Looking for travel tips: Croatia and Slovenia late April – early May 2026

The trick with the coast is that it scales up with demand. April is a month of low demand. So, you’ll see things like little to no ferry service, restaurants may be closed, etc. Most coast towns thrive on the good weather and swimming, and without that they can be pretty thin. Like, there’s a big difference between a small town in Tuscany in early shoulder season and a Croatian coast town at the same time. These are summer destinations for the most part. Logistically, this region is spread out. All your major tent poles are about 2-3hrs travel between them. This makes transportation as a tourist a little tricky. Intercity bus service is good (but again may be more limited in April), train is basically non-existent or a downgrade. Rental car can be very useful, but that’s another layer of hassle/complexity (though driving is pretty easy here.) As first time Euro travelers, you’ll have to decide how much that impacts your decision making.

That you’re coming from Italy colors my thinking a bit, because there’s nothing wrong with more time in Italy. I would include time in Venice (especially if you haven’t already) and use that as your launchpad east. There’s good bus connections to Ljubljana from Venice, along with other services like GoOpti. Ljubljana is an easy place to spend a few days. Great vibes, stuff to see, and good food. It’s fine living, but you’ll also get a good sense of its Yugoslavian past. I recommend the (poorly named) Communist Walking Tour for a great overview. Lake Bled is an easy day trip from Ljubljana, and imo about what it’s worth. It will definitely be too cold for swimming there. Check out Slovenia Explorer, they run day tours out of Ljubljana that may interest you.

Adding on from there: Zagreb would be an easy addition. I think it’s highly underrated. Plitvice national park always gets my vote. You can connect Plitvice from Zagreb en route to Split, and get a taste of the coast there. Split seems to be a divisive destination, some people just don’t care for it. But for you, it’s a city and that means if the weather’s not great you have some options versus being stuck in a small town. If the weather is good, Trogir is a small coast town nearby you can see as a daytrip. There may also be some ferry service to Hvar. Split and Zagreb have airports (Zagreb is a good hub) and may serve in getting you to Paris.

Croatia will be open in April. Some smaller islands will not be, some late opening restaurants may not be, you will not miss them. It is good time to visit.

Ljubljana and Bled are easy enough to add in with northern Croatia trip, either from Opatija, Istra, or Zagreb. Oddly it is difficult to get from northern Italy to Croatia, especially in off season. There are relatively infrequent buses, and generally car rental fees will charge high one way drop off rates. It will probably be easier to get from Trieste to Ljubljana than to Croatia.

Ljubljana is small and you won't need much time there.

If you are flying to Paris you will want to have your final stop be near Zagreb, Split, or Dubrovnik airports.

Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia are all in Schengen, so border crossing is now like driving from one state to another in Australia. Still prepare to have your passport, sometimes the borders are staffed, mostly if there are immigration concerns.

You will still probably want to take a look at "larger" destinations on the coast such as Rovinj, Opatija, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik. I'd recommend Split for a week at that time since there will be the most things to do. I do not know why people say it has a mixed reputation, and then Dubrovnik for a couple days because it is beautiful, but expensive.

Thank you so much for both pieces of detailed feedback. We’ve been so indecisive, but after reading your messages and watching some videos on Croatia, we’ve now both agreed to save Croatia for another trip.

For this journey, once we leave Italy, we’ll head up through Central and Eastern Europe, eventually making our way to Paris. We’re currently deciding between two route options:

Bologna – Salzburg – Vienna – Prague – Paris, or

Bologna – Rothenburg – Nuremberg – Prague – Paris.

As first-time travellers to Europe, any further tips or recommendations you might have—whether it’s transport, places to stay, food, or must-see spots—would be really appreciated!

Thanks again for helping us shape this adventure.

That’s sensible, honestly. The Balkans are a tough nut to crack, and will make a great future trip.

As for your new itinerary… sorry but that’s up to you :) Ok, out of the two I might pick the first. Rothenburg and Nuremberg are kind of similar. Salzburg-Vienna-Prague makes a logical line, and overall you’ll be able to experience a range of cultures. Salzburg is a great “second city” which are the types of cities/towns that are often more enjoyable than their capitals.

Thanks so much for the further feedback. Honestly it gives me so much more confidence to plan a great trip!