Duvrovnik
WITH 6,000 bottles, 400 labels, and a Romanée Conti 1990 at a mere $9,572
(£4,500), choosing what to drink at Gil's, the newest swanky restaurant in
Dubrovnik, is a mesmerising and potentially bank-breaking experience.
Starters include sardine sashimi, king prawns, scallops and duck foie gras,
while mains feature lobster, squid, red snapper, veal and pigeon - all
delivered in a prime spot nestled in Dubrovnik's medieval fortifications by
the tiny harbour. Music floats down from a “pop lounge” strewn with purple
bean bags, waiters whisk cocktails to tables set with bonsai trees, and the
elite (often Russian, I'm told) dine in discreet alcoves, hidden by lilac
drapes.
Dubrovnik has come a long way since bombs rained on the small, pretty city
during the civil war in the 1990s. But it has not taken long for tourists to
return, attracted by its fabulous cathedral, monasteries, higgledy-piggledy
old houses,limestone streets, gorgeous nearby islands, beaches and classical
music festivals.
Last year 4.5 million people came, almost up to pre-war figures. Large groups
of cruise passengers, mainly prevalent in the morning, have not spoilt the
picturesque surroundings, which have acted as a magnet for the style crowd -
GQ was holding a fashion shoot on my visit. Upmarket hotels such as Pucic
Palace, and the Hotel Bellevue have opened and more places such as Gil's -
which has the biggest wine list in Croatia - seem inevitable.
Top dog Pucic Palace (00 385 20 326 200, www.thepucicpalace.com)
A boutique hotel close to the cathedral with 19 plush, hi-tech rooms,
baroque-but-modern interior design, a good fish restaurant and a terrace
café. Doubles from £220 B&B.
Fancy pants Hotel Bellevue (00 385 20 330 000, www.hotel-bellevue.hr)
Opened last February, this designer glass box clings to a cliff 15 minutes'
walk from the old town; every room has a sea-view balcony. Doubles from £175
B&B.
Saving pennies Hotel Stari Grad (00 385 20 322 244, www.hotelstarigrad.com)
Plain rooms with en suite showers, but this small hotel is within the town
walls and has a lovely roof terrace. Doubles from £85.
Surprise package Karmen Rooms (00 385 20 323 433, www.karmendu.com)
This extraordinary four-room guest house is owned by Michael and Sheila van
Bloemen, who began the Troubadour café in Earls Court (a haunt of Jimi
Hendrix and Bob Dylan) in the 1950s, and moved to Dubrovnik in the 1970s.
The comfortable rooms, with kitchenettes, are just as “out there” as the
Troubadour. “Marcel Marceau chose that lamp,” said Marc, their son, showing
me round. Doubles from £100.
Bite to eat Gil's (00 385 20 322 222, www.gils-dubrovnik.com)
Funky and fun with a great position hugging the fortifications, and
particularly good seafood, it opens for the season on March 1. About £40pp
for three courses without wine. Or try Proto (00 385 20 323 234), an
excellent seafood restaurant in the old town - three courses about £30
without wine.
Tom Chesshyre
SPLIT
SPLIT is often used by foreign visitors (150,000 last year) as a hop-on,
hop-off point for visiting Dalmatia's islands, but this beautiful city has a
fascinating history and merits a longer visit in its own right.
The old town is a beguiling mix of Roman and Venetian-Gothic architecture:
gleaming white squares, stones worn smooth by centuries of feet, beautifully
preserved temples, stairways, columns and gates. Split's ancient Roman
remains are all the more compelling because they are a living part of the
fabric of the city - old Split exists within the crumbling walls of the
Emperor Diocletian's palace, built in the 4th century.
Enter a smart modern bank to change some money, and you'll notice that its
sloping stone floors lead to a decorative rose-shaped drain that dates back
to antiquity; the perfumery you pop into to buy a present will have exposed
Roman brickwork. Peer upwards at pretty white Gothic balconies and cusped
windows and you'll think you're in Venice. With its jolly atmosphere, narrow
winding alleyways, trendy bars and smart shops, there's plenty to keep you
amused for a day or two. Don't forget to investigate the perfectly preserved
basement chambers of Diocletian's Palace (often used for art exhibitions)
and take a stroll around the quieter areas of the city's old walls - still
inhabited by mad old crones, scruffy cats and the odd lady of the night. And
stick around at night; as in Venice, these graceful historic buildings
acquire an otherworldly appearance after sundown.
Split hosts several lively festivals, the best and biggest of which is the
annual Split Summer Festival, with music and theatre in open-air venues all
over town from mid-July for a month. Details: www.splitsko-ljeto.hr;
www.visitsplit.com.
Top dog Le Méridien Lav (00 385 21 500 500, www.starwoodhotels.com)
The hotel is 25 minutes from the city centre, but it's the only five-star
hotel in Dalmatia so worth hopping on a bus for. Situated on a pretty
stretch of shoreline with its own marina, this 381-room hotel has a spa,
indoor and outdoor pools and a casino. The hotel's greatest asset is its
beautifully designed lobby: a huge, gleaming-white, light-filled space that
moves seamlessly from reception to lounge to sexy bar to airy sun terrace.
