Croatia

A 10 days in Croatia during Easter 2011.
10 kunas = £1,2
Ice-creams 7 or 8 kunas
Daily budget: 100 k (£12) for sleeping, 200 to 300 k for food & transportation.

Itinerary:
D1: Arrival at Zadar airport at 8.30pm Very small airport so not long to wait for the bags. 2 ATMS in the entrance hall. The airport shuttle leaves at 9pm sharp, 25 kunas one way, it takes 15 min to go to the bus station. Don't stay at Zadar more than half day as there is not much to see. There is a left luggage storage at Zadar bus station, very cheap, it was about 10k for 5 hours.
Accommodation: Kresan room, 190 kunas for a double room, private bathroom, clean and new 15 min walk from the bus station. A small shop available across the accommodation. The closest places to eat are at the bus station.

D2: Bus to Plitvice at 3.10pm 86k + 7 k for the backpack. Arrival at 6.30pm at Plitvice entrance 2. (There is a 30 min break during the bus trip).
Accommodation: Appartments Polnajak: The owners came to pick us up at Entrance 2. 10 minutes drive to their house. 322 k for a very nice room, very clean with tv and bathroom in the countryside, delicious and fulfilling breakfast included but no restaurant around (closest is at 40 minutes walk), so bring food before you arrive or have you own transportation.D3: The owners dropped us at the Entrance 2 of Plitvice Lakes at 8pm just when it opens. There are free lockers to put your bag. Entrance fee is 110 k and includes boats and shuttles. Various itineraries are offered from 2-3h walk to 5-6h, but make sure you go in direction of the waterfalls on the right of the map, this is the most beautiful area. In a day you have time to go everywhere as you can take shuttles and boats. As it was a Sunday and Easter, there were not many buses to leave Plitvice to go to Split or anywhere else. Only 2 buses that day at 10.50am and 1.50pm. I advice to ask at your accommodation if they can check what time there will be buses as you may wait for a few hours if it is holiday for instance.
Arrival at Split at 8.00pm
Accommodation: Raspudic accommodation, 110 k for the double room, shared bathroom, tv, 5 minutes from the centre, ideal, cleanliness is ok but furnitures are quite old.D4: Split. Beautiful city. A great restaurant is Konoba Tratorria Bajamont, where the menu changes daily and is ready only after 12pm, there are only a few tables (less than 10 overall), you can see the cook preparing the dishes. For 50k, you have a plate of local sausages with couscous and vegetables, that's a bargain, considering it is tasty and homemade. This tavern (Konoba means tavern) was recommended by the Lonely Planet, opened everyday except Sundays.

D5: Katamaran to Bol in Brac island (22 k daily departure at 4pm everyday except Fridays at 4.30pm, arrival at 5.20pm), where you lay in the famous beach 'Zlatni Rat', it has the shape of a peak going to the sea for about 150 meters (photo hereunder). It is not a sandy beach but has pebbles.
Accommodation found on arrival, as many locals rent appartments, however, you have to go knock at their door to see if they have available rooms.
D6: Bol. Ferry to Jelsa on Hvar Island (11k deparure at 5.20pm, arrival at 6pm). You can buy the tickets just 15 minutes before the boat is coming at the booth on the pier.

D7: Hvar Island, bus to Hvar Town leaving Jelsa at 7.20am or 2pm, 30k, duration 40 minutes (stopping by Stari Grad).

Hvar Town

D8: Hvar Town, walk to the citadel, beach. Lovely town. Private accommodation for 200 k per night. It seemed there are much less accommodation available in Hvar Town than in Jelsa or Bol though the town is bigger and attract more tourists.

D9: Katamaran back to Split 22k with the company Krilo Jet (duration 1 hour), much better than Jadrolinija as it is more confortable and on time (Jadrolinija both times was 25 minutes late). With Krilo Jet departure at 7.30am, arrival at 8.30am in Split Monday to Saturday (at 2.30pm on Sundays), with Jadrolinja, departures at 6.30am Monday to Saturday (at 9am on Sundays).
Bus back to Split 108k, in the afternoon leaving at 4pm or 7pm. The bus was full so better arrive in advance. First come, first served.

D10: Airport shuttle at 1pm (25k). Plane back home :) The duty free has attractive prices, where you can pay in kunas and euros.

Iceland

Iceland is a highy recommended destination if you want would like to enjoy nature's treasure and treat yourself with exquisite dishes! You will mostly eat raw salmon, herring, catfish and lamb. Icelanders have plenty a good restaurants, everywhere we ate, it was delicious and the price was reasonable.

We booked a 4 days/3 nights package through Icelandair. Prices from London are from £265/person, including flight, hotel, 1 free excursion.

Additionally to this package, we found that Netbus was offering a good price, so we booked for 15000 ISK (£80) a package including: return airport transfert to hotel + Blue Lagoon ride & entry + Golden Circle Tour.

In January, the sun rises at 10.30am and sets at 4.45pm, so when you do an early day tour, you will not see anything in the first couple of hours.

Our programme was:
D1: arrival at Hilton, dinner at restaurant at the incredible Askur (30m on the right when you exit Hilton), a all you can eat buffet with soups, bread, salads, fish, meat for 1590 ISK (£9!)
free shuttle to the centre of Reykjavik
D2: Delicious Brunch at Hilton 3300 ISK (£18) with many dishes, fish, desserts, fruit juice...
Afternoon Blue Lagoon 45 min drive. Water between 38° to 42°, natural hot pool when the temperature outside was only 4°, sauna and steam room.
D3: Golden Circle Tour, with a guide, departure at 8am, arrival at 16.30pm. You could see a geysir, a walk in a natural park, waterfalls.
Laugardaslaug, Local pool entry at only 450 ISK (£2), indoor and outdoor pools with also, sauna, steam room and 4 jacuzzis, each with different water temperatures.
D4: gym and spa at Hilton, with free neck massage.