We need help, please, with Croatia itinerary
 

We will have one week in Croatia in early August. We have bought a couple of guidebooks, are looking at past posts here, but still would love some help. There is more to see than possible in one week. We will most likely rent a car. (Anyone have a recommendation for a car rental company that will let us pick up in Croatia and drop off in Slovenia?)

We are budget travelers and would like to find accommodations for $80/nt or below. We don't want to spend all our time driving but the places seem pretty spread out.

We know we want to visit Dubrovnik but where else do you suggest? Is there a place that we could stay for a couple of days and would be convenient to visit other locations? If we must choose only 3 locations, which would you suggest?

We really think we must skip Plitvice and stick to some places on the coast.

We also prefer to find accommodations as we go (sobes, zimmers, etc.) . . . will that be a problem in early August?

Thanks for any help you can give,
Sandy (in Denton)

I chose "Croatia" as a tag but only Slovenia showed up, drats!

Hi Sandy

We loved Dubrovnik and stayed inside the Old Town which we really liked. It was quite peaceful in the mornings before the day tours arrived. Dubrovnik is a popular place for cruise ships so there were always heaps of tourists during the day but then it quietens down again for the evening. We stayed here:
http://www.dubrovnik-amoret.com/dubr...partments.html

I was also looking into this place which looks OK:

http://www.dubrovnik-area.com/Eng/de...ajID=RZ-A-0459

We really liked Croatia and it's people and said we would like to return. We just had our second trip there and concentrated on Istria, the bit at the top, near Slovenia. I think it's a bit too far to travel from Dubrovnik up to Rovinj (which is lovely), perhaps you should concentrate on the coastal area between, say, Split and Dubrovnik and visit a couple of the islands.

You will probably find it cheaper to collect and drop off a car within the same country. I did look at hiring in Croatia but found Italy to be cheaper. I also looked at picking up in Croatia and dropping off in Italy and that was dearer too. We went with Hertz as we have had good experiences with them.

August is peak time for Croatia, I'm not sure that just rocking up is such a good idea but others who've done this may have a different opinion. If it was me, I'd book now to get somewhere in your price range that you are happy with.

If you make it as far as Piran, on the sliver of Slovenian coast, you might like this place, we paid 60 euro a night but it may be more in summer:
http://www.maxpiran.com/

Kay

In Dubrovnik you will probably be able to find accommodation at the last minute through the tourist office, but it may not be what you want as all the nicest places will be booked up well in advance. There will always be some sobes available.

Where are you flying into? That will determine very much where you go and what you see thereafter. If you can tell us that then we can help plan your itinerary.

I used www.economycarrentals.com they do not charge for dropping in another location within one country, but I don't know what their policy is on that. You could have a look at their website anyway. I found them fine to use.

My first time to Croatia I only had a week. I flew into Split, picked up a car, spent one night in Trogir, one night in Mostar (well worth a visit) and then 4 in Dubrovnik. This included a day in Montenegro. My sixth day I drove up to Orebic, parked up and took a foot-ferry across to Korcula town. Later I drove across the peninsula to Trpanj and got the car ferry to Ploce. I headed back up towards Split, stopping overnight at Brela. My final day I continued to Split, saw Diocletian's Palace and the town, before going back to the airport for my return flight.

As you yourself say, there is too much to see! I am going back in October for the third time!

Here is my trip report of our trip to Croatia. It was fantastic. Just skip the first part about Hungry!

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ummer-2006.cfm

Where are you flying in to and out of?
Accommodation could be a problem in very popular places, as August is high season.

KayF, thanks for the websites, I looked at them and am going to email them to check for avail.

Julia_t, that was certainly am ambitious schedule, did you think you missed a lot by not staying in one location for a few days? I checked out that rental car site, the prices are VERY good.

Images2, I LOVED your report! We're also going to Budapest so I didn't have to skip any of it. Lots of great info and I'm jealous that we don't have the time to follow your route.

yorkshire, We are arriving in Zagreb from Budapest by train on Fri, Jul 30 and we need to be on our way to Ljubljiana the next Fri, Aug 7.

