Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051
2019 Roadtrip
This year we're heading down to Croatia but will dip into Montenegro to go to Kotor Bay and Budva.
It's a blitz down to Munich via the Chunnel before we head into Slovenia and main part of holiday will be split between Ljubijana (taking in lake Bled and Zagreb) before taking coast road of Croatia, probably stopping in Split, then Dubrovnik and over into Montenegro before a few days in Sarajevo in Bosnia and then another blitz via Graz to Luxembourg for a couple of days before heading home.
Around 3400 miles and not decided whether the Evoque or the RRS will be making the trip (only myself and SWMBO going), last couple of Euro trips have been similar milages (you can see them marked on the map).
Know we need some different currencies this trip but any other advice, tips, etc. for this part of the world?
5th Aug 2019 9:01 pm
riverblanche
Member Since: 31 Aug 2010
Location: retford'ish
Posts: 2210
Hi,
not jealous much
we mainly used a credit card in Split, some restaurants said "cash only" so used a banks "hole in the wall"
same for Dubrovnik, much better exchange rate than taking the Kuna with us
we found Montenegro was more cash cash cash as they want the Euro's due to not having their own money watch your phone usage, we had roaming chargers and where only there for the day!
Member Since: 20 Sep 2017
Location: Altlinster
Posts: 416
Biggest advice would be to NOT go through Germany!!
I have just come back from Croatia (Crickvenika). My trip from Luxembourg should have taken 12 hours. It ended up taking 16h going down, and 18h coming back because the motorways in Germany are so full of roadworks.
My holiday way fantastic and when we go down again, I am going to drive down through France, then Italy, Slovenia and then Croatia.
It is longer, but I think that it will not actually Yale longer (time wise).
Also, make sure you have you passports at the boarders. They won't accept ID cards.
And remember the motor way token for Austria and Slovenia.
5th Aug 2019 9:19 pm
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051
Alternative route through France will attract around €90-100 in tolls versus across Germany and we’ve ‘done’ that route previously so will stick with Belgium/German route as also want to go back to the transport museum in Munich. Got a month or so before we go so will keep an eye on roadworks
Have a Monzo card for travel for local cash currencies but will probably take small amount of relevant cash bought in UK ‘just in case’.
Will buy vignettes at border crossing as per previous years
5th Aug 2019 9:41 pm
jaqoda
Member Since: 23 Jan 2019
Location: Manchester
Posts: 150
– Visit Plitvice lakes in Croatia
– Lake Skadar is home to lots of amazing seafood restaurants, great bird watching
– Don't get into a rakija drinking contest with the locals in Monte
– Bar is full of useful shops, if you need car parts this is probably the place
– Take the windy road up from Kotor Bay for an amazing view
– Be aware that a Disco is quite a flashy car in Montenegro, so don't leave any valuables (although I would say I have never felt worried about crime in Monte)
– There is a ferry crossing past Herceg Novi that is cheap and will save a long drive round
– Don't test the local drivers. Many are insane and WILL overtake you on blind bends on mountain roads in 30 year old Yugos. Just chill
– Also we experienced a few unexpected hazards, such as the road completely washed away with no warning signs, and a tree randomly felled by workmen who then took 2 hours to chop it up while all traffic in both directions sat beeping their horns.
6th Aug 2019 3:48 pm
riverblanche
Member Since: 31 Aug 2010
Location: retford'ish
Posts: 2210
Hi,
we hired a van and driver/guide when we went to Montenegro from Dubrovnik, she took the coast/waters edge route via Perast, worth stopping at but its one way through, dont try and park at the start, go to the far end and walk back in,
then onto Kotor old town, may be worth trying to avoid a day with many cruise ships in it was busy
This time she parked up in a pay carpark on the right/water side just before the two river bridges by the Old walled town, very short walk into the town.
From Kotor to Budva then came back via the ferry at Lepetane
Agree about the driving there were some surprising points at which people decided to overtake
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051
Thanks guys, lot of the names/options are on our radar already but good to get confirmations/tips, etc. Hadn’t even considered/knew about the cruise ships so all knowledge appreciated
6th Aug 2019 8:02 pm
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051
Well, we made it there and back in one piece and so glad we did this trip
Had a change to original route in that instead of going down Croatia and back up via Bosnia we reversed that round.
The scenery was stunning everywhere we went and, even Sarajevo which is still showing signs of their war ravage despite rebuilding at a manic pace now, was lovely. Friendly people everywhere, good prices for food and drink (maybe not as cheap as you'd think/expect but still cheap/VFM) and great accommodation at some exceptionally silly low prices throughout. We used a mix of pre-booked Airbnb's, hotels and apartments with a couple of ad-hoc on-the-day bookings.
Had lovely 'private flats' in many places with the cheapest costing £37 a night for a newly refurbished flat, fully equipped, 5 mins walk from old-town in Zadar. Most expensive place was Dubrovnic and that was still VFM at around £115/night. They all included (critical to us) parking, some in secure underground car-parks which we find is a bit of a 'stealth-tax' if you go to hotels often costing another €10-15 a night on top.
Drive into Montenegro knocks the Amalfi coast into a cocked-hat for us, miles and miles of stunning scenery, good roads, little traffic and great prices and Croatian coast was similarly nice.
Cheapest fuel was in Luxembourg - we stopped in Schengen (didn't show our passport ), a tiny village but, because it is the border for Luxembourg, Germany and France it had at least 8 huge petrol stations that were rammed every evening selling diesel at €1.12/litre
We took some Euro's with us and some Kuna but about 80% of our spending was done using Monzo card, only Bosnia was 'cash only' and despite hearing they would take Euro's it was Bosnian Marks only where we were so that was only cash withdrawal we had to make during the trip.
Fell foul of the Austrian authorities as we knew we needed a vignette so pulled off the motorway but roadworks meant we were directed back on to motorway without stopping. Next village was 2km away so I pulled off there and headed to local petrol station. Just in front of there was a 'plastic plod' patrol and, unknown to us, we were already in Austria and "that'll be €120, thank you very much", however much we argued. Given I've travelled in and out of Austria many times and never had issues on Vignettes it did just smack a little of a tourist set-up but hey-ho......
Covered 3377 miles in total (spookily that was exactly same mileage as our trip last year to Portugal ), no roadwork issues really, bit busy around Regensburg and Mannheim but all flowed well, from Slovenia down it was quiet everywhere.
Went in the Evoque in the end and think it was right given only two of us as not many expensive cars around in the Balkans really and an RRS would have stood out more. Saying that had no issues and never felt unsafe anywhere.
A well recommended trip and we'll definitely be back to explore some more
24th Sep 2019 1:24 pm
ianm27
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2154
Happy you had a great rip and are back safely.
However, you know the forum rules - no photos = didn't happen
Look forward to seeing pics of Croatia as all I've heard about that country has always been good.Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
Blackvue front & rear dashcam
Cruise control switch pack
Bodsy's remote for FBH
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watch your phone usage, we had roaming chargers and where only there for the day!
it was busy
), a tiny village but, because it is the border for Luxembourg, Germany and France it had at least 8 huge petrol stations that were rammed every evening selling diesel at €1.12/litre 
