Croatia and Slovenia

[sjw]

For something different this year, we are taking the AutoZug down to Trieste, and for the first couple of days heading into Croatia.
3 blokes, 3 bikes.
I was considering a route that went down the coast as far as Senj, and then inland back North West through Cerknica in Slovenia and over to Villach.

Any recommendations for an overnight on the coast would be much appreciated
Should we avoid the coast road ? Looks as if it could be slow through villages.

Any warnings about AutoZug also appreciated

[tim]

The coast road is incredibly beautiful, and very twisty and populated by suicidal white-van-men and rust-buckets with no brakes. I can recommend the ride down to Karlobag, then cut up the mountainside over to Gospic if you want a good flavour of that road. Ride defensively and let the other buggers kill themselves. Avoid at the weekend (holiday traffic from the north and from Zagreb).

Places to stay... hmm, beaches are generally rocky, and sand is rare, but Krk on the island of Krk has a nice old town, (I'm told Baska has a really nice beach).
On the mainland, anywhere that grabs your fancy really. Croatia isn't as cheap as you may think, Slovenia is cheaper. In Slovenia, Piran is an old walled pirate town (limited parking, may have to leave your bikes in a carpark on the edge of the town, but I'm not sure...it may well be different if you have a room there)

Up in Slovenia, consider a route via Cerkno/Gorenja Vas/Ziri/Tolmin would be great(my fave part of Slovenia). Cerkno has one big monstrous (but nice enough) hotel and a couple of bars - quaint. Tolmin is bigger. Skofja Loka is a medieval castle town, bit more lively and probably worth a stay. There are hotels/B&B in or near all these places.

Further away, if you are in the area, the road along the Austrian border east of Lavamund is a nice bit.


I've only used the Autozug a couple of times and not on that route, but I never had any problems, other than the cabins being a bit stuffy, and being terrified of falling out of the bunk on every slight curve in the tracks (this will not happen, just in half-sleep the curves seem a lot sharper than they really are ) The have wheel-wedges a bit like in the chunnel train, and also strap the bikes down well. No problems. You'll need to take anything valuable and toothbrush etc with you as you can't get to the bike until your destination. I've found it a good option, just a bit too expensive for the routes I want.

[sjw]

Thanks for those ideas Tim, I am not sure we will have time to go as far South as Karlobag, as we will be riding back to Rotterdam via Tyrol and Black Forest.
I need to fit in a bit in Nockalmstrasse which I have never done.

My idea looks like it would pick up part of your route from Idrija to Tolmin, then we would head to Bovec, and over Predil Pass to get us quicker into Villach rather than the Vrsic with cobbles

[tim]

The cobble stones are only on the corners of the north ramp and aren't too bad really. There is a bumpy bit near the bottom there but given the choice I'd take the Vrsc any day.

[Kel]

I just returned from vacationing last Tues in Croatia--went to the island of Pag. The ride down the coast is gorgeous. From Crikvenica to Karlobag (via Senj) is great. There are tons of hotels/B+B to stay along the route.

[tim]

My in-laws have holidayed in Stara Novalja on Pag for dozens of years, and they take the kids. Novalja is ok, but I'm getting too old for the hustle and bustle. Did you take the ferry across, or go further south and over the bridge?

[guzzirider]

I am leaving for Slovenia this Friday, also taking the ferry from Rotterdam- we are intending to camp at Kobarid in the NW corner. Roads look promising on Google Earth!

Guy

[sjw]

............but I'm getting too old for the hustle and bustle.

umm.... now you are putting me off, I dont do hustle and bustle on my bike.
nice smooth empty roads is what i am looking for

[tim]

I meant the hustle and bustle in Novalja on Pag island. Only then in the evenings and then it's only 10 minutes to walk from one end othe harbour tothe other It's not Birmingham.
Roads are better in Slovenia but the Dalmatian coast road is well maintained.

[CarlXX]

We were in Croatia last summer. Visited KRK, very nice old town, Trogir also. We took the highway down to Trogir, mostly because of the heat. (35-38 degrees)

A short visit in Split, and a stop i Brela. A small but beautiful resort. We found hotel for one night only, and continued to Baska Voda. Which was very hot and crowded. But nice. Our plan was to continue to Dubrovnik, but we gave it up because of the heat.

My advise is that you book your hotels in advance, and prepare for a very HOT trip.

Regards Carl

[glitch_oz]

There are a few SLO pics starting about halfway down page 2

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1048&hilit=tornanti&start=15

[sjw]

Not much liking the look of those cobbled hairpins, and the complete absence of surface in places.
Dont forget, we are: CBR600RR & R6

BTW what did you do for currency in Croatia. I understand some places take Euros (a bit like Switz I suppose - few and far between)

[tim]

Most places that have any sort of tourism (ie anywhere you'll be going) will almost certainly take Euros - prices usually on the menu as well. If not they'll often nip out the back and get the daily paper and use the exchange rate there. Otherwise credit cards are in pretty common use, unlike Austria.

The cobblestones on the Vrsc really aren't that bad. Only on the corners and you'd be going slow for them anyway.

[BourneToRide]

This is one pass where you will have to slow down for the corners, but its not a problem as you know most corners on the north side are like this, and some of the south side corners have subsidence.
You can get currency at a few roadside kiosks or an ATM