Here you can read our guests experience about apartment we booked for them, places they visited, things impressed them and many useful advices. Read first-hand impressions from guest who stayed in Dubrovnik in August 2014. If you are looking for a holiday destination that fulfills every taste – culture, history, beaches, mountains, adventure – then look no further than Dubrovnik.

You get confirmation that your holiday choice was a good one even before the plane lands. Coming from Western Europe, you have a great view as the plane approaches Dubrovnik and you get a privileged look at the many islands along the coast.

After driving into town while enjoying a great view of the coast, especially Lokrum Island , we arrived at the wonderful “Studio Harmony 2″ apartment.

The apartment had just been renovated so it was brand new, superbly decorated and well equiped. To make it even better, our hosts went to great lengths to make us feel welcome and comfortable – they could not have been more hospitable.

Another nice surprise is leaving the apartment, crossing the street, and being right in front of Minčeta Tower, on the edge of Old Town. From there, either go right down the (many, many) stairs to Pile gate - the main entrace into Old Town – or take an easier left and enter through Buža gate or Ploče gate further down.

Take your time in Old Town since there is much to see. It is a maze of narrow streets and beautiful old buildings. You will find many restaurants that cater to all tastes  and you will run into wonderfully talented street performers. Take the opportunity to walk on top of the city walls and get an amazing overview of Old Town.

Enjoy the sunset sitting on a bench in Old Port and then head back into Old Town, which gets even busier at night.

For those who love to spend some time swimming and working on their tan, there are many options. From Banje beach, right next to Old Town, to Lapad on the other side of the peninsula, there are many choices.

But if you really want to spend a great day at the beach, catch the ferry at the new port and head over to Lopud island. The ferry  ride itself is worth your time as it crosses some of the many islands along the coast. Then, on Lopud, there will be a small paradise waiting for you. There is a nice sandy beach right near the dock, but if you cross the island to the other side and you will find an even greater option: Šunj beach.

Although having a car in Dubrovnik is not easy due to the difficulty find parking spots do not let that stop you from exploring. Just rent a car for the day and there is plenty you can do. The drive up north is beautiful. You can see the city walls of Ston and if you continue along the coast, you will find many wonderful beaches. And if you stay for longer, take advantage of the excelent location of the town to pay a quick visit to Montenegro (Kotor, Tivat, Budva and Sveti Stefan are close and worth seeing) or drive into Bosnia, visit the beautiful town of Mostar and see the famous old bridge.

Croatia  was a wonderful choice for a holiday and it felt like so much was left unseen that I am sure I will visit it again

Thank you dear guest for this wounderful testimonial from holiday in private apartments in Croatia!

The post Testimonial from holiday in private apartment in Croatia #1 appeared first on Online Croatia.

We are presenting you local tips. Do not miss our top five must do in Dubrovnik! Of course, most amazing part of Dubrovnik are city walls and museums. Visit them and take pictures! Create memories that will stay long in your heart and mind when you think of Dubrovnik. Best way to feel this town is with these top five must do in Dubrovnik.

Top five must do in Dubrovnik

Walk small streets behind Cathedral

Stradun,  main Street of the Old Town is stunning, but you will fall in love with hidden streets just behind cathedral.

Climb up beautiful stone stairs and check how it is to live in the Old Town. You will pass right on the doorsteps of people lucky enough to live there.

Pass through the labyrinth of small streets with flowers hanging from the balconies. You will love windows covered with the green wooden covers protecting residents from the heath and noise from the street. You will feel real Mediterranean atmosphere there, so it is definitely one of the top five must do in Dubrovnik! You cannot get lost. Stradun will always be down as your orientation point so take time and enjoy just looking around.

This walk can lead you to second of top five must do in Dubrovnik…

Our tip: try not to use your camera too often. Just wander around and enjoy!

Top five must do in Dubrovnik

Have a drink at Buža bar

Buža bar is situated on cliffs just behind Old city walls. Buža is a local word for the hole. And that it is – a hole in massive old walls giving you the best view  to Lokrum Island across. Try to come in the sunset. It will be most beautiful sunset you will ever experience while soft music plays in the background. They serve everything from regular coffee to cold drinks and snacks. Some find it pricy, but also admit it is unique, and definitely one of the top five must do in Dubrovnik!

The easiest way to find this hidden place is just to climb the stairs behind Cathedral and following the signs. While there, order a glass of refreshing Croatian beer and watch people jumping in the sea from high cliffs in nearby. This is something that locals love to do but lately it is especially popular among Australian tourists. For Australians this is one more top five must do in Dubrovnik but we would not recommend it as you really have to be careful to avoid hitting the rocks under the sea.

