Proposed Itinerary for Venice/Croatia Trip -
Oct 26th, 2011, 06:10 AM
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Proposed Itinerary for Venice/Croatia Trip -
Below is my proposed Itineraty for a trip to the Venice/Croatia. The middle part is a little loose but planned that way. The flight on both ends are almost settled and costed. I have a float/catch up date in here in case I decide to stay somewhere longer.
Thoughts ????
Itinerary
Fri 11/18 Fly to Milan
Sat 11/19 Arrive/Train to Venice
Sun 11/20 Venice
Mon 11/21 Venice
Tue 11/22 Train/Bus to Pula. Night in Pula
Wed 11/23 Pula late Bus to Rijeka,
Thur 11/24 Visit Palace then Rent Car and head South
Fri 11/25 Drive Dalmatia Coast - Zadar
Sat 11/26 Drive Dalmatia Coast - ?
Sun 11/27 Drive Dalmatia Coast - Trogir
Mon 11/28 Split/Return Car/Bus to Dubrovnik / Could be Float/catch up day
Tues 11/29 Dubrovnik
Wed 11/20 Dubrovnik
Thur 12/01 Dubrovnik
Fri- 12/02 Dubrovnik/Fly to Zagreb
Sat- 12/03 Fly from Zagreb to US
Thoughts ????
Itinerary
Fri 11/18 Fly to Milan
Sat 11/19 Arrive/Train to Venice
Sun 11/20 Venice
Mon 11/21 Venice
Tue 11/22 Train/Bus to Pula. Night in Pula
Wed 11/23 Pula late Bus to Rijeka,
Thur 11/24 Visit Palace then Rent Car and head South
Fri 11/25 Drive Dalmatia Coast - Zadar
Sat 11/26 Drive Dalmatia Coast - ?
Sun 11/27 Drive Dalmatia Coast - Trogir
Mon 11/28 Split/Return Car/Bus to Dubrovnik / Could be Float/catch up day
Tues 11/29 Dubrovnik
Wed 11/20 Dubrovnik
Thur 12/01 Dubrovnik
Fri- 12/02 Dubrovnik/Fly to Zagreb
Sat- 12/03 Fly from Zagreb to US
Oct 26th, 2011, 04:05 PM
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You can reach Rijeka and Pula by train but otherwise I didn't find much reason for visiting either. What palace is it you want to visit in Rijeka?
Consider renting a car upon arrival in Rijeka and seeing something of the hilltowns in Istria and Rovinj or Porec. Then continuing on to the Dalmatian coast. Why wouldn't you drive all the way to Dubrovnik instead of taking the bus?
Along the Dalmatian coast, Sibenik and Krka National Park are well worth a visit. Also Diocletian's Palace in Split, which started out as a retirement home for the Roman emperor but became a part of the fabric of the city.
It seems like you're doing a lot of driving and moving around in general. Dubrovnik can be seen in one day. I'd take a day or 2 from there and add it to the earlier part of your time on the Dalmatian coast. Croatia is such a great place to slow down and take it easy. We actually went from Dubrovnik to Split by boat: Jadrolinija boat to Korcula Island, then a catamaran to Split.
Consider renting a car upon arrival in Rijeka and seeing something of the hilltowns in Istria and Rovinj or Porec. Then continuing on to the Dalmatian coast. Why wouldn't you drive all the way to Dubrovnik instead of taking the bus?
Along the Dalmatian coast, Sibenik and Krka National Park are well worth a visit. Also Diocletian's Palace in Split, which started out as a retirement home for the Roman emperor but became a part of the fabric of the city.
It seems like you're doing a lot of driving and moving around in general. Dubrovnik can be seen in one day. I'd take a day or 2 from there and add it to the earlier part of your time on the Dalmatian coast. Croatia is such a great place to slow down and take it easy. We actually went from Dubrovnik to Split by boat: Jadrolinija boat to Korcula Island, then a catamaran to Split.
Oct 26th, 2011, 07:11 PM
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Without knowing your interests and travel preferences, it is hard to offer constructive comments on your plan. I think Mimar offers some comments that are well worth considering in light of your personal goals.
Oct 27th, 2011, 05:20 AM
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Jadrolinija does not run after 01 October, so best to use the bus from Split to Dubrovnik. Since you are coming during our winter season, our historical sites are open limited hours from 1000 until 1500. You certainly can "see" Dubrovnik in one day, but not experience the essence. Weather is also changing, bring an umbrella, warm jacket and boots.