Thanks for your help,
Sandy (in Denton)

Hi Sandy,

have you considered flying from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, have a few days there, then collect your hire car to drive up the coast and on to Ljubljiana? I'm pretty sure there are flights, try Croatia Airlines. It could save quite a bit of time.

When we flew into Dubrovnik, there was a bus waiting outside arrivals, cost a few kuna/euro each, and 20 mins later we were dropped at the main gate of the Old Town. You don't need or want a car in Dubrovnik and you would save on money by hiring it a few days later, when you are leaving Dubrovnik.

Kay

Well, it didn't seem that rushed. Trogir is very close to Split airport, so an evening and the following morning was enough, it is very small. I had 24 hours in Mostar which was just about enough.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...llet-holes.cfm

I did spend 4 nights in Dubrovnik so I had 3 full days to spare in Dubrovnik and spent one of those going to Montenegro. I spent half a day on Lokrum, and spent the rest of the time exploring Dubrovnik itself. I'm glad I had that down-time, originally I had wanted to visit Hvar as well but realised it would be too much.

The last day was the busiest and with the most travelling, but it was still fun!

My last trip was just to Dubrovnik and then only for 3 nights and 2 1/2 days. I went up on Mt Srd, explored the hills behind Konavle and Cavtat. Took a boat tour of the Elafiti Islands, and enjoyed being back in Dubrovnik.

Here is one sample itinerary for hitting "the highlights"
Fri, Jul 30 arrive Zagreb
rent car, drive to Plitvice, overnight there
July 31 (or Aug 1) drive to Trogir/Spit
Now at this point, you could drop off the car and ferry to an island, or keep the car until Dubrovnik so you can explore, but then you will be limited to car ferries and have to make sure the rental agency allows cars on ferries.
August is high season, so I would avoid Hvar town and Korcula town (but other places on those islands may be okay--that will also help with your accommodation costs.) I would try Sobra myself. Also, remember that summer traffic may be heavy. Your biggest challenge is going to be crowds--some accommodation should be booked in advance--in particular Dubrovnik. (Unless maybe the economy is having a big impact on tourism)
Aug 1 island
Aug 2 island
Aug 3 island
Aug 4 Dubrovnik (get there by car or ferry)
Aug 5 Dubrovnik
Aug 6 depart Dbv via plane
Aug 7 train or bus to Ljubljiana

You know, you can always go back, so you may consider sticking to the north (maybe the Zadar region) or Istria, and save Dubrovnik for a future trip. It would not be a travesty to maximize your time and money by sticking to a more limited region.
Also, the bus and ferry system is quite convenient, and can't be beat for getting from town to town. So, that would be another way to reduce costs if you do not need a car.

Yorkshire, I like your plan. If we wanted to spend more time in Dubrovnik, how important is it to visit the islands. Are they something we could skip or if we just went to one, would we be able to get the "flavor" of the islands. If so . . . which one would you (or anyone else . . . everyone, please feel free to chime in) think is the most important or best to visit?

We're thinking we might have to cut out Ljubljiana!

Sandy-- I added "Croatia"--

Thank you Katie! I'll try to be more careful next time!

KayF, I just booked us flights from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, about $50 ea (were $40 yesterday!).

Since we know we want to go to D, we're flying there, will pick up a car a few days later and start up the coast and back to Zagreb. That gives us more time . . . plus, we're cutting out Ljubljiana. That added a day or 2 to our itin.

Thanks to all for your great suggestions . . . and if you have anymore, keep them coming, esp. on which islands to visit.

