Croatia, Montenegro – two victims of overtourism? (page 2 of 11)

Hi Agnès, We’ve hit the road in Croatia—I’ll be following along with you virtually, and who knows, maybe I’ll go one day! 😊

Thanks for that interesting link, Kola. 🙂

Locals are the first to suffer the downsides of overtourism, but some are also part of the problem.

If property owners didn’t give in to the promise of easy money, overtourism would struggle to exist (Airbnb, parking lots on empty land, selling to developers, etc.).

Some Croatians have definitely benefited from it, but they’re also killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Croatia is being overlooked in favor of Albania—cheaper and more welcoming.

Until that changes...

Hi Isabelle,

Welcome to Italy while you wait for your next stops in Croatia! !😉

(...

Locals are the first to suffer the nuisances of overtourism, but some are part of the cause.

God laughs at men who complain about the consequences while they cherish the causes.

Until...

... the realm of possibilities shrinks a little more. Will it go so far as to change desires, dreams, ways of doing things? ...)

Keep on your journey... 🙂

The most grueling part of this trip is upon us: crossing Italy from west to east...

Like in Germany, navigating the northern part of the boot is a real pain due to heavy traffic and endless roadworks.

And then, the locals aren’t exactly patient and have their own interpretation of the rules of the road...

That said, I’ve noticed a clear improvement on this last point!

Speed limits on the highway are generally respected, and no one’s tailgating me or flashing their lights to force me to pull over immediately.

What remains is the zigzag driving: I’ll pass you on the right, and the next vehicle on the left before suddenly swerving onto the exit lane...

Did some Italians learn to drive from a video game?

Another quirk: paying at toll booths.

Let’s just say that between the person trying to pay with 20-cent coins and the one who won’t leave until they get their credit card receipt, it takes a while at the toll...

Hence the lovely traffic jam on the outskirts of Milan!

We grit our teeth and wonder what awaits us next.

Gulp, roadworks ahead toward Brescia!

Let’s take the scenic route!

Back on the highway, we realize we’ve dodged the worst: an endless line of cars clogs the opposite lane—imagine having to go through that on the way back!

Hopefully, the roadworks will be finished by then...

I noticed that most of the construction sites were for viaducts, bridges, and tunnels.

It feels like, after the tragic collapse of the Polcevera viaduct in 2018, all major structures on Italian roads were inspected and renovated.

It wasn’t a luxury, given how rundown some of them were...

Alright, isn’t it lunchtime yet?

No way we’re stopping on the highway—there aren’t really any decent rest areas.

Why spend money on making drivers comfortable during their break, right?

Not a speck of greenery, the smallest possible space, and questionable cleanliness—it’s really inviting...

The rest areas with gas stations and restaurants aren’t much better, so it’s best to get off the highway.

How about a picnic in Soave, a small town topped with vineyards and a castle not far from here?

No sooner said than done—we leave purgatory for paradise.

This place deserves more than just a quick stop, and it must be lovely to wander around here!



After polishing off the last nectarine, we continue our Italian ordeal until the Slovenian border, which we cross near Kozina.

This route lets us avoid Slovenian highways, where you can only drive after buying a vignette.

Not very useful for a quick pass through the country!

Our evening stop is just a few kilometers away: a small village inn lost in the countryside.

We drop off our things and set off for a walk to the next village.





Hay bales dot the fields, sheep startle at our passing, a deer’s eye meets ours—we’re truly starting our journey now!



A church perched atop a hill catches our eye, and we decide to climb up to it.



Nice viewpoint!

This long pre-dinner stroll has made us hungry, so we head back to the hotel for dinner.

The menu looks tempting, but what we’re served is... less so.

I end up with a plate of boiled meats that could feed two people, while my companion wonders if ordering the Zagreb schnitzel was a good idea.



A 5-centimeter-thick, 15-centimeter-long breaded pork steak stuffed with cheese...