Oct 27th, 2011, 11:07 AM
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Personal interests? Usually I like cities and go see sites during the day and hit cafe/bars at night. I usually fly or train into the city center and use it as my base spending 3 days in each city. Since I will be travelling alone, more than 3 days in one location (big city) makes me go a little crazy and I start talking to myself.
Croatia is a little different as there are no real big cities and I would like to treat the coastline like going down the PCH or 101 in California (looks somewhat like Monterey to Santa Barbara). Maybe I am wrong on this comparison but going with it for now.
I would like to hit some small towns and pretty places. A little nervous on driving as I have travelled the world but never rented a car outside of the US so trying to venture by car into a tight urban location makes me somewhat nervous.
Other personal interests? Roman Ruins, Old Castles, Old Palaces, gated towns and everything with in the walls -shops/bars/restaurants or urban places where I can park, drink and sleep. Again, venturing out to small villages would also be a good change of pace, even if only for a day.
About me: In the past, I have said on this site that I am a experienced traveler who is a overworked tech worker that is 40 something with a young mind who will be travelling alone. Run hard during the day being a tourist and sometimes hard at night.
Croatia is a little different as there are no real big cities and I would like to treat the coastline like going down the PCH or 101 in California (looks somewhat like Monterey to Santa Barbara). Maybe I am wrong on this comparison but going with it for now.
I would like to hit some small towns and pretty places. A little nervous on driving as I have travelled the world but never rented a car outside of the US so trying to venture by car into a tight urban location makes me somewhat nervous.
Other personal interests? Roman Ruins, Old Castles, Old Palaces, gated towns and everything with in the walls -shops/bars/restaurants or urban places where I can park, drink and sleep. Again, venturing out to small villages would also be a good change of pace, even if only for a day.
About me: In the past, I have said on this site that I am a experienced traveler who is a overworked tech worker that is 40 something with a young mind who will be travelling alone. Run hard during the day being a tourist and sometimes hard at night.
Oct 27th, 2011, 12:02 PM
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The Old City of Dubrovnik doesn't merit more than a couple of days. We had 3 nights there and struggled to fill our time in the City. Thank goodness we did the three islands boat tour as we had too much time. Different, of course, if you are basing yourself in Dubrovnik and have plans to visit the surrounding areas.
Oct 27th, 2011, 05:11 PM
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Helpful info, Subway_Scoundrel! Given your interests:
You might want to plan at least a day/night in Split. People seem to have very mixed views of it, but I found it dynamic and energetic and fascinating. I think you'll have a much easier time finding interesting cafes/bars at night in Split than in Trogir. (I'm not saying to skip Trogir - it has some of the most amazing Medieval stonework anywhere! But Trogir is quieter at night and can be seen in a few hours if you choose to do so.) While in Split, be sure to roam around Diocletian's Palace and visit the Baptistry and Cathedral.
Dubrovnik is a truly wonderful place, but as Dubrovniktravelady says, its much more quiet during the off-season. As many people have said, you can see its highlights in 1 day; I was glad to have more time than that. If it's open when you're there, don't miss the Buza Bar!
Zadar probably makes sense for you, as it has a university and so probably has a night life that isn't dependent solely on tourists. And it has an interesting mix of sites from Roman times forward. Be sure to stop at the Sea Organ and nearby "Greeting to the Sun."
I didn't stop in Rijeka, but suspect that Opatija is more likely to offer a variety of nightlife options in a walkable zone. I think someone mentioned, perhaps on your other thread, that Lovran might provide a better option. I stayed in Lovran and was very glad I did, but it is an extremely quiet little place, even near high season; Opatija, with its many resort hotels, was full of people and restaurants.
I drove from Zadar to Rijeka, but not directly. As I recall the shortest option wouldn't have been all that interesting. I took an indirect route because I wanted to visit a few places (Nin and Rab) that would have been much more difficult to at my preferred pace using public transportation. As I recall, there were some interesting sections, but I wouldn't have gone out of my way to drive it. And getting to/around Rijeka was quite frankly a pain. By contrast, I found the buses very comfortable and enjoyed the freedom they gave me (a solo traveler) to appreciate the scenery.
I think you would to well to consider taking a bus from wherever you end up in Istria to at least Zadar. BTW, I went from Split to Zadar by bus, and was glad I did - I could see the scenery without danger. And the stretch from Split to Dubrovnik is glorious - I'm extremely glad I didn't drive that part, as I wanted to see every bit!