Our tip: it is not recommended to visit with children for safety reasons.

Top five must do in Dubrovnik

Walk the city at night

Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful places in the world and therefore full of tourists from the early spring to the late fall. You will probably be very annoyed by the hustle and bustle and rivers of people pushing and hitting you under your ribs while you just want to look around.

This is one of the top five must do in Dubrovnik because you simply cannot leave Dubrovnik without truly seeing it. Make sure to go out and have a walk through the main street Stradun the late as possible at night. As soon as you pass through Pile or Ploče gates you will see its full beauty. Do not expect to be alone there as most bars and places to go out are situated inside the city walls. It will be completely new experience to see it almost empty. As someone once said, it will be like when the party is over and all guests leave. You will just want to stop for a moment and enjoy the silence. Take a walk and look around. Take a break from learning history facts and explore for your soul only.

Our tip: If not too late, sit at one of the bars right on Stradun and order a glass of vine. It is simply a wonderful way to finish the day! Definitely one of the top five must do in Dubrovnik!

Top five must do in Dubrovnik

Take the cable car up to hill Srđ

Cable car will take you to the top of hill above the city in only few minutes to give you the best view of Dubrovnik. You will have whole Dubrovnik right on your palm! On the corner of your eye you will see small town on south.  Cavtat is one of the best places to visit in Croatia so do not miss it! The view from Srđ is especially amazing in the sunset. Once you are there you can try some of the best Croatian dishes at panoramic restaurant. Prices are not too high and atmosphere is great.

You will not resist to make at least one selfie, so when you do feel free to post it on our Facebook page.  We would love to see it, so you can just add it as one more must do in Dubrovnik! Ticket to the cable car goes around 13€ for both directions. In the summer it runs from 9 a.m. till midnight. You can also buy one in one direction and then simply stroll down walking.

Our tip: Try to catch the last one to go back down – simply must do in Dubrovnik

Top five must do in Dubrovnik

Visit D’vino bar

D’vino bar is situated in the third street on the left if you are entering the Old Town from Pile gates. It offers wide selection of best Croatian and foreign wines. The best thing is that you do not have to buy the whole bottle but just a glass. So if you do not know anything about Croatian wines and you are willing to learn this is the place for you.

Croatian vines are real discovery for tourists, so what you must do in Dubrovnik is to forget of any other vines but Croatians. The atmosphere is cozy, excellent to relax after long hot summer day. The waiters will be happy to help you with your choice and teach you some basics. As Dubrovnik is considered to be one of the most romantic places in the world, this could be the right place for escape for you and your love one. If you are a wine lover this is the most important of top five must do in Dubrovnik for you.

Our tip: Order homemade smoked ham called pršut and cheese platter with olives to enjoy with your wine.

So book your apartment or villa in Dubrovnik and begin with your top five must do in Dubrovnik now!

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Suffering from any kind of allergies is a huge problem in everyday life, and therefore makes booking your perfect holidays accommodation even more demanding.

Besides searching for apartment situated in great location, with beautiful view, balcony and terrace, close to everything but far away from the noise, you are forced to look for something very specific – but luckily not impossible nowadays – allergy free room.

General Tips and questions you should ask renter or tourist agent:

• If the owner is willing to clean room thoroughly with natural products only before you arrive
• If the owner is willing to take out all rugs, carpets and draperies from the room and make sure to leave space under the bed free
•  Is the room free of unnecessary furniture and accessories – less equipment means less places for allergens
• All cabinets in the room should be able to close
• Check if you can get allergen mattresses and pillows (should not be older than 2 years) or the ones that are encased in a protective allergen cover
• Ask your renter to wash all bedding in hot water (60 C minimum) to kill dust mites.
• All bedding should be made of synthetic materials and washed together with pillows

Sounds complicated but simply inevitably for you in order to avoid fighting with allergies and fully enjoy your holidays.

Additionally, Croatica is preparing special catalogue of allergen free rooms for you, so keep following us!

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So Croatia is your new holiday destination this year!!! Great choice!!

After you decided what your preferred location is, you have to make decision which apartment or villa in Croatia you want to book. Sometimes this can be very tough decision, especially if you are traveling on a long term vacation so the place you are staying would be your second home for 2, 3 weeks. You can find yourself checking 200 apartments in your dreamy location because you do not know which preferences to look for in an apartment so you do not get lost in the bunch of offers presented to you.

Follow these steps and you will easily make the right decision on which apartment or villa in Croatia you need to book!

