Hi,
I am planning a road trip in Croatia, Bos-Herz and Slovenia for May. I have booked a couple of nights in Dubrovnik to start my trip but am hoping to wing it a little bit from there, and not have it all planned out by the day. From Dubrovnik, I would like to visit Mostar first, then drive north/nwest to Plitvice Lakes, Pula, Rovinj, Zagreb, and then Ljubjiana and Lake Bled. I know it's shoulder season, and I'm hoping I can be a little spontaneous depending on how long I feel like staying in each spot. Can those of you who have been there advise on whether or not I will have any trouble finding good lodging with a day or two notice in Pula, Rovinj, Mostun, or Lake Bled?
Thanks very much in advance for your help.
Cheers,
Loree
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6790 posts
It's like anyplace else: yes, you will be able to find places to stay on short notice. But the "best" places (most desirable, best value, best location, etc.) may be booked up before you get there - there's no way to know. I wouldn't try this in peak season, but it's probably doable in May.
A secondary issue (but one worth considering) is the use of your time. While I can appreciate spontaneity and having the freedom to change your plans, if you are booking as you go along, you will be spending a portion of your trip on that process. Maybe not many hours every day, but the way I look at it, the most precious commodity we have is time - specifically, time on the ground in Europe. I'd rather spend that hour each day sightseeing or enjoying the place I've come so far to be in, rather than searching, examining, and deciding on a place to spend the night. I can and would rather peruse places to sleep online from home, even if that locks me in to a schedule. YMMV.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5507 posts
There are several long holiday weekends in May, so might be slim pickings on some dates. I totally agree with David that spending an hour each day organizing a hotel is not the way I would want to spend my vacation.
Posted by
4961 posts
I would not be concerned about those places at that time of year. Dubrovnik and Hvar are the two places I would definitely book at any time of year. If you are not particular and do not have special needs, you will be able to find something. i generally book, but once I was playing it by ear and had trouble finding a place in Trogir, but there was an event in town that weekend, and we were able to find a place in nearby Ciovo. So, you might peek online to see if there are any festivals, etc. in any of the place you are visiting.
Have a plan in place to save time--either Booking.com app on your phone (or whatever service you prefer), or you can also make a beeline for a tourist office when you arrive in town, and they can help you find a place.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks so much for the great responses, I appreciate your time and insights.
Cheers,
Posted by
72 posts
The fastest route will be the drive from Dubrovnik to Opuzen then Mostar. On the way, you can visit Medjugorje. From Mostar catching E 65, 52 to reach Plitvice. Finding accommodation on 52. On 52, Otocac you search for a restaurant with river fish dish which is rare experience in Croatia. Next afternoon back on 52, Senj, Rijeka and explore the Istria region and heading to Slovenia. If you are fun of Templar sites, you can stay in Senj for a moment. Rent a car you can do by Skyscanner or Booking.com. Private accommodation and hostels are very popular in Croatia and cheaper. Hope it helps