Intinerary Assit. 28 days in Europe!

Great sites for discount EU airlines: www.skyscanner.net
www.dohop.com

Thanks for those. I've defintely already been using skyscanner. But I guess I'm still stuck on how many days between rome and florence and then how to get to croatia from there. And how we get back to dublin? from either Vienna? or Budapest?

Hi Jared!
Even with 28 days your plan includes a lot of cities with many transportation connections. I'd plot it on Googlemaps, review guidebooks, and look at the logistics. You might decide to visit fewer cities and spend more time in each. Another website that I like for budget airlines is www.whichbudget.com Best wishes - enjoy the planning process!

First advice would be to fly open jaws, especially considering that Dublin is a long way from just about anywhere else you're likely to be (if you were flying in to someplace central, say Frankfurt, that might not be so bad). It appears you're going to head especially far away from Dublin. You would save yourself time and money by going open jaws into Dublin and then return home from someplace near the other end (geographically speaking) of your trip.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Right now our round trip is already booked chicago to Dublin. So I think that open jaws are not on the table anymore? I just wonder after Italy how we get to Croatia? North or South? From Venice across? or Bari to Dubrovnik and start from there.

Here's a previous thread - not sure if it answers your question but it may have some useful info: http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=41819 You could also post in the Trip Advisor forum to see if anyone has suggestions.

Hi, Jared: I took the Ferry from Ancona to Split. The ferry left at midnight and arrived in Spit around 7:00 AM. There is a Ferry from Bari to Dubrovnik that might work well for you. If you don't rent a cabin and use the deck chairs it would be cheaper. You can google Ferrys from Italy to Croatia. You can also google ferrys that leave from each destination as to cost and times leaving. This worked well for me.
I took a a bus from Dubrovnik to Plitvice. This Park was the highlight of my trip.

Hi Jared,
Check for cheap flights from Rome to Split. A couple of years ago we got one for about $100 and we were there in an hour. But I think the best alternative may be to take a train from Florence to Venice (where you should spend at least 2 nights) and then into Slovenia. Make your way via train/bus to Croatia and down the coast and ending in Zagreb. Then check for cheap flights from Zagreb to Vienna, or maybe even Zagreb to Dublin, skipping Vienna. You may have trouble finding train/bus schedules for Slovenia and Croatia, but I wouldn't worry about that until you get there. You could leave that portion of the trip rather fluid, allowing yourselves about 10 days (or whatever) to make your way to Zagreb. You will be able to find inexpensive accommodations in "sobes" (usually rooms in private homes) along the Croatian coast. By the way, if you're taking cheap flights within Europe, you'll want to pack very light. And check the baggage restrictions carefully before you book any flights, as sometimes carryon bags are very limited and you may end up checking them, for a hefty fee. Be sure to get back to Dublin at least one full day ahead of your flight home, in case you run into a transportation delay. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Thanks for the great advice! Unfortunately there are really no cheap flights from Rome to Split or Rome to anywhere in Croatia. So it seems that it makes the most sense to make our way by train. From Rome to Florence/Siena, and then onto Venice for at least a day. Is Vienna worth a visit? Because there is a night train from Venice to Vienna and then easy rail access to Zagreb from Vienna. We definitely understand they we need to pack light. I just bought a briggs & Riley baseline 24 inch rolling piece. It's 12.5 pounds and I think with the extra luggage credit I purchased on ryanair for our Dublin to Palermo flight we will be allowed 44 pounds or 20 kilos. Do you think this is too big? We will be gone for a month after all. I've kept my carryon very light weight as well. Once we get to Zagreb we will have access to a car. So it seems easier to head south and fly out of Dubrovnik back to Dublin That flight would be 250 dollars. Any other thoughts?

Your plan sounds good ... train from Venice to Vienna, then Zagreb, and fly Dubrovnik to Dublin. My concern now is your new 24-inch suitcase. My husband and I routinely travel for a month with just a 22" carry-on size suitcase, plus a small daypack or messenger bag for electronics. With all the trains and planes, you'll be much happier if you're not lugging around so much stuff. In June you'll probably be wearing shorts and t-shirts the whole time anyway. Pack a couple of each, plus a lightweight fleece and a pair of sandals, and you're good. You can do laundry along the way. And no-one will care if you wear the same outfits over and over. There's lots of information on this Helpline and in Rick Steves books about packing light. Depending on the size of your car in Croatia, a large suitcase might also cause headaches there. If it's a small car (like many in Europe are), you might have trouble fitting 3 people + 3 24-inch suitcases + carry-ons. So you might want to discuss this with your friends. Do you all have your ATM cards figured out? You'll each want to take two (so you have a back-up if you lose one or it doesn't work) and you'll want to make sure they have minimal fees, etc. Lots of preparation goes into a trip like this. You'll have a great time!

Just because your flights are booked does not mean you can't or shouldn't change them. Look at what it would cost to switch to open-jaws. That would buy you an extra day or two (which you will need). Also consider the $ costs you would save by not backtracking to Dublin. Then see if it's worth it to you. Consider a ferry to Croatia rather than a long, unnecessary zigzag via Venice, Vienna and Zagreb. Do you really want to go to Venice, Vienna and Zagreb (and have time to spend there?). If your goal is costal Croatia, getting their via Venice, Vienna and Zagreb looks crazy to me. If you're in Italy and headed for Split, you have multiple good ferry options that make much more sense to me. I'd be pretty concerned about a 24" wheelie bag - that's going to be way too large for carry-on on for (I believe) every airline in the world that bothers to check - and all of the discount carriers certainly will (and they will nail you with shockingly high fees for a too large/too heavy bag). I'd also lose the wheels entirely - they add weight, reduce what you can carry, and often make the bag larger than the dimensions it's claimed to be (manufacturers often don't count the wheels in their dimensions; the airlines will). Yeah, I know, some people wont live without their wheelies, but I figure if you need wheels, you're bringing too much - you're young, you should be able to carry your pack - and the wheels are usually useless except in an airport. You will repeatedly pay a big price ($ and otherwise) for the luxury of those wheels.

