I will have 15 days (14 nights) in Croatia. Flying into and out of Zagreb. Want to see the following, at a minimum, for sure: Istria (Rovinj), Plitvice, Split, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Korcula, maybe Zagreb too. I don't mind driving. We are not "blitz" tourists but prefer to spend 2-3 nights at most places, more if needed. What general sequence of travel/modes of transportation would the experts on this forum recommend?
Thanks
If you mean the schedule then I would recommend seeing zagreb first and then in this order: rovinj, plitvice, split, hvar, korcula and then Dubrovnik. If you have time visit sibenik and the national park krka. You will love it and it's on your way. It really depends on your time and how much time you want to spend in a certain place, but this order is the best regarding the distance and you only need one day for plitvice. I hope you have an awesome time and the drive by itself is beautiful 😊 I would recommend renting a car, it's the easiest with how much you want to see and it's easy to get around
When are you travelling?
Your itinerary is ambitious for only 14 nights, particularly as you say you prefer a steadier pace if you have to waste a day backtracking to Zagreb. Into Zagreb and out of Dubrovnik would have saved you a day.
You would be short changing Istria if you spent less than 3 full days there as it takes time to visit the hill towns plus there is the coast. A week here wouldn't be rushed as there is plenty to see. A car is advantageous.
Plitvice - stay the night then drive to Split after seeing the park. Return the car. Split itself deserves at least a full day and another for nearby Trogir. I would recommend that you opt for Hvar or Korcula as most accommodation has a 3 night minimum booking on the islands. Alternatively, visit both islands and drop Istria. If travelling peak season, I would opt for Korcula.
Take the catamaran to Dubrovnik and spend at least 2 full days there. Flight back to Zagreb for your last night.
Accommodation bookings in Croatia are high this summer and if you are travelling soon, you may struggle to find something suitable.
I don't agree that everyone would love a week in Istria. I'm sure some would, but a few days there was plenty for me. I loved Rovinj but didn't feel the need to spend days exploring the hill towns. Two or three towns was plenty for me, and although I liked Groznjan the best, I didn't personally fall in love with any of the hill towns like I did with Rovinj.
True, flying into Zagreb out of Dubrovnik might have saved time - maybe not, depending on flight schedules. (Flying home to Portland from Dubrovnik, for me, would have involved a complicated flight schedule and multiple changes; for others, it might make a lot more sense.) Flying back from Dubrovnik to Zagreb might be a great idea, though. In fact, if the arrival flight into Zagreb is early enough the first day, I might even consider flying immediately to Dubrovnik that very first day and driving north to Zagreb. One way car rentals are fairly routine in Croatia and seem not to incur extra fees if the rental period is more than a few days.
I might follow Rick's advice regarding the islands and see just one - pick either Hvar or Korcula, not both. That's the first cut I'd make to save time.
Dubrovnik itself is great but small and very touristy during the days. Nights are delightful and much quieter. You don't necessarily need lots of time there except for possible day trips. The town itself doesn't require a lot of time to explore..
(Not sure a three night minimum will apply in Korcula or Hvar outside of high season - it didn't for me when I was easily able to book two nights in Korcula...in October.)
If you do have problems with flights, look at using the airport at Podgorica. There are some pretty decent connections to Podgorica through Rome. Besides the trip between Dubrovnik and Podgorica is stunning and Perast is worth an overnight stay if you have time.
Depending on personal preference and time of visit, there are several ways to do this. When do yo arrive?
Some additional information. I am planning this trip for next year, June of 2018, so should be able to arrange sleeping accommodations easily this far out. My wife and I are travelling with our three older daughters, aged 17, 19 and 24. I do wonder if we should travel clockwise, starting in Dubrovnik? We fly into Zagreb on June 13th so Dubrovnik may be a bit less touristy in mid June? My daughters prefer to be in areas with some nightlife on the weekends as opposed to a quaint but quiet village; any thoughts on that?
I think your daughters will really enjoy Zagreb. It felt like a very youthful city with an active cafe lifestyle. The historic area is very pretty. Tell them to check out the Museum of Broken Relationships.
Assuming one could fit all of these stops into a non-blitz itinerary, I would immediately fly to Dubrovnik, ferry/catamaran to Korcula, then Hvar and then Split, rent a car when leaving Split, drive to Plitvice and then Rovinj, and drop the rental car off upon return to Zagreb.
As others have suggested, you'll need to edit your itinerary to allow for 2-3 nights at each stop. One night at Plitvice would be OK, but the rest deserve at least 2 nights (or 3 if you're planning a day trip). Unfortunately, the only practical day trip among the stops you've listed is Hvar from Split. IMHO, the rest are just too far apart for practical day tripping. Croatia is very long and travel times are greater than you might imagine.