1. PHOTOGRAPHS IN HIGH RESOLUTION

Most of the adverts will use the best photo (sea view, balcony view) which is most appealing and that catches your eye. Scroll down through the photos section and check how apartment visually “speaks” to you. Did it made you more interested in? By visualizing things you can promptly decide if something will suit you or not. The apartment or villa should be advertised with photo of each room (if you like some apartment, but you do not see picture of bathroom for example, you can always ask for more photos). The photos should be in high resolution (do not book apartment with 3-4 low resolution photo, this is risky) and you should see minimum 20 photos. Beside the photo of each room in the apartment or villa, there should be photo of the house, building, and exterior.

2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Pay attention on the description! The most important facts about the apartment or villa should be stated. Therefore, look for the size of the apartment or villa (interior square meters + exterior square meters), number of bedrooms, kitchen equipment, living room and dining room amenities. Depending on your preferences, if you want a nice, big terrace to enjoy morning coffee, afternoon relax or evening sunset, you can exclude the apartments without terrace or balcony immediately. Also, if you are to cook each day and you are coming to holiday with your family, children, you should pay attention on the kitchen equipment. Most of the apartments or villas in Croatia have basic kitchen utensils such as cutlery, refrigerator, stove, but if you are looking for more equipped kitchen this would not be enough for you.

3. MAP

Each apartment should be located on the Google Map and you should check carefully location. Keep in mind that Google was creating map for Croatia in 2010, so some things have changed, but the main features (as distance to the beach), remained the same.

Also, sometimes you will not be able to find the exact street address, if it is some side street even in the bigger Croatian towns (unfortunately, not every street is on Google map).

When locating apartment or villa in Croatia, use the advantage of Google where you can position yourself in front of the apartment or villa and search around. You should always, “walk the street” to the nearest beach, shop, restaurant and compare it with the description on the advert. If you are noticing big difference between the facts advertised and what you see on the map, you should not spend your time on those unprofessional presentations.

4. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY

On each advert, prices of the apartment or villa should be stated. Check if the price is stated as price per night, per apartment or price per night, per person! Usually, you will see daily and weekly price. Pay attention on the minimal stay per season, arrival/departure days and if any discount for long term vacation is offered. Be aware that most of the apartments charge extra 10, 20, 30% if the stay is less than 4 nights.  The calendar of the availability should be updated daily and most of the advertising sites show you when the calendar was updated. However, the availability can change in few minutes, especially if you are a last-minute traveller, so you have to get the confirmation from the apartment owner, agency. The best is to start your search as early as possible; apartments are booked the whole year round; from January the booking seriously progresses. Book on time your perfect apartment or villa in Croatia.

5. REVIEWS

Checking apartment’s reviews, other people experiences and impressions, must be part of your perfect holiday apartment hunting! The apartment that you are considering should have at least 2 good reviews! Sometimes you may find some negative comments from other guests, but think about how everybody has different opinion and expectation.

Also check if the owner answered on the negative review (this is very easy to do, shows good will and politeness) with the explanation and/or apology-this also speaks much of the owner and what you can expect.

These 5 things should be on everybody’s mind when searching perfect holiday apartment or villa in Croatia. Therefore, organize yourself before your travel, list your wishes and expectations, your budget, it will help you not to waist too much time on numerous apartments.

Use these advices and enjoy the hunting of your perfect apartment or villa in Croatia!

The post 5 things when booking apartment in Croatia appeared first on Online Croatia.

Croatia offers you different types of holidays. If you are planning to go for your holiday during the summer, you should definitely spend the most of your holiday time in Dalmatia. Dalmatia is a costal part of the Adriatic Sea and it is rich in historical towns, National parks, beautiful islands with untouched nature and secluded beaches. Trogir, Split and Dubrovnik area are the most attractive tourist destinations.

 SPLIT AND TROGIR AREA

This area of Middle Dalmatia has great geographical location. It is located near Split airport which offers lots of cheap flights to Croatia from various world known destinations. You can also reach Middle Dalmatia by highway Zagreb-Split or by ferry from Italy. Split port has very frequent ferry and speedboat connection with Dalmatian Islands Hvar, Brač, Šolta, Korčula.

