CROATIA

Location - South east Europe; Capital - Zagreb; Population - 4.3 million; Currency - Kuna MORE CROATIA

Buses wind up and down the mountains on the Bosnia-Croatia route from Trebinje to the beautiful port-city of Dubrovnik - April 2013.

Croatia is soon to join the Euro but until then its currency is the Kuna

Take in the beauty of the old town of Dubrovnik via a cable car to Mt Srd

Red-tiled buildings surround St Blaise's Church - Dubrovnik

St John's Fortress (top left) provides shelter for the old port - Dubrovnik

Close to the old town is Lapad peninsula, with the islands of Kolocep and Lopud beyond - Dubrovnik

The pebbly Lapad beach on the peninsula - Dubrovnik

The sandy Banje beach is much closer to the old town and more popular - Dubrovnik

Heading further east of the old town brings good views of the offshore island Lokrum - Dubrovnik

You can also look back towards the old town - Dubrovnik

More walking brings you to a lovely spot near Sveti Jakov beach - Dubrovnik

Back in the old town a great place for a relaxing drink is Buza Bar, on a rocky outcrop outside the city walls - Dubrovnik

Look through scaffolding to the Adriatic. Not as bad as it sounds! Dubrovnik

Sunset at the Buza Bar - Dubrovnik

The 17th/18th century Cathedral - Dubrovnik

Ready for the evening? Dubrovnik

Stradun, the old town's main street, has many cafes-cum-restaurants as well as several souvenir shops - Dubrovnik

A photo of Luza Square from my overnight stop during 2017 - Dubrovnik

Steep narrow streets lead off the Stradun to residential houses and more bars and restaurants - Dubrovnik

The cloister of the 14t century Franciscan Monastery is also just off the Stradun - Dubrovnik

Live evening music plays behind the Cathedral - Dubrovnik

Gunduliceva Poljana hosts a morning market - Dubrovnik

Walking the narrow streets of the old town on a late Sunday morning - Dubrovnik

Minceta Fortress as seen from outside the city walls - Dubrovnik

Across palm trees and the old port to St John's Fortress - Dubrovnik

Close to the old port is the Dominican Monastery (left) and Revelin Fortress (right) - Dubrovnik

Cruise ships can be a headache but the throngs usually thin out later in the day - Dubrovnik

A view from the bus heading north from Montenegro in May 2018 - Dubrovnik

The island of Lokrum is only a 10 minute boat-ride away from Dubrovnik's old port

The island has a monastery, fort, nudist beach and botanical gardens - Lokrum

The gardens of the medieval Benedictine monastery - Lokrum

Peacocks strut around the monastery grounds - Lokrum

This salt lake is known as the Dead Sea - Lokrum

A solitary boat in a whole lot of Adriatic - Lokrum

Back in Dubrovnik definitely take a few hours to walk along the city walls

A bird's eye view of the Stradun and the circular Onofrio Fountain - Dubrovnik

St Saviour's Church marks the beginning of the Stradun and continues to the Clock Tower 300m further on - Dubrovnik

A wedding party dance along the Stradun - Dubrovnik

Back on the city walls you can look out over the old town and its narrow streets - Dubrovnik

The 13th-16th century walls cling to the cliff face - Dubrovnik

The rugged Lapad Peninsula - Dubrovnik

Sailing through the still waters of the Adriatic - Dubrovnik

Take a break at some perfectly situated cafes along the walls - Dubrovnik

Look down at the Buza Bar parasols from the city walls - Dubrovnik

Peer through a 'window' to the old port at St John's Fortress - Dubrovnik

The old port isn't deep enough for cruise ships so passengers are ferried in by boat, seen here with orange roofs about to enter the port - Dubrovnik

A small explosion followed by smoke rising from the Stradun. No need to worry, it's the wedding party from earlier getting in full swing - Dubrovnik

Window sill - Dubrovnik

More steep narrow streets in Dubrovnik

A superb view of Lokrum Island and the old town from its highest point at Minceta Fortress - Dubrovnik

The drive from Dubrovnik to Split passes some gorgeous coastline

Towns blend with lush vegetation - Dubrovnik to Split

This rugged coastline is somewhere close to the Bosnian resort of Neum - Dubrovnik to Split

The Dubrovnik-Split journey crosses 9km of Bosnian territory at Neum, Bosnia

Even though it's an industrial port, the area around Ploce is very attractive - Dubrovnik to Split

The marshland and irrigation channels of the Neretva Delta near Ploce, Dubrovnik to Split

Another appealing coastal town between Dubrovnik and Split

A shimmering Adriatic Sea - Dubrovnik to Split

The five-hour bus trip follows the contours of coastline, winding up down and around - Dubrovnik to Split

For those arriving by train the squares of Trg Kralija Tomislava and Strossmayerov are the first sights of Zagreb

And a place you're likely to see soon after is Jelacica Square, a busy tram intersection - Zagreb

Surely the liveliest place in the whole of Croatia on a Saturday night is the bar-filled street of Tkalciceva - Zagreb

The fruit and vegetable market at Dolac is close to Jelacica Square and Tkalciceva - Zagreb

In the upper town near the funicular. St Mark's Church sports the coats of arms of Croatia and Zagreb - Zagreb

The Croatian National Theatre dominates Trg Marsala Tita, the square named after dictator Marshal Tito, leader of Yugoslavia from 1943 until his death in 1980 - Zagreb

Before taking a train out of Zagreb have a quick look at the nearby Museum of Street Art on Branimirova Wall - Zagreb

Website and content Copyright © 2008-2018 Mark Wilkinson. All rights reserved.

LINKS

http://croatia.hr - Croatia tourist board

www.autobusni-kolodvor.com - Croatia bus timetables

www.hzpp.hr - Croatia train timetables

I am not responsible for the content of external websites.