If weather permits, I second Mimar's suggestion to visit Sibenik (which will probably be rather quiet when you are there, but has some delightful corners and a magnificent and unusual cathedral) and the Krka National Park (with its glorious travertine waterfalls).
Given that you like cities, I'm surprised that you aren't leaving any time to visit Zagreb. But I acknowledge that many people skip it.
> A little nervous on driving as I have travelled the world but never rented a car outside of the US so trying to venture by car into a tight urban location makes me somewhat nervous.
There have been several posts on this board about driving in Croatia; I recommend you search for them. From my experience, the major roads are easy to drive, well laid out, and well-signed (except that you'll need to know to identify the direction you want to go by the names of cities, not road numbers, and that can be counterintuitive at times - e.g., to head north from Zadar to Rijeka, you may need to head to "Zagreb" even though Zagreb is not anywhere along that route). (viamichelin or mappy will be helpful with that.) Once off the major roads, I found road surfaces and signage easy to manage, but I found other drivers much more aggressive than I would have preferred - many drove substantially over the speed limit and took blind curves in the lane intended for oncoming traffic, so I felt the need to be overly defensive in my driving. I frequently pulled over to let others pass, but there weren't always places to do so. Like the PCH, there are times that a driver simply can not (or at least should not!) fully enjoy the views without pulling off, and there aren't always places to do that.
Hope that helps!
You might want to plan at least a day/night in Split. People seem to have very mixed views of it, but I found it dynamic and energetic and fascinating. I think you'll have a much easier time finding interesting cafes/bars at night in Split than in Trogir. (I'm not saying to skip Trogir - it has some of the most amazing Medieval stonework anywhere! But Trogir is quieter at night and can be seen in a few hours if you choose to do so.) While in Split, be sure to roam around Diocletian's Palace and visit the Baptistry and Cathedral.
Dubrovnik is a truly wonderful place, but as Dubrovniktravelady says, its much more quiet during the off-season. As many people have said, you can see its highlights in 1 day; I was glad to have more time than that. If it's open when you're there, don't miss the Buza Bar!
Zadar probably makes sense for you, as it has a university and so probably has a night life that isn't dependent solely on tourists. And it has an interesting mix of sites from Roman times forward. Be sure to stop at the Sea Organ and nearby "Greeting to the Sun."
I didn't stop in Rijeka, but suspect that Opatija is more likely to offer a variety of nightlife options in a walkable zone. I think someone mentioned, perhaps on your other thread, that Lovran might provide a better option. I stayed in Lovran and was very glad I did, but it is an extremely quiet little place, even near high season; Opatija, with its many resort hotels, was full of people and restaurants.
I drove from Zadar to Rijeka, but not directly. As I recall the shortest option wouldn't have been all that interesting. I took an indirect route because I wanted to visit a few places (Nin and Rab) that would have been much more difficult to at my preferred pace using public transportation. As I recall, there were some interesting sections, but I wouldn't have gone out of my way to drive it. And getting to/around Rijeka was quite frankly a pain. By contrast, I found the buses very comfortable and enjoyed the freedom they gave me (a solo traveler) to appreciate the scenery.
I think you would to well to consider taking a bus from wherever you end up in Istria to at least Zadar. BTW, I went from Split to Zadar by bus, and was glad I did - I could see the scenery without danger. And the stretch from Split to Dubrovnik is glorious - I'm extremely glad I didn't drive that part, as I wanted to see every bit!
If weather permits, I second Mimar's suggestion to visit Sibenik (which will probably be rather quiet when you are there, but has some delightful corners and a magnificent and unusual cathedral) and the Krka National Park (with its glorious travertine waterfalls).
Given that you like cities, I'm surprised that you aren't leaving any time to visit Zagreb. But I acknowledge that many people skip it.
> A little nervous on driving as I have travelled the world but never rented a car outside of the US so trying to venture by car into a tight urban location makes me somewhat nervous.