Hey Jared, Easy jet offers cheap air fares from Milan or Rome to Dubrovnik beginning July 1st, but that may be a little late for your schedule.

Thanks David! I think We're going to keep the roundtrip from Chicago to Dublin the same. Due to the fact that it is Aer Lingus and there are very limited destinations to an from chicago. In fact it looks like Dublin is the only one. The return trip from dubrovnik to Dublin also seems most efficient. I share your concern about the luggage and I'm going to look into finding the right piece. I'm still kind of struggling. I don't mind spending money to get a perfect piece. We decided to cut out Vienna. Just doesn't make sense. With a final Italian destination in Venice. We could then hop a ferry to Rovinj in Istria Croatia to begin our time there. We have to go to Zagreb, because that is where my friend has all her family and we will be using it as a home base for a while. Especially for our plitvice day trip and day trips to slovenia. Any other thoughts?

Chicago is as well-connected by air to Europe as any city in the US, with tons of options. Not sure why your focus on Aer Lingus - you may be really handicapping yourself if you don't consider other options. Dublin doesn't really make any sense as part of the rest of your trip - your flights through Dublin appear to be a significant limiting factor that will determine a lot about the rest of your trip, so be sure you consider what your trip could look like if you dropped Aer Lingus and Dublin entirely. The ferry from Venice to Roving makes good sense. Also consider the Ancona - Split ferry. Zagreb is kind of out-of-the way from the other stuff in Croatia and Slovenia, but if you have a good reason to go there that trumps geography. It should work as a base for day-trips to Plitvice but is too far from the coast for day trips.

Like I said earlier. The flight from Chicago to Dublin (was the cheapest fare to Europe) and it is booked and is non refundable. Any other Aer Lingus flight to Europe would connect through Dublin to any other European city. Plus we also have a non refundable flight booked with Ryanair from Dublin to Palermo. There is really no way to fundamentally change all that without losing money.

Jared -- "We definitely understand they we need to pack light. I just bought a briggs & Riley baseline 24 inch rolling piece. It's 12.5 pounds...." I think we have different ideas on packing light. ;))
Just for comparison, my fully packed suitcase weighed 14 pounds and that was also for 28 days. I was able to carry this on to the smaller airlines within Europe without problems. (We flew London to Dubrovnik.) We loved the Dalmatian Coast, Plitvice and Slovenia. Have a great trip!

Alright guys. I returned the 24 inch. :) I'll get something smaller :)

Ok. So I returned the 24 inch baseline by B and R and got a 22 inch Briggs and Riley brx model that weighs 7.5 pounds. Thoughts on this as opposed to the 24 inch 12.5 pound baseline. Keeping in mind we will be gone a month...

2 weeks or 2 months, you pack the same - it doesn't matter how long you're going to be gone, you bring the exact same stuff, the only variable is how many times you do laundry. I just Googled your bag and it still looks a bit large to me - if yours is the "Briggs & Riley Brx Explore 22 Upright" Amazon's product page says it's "24 x 15 x 10 inches ; 9 pounds". You might be able to get away with that, but I wouldn't try it. IIRC about 21" is the maximum length for most carry-ons. I'd lose the heavy wheels, frame and handles, too, but some must have those. You will pay for them. I've lived out of my old, simple REI bag for 2 months at a time. No wheels, no heavy/uncomfortable metal frame. About 20 x 14 x 9 inches, weighs about a pound, with a small zip-off day pack. You can live and travel comfortably with a bag that size for extended trips. You just have to be disciplined. Starting off with a "round the world, expedition bag" (that weighs 9 pounds) only handicaps your efforts. Good luck.

Don't rely on the size and weight from Amazon. They usually post the shipping size/weight. Go straight to the manufacturers website for correct info. 7.5 lbs is a reasonable weight for a bag with wheels. I replaced my rollaboard last year and the lightweight rollaboards were mostly in the 6 to 7 lb range. I bought a travelpro maxlite which was about 6.5 lbs. The RS 21" rollaboard is about 7 lbs. If you want to bring the weight down further, you have to give up the wheels. I used to carry a backpack but I injured my shoulder a while back and had to switch to the rollaboard. I'm fine with it and I now prefer the rollaboard. People usually fall either in the rollaboard camp or the backpack camp. There are pros and cons of each type. The one thing that might be a concern is the 22". I have found that with 22" wheeled bags, they don't always fit in the sizer and thus you may have to check, particularly if you are flying a discount airline. If you want to carry-on, you are better off going down to a 21".

But I am for sure planning on checking one bag as I am carrying on a backpack. Idk what the problem is. Lol

Hi Jared! Wow! It sounds like you are creating a bit of an adventure! I don't know much about the Dalmatian coast, but I know flights round trip flights from Dublin to Vilnius, Lithuania are inexpensive. I have seen advertisements for 66 Euros. Do your research and shop around for the best offer. Maybe you would like to save a trip for the Baltics for your next summer trip since you you will be touring Italy and Croatia. It is just a thought!

This was posted a while ago and you might have already figured it out, but check out the budget european airlines. I've flown from DBV to Milan on Easy Jet, but also check out Ryan air. Both easy jet and ryanair fly between the countries, also try vueling. You can always take a train within Italy. I think the boat between Croatia/Italy seems a bit confusing, planes are so much easier, IMHO.