Croatia - From Istria to Dubrovnik

Vacation in the first Corona summer - we thought for a long time whether we should do that. Risks were weighed up, entry restrictions checked and we decided to travel abroad at relatively short notice. One point was certainly that "everyone" was on vacation in Germany at the time and it was jam-packed here in Schleswig-Holstein.
In order to be able to travel to Croatia, an entry form with information about the booked place had to be carried with you at the time. We looked for a campsite in Istria and specified it as the first place to stay. We didn't book.

On June 27, 2020, early in the morning (around 4.30 a.m.) we set off southwards in order to leave the specter of the Elbe Tunnel behind us as quickly as possible without delays.

Incidentally, this was our last big trip with our "Opi", a Euramobil with alcove and rear kitchen from 1999.

June 27, 2020

Our first overnight stop should be as close as possible to the Karawanken tunnel so that we can slip through there quickly in the morning.

We decided on the Gasthaus Fruhmann, where you can stay as a guest of the restaurant on their parking lot.

I have to say we have no regrets. The food was delicious, as was the beer, and we experienced a pleasant start to our holiday with nice weather.

The pitch was good for an overnight stay. We had spectators 😁 - on the premises there were goats behind a fence, who eyed us curiously.

June 28, 2020

The next morning we continued relatively early towards Croatia. Refueled quickly and then...we stood in front of the Karawanken Tunnel! 😬
The shock was only short, but then it went on relatively quickly. All border controls, to which we rolled uncertainly due to the corona situation, waved us through without any problems. At the border crossing from Slovenia to Croatia (I think it was Plovanija, I can't remember exactly, next to an airfield) we had to wait around 2 hours and quietly wondered how it would be here in July / August without Corona ....
Then it was hilly and curvy to Rovinj, where we settled down at Camping Polari for a few nights. The worry of getting hold of another parking space was completely unfounded: the space was estimated to be 10/15% occupied - we were able to choose in peace.

The campsite itself is probably one of the larger and more expensive places in the region. At the beginning of our trips, we usually only stay at a better-equipped campsite; In the course of the journeys, we usually become more and more spartan and undemanding. No idea why. Maybe this is our way of letting go of everyday life and arriving on vacation.

The site has its own (stone) beach, bathing shoes recommended. I didn't find the beach and the water quite as nice there as I had seen in the pictures before and was a bit disappointed. But this was our first trip to Croatia and we still had a lot of stages to do!
Furthermore, there was a nice pool area, bread service, etc. Sanitary clean.

We did a lot of little trips by bike. Rovinj is beautiful, has a wonderful Venetian touch, small streets (with shiny mirror-smooth pavement), a picturesque little harbor and just a nice flair. The Church of St. Euphemia towers above the city, to which we of course also climbed. In Rovinj you can lose yourself in the alleys and find atmospheric photo opportunities on every corner.

By the way, bike tours along the coast showed us that there are beautiful beaches in the area.

In the run-up to our trip, we had read so much about the Croatian taverns along the way and about the typical roast suckling pig that rotate in large grills in front of the restaurants that our mouths were watering. Well - we saw the taverns with their grills - unfortunately without roasts. Since there were so few tourists in the towns, apparently it wasn't worth firing up the grills. But who cares - we still ate very well in two restaurants near the campsite on two evenings and met a very nice couple from Austria, with whom we sat there until late in the evening.

After a stay of several days at Camping Polari we said goodbye to Rovinj and headed towards Krk.....

July 02, 2020

The next stage destination was the Kvarner Bay - island of Krk on our wish list.

