lunes, 30 de septiembre de 2013

CROATIA: BEACHES

Croatia's beaches aren't generally sandy, although their water is really clear and clean. The most beautiful sandy beaches that can be found on the Croatian coast are on the west coast of the islands.


 Beach in Hvar
Here you can see the clear water of the beaches of Croatia



Along the mainland coast of Croatia, beaches we've been seeing are generally a set of rocks with a pool metal ladder for easy entry and exit from the water. However, the majority of Croatian people jump from the rocks for bathing. The alternative to the rocky beach is the beach of cement, also with a pool ladder, where the towel should be stretched on a cement esplanade.

However, the water is usually clear and very clean, with a very fresh look. For me, so used to the sandy beaches of Barcelona and Catalonia, enjoying these beaches has been a fantastic experience.

Then I wanted to show examples of some of these attractive beaches I enjoyed in this trip:

  • Beach in Rovinj
  • Beach in Zadar
  • Beach in Split
  • Beach Hvar Town
  • Beach in Korkula
  • Beaches in Dubrovnik




Rovinj


Beach in Rovinj
Beach in Rovinj


Zadar


Beach in Zadar
Beach in Zadar

Split


Beach in Split
Beach in Split



Hvar




Beach in Hvar
One of the beaches in Hvar town


 Beach in Hvar
Beach of Hvar with the town in the background



Beach in Hvar
There are large large sailboats near the beaches of Hvar

Korkula


Beach in Korkula
Beach in Korkula


Beach in Korkula
City walls of Korkula from this small beach



Beach in Korkula
From this beach, on the right you can see the city of Korkula

Dubrovnik


Beach in Dubrovnik
Beach in Dubrovnik beside the city walls 


Banje beach in Dubrovnik
Banje beach in Dubrovnik



Beach in Dubrovnik
Beach in Dubrovnik located in Pile district. This beach was near our accomodation, so it's the beach we most enjoyed


As we didn't rent a car, we hadn't enough time to  visit some of the most beautiful sandy beaches in Croatia. If you rent a car, or you have enough time, you could visit the following beaches. Most of them can be also reached by public transport.


  • Verudela and Stoja beaches in Pula
  • Beaches of Krk Island
  • Beaches of Rab Island
  • Beaches of Makarska Riviera (Makarska or Gradac)
  • Lumbarda beach in Korkula Island
  • Zlatni Rat in Brac Island

This was the route we did through Croatia, which began in Venice and ended in Dubrovnik:




Finally other beautiful beaches I have visited are:

- Catalonia


- Spain


  • Port de Sòller and Cala Deià in Mallorca

- Portugal


domingo, 29 de septiembre de 2013

CROATIA: CAVTAT AND DUBROVNIK


About 12pm we took a bus to Cavtat at the stop next to the Cable Car Station in Dubrovnik. After a 30min drive we arrived at this beautiful seaside village. We strolled along the promenade and some of the streets of the old town before having lunch at the restaurant Galija, where we enjoyed a Cevapcici dish.


Cavtat



Cavtat in Croatia
Cavtat is a lovely seaside village near Dubrovnik


Cavtat near Dubrovnik
Boats in Cavtat



Cavtat in Croatia
One of the narrow streets of Cavtat


Promenade of Cavtat in Croatia
Promenade of Cavtat in Croatia


Restaurant Galija in Cavtat
About to have lunch in Restaurant Galija in Cavtat


Cevapcici dish in Croatia
Cevapcici is a typical dish we enjoyed in Cavtat


Dubrovnik - Pile


Pile district in Dubrovnik
Pile district from the City Walls of Dubrovnik


Pile district in Dubrovnik
Pile district in Dubrovnik


Rooms and Apartment Kortizija in Dubrovnik
Our Sobe (Rooms and Apartment Kortizija) was in this building of Pile district in Dubrovnik


Beach in Dubrovnik
This beach was beside our accomodation in Dubrovnik


Around 4:30 pm we took the bus back to Dubrovnik to give our daily evening stroll through this wonderful city.



Below you have some useful information:

- Our accomodation in Dubrovnik was:

  • Dubrovnik: Rooms and Apartment Kortizija (highly recommended)

- Restaurants in Dubrovnik

  • Pizzeria Tabasco (Near the Cable Car station)
  • Dubravka (beside Pile Gate)

- Restaurants in Cavtat:


  • Galija (at the end of the promenade)



This was the route, which began in Venice, we did in Croatia:




Finally, other great cities I have already visited are:





  • Barcelona
  • Berlin
  • New York and Washington
  • London
  • Dublin in Irleland
  • Istanbul in Turkey
  • Saint Petersburg
  • Rome and The Vatican
  • Paris
  • Florence in Tuscany
  • Lisboa in Portugal
  • Madrid
  • Venezia
  • Athens in Greece
  • Brussels in Belgium 

  • sábado, 28 de septiembre de 2013

    CROATIA: DUBROVNIK

    We arrived at Dubrovnik at 17:30 pm. The driver kindly left us beside Pile Gate, where we had our accommodation. One minute before I was astonished by Fort Minceta, a tower of the City Walls, when the minibus drove next to it.

