Hi all! Hoping for some advice on a trip my partner and i are looking to do in early September. We are wanting to see some of Italy, Croatia and Istanbul before flying to Vietnam for a few weeks.

For Italy we were thinking of seeing Sicily then making our way to Puglia with a potential stop in Calabria on the way. We are thinking of doing Italy for 2 weeks before boarding the overnight ferry from Puglia (i think from Bari) to Dubrovnik in Croatia. We are then planning to spend about 10-14 days in Croatia making our way from Dubrovnik to Zagreb, where we fly out of to Istanbul (unless someone else knows a better way to get from Croatia to Istanbul??), where we could potentially spend a week before flying to Vietnam.

Does anyone have any ideas on itineries for this sort of a trip, particular the Italy, Croatia and Istanbul sections? Places that are must sees or places to avoid? how long in each place would be recommended? Would Calabria be worth the stop over on the way to Puglia (i think theres a train from palermo to calabria...) and for how long if so / where abouts? Is it a dangerous place? For background my partner and I love going to places and immersing ourselves in the culture - very much the type that love trying the local food, wine and spending time outdoors as opposed to seeing lots of museums etc.

We have only just started thinking about the trip so would really appreciate any advice/suggestions that anyone has etc. Thank you in advance!

Click on my name above to find my Sicily trip report that may help.

These are all wonderful locations; your main difficulty will be deciding which places to skip.

I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, including AT LEAST two or three hours on either side (for getting to/from the airport or whatever, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, obtaining currency, and getting oriented). Then see how things fit together.

FWIW: I spent 2 weeks in Sicily and thought it too little. I spent just a few days in Puglia, knowing in advance that it was too little; I just wanted a "taste". I spent 3 weeks in Croatia (not counting another week in locations nearby). I spent 6 days in Istanbul and wish I'd had more time there (not to mention 2.5 weeks in other parts of western Turkey). I visited all of these as a solo female, and did not feel unsafe. YMMV.

Hope that helps!

thanks bobthenavigator! terrific report. do you think that most places would be do-able without driving? not sure we
want to hire a car...

thanks kja, we've just purchased the croatia and sicily / southern italy lonely planet guides

Some years ago now we spent about 3 weeks in Sicily without a car and stayed in Siracusa, Taormina, Cefalu, Palermo, Selinunte al Mare, and Lipari. Some trains, some buses, and a boat to the Eolian Islands - no problem with public transportation on these routes. Fabulous vacation.