Italy Croatia Bosnia

Old Nov 21st, 2017, 03:35 AM
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Italy Croatia Bosnia

2 Inexperienced married travellers arriving in Italy in June 18, we plan to stay in Rome 3 nights, train to Florence 2 nights, train to Venice 2 nights. Hire a car and drive Croatian coast stop somewhere midway overnight, then proceed to Dubrovnik 1 night then into Bosnia To Mostar 1 week and Sarajevo 1 week then home to Sydney. Any recommendations, assistance, guidance, is welcome flights are booked but that's about it. Would love to hear from other experienced a travellers before we book hotels etc.
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 05:15 AM
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To begin, most of your travel is entirely too busy. The Rome/Florence/Venice portion of your holiday shortchanges each of the cities. And a week each in Sarajevo and Mostar seems excessive, unless you have another reason to spend that much time in BiH? I have spent one week in total between the two cities, but that was because I was visiting friends.

Do consult some guidebooks or quality websites, and then plot your time based on interests on a calendar to include travel. That should help to refine your itinerary.

Happy Planning!
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 05:23 AM
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You will not be able to take a car from Italy into the Balkans. We rented a car from sixt rental service out of rovinj and dropped it back in rovinj to avoid the drop off fee. You can easily get to rovinj from Venice by train/bus or by hiring a car service which was not too expensive. For us, flying in and out of Venice was far cheaper than flying into or out of the Balkans.

IMO you have far too much time in Mostar and Sarajevo which only required two days each. Both were interesting. I would want to add at least a day to Rome which had so much to offer.

You may consider visiting Slovenia as well. Ljubljana is one of the loveliest cities we visited and trips to nearby Lake Bled and surroundings (gorge, castle, caves) were so worthwhile. Beware though...if you travel into Slovenia, you will need to purchase a vinyette before crossing the border to avoid a stiff fine.

Whatever you do will be wonderful. We recently returned from a month long vacation into this region and loved it.
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 06:57 AM
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In Italy book trains ASAP to score discounted tickets you can book online- www.trenitalia.com - www.seat61.com provides keen advice on doing that. General train info - www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Yes take train to Trieste and cross over into neighboring Croatia at Rijeka to rent your car.
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 07:04 AM
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I agree that a week in Mostar is excessive - one day is plenty. It is also excessive for Sarajevo but less so. I spent three full days there and wouldn't have minded another:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...ting-sarajevo/

And the following post.

I also agree that you are shortchanging Italy. I would recommend taking days from BH and using them for Italy, or for elsewhere in the Balkans. I have traveled in the Balkans without a car, mostly by bus although occasionally train travel works.
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 12:09 PM
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I have family in BIH, this part of the trip can be shortened a bit to extend stays in italy/croatia
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 05:07 PM
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Having the benefit of your comment about family in BiH, I won’t repeat the comments of others about your time in Mostar and Sarajevo (with which I generally agreed).

I also agree that your time everywhere else seems ridiculously rushed – too little time for my tasts in Rome, Florence, Venice, driving to Dubrovnik, and even Dubrovnik itself. But of course, it depends on what YOU want to see and experience. If you haven’t already done so, I think you would do well to identify the things you want to see and do in each location, check their opening hours, and then plot your wish list on a calendar.

It is easy to spend an entire month in Croatia and BiH -- and even then, you would have to skip a LOT. If Rome, Florence, and Venice are high priorities, note that that leg of your trip can easily take 2 weeks even at a fast clip.

If you haven't already done so, please consult some good guidebooks. Their cost will be nominal in comparison to the cost of your trip, you will have a wealth of information at your fingertips, and you will learn things that you don't even know to ask.

Good luck!
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 09:20 AM
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neckervd on Nov 21, 17 at 3:51pm

May be you read the answers you already got in your other threads. It may not be particularly helpful to open new threads in order to ask the same again and again.

Personally, I don't understand why you plan to go by train from Rome to Venice in order to rent there a car for a direct ride straight to Dubrovnik, without visiting anything in between. IMO a volotea flight VCE - DBV would be a much better choice.
Alternatively you could
backtrack to Rome and fly from there to DBV;
go by train from Venice to Bari and cross the Adriatic sea by Bari - Dubrovnik overnight ferry;
go by direct bus from Venice to Pula, by catamaran from Pula to Zadar and by bus from Zadar to Dubrovnik;
go by train from Venice to Trieste and by bus from there to Rijeka - Split - Dubrovnik.
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neckervd on Nov 21, 17 at 4:08pm

.... or leave Venice at 14.55 by direct train to Ancona, change there to the overnight ferry, arrive at Split at 7.00 and go on by catamaran (4-5 hrs journey) or bus (4 - 4 1/2 hrs journey).
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 09:48 AM
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Be sure to buy necessary decal at borders if needed to drive in a certain country- someone recently complained about entering I think Croatia and not noticing the sign saying that and was pulled over quickly and given some steep fine.

Research each country's various motoring laws too and get an International Driving Permit at your local AAA.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 06:22 AM
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There's a lot more to the Mostar area than just a tick in the box few hours in the Old Town.....a trip to nearby Medugorje and Blagaj for example.

Taking the 2 hour train ride Mostar to Sarajevo is a great scenic experience.

Sarajevo is a fascinating place, best explored on foot at a leisurely pace. Me and the cook stayed last month in a 3rd floor apartment on Sniper Alley last month for 6 nights, and thoroughly enjoyed not forcing ourselves to rush around.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 12:19 PM
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There is also a catamaran from Venice to Rovinj and Pula if needed.
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Old Nov 26th, 2017, 06:36 PM
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First time user of this website, so apologies firstly for incorrect use and secondly I had started 3 threads as I had 3 questions. Perhaps I needed to keep it all to one thread. I still have more questions and further explanations regarding my trip. Any advice as to how I go about this?
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Old Nov 26th, 2017, 08:08 PM
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IMO, one thread is best -- as long as the title lets people know what you are asking.

And don't worry -- we've all made mistakes in figuring out how best to seek the advice we want.
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