london to croatia??

Am thinking of doing London to croatia, for perhaps 3 weeks or a bit more sometime in ely september this year. I am going to do some research.....however...if anyone has done this before it might help.

1. Travel time from french ferry port to croatia??
2. what route??
3. september weather in croatia.........any rain??
4. any great places to visit??
5. camping tips??
6. cheap hostels/hotels??

ANYONE think I should be riding somewhere else in September?? For approx 21-25 days......rain avoidance would be good, so forget going North!!

Ta

Big G

tired and drinking

think i have put this in the wrong place and have found the answers i wanted!!!!!!

late nights and wine..........bummer!!

Croatia will be nice in September from a weathe rpoint of view. The northern part is level with Venice and the south of France. The southern part is on a par with Naples.

I went to Croatia 2 years ago. You could reach the istrian peninsula with 2 overnight stops from Calais, if you got an early morning ferry. First one near Strasbourg. Second one in Bavaria, say Augsburg, taking a leisurely route across the Black Forest. Hop across Austria/Italy/Slovenia into Croatia on day 3.

Places to visit: the coast is stunning in places. Pula has a Roman past. The mountains to the north of Opatija are lovely, especially if it is really hot at the coast. Impressive motorway with huge spans from Rijeka to Karlovac.

Jewel in the crown is the Plitvik National Park. Quite simply the most stunning network of lakes and waterfalls I've seen.

Someone else will be along to tell you about camping etc. I stayed in a 4* hotel in Opatija!

As Wessie states, the Plitvica National Park is a must. I personally find inland better for riding in Croatia - the coast roads are completely full of cars and stinking trucks (there are 3 different grades of diesel and most use the cheapest). There are also many "no overtaking" areas on the coast roads, often with police cars waiting at the end should you get tempted...

September is an ideal time for Croatia, although it can of course rain, especially in the mountains. The advantage is that you can then head for the coast, which can have quite different weather.

Take a mallet for ye tent pegs! all the sites I stayed on were on rocky ground.Excellent weather in september.

Toured Croatia in Sept 2005. Agree with everything previously said. B&B was reasonably cheap (e.g. as low as 15 euros per night) although inland there was not a lot of tourist infrastructure. Plenty of accommodation to be found around Plitvika Jezera.

Weather was mid 20's although in the space of 1 day, riding north into the Dolomites, the temperature halved and there was 6 inches of fresh snow on the verges going over the Passo Pordoi. Near Rijeka, I also encountered the worst gale & thunderstorm it has ever been my misfortune to ride through. Speaking to one of the locals the 'bora' gales are apparently a seasonal event at that time of year when cold northern air meets warm Med.

I rode into Croatia via Austria / Slovenia. The roads in the Julian Alps around Bovec are worth a trip. Also worth spending a few days in the Italian Dolomites, fantastic riding and great scenery.

ta for tha lot

Thanks folks, some good info for me to start with......particularly the mallett for the tent pegs!!!! Could have been a pain looking for a suitable rock. But then again 15 Euro b&bs............

Shall start my research in earnest.

Thanks again.

Big Gordy

As local, I mostly agree with everything said before.

September is ideal for exploring coastal regions, masses of tourists are mostly gone till then, and prices are lower. Weather should be OK, but last few years you never know as climate all over the world is crazy. If you plan to travel along coast, there can be problems with wind in northern areas, but it is not very likely. You can always turn inland and bypass part of the coast.

Here you have list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Croatia.

http://www.adriagate.com/en/croatia/unesco_heritage.aspx

Accommodation is easy to find all along the coast, and you don't have to book anything. Just go to the local pub and ask for rooms (sobe in Croatian) or camp.

Southern Dalmatian islands are worth visiting (Brac or Hvar), you got good ferry service and you can check schedules here:

http://www.jadrolinija.hr/default.aspx?lang=2