Just looking at it, you gain 10 kilos (no photo, you’ll have to take my word for it)!

We’ll come across this specialty often—it’d make a McDonald’s meal look like the height of healthy eating on Croatian tables.

But we’ll only try it once...

Bon appétit! !

And then, the locals aren’t exactly patient and have their own interpretation of the road rules...

On that last point, though, I’ve noticed a real improvement

Since then, you’ve driven in Asia. That might explain it ;)

Ciao

And then, just the ubiquitous bidet in bathrooms—it’s such a throwback to the 70s-80s for a French person...

It’s the one thing that’s always missing in French bathrooms and drives me nuts from start to finish during my trips. It’s so annoying to have to get your legs and feet wet every time when all you need is a quick, targeted clean! 😛

Catherine

If we start a debate about "for or against bidets in bathrooms," I’m out of this travel journal! 😄

I’m not sure I’d rather not drive in Thailand either…

And I really wonder how there aren’t more accidents on Italian highways????

Hi Catherine,

It's true that the bidet has uses you can only discover in Italy: initially, but also, and especially, as a foot washer!

I'm not quite at the age where I can lift my leg up to the sink anymore, even if I'm still flexible enough!

It's also pretty handy for rinsing off a pair of sandals...

The bidet would probably stand out less if the rest of the decor were a bit more, let's say, up-to-date...

Too late! But I'm sure there'll be more debates soon...😉

It’s the thing that’s always missing in French bathrooms and drives me nuts from start to finish of my stays

Hang in there, Catherine... The bidet is making a comeback!

If we start a debate about "for or against bidets in bathrooms," I’m out of this travel journal!

What I’ve been wondering lately is whether we should pass a law to ban the use of the word *Montenegro*. It’s surprising no one’s thought of it yet.

Hey there,

If we start a debate about "for or against bidets in bathrooms," I’m out of this travel journal!

Well, if Agnès had talked about wine when it came to Soave (some really good whites with strong minerality, and quite a bit of plonk) instead of nectarines, I could’ve chimed in... 😛

As for driving, nothing to say—I don’t see big differences compared to the average French driver. Actually, it felt less stressful in Italy, maybe because it’s more intuitive—just a matter of habit, I guess. The Balkan drivers, though... but I had a blast revving the engine like crazy...

Looking forward to the rest!

Catherine

Shouldn’t there be a law to stop people from using the word Montenegro?

Absolutely, it’s outrageous! I suggest instead: “The Ambassador’s car is ready.” 😉

Crna Gora or Црна Гора in the original, "black mountain" in literal translation.

Montenegrin officially uses two alphabets: one in Latin characters, the other in Cyrillic.

At the government’s request, the Latin script dominates, and Cyrillic is expected to disappear eventually.

Pick your side, comrade.

Montenegro is the Venetian version of "black mountain," and the deconstructionists haven’t passed through here.

Though, in that case, we’d also have to rename Mont Blanc...

(End of the aside)

If we start a debate on "bidets in bathrooms – yay or nay," I’m outta this travel journal!

I stuck around, but the journal’s at a standstill! 😛

It's coming, it's coming! !

Just one more border to cross—here we come, Croatia!

Since 2023, this country has been part of the Schengen Area. The traffic jams of vacationers on a spree are now a thing of the past.

The buildings are still there, though, along with a few customs officers waving us across the line.

We decide to take the Magistrala Road, the legendary ribbon of asphalt that runs along the Dalmatian coast from Rijeka to Dubrovnik, instead of taking the highway.

Not exactly a great idea, given the number of seaside resorts we had to drive through!

So, we eventually merge onto the expressway to arrive in Trogir early enough to explore it on foot.

I spot a parking lot with reasonable rates, and we pull in.

Free parking is really tough to find in this country, even if you’re willing to walk a reasonable distance from the main attraction.

You constantly have to hunt for the best option when visiting a tourist spot—especially if you don’t want to pay a daily rate or 5 euros per hour...

