SentimentalLady

I am new to Fodors Forum and have started planning our family's summer vacation but now I really need some help.

When we first started thinking about this year's destination, we had our hearts set on Greece, visiting Macedonia and Crete, but now my husband says he wants to visit Croatia, which is a place I have also wanted to see. We have two teenage children (ages 16 and 18), have travelled to Europe before and always rent a car and then drive from place to place. Our interests are varied, we enjoy some down time at the beach and do we not want to rush and have to move around too much.

I guess my question is simple. If you had 18 days, where would you go? We will count the votes and that is where we will go.

Thanks.

isabel

I think you could actually have a very enjoyable trip to either Croatia or Crete in about 9 days so you could do both.

We spent 8 days on our recent trip to Crete, although we limited ourselves to the western half. And probably could have been happy for as long as 18 days.

A previous trip to Croatia was also 8 days and felt we saw what we wanted. With longer I'd have gone up to Slovania (which I did another 8 or so day trip on a different trip).

Guess I really didn't answer your question, did I? Here's my photos to both, maybe they can help you decide.

http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p18934947 Crete
http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/f244307974 Croatia

kja

Here are some threads that you might find helpful, particularly because the involve a family with remarkably similar composition, interests, and time frames:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...in-16-days.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...es-choices.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-sicily.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...in-15-days.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-to-choose.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nia-greece.cfm

yorkshire

Why not read up on Croatia a bit and decide what fits your interests? I am sorry, I just think counting random comments is a terrible way to plan a trip! With over 1000 island and so many miles of coastline, there are countless options. However, with 18 days, it is safe to assume you can traverse the entire coastline seeing the highlights and a few off the beaten path places as well (but in summer, those latter options are fewer). It is not always the easiest place to get affordable airfare to, so I would definitely check into that first--both north and south are fabulous, so I would certainly let airfare help dictate my choices.

SentimentalLady

The counting of the "votes" was only a guide for us to see where others would choose to go between the two destinations.

We have read up on both Croatia and Greece (Macedonia and Crete) and love them both and that is why we need some help choosing. If we decide to go to Croatia, we would most likely fly into Venice or Trieste and fly out of Dubrovnik. This way we can see Istria, the coast, including Split and Zadar and an island or two, and hopefully see Plitvice National Park.

Greece would be a little more time consuming as we would have to travel by car from Athens to Thessaloniki then try and take a ferry to Crete (if one exists). The thing that attracts us to Macedonia is that it seems far less travelled than other places we have been to and people we know who have been there have said it is fabulous. And Crete has been on our wish list for many years.

Thanks for your responses and for the links. They came in very helpful.

SentimentalLady

Isabel, your pictures are just wonderful. You actually made our decision even more difficult

We can do both places in 8 or 9 days each but would rather spend the entire time in one country. When you were in Croatia, can you tell me where you based yourselves? Did you travel from the north to the south? Slovenia looks very interesting as well...oh, oh..

isabel

Our Croatia trip started in Dubrovnik, we day trips from there to Mostar and Montenegro, and then we took the ferry to Korcula and a few days later another ferry to Split (from which we did a day trip to Trogir).

The Slovenia trip I did Ljublana (with day trip to Lake Bled) and then bus to Piran.

Trip report for Croatia - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rful-weeks.cfm (scroll half way down to get past the Italy part)

Trip report for Slovenia - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-slovenia.cfm

I know it's so hard to decide. But really with the places you are considering you can't go wrong.

Trip report for Crete - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ith-photos.cfm

Heimdall

Greek Macedonia doesn't get much mention on this board, and I haven't been there myself, but know it has a lot to offer. You certainly won't find a ferry to Crete in the Thessaloniki area. They all leave from Piraeus, with the exception of one or two small ferries in the southern Peloponnese. I doubt the rental company would allow you to take their car on a ferry, anyway.

If you wish to combine Macedonia and and Crete, a better plan would be to start out in Thessaloniki, rent a car there, then turn it in before heading to Crete. Rent another car on Crete. Or do it vice-versa, starting out in Crete and then Macedonia.

If you are entering Greece at Athens, you could rent a car there for the drive up north. Delphi would be a good place to visit on the way. You may be able to arrange a drop-off at Thessaloniki. There are some good deals on flights from Thessaloniki Airport to Chania and Heraklion on Crete, some non-stop, and some via Athens. That would be much better than returning to Athens for the long overnight ferry to Crete.