The Balkans - Croatia/Slovenia (ex Yugoslovia )

Anybody got any tips or places to visit.
Three of us are going in 3 weeks on GS's (me , Legger and Sue and Sid on a 850GS)
I've done a bit in Slovenia last year , but know little about Croatia and Adriatic coast.
We'll be going down through Eastern France - across into Black Forest and cutting across the top of the Bodensee ( Lake Constance) into Innsbruck area and then into Northern Italy and Dolomites.
We intend to stay firstly in Lake Bled area and then down to coast @ Piran/Portoroz and then either go down coast towards Porec/Dubrovnik or cut back up to Zagreb (is it worth a visit?).
Then we'll go back into Austria and stay in Drau valley , before cutting across Glossglockner pass to Zell am Zee and up towards Garmisch - Partenkirschen and Munich for the world's largest bikeshow @ Intermot, Munich on 17/18th Sept.
Then back across Germany and France to Zeebrugge.
The tips and help i'm asking for is-
Accomodation in -
South Munich area
Croatia - coast and Zagreb
Italian Dolomites.
General tips on Croatia - anybody holidayed there recently??(apart from avoiding minefields ie - Don't pee behind the hedges)
Many thanks

Yugoslavia (as was !)

John

I travelled down the Dalmatian Coast to / from Dubrovnik way back in 1988 so my details may be a little dated (though the scenery is ‘mainly’ the same). A colleague went back a few years ago and said things are getting back to usual – but lot to do yet, but people keen to reintroduce tourism

The things I remember where :-

The Coast road and isolated bays and beaches – they’re everywhere.

Mostar, Lovely old town, and the famous bridge, but I think things have changed considerably – but I’d love to return and see whether the old bridge is being rebuilt / replaced / whatever.

Split / Zadar had some cracking roads and wonderful views. From 100’s of meters above sea to down to sea level all the way along this coast.

The mountains are close by, but it’s baking scenery (I went in Sept)

Lizards (big ones) scampering across the road.

Paklenica national Park has some stunning Limestone cliffs and walks if you fancy leaving the bike.
My campsite there was next to the naturist site – make sure you check where you’re staying ! Food was abundant, cheap and good. German is the language of choice.

The only thing I remember about Zabgreb was drag racing a knackered old kwack on the city streets. The riders smile was infectious, even with only half a dozen teeth !! I passed through to camp outside at a campsite that had no English speakers at all and was quite testing. Things may have changed – but really not much English or German spoken away from coast. I remember a Zagreb steak is a steak with cheese and bacon on, rolled, bread-crumbed and fried and very very nice too. Hope you like Gerkins !!

I have some pics if you want to see them for a taster. (not of the steak...)

I’ve no idea if it’s OK to visit Sarajevo, but that’s an interesting spot, and some of the scenery across towards Novi Sad and Romania is spectacular, lots of mosques and very rural.

I saw hardly any foreign bikes at all (and very few local ones), one Brit in whole trip (yupp, that was the one bike that didn’t wave!). I’d guess a good lock would be invaluable now !

Check this link to Horizons Unlimited for details from those in the know http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000206.html if that works – if not search for Croatia on the site and read results.

The website www.croatia.hr may prove useful – but may be biased !

One beautiful country that I hope returns to complete normality one day. An essential part of the ‘trip’ to Istanbul. Be interested to hear the results of your journey.

Cheers, Fritz

Cheers Fritz ,
Hope you and Bev are ok
Thanks for the tips and I'd like to 'pop round' and see your pics before we go on the 7th.
We're fancying a bit of Adventure and a cheap trip , so thought Balkans would be good and from my brief trip in Slovenia , last year , the women are as attractive as the Mountain and Coastal scenery!!

John
Been meaning to ring you - and failed - so thought I'd post here. We're off to Spain Tues 3rd but might get a chance to dig pics out this W/E if you have half hour spare. If not, no worries - what you find you'll love I'm sure, show me your pics when you get back ! If youou can drop around call me on 524701, we're a bit in and out at the W/E. Enjoy whatever happens.

4 of us are going tomorrow .Leaving from N.Ireland to newcastle/ Amsterdam------ down through germany (to munich)
austria / slovenia / crotia / ferry to italy / up through italy / switzerland to france/

4 of us on gs's
Hoping to get a rear tourance fitted along the way
any ideas near newcastle or amsterdam???

matt

BMW Dealer in the Netherlands

Matthew,

when going from Amsterdam - border with Germany, you should pass closeby Apeldoorn.
In this city you'll find Bert Duursma , our GS-specialist...
Perhaps a good place to look for your Tourances...

tel: +31 55 366 85 91
at the site, choose "contact", "adressen" for a detailed route description

Whwn are you going Johnny?

I worked in Munich for 14 months and do know people there. I could ask for recommendations on accommodation if you want

Steve

Thanks for your help - the Sanguine/David - but we're off tomorrow lunchtime, so no time. We'll file a report when we're back and some pics.
Cheers

Cheers Johnny,

If you fancy a cup of tea en route, I'm just off the A20 about 35 mins from Dover.

If memory serves me well I think they are heading Hull-Zeebrugge (hopefully though not on the MV Pyromanic!! )

Sorry I missed this

I lived in Croatia in 1999, know lots of great places

Hope you had fun

Originally posted by dodgy
Sorry I missed this

I lived in Croatia in 1999, know lots of great places

Hope you had fun

Click to expand...

Dodgy - we did and it was ace.
Next year we'll ask you for some tips.

Hmm yes

For example, up the back of Zagreb is the mountain of Slijeme/Medvednica. There is a road up onto this from the northern suburbs which is about 10km, all one way, winding through the mountains. More or less a racetrack, superb fun

And another one-way road coming down the mountain to the West. I do hope you found it!

Coast road is also superb in parts, as I'm sure you found. Only the bit between Senj & Karlobag is well surfaced, but that's about 80km of great road so who cares?

Practically any road going up into the hills from the coast road is ace too - particularly Karlobag to Gospic, Senj to Otocac, I could go on

Brilliant biking roads. Best thing I ever did was rode my bike over there and back when I was working.

Hidden gem too - although apparently Croatia is gonna be "discovered" this year so expect it to get busier/more expensive.

Slovenia beautiful country too, I love it. Looks as pretty as Austria, half the cost of living, can't be bad

I feel the urge to go back again

Slovenia is just about the best - virtually my favourite European country and the women are great too.

Just a follow up on this thread - did my summer hols driving (not riding unfortunately) around Slovenia, croatia and bosnia. Very nice and would be brilliant on a GS. Like I said no "Bike fotos", but deffo want to go back on the GS.

http://spanishbob.smugmug.com/gallery/200457

Two words of warning.

one - speed, get caught, you have to pay in cash (and its not a fine) we got stopped three times.

two - slipperyish tarmac, not like in Greece apparently, but still worthy of a little caution.

In all other respects a top place!