If you are on a short 3, 4 day holiday, you should choose apartments or rooms in the town of Split where you can explore the city itself, its historical monuments and sights, beautiful beaches and exciting night life. Split is the second largest town of Croatia and the centre of Middle Dalmatia. You can choose apartment in the city centre- Old Town, near popular beaches (Bačvice beach, Meje beach) or in its neighbourhoods (Veli Varoš for example). Since Split offers a lot of vocational homes and apartments you will be able to find luxurious to low budget ones. After making the sightseeing and enjoying the crystal sea, take your time to visit Solin, Omiš, Trogir and islands Hvar,Brač or Šolta. These destinations are very close to Split so you can choose one as your daily trip!

Town of Trogir is also a beautiful place for holiday relaxation! Trogir is located only 24km from Split and 8km from Split airport and it offers you numerous options for finding the perfect holiday apartment or villa in Croatia. Trogir is famous for its historical sights and the city centre is under UNESCO’s protection and listed as world heritage. Trogir offers you beautiful beaches, restaurants with traditional Mediterranean dishes and friendly and warm hosts. Trogir and its surrounding places are destination for long stay holiday, therefore some renters take reservations for minimum 7 night stay and they prefer reservations with arrivals and departures on Saturdays. Pay attention on the conditions of booking under the apartment listing! Apartments are rented mostly from May to October, the high season is considered as July and August. Booking starts from January, even though the peak reservation time is around April and May. Consider this when deciding when to book and if you find the apartment that you like it is better to book immediately so you do not lose it.

Perfect apartment or villa in Croatia- Trogir

Perfect apartment or villa in Croatia – how to find it ?

Do not expect first minute offer deals for high season period; renters will not lower the price because they know they will definitely sell this period. Since the high season is only 2 months, you will notice the big difference between June and July, most of the renters put much lower prices for the offseason. If you are booking late, in July and August, ask for the last minute deals!

Apartments or villas in Trogir can be found near the city centre or in nearby villages on the Island Ciovo. Island Ciovo and Trogir are connected with small bridge which is opened 24/7. All parts of Ciovo Island are 2-12km far from Trogir. If you decide to book apartment in Trogir, you can go for daily beach day on Ciovo Island and discover small, charming villages by the sea.

Apartments or villas on Ciovo Island vary from low cost apartments to astonishing modern beachfront villas with pools. If you are traveling for relaxation, Ciovo Island is perfect holiday destination.

If you are traveling with your family and children, check first the beaches and the distance from the apartment. Even though, these villages are small and you will be able to walk to beach, you have to check if there is some hilly route, stairs and most important whether the beach is suitable for children. Most of the beaches on Ciovo are pebble and stone beaches suitable for children; unfortunately, there are no sandy beaches here. If you are looking for animation for your children, choose apartment near playgrounds and sports centres. Okrug Gornji (the biggest village on Ciovo) can definitely be the perfect holiday location for your family since it offers lots of summer activities especially for the young ones. This area also offers you lots of restaurants, shops, 3km long Copacabana beach and lots of small hidden bays. There is a boat on a daily basis for Trogir.

While staying here you should definitely visit nearby islands Drvenik Mali and Drvenik Veli and discover the unspoiled nature and beautiful sandy beaches.

Other places on Ciovo Island where you can find nice apartments are: Mastrinka, Arbanija, Okrug Donji and Slatine.

So, whether you are looking for relaxing or active holiday, Trogir and Split area will fulfil your wishes!

Find perfect  apartment or villa for your vacation in Croatia and enjoy your new holiday home!

The post Perfect apartment or villa in Croatia appeared first on Online Croatia.

How to book perfect apartment in Croatia?

You just need to follow these steps:

1. THINK ABOUT PERFECT LOCATION FOR YOUR APARTMENT OR VILLA IN CROATIA
Think about perfect location for your holiday, what is the most important for you, is it beach, quite place, close to cities, islands, are you with or without car…. These things are very important when choosing the perfect location for your new holiday home. I can suggest SPLIT or DUBROVNIK areas since they are the best in Croatia. Also it would be good if you decide on approximate budget for your apartment in Croatia and dates of arrival and departure.
The price of apartment depends on the season (the highest is for July and August), number of your groups (more people, cheaper apartment) and of course apartment or villa location and level of equipment.

2. SEARCH THE BEST SPECIALIST FOR APARTMENTS AND VILLAS IN CROATIA
You can use classic google search for finding the right apartment or villa in Croatia for example „apartment Croatia“. The thing is to find the best specialist in private apartments for Croatia, the real person you can trust, who will answer your emails within 24 or top 48 hours, who will pick up the phone, who knows the area and all apartments and if any problems occur when you come you must be sure you can rely on that person. Do not communicate with person who uses google translate to reply on your emails and who is not professional, it is too risky, maybe you will save some euros but do you really want to ruin your holidays?
Lots of people ask me why specialist for Croatia, because every country and place is different. Just aks yourself: “Does it make sense that some Norwegian site with people that have never been to specific apartment or in Croatia at all will sell me good apartment in Croatia?” Not only they do not know all about apartment, they also do not know whether there is for example, children playground near your apartment or tennis courts, diving centre, how much you need to pay for highway toll, do you need to convert euros to kuna and much more ….

