Timeframe: September-October.
We will be taking the train/bus from Zagreb to Rovinj.
What cities/towns along the train route should we consider for a 2-night stay?
Is Rijeka worth 2 nights?
The entire trip (as planned so far) is Croatia [Zagreb(4 nights), ???(2), Rovinj(5)], Slovenia [Toper(4), Postojna(2), Ljubljana(5)]
It's a slightly longer route, but I'd recommend Ljubljana. Search this forum and you'll find many comments from people who love Ljubljana.
However, it depends entirely on what you want to do for those two nights. I haven't been to Rijeka, so I can't say if it's worth a visit.
Begs the question: Have you been to Plitvice?
Yeah, train/bus doesn't work for that, but if you take that out of the equation, seems like the obvious stop...
Instead of Rijeka, take bus to Opatija. Quaint coastal town unlike any other in Croatia with beautiful promenade stretching for miles.
You really want to rent a car for this trip, especially in Istria. Rijeka is a big industrial port town. Consider Cres or Plitvice.
