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Couple weeks in Croatia, couple weeks in Italy

Couple weeks in Croatia, couple weeks in Italy

Old Oct 30th, 2016, 02:56 PM
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Couple weeks in Croatia, couple weeks in Italy

I'm planning for another month in Europe vacation for us next summer, probably early June thru early July. The map so far looks like this. The red circled numbers represent number of nights at each location. The icons represent rail, boat, and rental auto travel.

http://techquarium.com/gallery2z/d/60904-2/DSC_9458.jpg

We've been to Italy before so we're pretty comfortable with that part of the trip. The Croatia part is a whole other thing. My first and biggest question is how do I get my rental car across the short stretch of Bosnia? Legally, with no hassles.

Also, with Croatia, we have a lot of flexibility in planning those 12 nights. Pula, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik were sort of equally spaced, but that whole segment of the map needs refinement. We mostly are looking for nice beaches, beautiful water, and perhaps a naturist area along the way.

We usually prefer to rent vacation apartments over hotels. I'd be interested to hear pros/cons from people. We did 5 AirBnb places in Europe last year and it went perfectly but the trade-off is committing to being in a place for a space of time. I'm thinking for the Croatia leg of this trip we might try to keep our options open as we travel.

Opinions, suggestions, and shared experiences are appreciated.
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Old Oct 30th, 2016, 02:57 PM
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Dammit - wrong link. How embarrassing. Here's the map.

http://techquarium.com/gallery2z/v/2...6Map3.jpg.html
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Old Oct 30th, 2016, 03:07 PM
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I thought maybe you and the cat were in the early planning stages...

Lee Ann
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Old Oct 30th, 2016, 03:17 PM
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Sorry, but I’m not going to struggle with your map, nor am I going to click on a link about which I know nothing. ;-) I’ll be happy to work with your words.

With only 12 nights in Croatia, you will need to be selective. It is, IMO, barely possible to visit even the highlights (whatever they are – and many of us disagree about them) in that time. I didn’t visit Pula, but given your stated interests, I would think Rovinj might be a better fit for you if you decide to include Istria.

Many lodgings in Croatia are “sobes” (rooms) rather than hotels, and many are available through booking.com

For beaches, and particularly info on naturist beaches, consult either the Rough Guide or Lonely Planet, and you might also want to check other guidebooks at your local library.

Have you looked at any of the many planning threads for Croatia on this board? There’s a wealth of information in them.

Croatia has much to offer -- enjoy!
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Old Oct 31st, 2016, 08:52 AM
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Bari - Naples can easily be done by bus (direct) or train (1 change). There is no need to rent a car, unless you plan to visit placs in between like Castellana, Alberobello, Ostuni, Matera, Paestum, Castellabate, Amalfi.....
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Old Oct 31st, 2016, 04:08 PM
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No need for a car to see Alberobello, Matera, Paestum, or Amalfi -- I visited all of them by public transportation. And I think some of the others can be seen without a car, too.
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Old Nov 1st, 2016, 03:25 PM
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"Have you looked at any of the many planning threads for Croatia on this board? There’s a wealth of information in them."

I have, and there is. I know 12 nights isn't a lot, but I have to work within the constraints. On the plus side, we aren't that interested in sightseeing. While we might enjoy a few excursions, we're mostly going there for the beaches, water, and related activities.

Also, the numbers of nights at each stop is far from finalized. I've got a lot of wiggle room.

As for using a car to travel across Italy from Bari to Naples, I drew it that way because I like having my own transportation in certain areas and the Amalfi Coast seemed like such a place.

Thanks everyone, I'm going to try to update the map (can't remember what program I used to create the stupid thing). At the least I want to add a night to Venice.
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Old Nov 1st, 2016, 05:52 PM
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FWIW, I didn't question your constraints -- you have what time you have for travel, and whatever that time is, it's irreplaceable. My belief that you would consider your travel time to be precious was behind my suggestion that you would be well advised to make realistic plans within those constraints, and that you might find value in the many planning threads from people who face similar constraints and/or have similar interests.

I am truly glad that I did NOT have a car when along the Amalfi Coast! For me, and for my interests, it would have been an encumbrance, and it would have been unnecessary for the things that I considered a priority. But of course, many people have different views. As with everything -- it depends on what you want.

Good luck!
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