So how will you know you have found the best specialist for private villas and apartments in Croatia- the best internet site?
real names under contact section (preferably real photographs of working team)
postal addresses under contact (preferably google map with their company name signed there on map)
at least one phone number (not only mobile numbers, office number means they have office somewhere not answering your emails from some bedroom).
preferably they should be in association of Croatian Travel agencies ( UHPA)
site should have at least 500 apartments and villas in Croatia (if they have 5000 or more do not work with them, their employees cannot know such a large number of properties and they probably did not visit all of them)
Also check payment policy (the best is to pay less than 50% before arrival and the rest when you come, it is not advised to pay 100% before arrival), money back guarantee is highly recommended, if for example they want to move you to other apartment you do not like, they at least need to return you your money, or if apartment is not cleaned….
Renter reviews ( read 5-10 of them and if they are all full of glory then they are fake).

FIND BEST VALUE FOR MONEY FOR YOUR APARTMENT
So now you search for apartment or villa in Croatia, you can simple write email with all your requests or you can search their site.
What you need to check:
PHOTOGRAPS-they should be in high resolution (do not book apartment with 3-4 low resolution photo this is risky) you need to see every room on photographs with higher resolution, also preferably building or house surroundings and nearby beach. The best is to see 20 or more photographs.
DESCRIPTION: You also need to see description such as number of bedrooms, bedding, equipment, inside square meters and terrace square meters (sorry Americans you will need to use converter when coming to Europe).
MAP: exact location on map, you can put also little man so you can check area, distance to beach and check is it the same as on site. Be aware that google took photos of all Croatia in 2010 so things can be changed from then (but not distance to first beach).
RATES: rates should be stated as well as availability, it is not such a good thing to find perfect place and then it is booked isn`t it?
REVIEWS: the best is to have at least 2 reviews and do not be scared that someone gives lower rate; not all people have same opinion, somebody can complain on the Sun. So the best is to find 2 or more solid reviews.

                     
3. BOOK PERFECT APARTMENT IMMEDIATELY DO NOT WAIT UNTIL IS SOLD OUT
The best time of the year for booking the perfect apartment in Croatia is from January till April, afterwards most of the good ones are sold out, so if you find something suitable for you book it immediately.

We wish you a perfect holiday in Croatia!

….

or just click here and learn

How to book perfect apartment in Croatia?

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Some of the basic requirements are:
1. pet passport with the pet description
2. proof of ownership
3. proof that the pet is micro chipped and
4. proof that the pet is vaccinated against rabies

These are the most important requirements in Croatia.

If you are coming from a country in European Union, you will need only your pet passport.

If you are coming from other countries outside EU, you will need the veterinary certificate for your pet.

One can enter Croatia with up to 5 pets otherwise it will be treated as commercial import.

Croatia can definitely be your destination for traveling with your pet. If you are traveling in summer, you are probably considering visiting Croatian coast and maybe some of the islands. Croatian cost has many beautiful places for holiday with pets. Keep in mind that Croatian coastal cities are small in size, they usually have many beautiful parks where pets are allowed and there are also beaches where you can take your pets to.  It is in Croatian culture to have pets so nobody should be worried. Croatian cities and village usually have many walking areas where you can enjoy with your pets. If you are to use local transportation, you need to check whether pets are allowed in them, especially the procedure to travel with your pets in boats, ferries, etc.

Pet frendly apartments in Croatia

When booking the accommodation in Croatia, you need to search for pet frendly apartments in Croatia. Usually, it is stated. However it is best to state it into your accommodation request so you get the confirmation from the owner or agency . If you are booking one of the pet frendly apartments in Croatia, the best is to search for the apartment or villa located near places (walking paths, beaches) where you will have enjoyable environment for your pets. When booking pet frendly apartments in Croatia, ask if there is some additional charge for the pets and if you are traveling with more than one pet, check if the owners will allow it. If you are booking apartment or villa in Croatia which has garden or pool, double check if your pets can use these areas. To provide you and your pet relaxing and stress-free holiday it is better to determine all the conditions for booking pet frendly apartments in Croatia prior to reservations.

Check pet frendly apartments in Croatia

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