idiganthro

I've been looking for help on refining a trip my husband and I are planning to Croatia (mainly) in the fall 2015. Since we have limited time (2 weeks) and probably won't be able to get back there for a long time, we'd like to make the most of our trip WITHOUT running ourselves ragged. My husband is retired Navy and fell in love with both Trieste and Dubrovnik, which is why they are both featured on this trip. The first half of the trip is a little more active, as in moving about more. Things slow down some once we get to Split/Dubrovnik.

Driving times are based on google maps and other internet sites. I realize they will vary depending on stops/traffic, etc.

Your opinions would be appreciated!

September 18, 2015-October 2, 2015

Day 1 Fly from US to Zagreb
Day 2 Arrive Zagreb and stay overnight
Day 3 Zagreb to Trieste (2:30 hours)
Day 4 Trieste
Day 5 Trieste to Rovinj (1:30 hours)
Day 6 Rovinj/ sightsee area (visit Pula, 45 min drive)
Day 7 Rovinj to Plitvice (3:15 hours)
Day 8 Plitvice to Split (2:50 hours)
Day 9 Split
Day 10 Split (day trip to islands)
Day 11 Split to Dubrovnik (3:10 hours, not including stops for looky-loo)
Day 12 Dubrovnik (Day trip to Montenegro, 1:45 hours each way)
Day 13 Dubrovnik
Day 14 Depart for US
Day 15 Arrive US

rialtogrl

Why not just fly into Trieste? Seeing Zagreb in one jet lagged afternoon then driving three hours the next day doesn't sound too appealing to me... if you save Zagreb for another day, you can de-lag in Trieste.

When are you going to visit Plitvice National Park? Before you drive to Split?

You should arrive in the US the same day you depart for it, so that buys you another day. Unless you have a layover somewhere, that is.

idiganthro

Thank you for your input. I hadn't thought about just flying in to Trieste. I'm sure we can take a bus to Rovinj and then rent a car for the rest of our trip. Brilliant!

Yes, we plan to go to Plitvice for one night between Rovinj and Split. That will allow us to see the park and break up an otherwise longer day of driving.

Exactly the kind of advice I was looking for! I'd even forgotten that we'd be gaining time going back to the US, so we could stay another day! WooHoo!

Thanks again.

rialtogrl

Sure you can take a bus to Rovinj. You can find all the times for the buses here:
http://www.autostazionetrieste.it/in...id=22&Itemid=0

If you can manage it, I would drive to Plitvice after touring around in Istria, spend the night then the next day, explore the park. The following morning head to Split in the morning.

Happy planning!

idiganthro

Great advice on Plitvice- thanks again!

kja

Much as I enjoyed Zagreb, I think rialtogrl's solution is a good one. And waiting until you leave Rovinj to pick up your rental care is definitely worth considering.

I'm not sure how much time that leaves you for Rovinj. IME, Rovinj itself doesn't take that long, but you'll probably need to be selective about what you see in Istria. FWIW, I thought the Eufrazijeva bazilika in Porec well worth seeing.

If you are willing to spend just one night in a location, you might want to consider going to the Plitvice Lakes in time to spend the night there, plan on 6 or more hours in the park itself, and then head on to Split.

"Day 10 Split (day trip to islands)"

I trust you have checked the ferry schedules? I think you will likely be able to visit AT MOST one island, particularly if your choices will be limited to those that you can go to and from in the same day.

BTW, I loved Split; not everyone does. I also really enjoyed Trogir, just 1/2 hour away and easily worth a 1/2 day IMO.

"Driving times are based on google maps"

IME, google maps almost invariably underestimates driving times. You might want to check viamichelin.com and/or mappy.com

"we'd like to make the most of our trip WITHOUT running ourselves ragged"

It depends on what YOU want to see and experience, but I would <U>not</U> consider this a relaxed pace -- even toward the end. I think you might need to be selective in what you see / do.

It's a beautiful part of the world - enjoy!

idiganthro

Upon more reflection, we've cut things back a bit. Still a lot of moving, but we dropped Trieste. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Day 1 Fly from US to Zagreb
Day 2 Arrive Zagreb and stay overnight
Day 3 Zagreb to Rovinj (leave Zagreb AM to arrive Rovinj midday)
Day 4 Rovinj
Day 5 Rovinj to Plitvice (leave Rovinj in pm to arrive Plitvice evening)
Day 6 Plitvice
Day 7 Plitvice to Split (leaving AM to arrive afternoon)
Day 8 Split
Day 9 Split (day trip to island)
Day 10 Split to Dubrovnik
Day 11 Dubrovnik
Day 12 Dubrovnik (Day trip to Montenegro, maybe)
Day 13 Dubrovnik
Day 14 Depart for US
Day 15 Arrive US

yorkshire

It is of course a matter of preferred travel style, but if you are set on Rovinj, I would move maybe a day or so from Dubrovnik so you can use the car to explore hill towns of Istria. I typically encourage less time in Dubrovnik because it is so tiny and can get mobbed with cruise crowds. I might even move an additional day to the island.

idiganthro

Hmm, will have to consider that. My husband is very fond of Dubrovnik, though he hasn't visted elsewhere in the country. Luckily the cruise traffic will be very light (at least according to the port schedule link that I have) while we are there.

We still have time to reconsider. Thanks!

rialtogrl

You still have that extra day at the end - are you planning a layover somewhere, adding that extra day?

I would add a day in Zagreb, to enjoy a full day there before leaving for Rovinj.

