).
On the other hand, cooking in restaurants is really excellent and for low prices. You can taste excellent grilled meat and fish.
To be noted the construction of new highways, in particular from Rijeka to Ogulin to reach the Plitvice park, and from here up to almost Sibenik.
Certainly, to see the most beautiful sea of Croatia, you must go on the islands.

Day 1:
Italy - Postojna Cave - Umag
The first stop of our trip is planned in Slovenia to visit the famous caves of Postojna. I must say that it's worth it, because the caves, as well as enormous, are truly beautiful.
You can visit them by a little train that runs for about 4 km inside the caves, and then with a pleasant walk you can admire an endless series of spectacular concretions. The visit lasts totally about 1 hour and 30 minutes (one hour of walk).
Things to see, among others, the hall of Congress, Spaghetti, Concerts, the mountain underground 45 metres high and the famous "Bright" concretion, shining symbol of Postojna.
For bears the temperature, constant at 8 degrees in winter than in summer, so it is necessary to cover adequately.
After the visit we continue to Croatia, destination Umag.

Day 2-8: Umag - Istria

As already written above, the sea I saw from Umag to all locations of Istria was infested by algaes. Incidentally, the resort where we stayed, the Stella Maris, was awful, and over the sea there was also a very dirty pool, the rooms and kitchen were old.
We have transferred the nearby Sol Polynesia, same management but strangely more well kept, inserted in a beautiful and fresh pine forest, with near a new cottage, a beautiful and clean swimming pool and a sea less dirt, where specially in the morning you could make nice baths.
In addition, having only booked the night, we had freedom of choice to dine in nearby restaurants, all excellent and affordable, unlike the kitchen that is low quality in hotels.
Nearby you can not miss the town of Rovinj: beautiful historic center in Venetian style, with houses that face directly on the sea, a picturesque port from where beautiful alleys rise to the Church, with a beautiful view of the bay and neighboring islands .
I did not find very interesting the excursion to Brioni National Park: several kms to reach the port of Fazana, where you buy (better to book), the excursion boat to the island, and the scenic train ride tikets. Certainly a beautiful green place, but there is not much to see unless some ruins of a Byzantine villa, and a beautiful bay with Roman ruins as landscape (half-day costs about 25 euros each person).
Interestingly, however, the town of Pula with the splendid Roman amphitheatre dating back to the first century AD, and the pleasant stroll through the historic center.

Day 9: Umag - Plitvice Lakes

Along the route we pause in 2 beautiful medieval towns, in a wonderful position on two heights, offering a beautiful view of the surrounding green hills: Groznjan and Motovun.
Then continuing to Plitvice (3 hours), where we booked a room at a private chalet just a few hundred metres from No 2 of the park. (1 night, 2 adults + 1 child with breakfast, room with private bathroom € 35.00 - family KRIZMANIC, very kind and available, Rastovaca St., 15 - www.plitvickajezera.info)
When you observe these lakes from above, with the midday sun that gives incredible colors to the clear waters, they seem precious treasures for its emerald color. I must say that this place is among those who leave a really exciting sensation, and alone it worth an entire trip in Croatia.
It will be for the beauty of the place together with the perfect organization, the respect for nature and the many viewpoints, and an efficient transportation service that allows you to navigate easily in the park or for the pleasant climate in summer and the lack of confusion.
There are 16 unspoiled lakes, linked by countless waterfalls of various heights and flow of water, placed in a fascinating natural scenario entirely surrounded by virgin forest.
You can walk hours and hours on long journeys without ever tiring, for the continuing variety of landscape and viewpoints, allowing to get closer at few metres from the most spectacular waterfalls, or to observe this amazing landscape from above.
It is divided into two main areas: the lakes below (entry No. 1), and lakes above (entry No. 2). You can follow paths of different duration, ranging from 3-4 hours to 5-6 hours to make the full turn. To connect the various sides boats are available, while to reach the starting point of the itineraries there are shuttles. Of course, the advice is to travel the complete itinerary in order not to lose any corner of this place that is not easily attainable.
The place is located in the middle of Croatia, 500 meters of altitude (but seems to be in the mountains) near the border with Bosnia, about 100 km from the coastal zone.
Another recommendation is to spend 2 days to visit the park to better appreciate the tranquility and purity of the place. Indeed, visiting it in a single day, possibly as excursion from the coast, would become a tour de force that could ruin the magic of the visit.
The entrance for 2 days into the park costs 17 euros and allows the use of all transports.

