Expert: Vedran - 3/6/2006

Question
Vedran  --  How nice to have a real-person resource.  My family (5 adults) intend to visit from about 10JUN2006 for about 10 days or so.  We are most flexible and are writing to enquire about places and things THAT ARE NOT TO BE MISSED.  Traveling by car/van.  Your best guess about entry/exit airport (would consider Rome, Venice, etc.) In addition to places and things, your suggestions for dining, favorite dishes, quaint/authentic lodging, special products or handicrafts, where to spend extra time, cautionary recommendations about what English-speaking-only American visitors should NOT do, say, or gesture, and so on.  In other words, sit back, crack open an ice-cold martini and let your mind free-range about the ideal trip that YOU would plan in order to get the most out of it.  Many thanks for this service.  No hurry.  Please do call if you have questions.  Very best  --  Bart Green (4024752470 after 1400 CT)

Answer
Yu suggestion about that martini sunds excellent unfortuntely my current schedule is extremely tight these few months so I apologize in advance for giving you the short version:
Start from the south (Dubrovik airoport) rent-a-car and work you way northwards. Depending on your prefernces stick around the following destinations: Dubrovnik, island Korcula, MAkarska Riviera beaches, Split, Trogir, Islands Brac nad Hvar, Sibenik, Kornati, Krka and Plitvice National parks, Motovun, Hum, Pula, Porec and Zagreb (flight home). For lodging I suggest some of the small hotels from www.omh.hr. Things to experince: walk around Dubrovnik City Walls, Moreska on Korcula, climb to the cathedral bell tower in Split, wine roads of Istria.
Special products: wine from Hvar and Korcula, olive oil, and of course CD-ROM postcards.
You will find the people hospitable and generally conversant in English.