Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Split’ Category

The editors of Yahoo travel voted the Split to Vis ferry ride the second most beautiful ferry ride in the world (the number one spot went to an Australian ferry line). Think of how many ferries trundle around Greece alone and you can see that it’s quite an honor! The article noted “Among the Adriatic Coast’s thousand islands and 250 miles of ferry routes, this two-and-a-half-hour ride stands out for its exceptional scenery.” The red-roofed buildings of Split recede, you pass little Solta and big Brac before gliding past a sprinkling of islets on your way to Vis Island.

I love the ride and heartily endorse the vote but before you run out and book passage, check the Split-Vis ferry schedules. There are two ferries from Split to Vis: a Split-Vis car ferry and a Split-Hvar-Vis passenger ferry. Throughout most of the year both ferries leave Split in the afternoon and return from Vis in the morning so you’ll have to stay overnight. During the summer months, there’s usually a morning ride out on the car ferry and an afternoon ferry back to Split. It doesn’t leave much time on Vis but you do get the benefit of the scenery. See more on Croatia ferries.

With a web of international flights, Croatia should not lack for visitors next year. Here’s an early roundup of 2012 flights to Croatia:

Monarch Airlines will fly from Manchester, Birmingham and London Gatwick to Dubrovnik.

Croatia Airlines will start two weekly flights from Munich to Dubrovnik on April 16. Alas, this year’s service from Vienna and Istanbul to Dubrovnik will be retired. Zadar will get a direct weekly flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle starting on May 1. And this year’s popular Zagreb to Athens route will resume next summer, making it easy to extend your Mediterranean holiday to Greece. In more good news, fun-loving French  can spend New Year’s in Dubrovnik with a direct route from Paris Charles de Gaulle that will run twice weekly  all year.

Why do Russians visit Zagreb in winter? Who knows. Maybe Zagreb is warmer than Moscow. Maybe they’ll make a beeline to the balmier Dalmatian coast. This year Aeroflot will maintain daily flights between Zagreb and Moscow throughout the year.

Connections to Scandinavia and Central Europe are already scheduled for next year. Check out the following (with a thanks to Ex-Yu Aviation news):

Stockholm – Dubrovnik (March 25) SAS

Karlsruhe – Zadar (March 28) Ryanair

Copenhagen – Split (March 31) SAS

Helsinki – Dubrovnik (April 02) Finnair

Dubrovnik – Munich (April 16) Croatia Airlines

Zadar – Paris (May 01) Croatia Airlines

Bern – Split (May 05) SkyWork Airlines

Frankfurt – Rijeka (May 05) Condor

Frankfurt – Dubrovnik (May 13) Condor

Manchester – Pula (May 19) Jet2.com

Zurich – Dubrovnik (May 27) Edelweiss Air

Bergen – Split (June 25) SAS

Stavanger – Split (June 25) SAS

Copenhagen – Dubrovnik (July 04) SAS

Rotterdam – Split (July 07) Transavia.com

See more on cheap flights to Croatia!

It’s been open for less than a year but Golly & Bossy hostel in Split is already winning awards. The “design” hostel has recently been voted one of the 10 World’s Best Hostels by the users of virtualtourist.com. It is surely an original experience. You unlock the doors with a smartphone app, sleep in a “capsule” and enjoy an on-site small cinema and large bar.

Owner Ante Kotarac claims to have spent 4.5 million kuna on restoring this former department store located in an Art Nouveau palace. Local architects  Lea Pelivan and Toma Pleić were in charge of designing the hostel and its 28 rooms. As a reminder of the former department store and for the comfort of the guests, the designers kept the escalators. Also, each room has a reminder of Split history.

And the peculiar name? An Anglicization of the Croatian goli & bosi which means “naked and barefoot”!

Find out more.

 

 

With tourists streaming into Split Airport (figures are up 10% this year), the need for decent accommodation in Split has never been greater. Fortunately, there’s a lot going on at all price ranges as new places are opening up and old ones are being renovated.

The most exciting recent entry is the new Golly & Bossy Hostel which bills itself, accurately, as a “design hostel”.  The  chartreuse color scheme and sleek lighting are young and cheery and the amenities are first rate. I like that each room is numbered with an important date from Split history. Great local pride. There are both dorm rooms and doubles with private facilities available. The big terrace is great for socializing and the balcony has a great view of  Old Split.

An ongoing project is the renovation of the old Marjan hotel at the foot of Marjan hill. When opened next year (hopefully) it will be the Marjan Hilton.  I’m very pleased that a renovation of the classic Hotel Bellevue is in the works. With high ceilings, tall windows and an enormous ground-floor restaurant, this 19th-century hotel is the only one of its kind in Split. It deserves to be honoured. Rumor also has it that there will be a new hotel near wide, sandy Bacvice beach which is also bordered by a major entertainment complex. Now that should be fun.

See more about accommodation in Split.

 

After a long, long overhaul of the old Hotel Split, the luxury four-star Radisson Blu Resort Split has opened for business and the results are spectacular. Designed for both business travellers and comfort-seeking leisure travellers,  the Radisson Blu Resort Split excels in pleasing the senses. There’s fine dining with a choice of two restaurants, accenting Mediterranean and Croatia specialties. There’s a spa with eight treatment rooms, a whirlpool, sauna and steam baths. Relax on a private beach or paddle around in the indoor or outdoor swimming pool. Tone up in the fitness centre or spend the inheritance in the casino. Treat yourself to the panoramic views of the Croatian sea and the islands of Brac and Solta. Are you a Saudi sheik or would you like to live like one? Try one of the  853-square-foot Presidential Suites that offer three bedrooms, a private terrace with Jacuzzi and an outdoor sauna.

The hotel is a 15-minute drive from Split’s historical center which insures peace and tranquility.

You know what I like? Wifi access is FREE. I hate when hotels nickel and dime you on wifi.

Rates start at €82/day off season. Check availability and get the lowest prices for the Radisson Blu Resort Split.

See more luxury hotels in Split.