Day 10: Plitvice lakes

Our visit began at entrance No.1, where after a few metres you can see from above, with a splendid glance and in all its beauty, the highest waterfall of this spectacular park: 78 meters, surrounded by other small waterfalls and 2 beautiful lakes.
The path continues with a beautiful descent in the woods until you come up to bridges on the foot of the waterfall, where you can make beautiful photos (see below). The advice is to get there in the early morning, because being the most photographed place of the park, immediately fills with people which could ruin a bit of magic.
After the waterfall path, slightly uphill but pleasant, lie three other waterfalls between lakes, with clear waters filled with fish (swimming and fishing are banned), walkways and paths in the woods, until you reach the point the boat departure.
From here in about 15 minutes, boat reaches the area of entrance No.2, where there are 3 hotels, the unique buildings near the lakes. From this point, after 200 steps, we take the shuttle for the path that climbs high, until the next stop in the direction of entry No.1.
From this point starts another pleasant walk, which offers breathtaking views on the lakes, and finishes again at the starting point. Time for this walk is approximately 3 hours.
For dinner you can not miss the typical restaurant Licka Kuca, (entrance No.2), a typical mountain chalet where waiters wear typical costumes, in the middle of the dining room, a lamb is cooked in the huge fireplace, as pig and all other meat grilled specialties of the house. Prices are modest and the traditional dish, made of lamb and grilled meat with vegetables, costs about 10 euros, 1 euro for homemade desserts.

Day 11: Plitvice Lakes - Sibenik

Morning is dedicated to visit superior lakes. Starting from entrane No.2 to see the top of the lakes. The usual shuttle goes back at every lake to the point of departure, and from there a path downhill gets to the starting point in about 3 hours of walk, entirely within a virgin forest.
The most spectacular is located in the central promenade, where splendid and splashing waterfalls occur one after another, rushing into lakes increasingly clear and transparent.
In the afternoon we started in southern direction for Sibenik (about 2 hours thanks to the new Highway), and we reached the Solaris hotel complex.

Day 12-14: Sibenik - hotel Solaris

Even at the Solaris we have seen the lack of organization and supervision of tourist complexes: an immense structure, consisting of 4 hotels, a campsite and a residence, with the usual super low quality kitchen and dirty pools.
Too bad because the potential is high, the contour landscape is pleasant, the sea is clear and transparent and structures more than enough.
But here we have been able to exploit the sea, doing pleasant bathrooms.
Do not miss the trip to P.N. The river: 20 kms from Sibenik it divides Skradin, a pleasant town situated on the river, reachable with a boat directly from the sea.
From here start vessels of the park, which in about 20 minutes reach the most spectacular waterfall in the park, Skradinski Buk. Here you can bathe in the clear water, and admire the splendid jump of them, which here is truly exceptional, even in summer.
The place is really fascinating, and reminds me of the waterfalls of Agua Azul in Mexico, except that here there is a lot more people (and so the advice is to arrive in the morning).
After a nice bath and a shower under the smaller spray, you can make a long climb using the staircase that allows you to reach the top of the waterfall, and admire the valley where the river forms other spectacular smaller waterfalls.
Apart from Skradin waterfalls, the others can be reached directly by car, because in the parking there's a shuttle which leads to the waterfalls. The price is the same whether you use the boat, about 10 euros per person.

Beautiful and also to visit the town of Sibenik, with the lively promenade, the famous Cathedral of St. James, heritage of UNESCO (which unfortunately closes the evening at 8, and we could not visit it), the beautiful squares in the historic centre and little streets with numerous locals and restaurants.

Sibenik - Split - Italy

It's the last day of trip and we head towards Split, planning to stop in Trogir. Unfortunately, the roads to reach the centre are completely jammed, so we continue to Split.
The capital of Dalmatia is truly a beautiful city, and absolutely not to miss is the visit of Diocletian Palace, which houses inside the Baptistery (now Cathedral) the beautiful walls with the various ports of entry, and the various fascinating alleys of the city .
After all, the fast Snav ferry took us back in Italy.