[jabba]

I'm thinking about setting up a basecamp in Split or Dubrovnik. Both cities have their pros / cons, e.g. Split is a port city for people in transit to Hvar; Dubrovnik is more posh, yet it's at the very Southern tip of the country.

I know these are typically summer holiday location, and I don't mind the tourists. The winters seem mild.

I work remote and only need a fast internet connection. I'll visit there next month to see everything in real life.

Criteria:
Best City All Year

Nice locals

20's something girls

Many international students

Good nightlife

International flights

Not too quiet in winter

Property prices are rising

[John Michael Kane]

I've heard good things about Dubrovnik by friends who have visited there. Subscribed to this thread. Keep us posted. Let us know what the attitudes of the locals are and all the other criteria you discover above.

[sterling_archer]

Dubrovnik could serve to you for trips to Monte Negro (Budva). Of course I have been to both cities during summer, but I cannot give any advice regarding now in winter. Even though they rely on tourists during summer, they are not exactly dead during winter. Currently they are filming Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik and there is surely some activity.
I know that during summer, Dubrovnik is ridiculously expensive, not sure if its same in winter.

[Le Sigh]

Dubrovnik is so gorgeous I'd hate to be missing out on that beauty due to my focus being elsewhere. With such magnificience and sunny/balmy weather, and significantly slower pace of life, It's a great place to be in a new LTR... especially in not so distracting offseason.

Split is three time as populous which means extra gaming opportunities offseason in comparison to Dubro. For the same reason it wins in work/biz dept. (and faster travel time to ZG) but that's about it.

I reckon neither place has (m)any international students.

Verdict: If you are under 30, and work/slower pace is not an issue, and you wouldn't mind a GF experience, I'd go with Dubrovnik.

[jabba]

I'm leaning towards Split, because I want to travel within Europe whenever I have the urge.

Where's the best area to stay in Split?

I want to be in the high traffic of local girls and be near the water. I'll be going this month, so I won't be swimming yet like to be inspired staying near the sea.

I'm looking at Promenade or Bačvice. I heard this is the only beach with sand(?). All the other beach have pebbles.

[torid]

(12-26-2016 06:43 AM)Le Sigh Wrote:  

Dubrovnik is so gorgeous I'd hate to be missing out on that beauty due to my focus being elsewhere. With such magnificience and sunny/balmy weather, and significantly slower pace of life, It's a great place to be in

Verdict: If you are under 30, and work/slower pace is not an issue, and you wouldn't mind a GF experience, I'd go with Dubrovnik.

I also vote for Dubrovnik, my summer there was one of the best summers in my life.

[Khan]

Split is four times bigger than Dubrovnik, so you can expect more possibilities there. From what I know property prices are also lower. Dubrovnik doesn't have a university - people from Dubrovnik usually go to study to either Zagreb or Split.

During summer both cities have a lot of seasonal flights to various European cities, and during the remainder of the year the situation is not bad - Split has direct flights to Zagreb, Munich and Frankfurt, while Dubrovnik has flights to Zagreb, Istanbul and Frankfurt.

Given all that, I'd choose Split if I were in your place. You mentioned Bačvice - when I visited last summer, my friend told me the neighborhood around Bačvice is a rather elite part of the city, so prices there will probably be higher.

[jasond]

Dubrovnik does have a university. It's a small one though. The two cities have a different feel...Split is much larger and a wilder, crazier place. Dubrovnik has a more relaxing, resort feel.

For those traveling between the two cities, and anywhere along the coast of Croatia, I highly recommend:

http://www.ec-air.eu/en/

It's a plane service that takes off and lands in the water...picks up right from the Split seaside promenade...a very cool experience.

[Khan]

(01-03-2017 07:30 AM)jasond Wrote:  

For those traveling between the two cities, and anywhere along the coast of Croatia, I highly recommend:

http://www.ec-air.eu/en/

It's a plane service that takes off and lands in the water...picks up right from the Split seaside promenade...a very cool experience.

That company was recently grounded by the Croatian civil aviation agency. Among other problems, they found severe deficiencies and faults in plane maintenance. Judging from reports, the situation was so bad that it was only a matter of time before a disaster was to happen.