Actually what you *could* consider, if you plan to go back to Trieste at some point in the coming years, is to save Istria for that trip. In this case you could visit Zagreb for 2 days, then go to Plitvice (2 nights, 1 day) and then head to Split and the islands before Dubrovnik, allowing you a lot more time to explore Dalmatia.

Staying with your current schedule, I would still allow one full day in Zagreb. kja brought up the ferry schedules - you need to check those too, if you want to go to one of the islands for a day trip. What island do you want to visit?

yorkshire

It is so great you can check the cruise schedules in advance, and mornings and evenings are usually unspoiled anyway. I just think Dubrovnik has fewer day trip options than Istria.
I like rialtogrl's suggestion of holding off on Istria until you return to Trieste also--that would give you time to stay on an island--and early September is a fantastic time for islands! Any of the island near Split will be fully accessible in September.

rialtogrl

I think they are going in late September yorkshire - and agree about staying on an island

idiganthro

Hmmm, I was actually thinking the extra day in Dubrovnik could be used to visit Kalamota Island. That way we could fit in another island trip easily.
I only wish we had more time. I'd like to explore every nook and cranny. It is terrible to have to pick and choose...
This may be our one big opportunity to visit, these kinds of trips don't come easy for us. So we have to try and catch as many highlights as we can!

idiganthro

What if we didn't stay in Split, but went from Plitvice to an island and used it as our temporary base instead? Couldn't we still visit Split to see the palace, but staying on an island would give us options to more easily ferry to other islands?

As for the island, I am torn. We don't need big night life. We're more for scenery, places to walk, good eateries and maybe museums or some shopping. Definately don't need night clubs, etc. There are so many opinions out there, it all becomes a bit overwhelming.

I tend to believe that we will create a great time out of anywhere we go...

idiganthro

One more question. If we may not be able to easily travel back there anytime soon, do you still suggest we skip Istria in favor of longer in Dalmatia?

rialtogrl

I know where you are at... wanting to do it all! Don't worry everything will come together. You have some time to ponder.

I love Istria and I ESPECIALLY love Rovinj so I would never say to give that up. What does concern me is going to Zagreb for only one night then going straight to Rovinj the next day. You won't get to experience Zagreb in one afternoon and evening and it just sounds exhausting.

You could consider flying directly to Pula which is the closest airport to Rovinj. It might cost a little more for the flight, but you could go directly to Rovinj. Where are you flying from?

You don't have too much time to see a lot of islands, but you could choose to stay on Hvar Island and visit Split before you board the ferry. It is not all about nightlife there (and in fact by the time you get there the season for that will be ending) but if you like walking, and scenery, you will love Hvar.

If you have two weeks, and can do 4 nights Istria, 2 nights Plitvice, 4 nights staying on Hvar with a full day trip to Split, 4 nights Dubrovnik.. that would be a nice trip.

kja

You've been getting some good advice. Let me add that these areas are remarkably different from one another, so you and your husband might want to prioritize the types of destination you wish to visit.

You are considering a laid-back Austrio-Hungarian city with worthy museums and other city-type sites (Zagreb); a dynamic, energetic, waterfront city with structures spanning two millennia (Split, which also give easy access to the magnificent stonework of Trogir); a small, quiet Italianate coastal city/town (Rovinj, which also gives easy access to once-abandoned or near-abandoned and recently "re"discovered hill towns); a magnificent (if small) city with glorious architecture (Dubrovnik).... I'm not listing the Plitvice Lakes because they are, IMO, the single most unskipable destination in glorious Croatia. And you are thinking of adding an island or two -- perhaps Hvar (beautiful, but way too upscale for my tastes) or whatever else you can actually get to in your time frame.

Unfortunately, you do NOT have time for it all. And that means that you need to decide whether to skip some places entirely or to skim the surface of what you do see, while spending more of your time getting from place to place. There's no right / wrong answer to that question -- it's up to your preferences. And people have decidedly different reactions to some of these places!

The good news is that you will see some wonderful things no matter what you decide.

yorkshire

Absolutely--there is nothing to add to the excellent advice above--just wanted to say you will love Croatia. Beautiful scenery and friendly, laid back people--not much to not like!

idiganthro

Thanks for all the great advice. I think we have decided upon an itinerary. We won't be able to see all that we'd like, but think it's a workable way to see as much of the country as possible, keeping with our "must sees" but not exhausting ourselves.


Day 1 Fly from US to Zagreb
Day 2 Arrive Zagreb and stay overnight
Day 3 Zagreb to Rovinj- sightsee along the way
Day 4 Rovinj
Day 5 Rovinj- explore Istria a little more (Pula)
Day 6 Rovinj to Plitvice- sightsee along the way and arrive pm
Day 7 Plitvice- tour/hike park
Day 8 Plitvice to Island (Hvar?)- sightsee along the way
Day 9 Hvar
Day 10 Hvar to Dubrovnik- sightsee along the way
Day 11 Dubrovnik
Day 12 Dubrovnik (Day trip to Kotor?)
Day 13 Dubrovnik (Visit an island? Kalamota?)
Day 14 Depart for US
Day 15 Arrive US

I'm sad we will miss some things, but I'm sure it will still be awesome!! At least we won't exactly know what we're missing so we can just enjoy what we do get to see.

kja

I trust you have checked the ferry schedules to ensure that you can, in fact, get to Hvar on day 8, and then get to Dubrovnik on day 10?