There have been several posts on this board about driving in Croatia; I recommend you search for them. From my experience, the major roads are easy to drive, well laid out, and well-signed (except that you'll need to know to identify the direction you want to go by the names of cities, not road numbers, and that can be counterintuitive at times - e.g., to head north from Zadar to Rijeka, you may need to head to "Zagreb" even though Zagreb is not anywhere along that route). (viamichelin or mappy will be helpful with that.) Once off the major roads, I found road surfaces and signage easy to manage, but I found other drivers much more aggressive than I would have preferred - many drove substantially over the speed limit and took blind curves in the lane intended for oncoming traffic, so I felt the need to be overly defensive in my driving. I frequently pulled over to let others pass, but there weren't always places to do so. Like the PCH, there are times that a driver simply can not (or at least should not!) fully enjoy the views without pulling off, and there aren't always places to do that.
Hope that helps!
Oct 27th, 2011, 08:16 PM
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My experiences of Croatia go back to the 1980s when I was a backpacking grad student traveling on a shoestring, and it remains in my memory among my favorite places in the world. I did travel in the spring and early summer, so you obviously won't be doing as much sunning on the rocks this November as I did then, but nonetheless, I would recommend slowing down and savoring that amazing coastline.
First off, Venice, however you arrive there (railroad and then vaporetto into the city is the nicest, I think): I'd concur about giving yourself a little more time and PLEASE stay somewhere well away from San Marco. You can walk anywhere in Venice in much less time than you'd imagine, and the vaporetto system is great fun when your feet wear out, so don't worry too much about where you stay as long as it is away from the tourist and cruise ship surge of San Marco. My personal favorite neighborhood is around Campo San Polo, where you are close enough walk to the major sites, within 10 minutes of the Rialto (where you will want to start your day walking the stalls of the market there!) yet you will get a good feel for how the remaining Venetians live just wandering around and sitting during the afternoon passegiato.
There used to be (and presume still is) an overnight ferry from Venice over to the Dalmatian Coast. I recall it being an evocative way to enter Croatia. You might want to check into that. I traveled most of the way by short ferry jaunts and recommend it, though can't speak for the current system. www.jadrolinija.hr. But you can work your way down the coast that way and may enjoy the scenery (and interesting company) much more than if you are trying to drive it. And as someone recommended, do take a trip out to the islands off Dubrovnik as well.
My favorite place was Split, which I happened upon on the advice of a fellow traveler and I found it absolutely magical, wandering around viewing the architectural strata of history visible from the Diocletian Palace onward/outward. Dubrovnik is beautiful to explore, but a couple days I think is probably enough, unless you are looking to just relax and hang out for awhile. Have a grand adventure!
First off, Venice, however you arrive there (railroad and then vaporetto into the city is the nicest, I think): I'd concur about giving yourself a little more time and PLEASE stay somewhere well away from San Marco. You can walk anywhere in Venice in much less time than you'd imagine, and the vaporetto system is great fun when your feet wear out, so don't worry too much about where you stay as long as it is away from the tourist and cruise ship surge of San Marco. My personal favorite neighborhood is around Campo San Polo, where you are close enough walk to the major sites, within 10 minutes of the Rialto (where you will want to start your day walking the stalls of the market there!) yet you will get a good feel for how the remaining Venetians live just wandering around and sitting during the afternoon passegiato.
There used to be (and presume still is) an overnight ferry from Venice over to the Dalmatian Coast. I recall it being an evocative way to enter Croatia. You might want to check into that. I traveled most of the way by short ferry jaunts and recommend it, though can't speak for the current system. www.jadrolinija.hr. But you can work your way down the coast that way and may enjoy the scenery (and interesting company) much more than if you are trying to drive it. And as someone recommended, do take a trip out to the islands off Dubrovnik as well.
My favorite place was Split, which I happened upon on the advice of a fellow traveler and I found it absolutely magical, wandering around viewing the architectural strata of history visible from the Diocletian Palace onward/outward. Dubrovnik is beautiful to explore, but a couple days I think is probably enough, unless you are looking to just relax and hang out for awhile. Have a grand adventure!
Oct 29th, 2011, 10:08 AM
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Wow Thanks !! Great Info. And after re-reading my peronal interests post, I promise you I am not a drunk and maybe not as much of a "wild and crazy guy" as that sounded. ;-)
Looking over my scehdule I am going to add another day to Venice. I have been to Venice before and only had a couple of days and told myself I would be back. Got lost on a boat to Murano (missed the stop) and ended up riding to all the islands for 4 hours which was cool, but lost some time to explore Venice.
I wish there were ferries running from Venice to Istria but can not find any. Thought I would ask while I was there in case I missed it online. If not, I will take the train/bus.