The journey was problem-free via an excellently developed motorway (brand new, it was still partly under construction). In contrast to some German Autobahn construction sites, you could even see workers here and there were plenty of them! So this is how it works......😆

Passing Rijeka we went over the big bridge to Krk. According to the signs, we did not have to pay the usual bridge toll, which, as we had learned from travel reports, is only ever due when driving to the island. I can't remember why.
We drove for a while across the island towards Krk town. I found the route a bit monotonous as the road didn't offer much to see. But well, we wanted to drive to our next pitch first. According to a recommendation, we looked at Camping Bor, not the top dog Camping Jezevac (too expensive, too "good"). To get to the place you had to drive up a really steep incline and I felt bad looking at the bikes.
Here, too, the pitch occupancy was poor, we were able to choose the best pitches and opted for one with a view of the bay and the harbor, surrounded by fig trees. By the way, we could actually have used the ACSI card at the beginning of July, which we never expected, otherwise we would have gotten one before we left. Regardless, it wasn't expensive.
The place is small and fine, there is a tiny pool, but it is there for refreshment when you return exhausted from excursions. The on-site restaurant was closed due to the low number of visitors.

We went on numerous bike trips, visited the marina which is next to a small beach and even swam in the docks (like other people did) between the parked sailboats, which was a really special experience. I also liked that there were small changing rooms by the water if you just wanted to jump into the water.
But in Croatia there seems to be a preference for asphalt and concrete. Many sections of the beach are concreted and paved over, but that doesn't seem to keep people from sunbathing - people sit and lie on promenades and everywhere.

A visit to the Frankopan Museum in the fortress of the same name was also on our program, as was a stroll through Krk town and along the coast.

At the campsite we got to know a nice couple from Bremen, who, as old Kraotienhas, gave us a few pitch tips for our further milestones in the course of a nice chat.

We then followed the tips 2 days later and made our way towards Sibenic.....

July 04, 2020

After a stormy descent from the island of Krk (the Bora had freshened up and we were still allowed to use the bridge, cyclists were no longer allowed), we went along the panoramic road towards Sibenic / Krka National Park. The wind had really gotten a bit stronger and with our moving wall unit, I felt a little queasy in the pit of my stomach on some sections of the route.
Nevertheless, we really enjoyed the trip along the beautiful coast.

In the afternoon we reached Camp Marina (tip from the people of Bremen, thanks again for that!), which I found a bit sobering at first glance. It's true that they say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but that wasn't true here. It was probably due to the heat, which hit you with full force here, because shaded areas were scarce here. In addition, the whole area seemed parched and had a slightly desolate desert charm. The prospect of a "glowing" night in our air-conditioned grandfather was not exactly enticing....
But the campsite had a pool, which greatly improved my mood. You could also eat on the square, simple but simply good. Incidentally, we also got a seat here without any problems and although we didn't have an ACSI card, the owner only charged us the ACSI tariff, which we found more than fair in view of the meager booking situation.
We had booked a trip to Krka National Park through reception, which we went on the next day with a second couple and the guide/driver in a 4x4. We were first driven to the park entrance and "released" there for a few hours to explore the park and the waterfalls freely.
The park is beautiful, a green, water-dominated magical world in the midst of the barren surroundings. That morning, the couple and we were the only visitors on the trails. At the time, we were not aware of how special it was to be there with so few other people and only realized it afterwards when we looked at pictures on the web.
Of course, we also swam at the large waterfall, the Skradinski Buk, and there were far fewer people bathing here than I had seen in pictures before Corona. I think we were a maximum of 10 or 15 people.
Other stages of the trip included the Roski Slap waterfall to the north and a visit to the Krka Monastery (Kistanje) as well as some beautiful viewpoints that were accessible via paths and trails so narrow that we would never have found or reached them without our drivers.
The excursion was really very nice and worthwhile and the 50 euros per nose well spent.

By the way, cycling in the immediate vicinity of the campsite is not recommended! There are neither cycle paths nor pedestrian paths. We drove as close to the edge of the road as possible and feared for life and limb, because the cars (both local and foreign) speeding past drove very close to us at breakneck speed. Once the only thing that helped was jumping off my bike next to the road.

After 2 nights we continued south.....