    After leaving the bags in our Sobe in Pile district, we took a bath in a nearby small beach. In the evening we were ready to discover Dubrovnik. After a first walk along the Stradun, where we booked an excursion to Mostar in Lea Travel agency, We had dinner at the Pizzeria Tabasco, located near the Cable Car Station.

    The most interesting places we visited in Dubrovnik were:

    • Pile Gate
    • Onofrio Fountain
    • Stradun
    • Sponza Palace
    • Rector's Palace
    • Franciscan Monastery
    • Cathedral of Dubrovnik
    • City Walls of Dubrovnik
    • Old Port
    • Dominican Monastery
    • Fort Lovrijenac
    • Ploce Gate
    • Banje Beach



    First day in Dubrovnik



    Pile Gate



    Pile Gate in Dubrovnik


    Onofrio Fountain



    Onofrio fountain from Pile Gate in Dubrovnik


    Stradun



    Stradun and Clock Tower in Dubrovnik


    Sponza Palace



    Sponza Palace in Dubrovnik


    Rector's Palace



    Loggia of Rector's Palace in Dubrovnik


    Clock Tower in Dubrovnik


    Franciscan Monastery



    Franciscan Monastery in Dubrovnik


    Second Day in Dubrovnik (and Mostar in Bosnia)





    At 8 in the morning we were already going to Mostar, from where we came back to Dubrovnik around 18pm. After a short break in our accomodation, we went to Dubrovnik to our evening walk.




    Cathedral of Dubrovnik


    Rector's Palace and Cathedral of Dubrovnik


    Street of Dubrovnik



    Street in Dubrovnik


    Third day in Dubrovnik



    At 9 o'clock we were already walking along imposing walls of Dubrovnik. It seems early, but not so much because in Dubrovnik the sun rises at 5 am, so at this time it was quite hot. After almost 2 hours under the sunlight without any shady place, we were very hot, so we went to Banje beach for a swim. 


    City Walls of Dubrovnik



    Dubrovnik from Fort Lovrijenac


    Walking along the city walls of Dubrovnik


    It was 9:30 am but it was already hot in Dubrovnik




    Cap or hat is indispensable during the tour through the walls of Dubrovnik because of heat and lack of shaded areas



    Roofs of Dubrovnik from the city walls


    Old Port


    Old port of Dubrovnik, and behind, the clock tower



    Old Port of Dubrovnik from the City Walls



    Dominican Monastery



    From this point of the city walls we enjoyed a nice view of the old port of Dubrovnik and the bell tower of the Dominican Monastery




    Dominican Monastery in Dubrovnik



    City Walls



    The imposing Fort Minceta in the city walls of Dubrovnik impressed me the first time I saw it


    Here we were about to finish our tour along the impressive walls of Dubrovnik


    I enjoyed a lot taking pictures of Dubrovnik from the city walls


    A closer view of Fort Minceta and the towers of the City Walls of Dubrovnik


    Fort Lovrijenac




    Fort Lovrijenac and the bell tower of the Franciscan Monastery from the city walls of Dubrovnik

    Ploce Gate


    Ploce Gate in Dubrovnik


    Banje Beach



    Nice view of Dubrovnik from Banje Beach



    About 12pm we took a bus to Cavtat at the stop next to the Cable Car Station. Around 16:30 pm we took the bus back to Dubrovnik to give our daily evening stroll through this wonderful city.

    Fourth day in Dubrovnik


    We spent our fourth day in Dubrovnik walking quietly along its streets trying to discover more lovely corners. We also took some pictures of Pile District, the lovely area of Dubrovnik where we had our accomodation.


    Nice Corners in Dubrovnik



    Quiet place we found in Dubrovnik beside the city walls


    Lovely place in Dubrovnik


    Street market in Dubrovnik


    After having lunch in Dubrovnik we took the bus to the airport at the stop next to the Cable Car. You should check the bus schedule the same day in the morning at the tourist office (for example, there are one close to the Pile gate). The price is 35 Kuna or 5 euros (you can pay in Kunas and Euros). The journey takes approximately 35 minutes.


    Below you have some useful information:

    - Our accomodation in Dubrovnik was:

    • Dubrovnik: Rooms and Apartment Kortizija (highly recommended)

    - Restaurants in Dubrovnik:

    • Pizzeria Tabasco (Near the Cable Car station)
    • Dubravka (beside Pile Gate)


    This was the route we did from Venice to reach Dubrovnik:


    Finally, other great cities I have already visited are:






  • Barcelona
  • Berlin
  • New York and Washington
  • London
  • Dublin in Irleland
  • Istanbul in Turkey
  • Saint Petersburg
  • Rome and The Vatican
  • Paris
  • Florence in Tuscany
  • Lisboa in Portugal
  • Madrid
  • Venezia

  • Other great cities and countries I have visited are: