Some of what I am asking has been covered in part by other posts, but I'm trying to put together opinions on a very specific trip, so any help with any part of it will be greatly appreciated.

Next spring, my wife and I want to fly to Trieste since we've wanted to go there for a long time. After 2-3 days there, we want to rent a car and move down the coast of Croatia to Dbrovnik and then back. We would like to take our time doing this, maybe making two stops in Croatia for a couple of days each before then reaching Dbrovnik and staying there for 3-4 days. Returning, we'd like to do the same but stop at different places before we return the car back in Trieste. The amount of time we think we will devote to this trip is about 14-16 days.

Any suggestions or advice for any part of this trip will be welcomed!

Thanks.
james lee

I did this about a decade ago it was a super long slog and

quite expensive figuring miles parking petro...

renault eurodrive lease is the best way to do this for 2 weeks

couple of years ago seat61.com trained

over cheaper better and took the ferry back... lots cheaper

once from Dubrovnik to Bari once the Blue Line from

Split to Ancona... Venice is lots prettier than Trieste to me

Prince of Venice leaves for Croatia in season also good

deals on Costa others... vacationstogo.com

viamichelin.com check your miles pretty coast rocky beaches

but super long got boring for me lots of wierd roads turns

easy to get car sick my wife did several times we had to stop.

Happy Travels!

Mmmm....you have me second guessing myself! Thanks.

Have you checked the mileage? As qwovadis said, you're considering a LOT of miles. You would see some beautiful things - much of it from the car. Or rather, the passenger would see some beautiful things - the driver might not get to see very much. The limited stretches I drove within sight of the coast (and some of the inland roads, too) were among my most frustrating driving experiences because I knew the scenery was stunning, but the roads required my attention, so all I could do was catch an occasional glimpse between pulling off at overlooks - and doing that added a lot of time to my journey. Do consider flying out of Dubrovnik so you don't have to drive the whole way back. (You might also want to consider using buses or ferries for part of the trip.)

Be sure your rental car company allows you to cross the border and leave the car at your intended destination or find a way to drop a car off before crossing into Croatia and then use public transportation to get somewhere where you can pick up another rental for use in Croatia.

As for possible stops, any good guidebook should give you enough information to make decisions that match your interests. If it helps, my guess is that you would likely consider a stop somewhere in Istria (perhaps Rovinj); another 1/2 way from there to Split (either inland to the spectacular Plitvice Lakes or else somewhere along the coast, perhaps Sibenik with its easy access to the national park and waterfalls of Krka); a stop in Split or Trogir; and a stop on either Hvar or Korcula. But some people want to visit the Kvarnar Gulf or other places instead of the ones I mention, some people are more interested in one region than another, and how to divide your time really depends on your goals.

Hope that helps!

Thanks. I am becoming convinced that it's too long a trip, especially since my wife and I are not youngsters anymore (not by a long shot!). I am getting some rave recs. about the Croatia Only tour, so we may put ourselves in someone else's hands.
Again, thanks.
James

Pick up your rental in Croatia, take a leisurely tour down to Dubrovnik, drop off the car and fly back to Pula or Rijeka. Croatia Airlines offer lots of very cheap flights in spring/autumn.

For what it's worth, Croatia is very is easy to see independently, so if you can go without a tour if that is your preference. I found it easy to use the buses and ferries for many parts of the country, and only rented a car for a few segments where I wanted to travel more efficiently than I could with public transportation (e.g., in Istria, where I wanted to spend a day visiting some hill towns).

I have to say--maybe it's a Canadian view of distance--but I certainly wouldn't think Trieste to Dubrovnik was a terribly long drive if you included a couple of stopovers.
A friend and I drove from Ljubljana to Split in July, (there's a trip report on here somewhere) and very few places in the itinerary you plan would be such difficult driving that the driver wouldn't enjoy it. Also, judging by the roads we travelled, a lot of improvements have been made in the decade since quovadis did this trip.
Croatia is very beautiful, and not intimidating or difficult for English-speaking tourists.
I would agree with some alternate way -- I think Croatia Airlines has low-cost flights-- for the return.

Thanks for these good alternatives to consider.
James

FYI - I did not find the roads scary. I felt I needed to pay attention to the roads and drive defensively, but the roads were in good condition and were well marked. I suppose it depends on which roads you use.