July 06, 2020

We left Camp Marina in the morning and continued south towards Dubrovnik, further along the wonderful stretch of coast.
Following another tip, we didn't head for the more expensive campsite in Dubrovnik, but left the city a bit behind us on a road at dizzying heights, which made even my husband queasy, to the small, simple campsite Kate in Mlini.
The place seemed to us to be quite well attended compared to the other places on our trip. Nevertheless, we got a shady place surrounded by fragrant laurel without any problems.
Camping Kate is located directly on the coast, or let's say - indirectly, on top of a cliff. Gorgeous view. Access to the beach and swimming for people without restricted mobility via approx. 170 steps. Simple but clean sanitary facilities, reasonable prices. According to the travel guide, it is possible to take a boat to Dubrovnik, but this was not offered in 2020 due to Corona. We took the bus to Dubrovnik, which also passed the road at a dizzy height. When this was behind us and we were again at sea level, three young women got out and first crossed themselves outside the bus. ride survived. 😆

Dubrovnik is beautiful and really worth the trip! We spent a wonderful day in the historic old town, which was lively but not overcrowded in 2020. We strolled across squares, drank cappuccino in street cafes, lost ourselves in small alleys and, as Game of Thrones fans, naturally took pictures on Cersei's stairs. 😉
We took the cable car up the city's "local mountain" and enjoyed the spectacular view of the old town and the wider area.

Two days later and 2000 kilometers driven since leaving home, we started our way back north....

July 08, 2020

We spent our last stay in Croatia in Razanac in the Puntica auto camp. Razanac is located approximately at the level of Zadar, below the island of Pag.

The auto camp was basic, small but clean - just how we like it. It wasn't directly on the beach, but really just a few steps away. I could see the beach clearly from my camp chair.

Our last vacation days were characterized by relaxation; We didn't do any longer trips. We explored the place by bike, shopped at the local butcher, which was an experience in itself, and organized a small barbecue on the camp's beautifully landscaped and covered barbecue area.

The pebble beach was beautiful and always busy. But since we are not beach loungers, we only threw ourselves in the water when it got too hot for us and went back to the motorhome. There was a small beach cafe on the beach. But that was it for the gastronomy in Razanac. There was still an ice cream parlor and a snack bar (not recommended), but there was a complete lack of a nice restaurant (in 2020). It's a shame, because Razanac is actually a tranquil little town in a beautiful location.

A few days later we continued towards Germany.

July 13, 2020

Our penultimate stopover took us to Lake Chiemsee and back to the Corona reality.
After the good time in Croatia, which we spent largely mask-free (except on public transport and the cable car), we were again confronted with strange conditions and restrictions.
The campsite, which we only used for one night, was very nice, but hopelessly overcrowded. We were glad we got a seat at all. The WoMo pitches in the vicinity were all full to full - there would have been more space in a can of sardines.

We used the evening with the best weather for a short bike ride along the lake shore and dinner in a Greek restaurant overseas.

My Chiemsee conclusion: After our relatives always raved about Chiemsee, we have now also looked at it. Sure, a beautiful area, no question, but after 2 weeks in Croatia, turquoise blue water and the drive through the impressive Alps, the Chiemsee didn't exactly knock my socks off. Maybe another time......

July 15, 2020

The final milestone has been reached.

We stay a few days to visit relatives in the Hessian state capital.

We already know the mobile home port from previous visits. It's a bit away from the city center near the Kalle-Bad on a hill. There is a bus stop that is easy to reach on foot, but the bus ride is tedious and involves changing trains. There was no bread roll service, bakers and co. are far away and in view of the steep hill with the bike in the morning a challenge. It's very restless at night, but bearable. But since it is the only parking space of its kind there, there is little choice.
Important for camper van drivers with older floors: Wiesbaden is an environmental zone throughout the city. However, you can still drive to the parking space without a green sticker. Follow the instructions on the website!

July 17, 2020

Our last overnight stop before we go home again and again leads us to this free option in the parking lot by the swimming pool.

The parking lot is large, so that even heavy ships can find a place without any problems. A sign at the driveway expressly identifies the car park as a free 24-hour overnight stay option. If you want to stay longer, please go to the campsite. Dear communities - that's how it works!
Of course there is no electricity, plumbing etc. - it's just a parking lot. But the town center with shops and restaurants can be easily reached on foot.

We let the evening end comfortably with a beer and drive back home the next morning....

July 19, 2020

back home!!!

Far too early in my humble opinion! I had just warmed up and could easily have continued for 3-4 weeks......