The Kilkenny Observer Friday 10 June 2022
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Travel & Leisure Depending on what kind of holiday you are planning in beautiful Croatia, the country’s bus network connects almost everywhere and is a great option, especially on a budget. If you’re touring the coast, you can hop on ferries to reach mainland cities and the islands. Driving is fairly straightforward, and lets you reach destinations that aren’t well-served by public transportation. Flights and trains are useful for hopping between Zagreb and the coast. Remember though, transportation does vary seasonally. In buzzing July and August, it’s worth booking ahead or turning up early for buses and boats, and you may find yourself stuck in traffic on the way into and out of resort towns. Between November and March, timetables for buses and ferries are reduced, and you may need to plan your route more carefully. Here’s everything you need to know about traveling around Croatia. Bus services are excellent and relatively inexpensive. You can explore most of Croatia car-free, although Istria (once you’re off the main coastal route) and the islands have patchier networks. Most bus stations are located fairly centrally (and conveniently near ferry ports) making getting around straightforward. One exception is Dubrovnik, where the bus station is around 5km (3.1 miles) from the Old Town – hop on a local bus or taxi. Different companies often operate on the same route, so prices can vary. Luggage stowed in the baggage compartment under the bus costs extra (around 10KN a piece). Buses between Split and Dubrovnik pass through Bosnian territory so keep your passport or ID handy. At large stations, bus tickets must be purchased at the
Trains and boats and planes ... in Croatia office, not from drivers, and it’s worth booking ahead in high season. Major companies include Arriva, FlixBus and azmatrans. Getbybus is a useful website offering schedules and bookings. Boats connect the main coastal centres and the surrounding islands yearround, with services extended in the tourist season. Many visitors find cruising the blue waters and rocky shores of the Adriatic one of their trip highlights. The major hubs are Split, Dubrovnik, Šibenik, Zadar and Rijeka. Locals use ‘ferry’ to refer exclusively to car
ferries (which can also be used by foot passengers) and ‘catamaran’ for the faster, passenger-only services. Boats are comfortable, with seating inside and out on the deck. The larger boats have restaurants and bars, and almost all have at least a snack counter. Most offer free wi-fi, though the signal is variable. You can usually buy tickets online (Jadrolinija is the main operator), but pre- booking doesn’t guarantee you a space on a particular sailing, so it still pays to get to the wharf early in peak season if you’re traveling with a car. Foot passengers pay less, have more flexibility and can
generally hire a car, scooter or bicycle on arrival. Driving is an excellent option if you’re in a family or group, or if you want to tour several destinations in a short trip, like the hill towns and resorts of Istria, or the Dalmatian coast and nearby Paklenica and Krka national parks. Croatia drives on the right, and roads are mostly excellent, although there are stretches where service stations are scarce. Still, with most places within a few hours of each other, most trips are short. At around six hours, Zagreb to Dubrovnik is the longest drive you’re likely
Five cities to check out inSpain 1. Valencia No visit to Spain is complete without having the iconic Mediterranean rice dish, paella. And there’s no better place to have this authentic dish than in the home of paella: Valencia. In fact, Valencia is home to a number of great foods that you’ll definitely want to try on your trip. The city is best known for Las Fallas, a fun five-day festival in March when giant papier-mâché puppets are paraded through the streets. Be sure to visit the City of Arts and Sciences, and especially the Oceanogràfic aquarium inside, wander through the beautiful Old Town streets, see inside the 13th century Gothic cathedral, and take time to enjoy the beautiful beaches.
2. Sevilla Sevilla is, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular Spanish cities. This beautiful city in Spain is filled with iconic landmarks such as the Torre del Oro, the mesmerising Real Alcázar Palace, and the Plaza de España. Seville is well known as a food-loving city; in fact, there are more than 3,000 tapas bars in Seville. Just spending a whole day wandering from one bar to another, sampling the Solomillo al Whisky, Pringa (sandwiches), and churros is enough entertainment for me! Enjoy the smell of citrus as you walk through the picturesque Barrio de Santa Cruz, or take in unmatched views from the Setas de Sevilla, the biggest wooden structure in the world. Fun fact: The Plaza de
to take, and one of the few major routes that isn’t entirely on a multi-lane highway (the last section through southern Dalmatia is yet to be upgraded). The Hrvatski Autoklub has a live dashboard on works and congestion. Car hire is available in all major towns and airports. Local companies are often cheaper, but the big chains offer one-way rentals. You may get a lower rate by booking from abroad or getting a fly-drive package. To rent a car you must be 18 and have a valid license and a credit card to cover insurance excess. Hitching is not During the afternoon, be sure to stop by one of the many bars where your only task is to order a drink, which will come with a tapa. Or visit one of the many tea houses in the Albayzín neighbourhood to get an authentic taste of Granada’s culture. You’ll also want to take a stroll through the cobblestoned streets, and admire the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical churches, convents, monasteries, hospitals, palaces, and mansions.
España and Real Alcázar Palace were used as filming sites in the popular series Star Wars and The Game of Thrones. 3. Granada The centuries of Iberian,
Roman, and Muslim influences are woven into the architecture and culture that makes Granada so unique. You won’t want to miss a tour of the Alhambra, a Moorish fortress, and the picturesque Generalife Palace Gardens.
4. Barcelona Most visitors to Barcelona are first drawn to the work of art that is the Sagrada Família, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Besides the beautiful basilica, you’ll find mesmerising architectural landmarks like Casa Batlló, Casa Vicens, Park Güell, and the opulent Palace of Catalan Music. As the capital of Catalonia, you’ll also find slightly different foods in Barcelona, so a tapas crawl is high on the list. La Boqueria market is great for a food stroll.
recommended, but carpooling is an option – BlaBlaCar has a good local presence. There are tolls on all highways and some other routes. The first set of booths you come across when you enter a highway dispenses tickets. Present them at the booths when you leave the highway to calculate and pay the toll. Trains and flights are good for crossing the country The train network is limited, and often slower than buses. But it’s not a bad bet if you’re exploring inland Croatia, or heading between Zagreb and coastal cities such as Rijeka, Pula or Split. Croatian Railways has schedules and prices. Flying is the quickest way between Zagreb and the coast, and, while connections between the coastal cities are less frequent, the connection between the Istrian capital of Pula and Dubrovnik, for example, can be useful if you time it right. There aren’t many flights to the islands – most visitors just get a boat from the nearest mainland port – although you can reach Bra Island from Zagreb. The national carrier is Croatia Airlines. Bicycles are a great way to explore the islands Bikes are easy to rent along the coast. Relatively flat islands such as Pag and Lošinj offer the most relaxed cycling, but the winding, hilly roads on other islands have more spectacular views. Cycling requires caution: many roads are busy highways, with no bicycle lanes. You’ll see Nextbike’s hire stations in many cities, especially Zagreb, which has decent cycling infrastructure – download the app to get started. Some tourist offices, especially in the Kvarner and Istria regions, have maps of routes and bike-rental info. The Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) is a stunning area of the city that you have to witness. It’s one of the most atmospheric medieval quarters in the world, with magical old-world ambience. 5. Córdoba If you’re planning a visit to this city, be sure to time it around May to witness the yearly Courtyard Festival. You’ll get to take in the sights and smells of hundreds of flowers and plants as homeowners open and display their ornate courtyards with pride. Of course, the courtyards aren’t the only reason that Córdoba is one of the prettiest cities in Spain. The ancient architecture serves as indicators of the different eras and people who have inhabited this city. Walk across the Roman Bridge, admire the striped arches in the Great Mosque, and wander through the decorated streets of the old Jewish Quarter.
