johnmarkovich6873

Hi everyone - looking for advice. Def want to travel to both countries (doing one isn’t negotiable). 😉. We’ve researched and thought about our itinerary for weeks now as we plan for next summer. And we want to stay in one place for five nights (Rome or Dubrovnik) to maximize our Marriott points (staying a fourth night gets a fifth night free). So with that this is what we’ve come up with - better suggestions????

Fly into Rome and take train directly to Florence.

Nights 1-2: Florence
Nights 3-5: Rome
Nights 6-7: Split
Nights 8-12: Dubrovnik

we can’t really do more than twelve nights. Doable?

dreamon

Yes, of course it's doable but it wouldn't be my choice. With such a short time, I would prefer to concentrate on one region or country (which I know you've already said you don't want to do). I'd probably stay longer in Split than Dubrovnik.

For Italy to Split, consider the ferry or flying. Split to Dubrovnik is probably best done by bus, which is very scenic. Check getbybus.

joannyc

I'd flip the trip. Fly into Dubrovnik and out of Rome. Spend 5 nights in Rome which has much more to see. Debrovnick is much smaller, I believe.

KayF

Yes, it's possible but is it a good use of time? If you have two nights somewhere, it gives you one full day. So for Florence (depending on Rome flight arrival time) by the time you get to your hotel most of that day would be gone. Then you only have one day. Same with Split. Maybe you are fine with that and feel you can go back another time to the places you enjoyed the most.

There is more to see and do in Rome but we enjoyed Dubrovnik more. Spending your five nights in Rome makes more sense as it gives you time to see things. Rome is noisy and chaotic but in Dubrovnik, within the walls, there is no traffic so it's very walkable and much smaller than Rome.

If you can find a ferry across to Split from somewhere close to Florence, then that would save backtracking to Rome. So you'd do Rome, Florence, Split, Dubrovnik. There used to be a ferry from Venice to Rovinj (we loved it there) but that would mean re-working your trip. Just throwing the idea out there.

Sassafrass

I would definitely spend five nights (four days) in Rome with fewer in Dubrovnik. Rome is so much larger with so much more to see and do. There are also some great day trips from Rome.
You have an extremely rushed trip with no time in Tuscany outside of Florence (No Luca, Siena, Pisa, etc.? And no time in Croatia. (No Plitvice Lakes?)
Looks like
1 day Split
2 days Dubrovnik
1 day Florence
4 days Rome
The big concern is logistics getting from place to place, a lot of time eaten up by travel between places and the cost of travel time not used for seeing much.
You certainly want multi-city tickets, not two, one-way or round trip and super efficient planning. If this is what you feel you must do, don’t waste time trying to figure out bus schedules, etc. Unless they prove less efficient, use taxis to save time and get you where you need to be.

neckervd

Don't worry. If you like to visit just these 4 cities (neither countires nor landscape), just do it!
Book your Rome hotel close to a metro station in order to move rapidly within the city. Don't go to Florence just after a overnight fllight. The first (half) day there would be lost anyway. It might be easier to sleep all five nights in Rome and to visit Florence in day trips from there. The train journey from Rome to Florence lasts just 1 1/2 hrs.
The city of Dubrovnik can easily be visited in 1 day. But xyou jmay use DBV as a base for day trips to placs like Mljet, Korcula or Montenegro.

dreamon

And there are several islands even closer to Dubrovnik - and lots of places inland or along the coast - so plenty to do for four days (and more).

johnmarkovich6873

So many great thoughts. Thank you everyone. Lots to think about.

KTtravel

I enjoyed both Rome and Dubrovnik but would spend more days in Rome, given the choice. I would try to add at least another night to Florence and squeeze in the Plitvice lakes. Adding a 5th night somewhere just to get a free night's accommodation would likely not influence my trip. However, my trip may not be what you envision. You haven't mentioned what you hope to see and do in each location and what you consider to be a great trip: museums, walking tours, cultural events, food, shopping...?

johnmarkovich6873

Based on feedback here, we decided on a new itinerary and have agreed to fly into Croatia first as suggested. So as of right now we are going to fly into Zagreb and stay two nights (with a day trip to Plitvice National Park). Looks spectacular. Unfortunately we’ve decided to cut Split in order to cut down on expensive and transfers but will make it a priority for future travel. From Zagreb we’ll fly to Dubrovnik for five nights and do at least two day trips (one for sure to Elafiti Islands). Any recommendations here?

Then, we plan to fly direct to Rome and stay five nights with a day trip to Florence - we definitely want to do a half day wine tour in Tuscany. There’s so much to see in Rome so we thought extending to five nights would work better and also cuts down travel.

thanks so much to everyone for your feedback. Any other feedback is appreciated. 😁

KTtravel

That sounds like a great trip. Enjoy!

KayF

One thing to be aware of is that luggage allowance will be less if you are flying with any budget airlines within Europe. The budget airlines can be quite strict and costs are high even if only a few kilos in excess. If all your flights are booked on one ticket, you may find the international luggage allowance carries over to the European airlines. Take a copy of any relevant paperwork with you.

johnmarkovich6873

Thanks Kay - that’s a good tip. Will do!!!

jan47ete

Just some thoughts: spent a month in Florence upon retiring, cruised to Split and Dubrovnik, Rome about 5 times and planning again for Spring 2023. My future plans: booked Zagreb and Istrian Peninsula Nov 2021 for 3 weeks, Paris (5th time) booked for April 2022, Northern Italy (2020, 2021, so hopefully Nov 2022 for a month). Not a nature lover, more a city fanatic so just so you get my background in light of my comments..

I would try and not miss Split, sooo close, so to attempt to get back there in the future might not be very efficient. It looks like you are doing Rome and Dubrovnik with day trips out from each. Have you considered how much flying you are going to do? Does cost of your residence to Zagreb versus residence to Rome factor in at all? Have you considered Venice to be closer to Croatia? Or using the ferries? Do you use rom2rio.com. Just throwing these things out there but all the places you want to go are great. Enjoy.