This is also true for most of the major beaches and natural parks.

A short kilometer walk along the sea, and we’re at the gates of Trogir’s historic heart, built on a small island.

It’s absolutely charming, and the number of visitors is still manageable.













It’s not so much the number of visitors that’s the problem, but the sheer amount of bars, restaurants, tacky souvenir shops, and tourist agencies...

Like everywhere in the world, once a place gets overrun, it stops feeling like a real town and turns into some kind of interchangeable Disneyland—full of overpriced, inauthentic consumer traps...

We now climb the Kamerlengo Castle tower to admire the city from above.



One last stroll along the quays, and we head back to the Scirocco before settling into our home for the next two nights: a cozy little house in Solin, a suburb of Split.





Why not Split?

The prices aren’t the same, and I was worried the city would be too hectic. Plus, as mentioned earlier, traveling by car means finding a place to park...

Turns out, parking space was the number one criterion when choosing accommodations for the first part of this trip, which was mostly in urban and/or highly touristy areas!

On the way, we stop at the supermarket to stock up the fridge.

We realize that food prices in Croatia are pretty much in line with French prices, and the average Croatian must struggle at the end of the month, given that the median salary here is only about 860 € (around 2180 € in France).

The fruit, vegetable, and meat sections are pretty sparse—nothing like the abundance in our supermarkets.

We’ll be eating a lot of pork during this trip, since there aren’t many other appealing options (battery-farmed chicken, no thanks...).

When it comes to non-alcoholic drinks, you really have to search to find quality products, and pure orange juice comes with a hefty price tag.

No such issues with wine and beer, though.

Speaking of which, I just poured us a little apéritif on our terrace...

Cheers! !

This new day will be dedicated to exploring the historic center of Split, the enclosure of Diocletian’s Palace, the Roman emperor from the late 3rd century originally from Dalmatia.

The old town developed within the walls of this palace, using or repurposing existing structures while also creating new constructions.

So don’t expect to wander through Split the way Diocletian once did!

Some monuments, however, have remained fairly true to their original appearance, even if their function has evolved over the years.

This palace wasn’t a modest country retreat, as its dimensions show: 215 meters by 181!

The visit is free; only entry to certain monuments is paid.

Tickets are bought in front of the cathedral, the former Mausoleum of Diocletian, and different options help reduce the cost compared to buying individual tickets.

Diocletian isn’t the star of the place anymore since a famous series chose Croatia (among others!) as the setting for its plot: *Game of Thrones*.

You’ll hear Daenerys’s name far more often than that of the only Roman emperor to voluntarily abdicate.

I admit I didn’t recognize the filming locations, even though I watched the entire sprawling saga.

It must be said that post-production keeps only a few elements of reality and masks the rest.

A bit like a photo of Madonna first thing in the morning versus one on glossy magazine paper...

But I’m getting off track—let’s get back to the point!

We leave Solin in the early morning, heading toward the parking spot we’d scoped out on the outskirts of the city center.

Gulp—it’s full!

We’re still in June, a weekday no less. The *Splićani* aren’t on vacation and still need to park to go to work!

I look for another spot on my map, and we try our luck in a more residential area, slightly farther from the historic heart.

Bingo! In the shade, no less!

About twenty minutes later, we arrive at the palace gates, specifically the *Porta Aurea*, the northern gate.

A few groups are already milling about, along with some solo travelers.

Unfazed, Bishop Gregory of Nin watches all these travelers pass by and no longer even bats an eye when a few cheeky ones rub his toe, thinking it’ll bring them a bit of luck.





Once inside the city, the crowd disperses a bit, only to regroup around the Peristyle, the best-preserved part of the old palace.



I’ll leave you to explore freely now—visit the cathedral, climb the tower, and step into the Temple of Jupiter.













It’s a bit crowded, sure, but as soon as you have to pay, things thin out pretty quickly...