Planning a Trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia; Sorrento, Italy, and London, England from USA

Posted by krt72712strong on 04/19/24 11:59 AM

My husband and I are planning a trip from the US to Dubrovnik for 7 days , Sorrento for 5 days, and then London for 4 days. We added London because we saw that it will be a stop on our travel home to the US. So, we decided to add days there instead of a stop. We are planning day trips to Almalfi, Ravello, Pompei, Monetengro. We considered and alternate Italy stop: Sorrento for 3 days and Naples for 3 days to split our time in Italy.

I would like thoughts on this plan. My concerns are:
1. I have some pain when climbing stairs. It is manageable, but this trip involves several moves and lots of stairs.
2. I will have to watch videos and learn how to travel light. I like day and evening outfits and coordinating shoes for each. This trip has too much movement for several bags. Our last trip to central Italy, we had a large check, two carryons, and two personal items. Ugh! Not again.
3. We like to get familiar with a location and circle back to our favorite spots. This trip is not too face paced, but not the slower, get-to-know a place that we have enjoyed.
4. Are we planning too much or not enough time in Sorrento? What about Croatia? We have been to Italy - not these stops and never to Croatia or London.
5. Finally, are we traveling at a good time?

Posted by cala

Charleston & Birmingham

04/19/24 01:25 PM

4343 posts

See an orthopedist before your trip. If the issue is your knees, get cortisone shots. Be sure you stay in accommodations that have elevators to save your knees for situations where steps are unavoidable.

Posted by Allan

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

04/19/24 01:34 PM

4119 posts

Finally, are we traveling at a good time?

You didn't say when you are going.

We spent 2 weeks in Sorrento last April and loved it. If 5 days is long enough will depend on your interests because transportation in the region is slow, chaotic and unreliable and it's hard to plan more than one destination in a day. we spent 12 hours over 2 days at Pompeii, but it may be tough on you with bad knees because the surfaces are uneven with high curbs. Positano is all stairs. We needed two days to see the Amalfi Coast and those days were rushed because so much time is spent on transportation; for example we did a small group tour to Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello and 4.5 hours of the 9 hour tour were in the car. We loved Capri much more than the Amalfi Coast but it is also hilly, sometimes steep hills.

Posted by valadelphia

04/19/24 03:27 PM

4434 posts

Month?
While it makes sense to stopover in London if you have a long flight (not east coast), I would choose Croatia OR Italy, as there is just too much to see in both to split it this way and add all that extra travel. Have you checked the flights from Naples to Dubrovnik?

Posted by awrzesinski

04/19/24 04:06 PM

886 posts

Time of year impacts this. The itinerary isn’t crazy per se, your sightseeing goals are basically day trips from these locations. So, if this is your plan then cool.

However, Dubrovnik for 7 days is not a great fit imo. Even with multiple day trips I think this is overdoing it. While Dubrovnik is “essential” Croatia sightseeing, I would also argue it’s not Croatia’s best representation. It’s more like an essential PART of a Croatia visit. Like, I really enjoyed it, but I’m also not in a hurry to go back there. Critically, Dubrovnik is basically all stairs. You’re going to have a tough time enjoying it. If you want to experience coastal Croatia, I think flying to Split and spending some time on the islands would be a much better option. Much flatter, and just as, if not more beautiful.

In Italy, if you’re able to split a few nights for a stay in or around Amalfi I suggest doing that. It will make your exploration days that much easier versus day tripping in. Especially with all the steps, having a base close by would be a benefit. Splitting time between Sorrento and Naples doesn’t really make sense, they are both decent bases for exploring sights on the Bay of Naples. Most folks opt for Sorrento. It’s a relaxing home base in a busy area that is well served for transportation. Naples is naturally more intense. While I enjoyed Naples’ gritty, intense, hyper-Italianess, I was glad to have a chill Sorrento as my base at day’s end.