Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Jeanne’s Croatia 2009’ Category

As everywhere in Croatia, prices are marching ever upward in Split. Before getting in a lather about it, take a look at the prices in a local supermarket. They’re the same as most other European destinations! That is, you can’t expect restauranteurs to give a break to their customers when they’re paying through the nose. Still, you can get good value if you sniff around. Here are the results of my recent dining ventures:

Buffet Fife

This old stand-by is in the newly trendy Veli Varos neighbourhood, the old fisherman’s quarter, now restored and chock-full of private accommodation. The action centers around Sperun square where there are a bunch of cafes and restaurants steadily moving upscale. Buffet Fife remains true to its calling as a casual hangout for locals, backpackers and tourists at the end of their budget. The seating is family-style around big tables and the emphasis is on fish. To keep prices down and insure freshness, you won’t find the pricier fish such as sea-bream, but a nice selection of cheaper fish like mullet and mackerel. Hey, it’s better for you anyway! A plate of grilled fish with a side of vegetables and a glass of wine comes in under €9.

Sperun

This little place on Sperun square has wormed its way into a number of guidebooks. It’s not bad at all. A portion of your better quality fish will set you back about €12 but that’s a reasonable deal. There’s a full menu of meat, fish and vegetable plates starting at 45KN or about €7. I had a local speciality, Balacao, which is salt cod and potatoes in a casserole. I found it a little gummy but maybe that’s par for this dish, Dalmatian-style. Anyway, it was certainly filling. The service is young and enthusiastic but reserve ahead, especially on Saturday night.

Galija

I’d been coming here for years to enjoy the pizza which is probably the best in Split. At least, a steady stream of locals seem to think so. This time I decided to try the pasta. Mistake. Gnocchi with cream, mushrooms and salmon was a gloppy mess. Sometimes it’s best not to be too adventurous.

See more on restaurants in Split.

It may be hard to tear yourself away from the Croatian islands and coast but a trip inland to Mostar is highly recommended. The most famous Mostar sight is the  Old Bridge, built in 1556 and then, famously, blown up in 1993 during the last Balkan war. The bridge has been reconstructed and is as beautiful as ever, spanning the azur Neretva river with a mountainous backdrop.

The bridge has tremendous symbolic value as it links the Croat and Muslim communities each located on opposite sides of the river. Its destruction and reconstruction comprise one of the rare happy endings in the Balkans.

I started out from Split in mid-morning, taking the incompleted motorway south from Split until it ended somewhere after Sestanovic. I then followed Rt 62 which took me across the border at Metkovic. From there, it was just a matter of following the Neretva river north to Mostar. The ride was somewhat longer than I had expected, taking nearly 4 hours, largely because the road was unfamiliar. Still the trip was a little too long to be a viable day trip from Split.

Upon entering the perimeter of the Old Town, I was diverted by police away from the center. It turned out that a football match that evening was to involve opposing Muslim and Croat teams and police were preparing for possible violence (that fortunately never happened).

I checked into the wonderful Hotel Kriva Cuptija 2 (excellent value for money) and set out to explore the Old Town. On the way, the vestiges of the 1990s war were apparent in a number of buildings with pockmarked sides and blasted-out windows. The ancient cobblestoned streets on either side of the river were restored and bustling with life. The differences between the Croat and Muslim side were subtle: a few churches on one side; a few more mosques and cafes on the other. Everywhere the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly; people chatted easily with each other and with an inquisitive foreigner. The vivacious young woman at the hotel reception exuded hope and optimism for the future, assuring me that the days of ethnic hostilities were ancient history to the younger generation.

The following day I left for Dubrovnik and the trip was a very leisurely three hours, making Mostar a fascinating and easily doable day trip from Dubrovnik. Note that you will need to show your passport upon crossing the border as well as your auto insurance papers.

You thought that October is off-season in Dubrovnik? I thought so too. We were both wrong. Dubrovnik was unbelievably busy mostly, but not exclusively, with cruise ship passengers. My first day there was the day that the Carnival Dream, the largest Carnival ship ever constructed, dropped 3646 passengers onto Dubrovnik’s streets. It sounds like a lot of people to cram into the narrow streets of the Old Town but Dubrovnik has seen worse like the day when 10,000 passengers caused such gridlock that the police had to be called to keep the foot traffic moving.

Dubrovnik Stradun

Even aside from the cruise passengers, Dubrovnik hotels were doing a nice business and many of Dubrovnik’s restaurants were full. Fortunately for Dubrovnik’s visitors, the weather was gorgeously warm and sunny. The crystal clear Adriatic was also still warm enough to make swimming a delight.