Sandy (in Denton)

we had a night in trogir -a guy called miro owns it and organised parking close by for us
you can find him through 'carol' rooms when you go to the tourist bureau- really lovely young guy

the tourist info centre in trogir is past the church on the harbour strip
we didnt book ahead- only our first night in plitvice lakes
but this was june

in trogir go up the church tower for views - we couldnt because it was closed for maintenance
check out the school that must have one of the best locations in the world- harbourside in trogir
the kids were having running races on the promenade



in dubrovnik we did the same and got a lovely apartment with ivanka and niko who own the pizza shop in the old town- again through the tourist centre..boy was she hospitable!

cheaply - at 70 aud dollars a night- same as trogir= was about 150 euros for three nights

but in august i dont know.. we were told that august is when all the europeans travel on their annual holidays..you might be wise to book something


if you have a car ( we had a chevrolet opel form sixt that we got at zagreb airport) in dubrovnik you cant park inside the old walled town but look for a street that you come in-it's called ulica zagrebacka

( otherwise there is parking near the wall but it is limited ..it was free of charge between 9pm and 7 am but then you will have to get up and move it or else youll be charged- it was about 10 kunas an hour)

this street ( ulica is word for 'street') will lead you to a travel agency on your left ( he also has accommodation upstairs that is ok but it is much nicer in the old town)
there is a supermarket called konzum and not far from it is a vacant lot of land where people park free of charge-we do so quite safely every night we were there...
at least this was the case back on 2006!

we drove to montenegro for the day and visited kotor fjord which was great- a wonderful day and easy driving- just ned eurosfor the border toll...they dont take croatian kunas
and didnt have credit card facilities
note that in croatia you pay the toll at the end of the section not before- have kunas ready and when you park anywhere in the little villages do check the metre carefully and get verification from a local that all is in orde
our tyres were clamped on the markarska riviera while we were happily eating icecream and strolling around! we didnt realise we needed to find a parking metre!

if youre driving back to zagreb - stop in a tiny village called ston along the coast not far from dubrovnik - it has a nice wall to walk with a great view- wont take you long
also have a look at zadar- nice town then you can head to zagreb

we had a hire yacht to sail the islands of hvar brac and vis
hvar was my favourite
but we had a good time on vis - not so touristy and a bit wild and woolly
brac was ok
zlatni rad the famous beach was a bit disappointing for me ...quite small but pretty if youre not used to living on the beach for a big part of your life

Free parking is now a thing of the past. The town just opened the new garage in February. There is a fee and I have no idea how much. You won't find any parking spaces in August, it's insane here. There is a shuttle bus from the garage down to the Pile entrance which runs now every half hour. Honestly you should just park the car for the entire time you're in Dubrovnik and use public transportation. The garage is located on Zagrebcka road, utilize the facility and save yourself from sitting in traffic for hours.
Dobrodosli

Yes, now you have your Dubrovnik arrival date set it is best to pick up your car when you are ready to leave the city.

I would agree with lanejohann that you probably should reserve an apartment in Dubrovnik. Most places will have a minimum 3 night stay at that time of year.

I have stayed up on the hill with THAT view of Dubrovnik, and also just outside the city walls, again with a fabulous view. I loved both locations. I'll post the links, but there are many rental agencies in Dubrovnik with literally hundreds of places to choose from!

http://www.travel-library.com/apartm...oom_karla.html (if you google Room Karla Dubrovnik you will allso find it with other agencies)

http://www.dubrovnik-area.com/Eng/de...ajID=MN-A-0312

Definitely spend some time on at least one southern Dalmatian island (Hvar, Brac, Korcula - unbeatable) or at the very least, spend a day or two on the Peljesac peninsula. Car ferries are easy and efficient, but August may be a challenge.

And on your way back to Zagreb, find a way to stop in Plitvice. As cliched as it sounds, it is a natural wonderland and unique to this world.

FYI, we spent all our time in zimmers/sobes, and you will seen signs for them everywhere. Hosts are happy to let you inspect, so there's really no risk. As nice as most hotels at half the cost.

Regards, Bruce
Croatia Travel Photos -- http://www.brucegcollier.com/galleri...level2_clr.htm

Bruce:

Your Croatia photos are fantastic, I've not seen many to compare. You've captured the beauty of the country, please post more.

Hvala

Bruce...you are a brilliant photographer. I was blown away by your photos of Italy. Thank you so very much for sharing with us.