WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

I am planning to go to Croatia in May 2020, touring on a motorbike, and my wife will be joining me for a week or so. We are looking for somewhere with good beaches/bars/restaurants. Hvar seems a nice resort town, but I suspect it may now be overrun with boutique hotels and tourism. While we do like a lively destination, I wonder if there is somewhere else that you can suggest.

PETER GRIEVES

In the south-coast village of Baska, Vela Plaza (Big Beach) is a sweeping crescent of pebbles by a sheltered turquoise bay. With this timing, you’ll hit the annual Krk Food Fest (facebook.com/ krkfoodfest) which runs from late April through May, with more than 20 restaurants showcasing local seasonal produce, such as wild asparagus and Kvarner shrimps. Good places to eat include old-fashioned Konoba Bracera (konoba-bracera.com) in Malinska, and chic waterside Rivica (rivica.hr) in Njivica.

From Valbiska on Krk, regular ferries run to Cres (25min) and Rab (1hr 20min). On the mainland (over the bridge), the port city Rijeka will be European Capital of Culture 2020 (rijeka2020.eu), guaranteeing a flurry of exhibitions and concerts. Behind Rijeka rise Gorski Kotar and the pine forests of Risnjak National Park (np-risnjak.hr).

A nice place to stay on Krk is Heritage Hotel Forza (telegraph. co.uk/tt-hotel-forza), above the beach in Baska with doubles from about £85 per night. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies direct to Rijeka (the airport is on Krk) from London Stansted – or fly to Pula.

administrative fees, the visa still isn’t cheap for Britons – but the process of obtaining it is now far less painful.

Is this a trend? It is sure to be – as countries try to keep a sharper eye on those who cross their thresholds. Russia – another giant that likes to keep potential tourists waiting in dingy visa offices – is also now dabbling in e-visas. These are only, at present, on offer in its Far East and its Kaliningrad exclave – and not available to citizens of European states. But with a nationwide roll-out pencilled in for January 2021, this may yet change, meaning less time in a line on the way to St Petersburg and Moscow.