The food is good, too, overseen by Rafael Peterkovic, a talented Slovenian
chef, and a welcome relief from the inconsistent fare served in this part of
the world. Double rooms from £71.
Fancy pants The Vestibul Palace (00 385 21 329 329, www.vestibulpalace.com)
The location is unbeatable, near the city walls and just round the corner from
a Roman echo chamber (a cappella performances are staged there in the
summer). This is a tiny, chic boutique: only seven rooms (two suites) with
lots of black, brown and beige, which contrasts well with exposed Roman
brickwork. Smart and exclusive, but not that cheap. Doubles from €210
(£160).
Saving pennies Hotel Peristil (00 385 21 329 070, www.hotelperistil.com)
A modern hotel with 12 simple, comfortable rooms, just two minutes from the
main Roman entrance and square in Split. It has an outdoor terrace
restaurant with views. Doubles from €120.
Surprise package The Park (00 385 21 40 64 00, www.hotelpark-split.hr)
Characterful or design-conscious hotels are hard to find in Split, but the
Park has a handsome exterior - it's a 1920s villa - and has 54
well-appointed rooms. It's a stone's throw from the beach. Doubles from
€145.
Bite to eat Sperun (00 385 21 346 999)
In the street of the same name, this is an inexpensive small bistro on the
seafront serving a simple Mediterranean buffet with a fresh catch of the day
and good local wines.
Kate Quill
ZAGREB
WITH the start of Wizz Air flights to Zagreb from Luton, Croatia's capital has
quickly joined the list of candidates for a low-cost weekend in New Europe.
It makes an excellent choice, partly because so few tourists have discovered
the city (population one million out of Croatia's total of four million).
Tourism seems to be at an embryonic stage, certainly by comparison with
Dubrovik and Split on the coast.
But there is masses to see: the 19th-century neo-Gothic cathedral (there has
been a church on the site since medieval times); the old town on the hill
(home to the Croatian Parliament where the decisions were made to break away
from the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1918 and to leave Yugoslavia in 1991);
an interesting modern art museum, the food and antique markets, and the
enormous, marvellously symmetrical cemetery. There are also parks with
lakes, lots of cafés and bars for people-watching (a local pastime) and a
lively nightlife.
In the Zagreb City Museum, I learn that the crucial moment in the city's
history came when locals hid and protected King Bela IV from a Tartar
invasion in the 13th century. In return, he effectively made the city a
tax-free haven, which led to great prosperity over the centuries.
It's an easy city to wander about, with a relaxed ambience: one to try,
perhaps, for those who have been to Prague, Budapest and the rest. Prices
are relatively cheap.
Top dog The Regent Esplanade (00 385 1 45 66 021, www.regenthotels.com)
A superb Art Nouveau-meets-neo-Classical hotel dating from 1925, when it was
opened to cater for travellers on the Orient Express. Sympathetically
renovated in 2004, with a good restaurant, and within walking distance of
sights. Doubles from £120.
Fancy pants Arcotel Allegra (00 385 1 46 96 000, www.arcotel.at)
A funky design hotel with a buzzing bar near the railway station. Doubles from
£117.
Saving pennies Pansion Jaegerhorn (00 385 1 48 33 877, www.hotel-pansion-jaegerhorn.hr)
Small guest house with simple rooms, but right next to the old town on the
hill with a quiet courtyard with a fountain and a restaurant-bar. From £75.
Surprise package Movie Pub Hotel (00 385 1 60 55 045, www.the-movie-pub.com)
This is south of the city centre and the ugly grey building does not look
thrilling from outside. But inside there are 20 rooms each named after a
Hollywood star with pictures by a local celebrity photographer. There's a
pub with live music and a cosy restaurant. From £55.
Bite to eat Pod Grickim Topom (00 385 1 48 33 607)
A small restaurant perched on the top of the old town hill just below the
13th-century Lotrscak Tower (which offers the best views of the city) and
specialising in Croatian fish and meat dishes. From £30pp for three courses.
Or try Zinfandel's at the Regent Esplanade (see above) for Sunday brunch,
excellent value at £20 for three courses.
Tom Chesshyre
Like most travelogues, this piece ignores the northern/inland region of Croatia. Lovers of the Devonshire countryside can experience the same in Varazdin county but with the added bonus of beautiful weather and against a backdrop of country towns fit to grace the top of any chocolate box. The costs of staying, eating and touring around are miniscule compared to anywhere in "tourists" Europe. Baroque architecture amid a setting of Austro/Hungarian squares and piazzas make this a region like no other and, being part of southern Europe, the sun shines all summer long.
I guess the secret remains just that.
Paul Fischer, Varazdin, Croatia