I am leaving much of the Croatian coastline part open to decide if take a bus or rent a car. Venturing off for some of the trip would be nice by car. I just watched Michael Palins' New Europe (Croatia/Bosnia/further sout) which was great (outside of the last 4 miutes in Albania which I can not get out of mind) and he spent some time in Split which looked nice.
I think I will shorten Dubrovnik but need to decide if I leave it open or plan on leaving a day early and go to Zagreb for another day. Trying to get the $60 one way flight on Croatian Airlines but looks like plenty of seats left while I investigate.
For why I am flying into Milan? Mostly becuase of cost, although it might not be the smartest decision. I think I can get there about the same time (maybe a little longer)and a little bit cheaper. I have flown into Milan before and went to Milano Central via bus but looks like you can take a train from MXP which I guess goes through M-Central and on to Vencice. Again, alot of my flight decision was based when I could get out on Friday (working day but going to sneak out early)and costs.
Thanks again for all the info and since I am leaving some open times/dates/ and such, please continue to add.
Looking over my scehdule I am going to add another day to Venice. I have been to Venice before and only had a couple of days and told myself I would be back. Got lost on a boat to Murano (missed the stop) and ended up riding to all the islands for 4 hours which was cool, but lost some time to explore Venice.
I wish there were ferries running from Venice to Istria but can not find any. Thought I would ask while I was there in case I missed it online. If not, I will take the train/bus.
I am leaving much of the Croatian coastline part open to decide if take a bus or rent a car. Venturing off for some of the trip would be nice by car. I just watched Michael Palins' New Europe (Croatia/Bosnia/further sout) which was great (outside of the last 4 miutes in Albania which I can not get out of mind) and he spent some time in Split which looked nice.
I think I will shorten Dubrovnik but need to decide if I leave it open or plan on leaving a day early and go to Zagreb for another day. Trying to get the $60 one way flight on Croatian Airlines but looks like plenty of seats left while I investigate.
For why I am flying into Milan? Mostly becuase of cost, although it might not be the smartest decision. I think I can get there about the same time (maybe a little longer)and a little bit cheaper. I have flown into Milan before and went to Milano Central via bus but looks like you can take a train from MXP which I guess goes through M-Central and on to Vencice. Again, alot of my flight decision was based when I could get out on Friday (working day but going to sneak out early)and costs.
Thanks again for all the info and since I am leaving some open times/dates/ and such, please continue to add.
Oct 30th, 2011, 07:02 AM
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There is a boat from Venice to Istria but it only runs in the summer: www.venezialines.com.
You do need to take into account the weather. It's not sunny and warm all day every day all year round in Croatia. In November the sun sets early, and tourist sites may be closed or have curtailed hours. Be prepared to change your plans depending on the weather at the time. Cities offer more to do in bad weather. Glsd you're spending more time in Venice.
You do need to take into account the weather. It's not sunny and warm all day every day all year round in Croatia. In November the sun sets early, and tourist sites may be closed or have curtailed hours. Be prepared to change your plans depending on the weather at the time. Cities offer more to do in bad weather. Glsd you're spending more time in Venice.
Oct 31st, 2011, 10:30 AM
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We liked Rovinj. If you stay there you can drive to the hill towns. We went to a couple of hill towns and the then went to see the colliseum in Pulia in one day. We also liked Plitvic national park with the waterfalls. We spent one night in Split and that was enough for us. We went 2 or 3 years ago and they were were working on extending the main highway to Dubrovnik. If they completed it, I thought that the roads were better there than in the US. If you are driving near the coast off the main highways it can be more challenging. If you get to Dubrovnik, take a cab up above the town to the war memorial. This was the best view in town. Also, got to both Buza bars, one has Dean Martin music and the other has Beatles music.
I wish I was going to Croatia. We are in our late 50's and go somewhere different each year. This was a couple of years ago and I do not know where you are originating from, but we got a really cheap fare on Altalia into Venice. We rented a car from Economycarrentals.com in Venice and got a really cheap deal. You have to drive briefly through Slovenia to get to Croatia. We went to Lake Bled and then to Croatia.
I wish I was going to Croatia. We are in our late 50's and go somewhere different each year. This was a couple of years ago and I do not know where you are originating from, but we got a really cheap fare on Altalia into Venice. We rented a car from Economycarrentals.com in Venice and got a really cheap deal. You have to drive briefly through Slovenia to get to Croatia. We went to Lake Bled and then to Croatia.