See more about Croatia weather in October.

Way back when, there was only the Hotel Neptun, a perfectly acceptable three-star hotel on Dubrovnik’s Babin Kuk peninsula. With its calm surroundings and rooms with sea views it had always been a favourite. Then, with the dawning of the new millennium it seemed ready for an upgrade. And so it was done. Now there’s the four-star Hotel Neptun and the five-star Hotel Ariston, Importanne Suites and Villa Elita, all part of the Importanne Resort.

A recent stay in the  Importanne Suites revealed accommodation ready to take a top spot on the global luxury hotel scene. These spacious suites are lodged in their own building, discreetly bordered by stone walkways and Mediterranean greenery. As the resort reception area is in Hotel Neptun, walking into the Importanne suites is like entering a private home with plush rugs and comfortable sofas. It was thoughtful to place a row of umbrellas downstairs just in case the weather turned.

The suites are composed of two rooms: a bedroom and a living room with a small kitchenette area should you want to prepare champagne and canapes. The decor was soothing but cheerfully modern. Each room had its own bathroom which would be convenient both for couples and for those entertaining business guests. I liked that there was free internet access; so many hotels charge for it. Plus there was a flat-screen TV and telephone in each room–again perfect for those combining business and pleasure.

Perhaps the best part was the immense balcony facing south. The view over the Adriatic was unforgettable, particularly with the sun setting on the right.

Sunset from the Importanne Suites

The breakfast buffet (shared with the Importanne Resort) was copious and delicious with freshly-baked pastries, meat, eggs, cheese and lots of fresh fruit. Afterwards, there’s lolling by the swimming pool, plunging into the Adriatic, taking a peaceful seaside stroll to Lapad or hopping on a bus for a quick ride to the Old Town. It was the full resort experience and I loved it.

See more about the Importanne Resort.

Sampling Dubrovnik’s restaurants was an eye-opening experience, particularly when I saw the prices. Yikes! So many upscale visitors are staying in Dubrovnik that restaurant prices seem to know no limits, particularly in the Old Town. Lapad restaurants seem a little more reasonable. It’s hard to find good deals even at lunchtime when you would think restaurant owners might offer a prix-fixe to lure people off the beach. But no. Also disappointing was the ubiquitous “cover charge” now reaching as much as 12KN ($2.20). Even with the high prices (relative to other Croatian destinations), restaurants had no trouble filling up–and this was October!   Reservations are strongly recommended.

Wanda’s

There’s not often a new entry on the restaurant scene and this one made a splash when it opened last year. A number of reviewers praised the imaginative Mediterranean cuisine and they were right, up to a point. I ordered the restaurant’s signature dish–fettucine with wild boar, venison, porcini mushrooms and white truffle oil. “That’s all?” inquired owner/waiter Goran Starcic. At 140KN (€19) I thought that would be plenty. All that meat! And pasta! Alas, the portion was really appetizer-sized and I’m not a huge eater. There were exactly two pieces of meat, each about 2cm. Truthfully, the flavour was delicious. This was far from an ordinary plate of pasta. But still. An extra cup would have made me happy. The glass of wine was also stingy and the bread was the same cheap stuff you find everywhere. Bottom line: not good value for money.

Proto

This is probably Dubrovnik’s most celebrated seafood restaurant, even if some of it is self-celebration. Proto ads and signs start long before you reach Dubrovnik. As elsewhere, fish and seafood are expensive so I chose a vegetarian stuffed-eggplant for my lunch. It was–OK. Nothing special but competently prepared. The small eggplant halves were stuffed with chopped zucchini, tomatoes, other vegetables, topped with cheese and baked. Not bad but also a little pricey at 76KN (€11) plus a cover charge of 12KN. Bottom line: go for broke and get a special meal here or don’t bother at all.

Taj Mahal

This miniscule place on a side street in the Old Town advertises itself as Dubrovnik’s only Bosnian restaurant. It was absolutely jammed and I was glad I had reserved. The menu leans heavily toward meat (especially veal) but there’s also a good selection of salads plus grilled vegetables for vegetarians. I had the skewer “Leon” (70KN) which was turkey chunks grilled with vegetables and served with a baked potato. My table companion had an enormous spinach pie that he had trouble finishing. We loved the convivial atmosphere, large portions and imaginative dishes. Bottom line: good value for money in this casual restaurant.

See more about Dubrovnik restaurants.