Croatia or Greece

[Summersoul]

Hey all
So I'm looking at booking my summer 2023 villa holiday but can't decide between Croatia or Greece. I have 2 teenagers that like watersports but places that are not too busy....any suggestions very welcome

Croatia every time. We particularly like Porec, but there are lots of lovely places to go. Hvar, Split and Pula are good. Not Dubrovnik (too commercial now, packed with tourists from the cruise ships)

Greece every time. Having holidayed in both places in the last 12 months the 2 main differences are that in Greece everything is half what it costs in Croatia, and also in restaurants they don’t throw the food at you then hustle you out when someone else comes long.

As a professional traveller I have never been anywhere where they seem to resent tourists as much as Croatia. Greece, otoh, welcomes you like an old friend.

I don't recognise that description of Croatia at all. Where did you go that was so unfriendly, Backinthebox?

We were in Hvar - full of preppy sorts shouting about how they’ve had to hire a yacht because Daddy has taken the family yacht to Nice. We thought it might be a thing particular to the islands as there did seem to be a lot of loud money there - I can’t imagine it is great fun trying to deal with this sort of clientele on a daily basis. But we had similarly poor treatment in Split restaurants and the staff in the airport were about the rudest I’ve encountered.

As I said, I travel for a living (have done for 24 years,) own a home in mainland Europe, and holidayed by the Med in a variety of countries for years, and Croatia stands out to my family as ‘the rude country.’ Very pretty place though.

We’ve found kindness in virtually everywhere else we’ve travelled as a family. We don’t stay in AI resorts, we tend to try and stay somewhere we can eat out and put our money in the pockets of local businesses rather than big holiday companies, so there may be a different vibe in resorts, I don’t know.

I've never been to Hvar, but was in Rovinj and islands, Dubrovnik, Split and islands in 2020 and 2021 and thought everybody was lovely. End of the summer season both times though so maybe that made a difference.

I'd definitely vote Croatia too. Funnily enough my son recently toured Croatia and commented that there was a lot of rudeness in Hvar that he didn't experience anywhere else in Croatia. Would definitely recommend Rovinj.

I am in Croatia right now, as I am every summer, same island for 17 years. I absolutely would say Croatia every time, but not the major tourist centres like Dubrovnik or Zadar.

We flew into Pula and toured around Istria, with a couple of days in Zagreb. Prices were reasonable and no rudeness! It is true that Croatian service tends more towards the matter-of-fact style so if you want staff to be your best friends it’s not the place for you, but they’re always polite and friendly in my experience. We got caught in a rainstorm in Pula and the manager of a small winebar went out of his way to arrange tables inside so we could sit inside.

Both are absolutely beautiful and offer great watersports (you'll find those sea inflatables all over Croatia).
Beaches are a bit better in Greece (no sandy beaches in Croatia), so is the friendliness of the locals (Croatians more curt and business like but they mean no offence, just their way).
For me, Greek food tips it. I'd happily live on gyros, tzatiki, feta and aubergine crisps forever. Croatian food is a combo of good cheap Italian dishes and Baltic boiled vegetables. Ice-cream there is v cheap.
Croatian roads and motorways are great, it's really easy and cheap to travel about. Greek Islands a little more, er, rustic.

Greek beaches tend to be stony too.

I’ve found with Croatia/Montenegro, the topography is marvellous, but culturally, they seem very closed to outsiders so it’s hard to get a sense of them. You spend your time fully on the outside. True, to an extent, everywhere, but I’ve felt that strongly in the Balkans. Also, the ancient code, I’f you will, of Philoxenia in Greece is still apparent.

And that little dig, If you can’t restaurant staff to be your friends... Look, there’s plenty of middle ground between basically ‘here you go, now fuck off’ and being best mates.

I've not been to Greece but would probably go to the Adriatic islands if I did. I actually love the Croatian rocky and gravelly beaches as I hate how sand gets everywhere! And you get a beautiful clear sea.
I do find Croatian people matter-of-fact, generally, although not actively rude.
And I don't love the food; it is quite expensive and rather hit-and-miss in terms of quality and price, IME.
Having said that, I'm going back this summer for the latest of several trips. DP and I just really really like the beaches/sea and landscape, enough that the not-amazing food experience doesn't matter that much. And there is lots of excellent coffee and ice cream.

And that little dig, If you can’t restaurant staff to be your friends... Look, there’s plenty of middle ground between basically ‘here you go, now fuck off’ and being best mates.

Not a dig, I’ve known plenty of people come back from holidays waxing lyrical about how they made great friends with such and such restaurant owner or taverna keeper or waiter. Photos of them, information about their family and all that. It’s clearly what some people do like on holiday! Definitely not what you’re going to get in Croatia, but more possible in Greece.

I love Greece, especially Crete!

It so was a dig.