[NickDunne]

If you are more into casual, younger girl gaming and the big city vibe throughout the whole year, Split is your choice.

If you are more into a relaxing, elite style game/lifestyle, than it's Dubrovnik. And it is much more quite during winter time, but has the benefit of Montenegro being close (read: Russians).

[The Natural]

I would chose split, NickDunne above somes up some of the reasons why.
If you want to meet nice local girls its got to be split, Dubrovnik is full of Tourists so the number of local girls are diluted.
This info is soley based on my personal experience of Dubrovnik and knowledge from others who have visited split and the research I ave done on it. I will probably be visiting Split next summer.
I was not impressed the nightlife in Dubrovnik and while its beautiful I would only recommend visiting for a holiday.
As you said you have Hvar at your doorstep which is meant to be amazing in the summer and then a nice Croatian city with local Croatian girls in split as your base.
Budva as mentioned above is an awesome place for the summer, this would be my choice in your situation.

[jabba]

Split is a city of contradictions.

I returned from Split and wasn't impressed at all. I ejected after a few days. I didn't need to stay there any longer.

The following assessment is harsh, because I was looking to setup a year-around base camp with good weather and local vibes, not as a summer tourist.

The promenade area is in front of the old palace, which felt claustrophobic. Shops were closed for the season, and they rely heavily on tourism. Local shop owners were rude and arrogant, similar to Venice and other tourist traps. Restaurants don't accept credit cards, only cash. I hate that cheap penny pinching attitude.

They know the idiot tourists will arrive there, so they don't need to behave with more courtesy. Local girls walked with attitude in their designer clothes, but I didn't find them attractive. I've seen better in Scandinavia, EE, Central Europe, and other parts of Balkans who had more humility.

Weather was sunny but cold. There were a good number of tourists there at this time.

Split is a transit town trying to diversify their economic base from tourism. There are new real estate development projects along the waterfront, but it felt off. On one hand, there's new development. Next door, you see the farmer market area which was disgustingly ghetto with fugly babushkas (fucked up teeth) selling their beans, meat and vegetables. I asked myself: Why am I seeing this kind of poverty in the middle of the Croatian Riviera? Is this the Middle East?

When I think of a proper beach area, I envision Ibiza (Playa den Bossa), Newport Beach, South Beach, Miami...There's sun, beauty, wealth, good vibes. Split felt cramped and would be a shithole if it wasn't for the ferries taking tourists to Hvar or Brac.

It felt like a lighter dose of Touloin or Marseille (France). There's sun, beach and poverty.

[This Is Trouble]

I was just in Dubrovnik for 3 days. It's not a place you'd want to be in the off-season. Completely dead.

[Henny]

Croatia nice in Summer, otherwise boring. All year round Serbia is a better choice

[sterling_archer]

(02-04-2017 10:37 PM)jabba Wrote:  

Split is a transit town trying to diversify their economic base from tourism. There are new real estate development projects along the waterfront, but it felt off. On one hand, there's new development. Next door, you see the farmer market area which was disgustingly ghetto with fugly babushkas (fucked up teeth) selling their beans, meat and vegetables. I asked myself: Why am I seeing this kind of poverty in the middle of the Croatian Riviera? Is this the Middle East?

Traditional farmers market in Croatia, that what real grandma looks like. Hardworker, works in the field, sells her products which are quality above mass produced GMO shit and barely gets any money to survive.

[sterling_archer]

(02-04-2017 10:37 PM)jabba Wrote:  

When I think of a proper beach area, I envision Ibiza (Playa den Bossa), Newport Beach, South Beach, Miami...There's sun, beauty, wealth, good vibes. Split felt cramped and would be a shithole if it wasn't for the ferries taking tourists to Hvar or Brac.

Croatia is not Spain or US East Coast, its Mediterranean country with its own culture, its pointless to compare some beach in Croatia with Ibiza or similar famous foreign places.

[Akwesi]

Not a big fan of Dubrovnik. Too many tourists relative to the very small population, leading to unreasonable pricing and a culture of scamming foreigners from what I could tell. It's quite beautiful, of course. Just don't see it as a likely poosy paradise.

