CROATIA/SLOVENIA End of June into July , AM I TOO LATE TO BOOK ?

AM I TOO LATE TO BOOK ?

Have you tried booking flights and lodging for your wished for travel dates?

The results of that search will answer your question.

I can't say how crowded it will be. I never found Slovenia to be overwhelmed with people.

You do have several one night stays, so it looks like you are moving around a lot. Why aren't you flying directly into Ljubljana?

I don't know whether you're flying to Zagreb from the US/Canada, but I wouldn't want to do that, then get into a car and drive to Ljubljana jetlagged and severely sleep-deprived.

I'm not sure which caves you're referring to, but neither the Postojna nor the Skocjan Caves are on the way from Zagreb to Ljubljana.

You are trying to squeeze far too much into your timeframe.

Please don’t get off a long transatlantic flight with jet lag and drive for hours. It’s dangerous. Spend the first night in Zagreb or fly into Ljubljana direct. Check you can take the car into Slovenia. There maybe an extra fee.

Lake Bled to Rovinj is a 4 hour plus drive plus allow for any delays at the border, particularly at weekends. Ideally you need a minimum of 4 days here to see the coast and the hill towns. You may want to consider dropping Rovinj or adding time here and dropping somewhere else.

Rovinj to Plitvice is another 4+ hour drive. At that time of year, you need to stay at the park the night before you enter, to avoid the crowds. You can see the park and drive to Split the same day.

You then need a full day to see Split and it would be a pity to miss nearby Trogir.

Finding accommodation on the islands will be easier for 3 nights not 2.

Ideally you need a full day in Dubrovnik. Getting there from Korcula will take 4 hours door to door. Your last day will just be getting to the airport.

With 11 nights, I would be tempted to drop Slovenia or focus on Slovenia and Istria and drop Split to Dubrovnik. You don’t really have time for both.

Anywhere on the coast, Lake Bled, Plitvice and Dubrovnik will be busy, as it’s school holiday time.

I agree you are trying to squeeze far too much into your timeframe and driving with a jet lag is a big no no especially in the foreign country where you don't know the roads.

I would suggest you, since you fly into Zagreb, to make Zagreb your base and do a day trip to Slovenia the other day when you take some rest. Slovenia is super close to Zagreb so you can see a lot in a day. Here is some itinerary so you get the idea https://mappingcroatia.com/croatia-itinerary/slovenia-day-trip-from-zagreb/

If you are eager to do some hiking right after you arrive there is a beautiful place, often overlooked by tourist in Zagreb - Medvednica mountain which is also a Croatian Nature Park. You can reach the starting point for your hike by public transport so it is very convenient.

Plitvice lakes is definitely a must see when in Croatia. Here you can find out other interesting stops on your way there https://mappingcroatia.com/croatia-itinerary/plitvice-lakes-national-park-day-trip-from-zagreb/

Another great hike in Croatia is National Park Paklenica which is on your way to the coast. https://np-paklenica.hr/en/?view=featured

About the coast, it is a good idea to drop off your car in Split - you will save money on ferry and if you plan to visit Dubrovnik you definitely shouldn't go by car. You are right that Dubrovnik is very crowded in summer months but there are ways to avoid the crowds. Big cruise ships don't arrive every day (last year most crowded days were Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays). You should definitely avoid Dubrovnik on days when MCS and Costa cruisers are in town but the good thing is that most of this cruisers depart by early afternoon.

Hope this was helpful. Have a lovely time in Croatia!

Hi, it is a great itinerary and will be a little crowded at NP, but you will have time to relax on island Korcula. Enojy