My mate & I are driving down from Calais to Italy. We plan to drive into Milan, then past Bologna, Rome, Napoli etc., down the west side.

But we are in two minds, whether to ferry from Italy (Bari) to Croatia (Dubrovnik) for a week and work up along the coast, or go to Sicily and then head back from the bottom of Italy to the top.

The trip will be 16 days in September. If anyone can give advice/recommendations, as to Sicily or Croatia for a week. We are 24 and want to explore a little, visit hot sandy beaches and have a good time. We have a camper van, but will try and stay in a hotel some nights.

Basically... want to know what one would be better?

I liked Sicily a lot more than Croatia but I'm not 24 years old. Perhaps you should ask this of people your own age group on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree forum. I'm not saying that 24 year olds don't come to this site but the majority of frequent posters are older.

There are sand beaches on Sicily but I don't know how hot they will be toward the end of September. Don't know about beaches in Croatia but you're more apt to find "hot" on Sicily.

For Sicily you do have to explore if taking the camper van on the boat is allowed and if you can take the camper van on the ferry to Croatia.