[sterling_archer]

Its ridiculously expensive for Croats (read: I will never have vacation there), even most tourists are not really happy with prices. Of course depends how deep their wallet is.

[jabba]

Dupe

[jabba]

(02-05-2017 08:03 AM)sterling_archer Wrote:  

(02-04-2017 10:37 PM)jabba Wrote:  

Split is a transit town trying to diversify their economic base from tourism. There are new real estate development projects along the waterfront, but it felt off. On one hand, there's new development. Next door, you see the farmer market area which was disgustingly ghetto with fugly babushkas (fucked up teeth) selling their beans, meat and vegetables. I asked myself: Why am I seeing this kind of poverty in the middle of the Croatian Riviera? Is this the Middle East?

Traditional farmers market in Croatia, that what real grandma looks like. Hardworker, works in the field, sells her products which are quality above mass produced GMO shit and barely gets any money to survive.

I'm all for babushskas working in the fields and bringing their harvest to the market. I'm not halting the free markets in action. Just move that market away from the center or clean it up. It's dirty and fucks up the scenic vibe. There's a reason why flea markets are designated in community college parking lots or the bowels of a city. If you work with the Split City Council, then toss that idea to them.

[jabba]

(02-05-2017 08:06 AM)sterling_archer Wrote:  

(02-04-2017 10:37 PM)jabba Wrote:  

When I think of a proper beach area, I envision Ibiza (Playa den Bossa), Newport Beach, South Beach, Miami...There's sun, beauty, wealth, good vibes. Split felt cramped and would be a shithole if it wasn't for the ferries taking tourists to Hvar or Brac.

Croatia is not Spain or US East Coast, its Mediterranean country with its own culture, its pointless to compare some beach in Croatia with Ibiza or similar famous foreign places.

Hvar has been touted as the "Next Ibiza" for the past 5 years. Granted Split isn't Ibiza, an outsider would presume Split will catch some of that sweet but tangy Hvar love juice.

[jabba]

(02-05-2017 10:02 AM)Akwesi Wrote:  

Not a big fan of Dubrovnik. Too many tourists relative to the very small population, leading to unreasonable pricing and a culture of scamming foreigners from what I could tell. It's quite beautiful, of course. Just don't see it as a likely poosy paradise.

Haven't been to DBV yet, but I'll brace myself before I arrive. Tourist traps are based on an excess of demand vs supply. When locals know the game is pointed in their favor, prices rise and services decline. You're paying to be scammed or treated like shit.

Worst
Paris
Venice
Reykjavik (after 2000)

[This Is Trouble]

Off of a post earlier in the thread, I'll confirm. I definitely got the vibe like people were out to hustle me. The one that stood out to me was the cab meters jumping fares when they put it in park (about $4 more) to drop me off.

Don't know if there was a city tax or something, but it was weird. Driver refused to give me an explanation.

[Irenicus]

(02-06-2017 05:16 AM)This Is Trouble Wrote:  

Off of a post earlier in the thread, I'll confirm. I definitely got the vibe like people were out to hustle me. The one that stood out to me was the cab meters jumping fares when they put it in park (about $4 more) to drop me off.

Don't know if there was a city tax or something, but it was weird. Driver refused to give me an explanation.

It ain't a city tax, that is for sure . Most taxi drivers in Croatia (and in the Balkans) are thieves. They will try to squeeze as much money as possible, whether you are are tourist or local. As Trump said...they are bad hombres.


Try Uber. It's cheaper, better and it's bigger chance that the driver speaks English (or some other language). No wonder why most taxi guilds are trying to ban Uber and Lyft through city councils - they know that can't compete with them. As I said, they are bad hombres.

[TwinTurbo]

(02-05-2017 06:51 AM)Henny Wrote:  

Croatia nice in Summer, otherwise boring. All year round Serbia is a better choice

100% agreed. I spent a month in Split in the fall, and it was pretty much dead. All the main cool shit to do revolves around beaches and boating, which you won't be doing in the freezing cold weather. Nightlife is so so, and once you've hooked up with a girl or two in town you will start running into them everywhere all the time (true story).