itinerary for 7-day trip for Croatia from Rovinj to Dubrovnik

Driving is really not a problem in Croatia compared to say Italy so you should not have a problem if you stay out of city centers. I think you are really rushing it. You could spend a whole day in Rovinj and you really need most of a day to see the Plitvice lakes. Several good day trips possable from Dubrovnik including Mostar.

http://www.gadtravel.com/2008/10/slovenia-and-croatia.html

I did Dubrovnik to Rovinj in 2008, stopping in most of the places you hope to visit. My trip took almost 2 weeks, so your pace strikes me as a bit fast. It's unlikely you'll be able to pick up a rental car in Rovinj evening of May 12, so enjoy a relaxing dinner and pick it up the next day as you depart (will also save on parking). Uniline, a Croatian rental car company, will pick you up (like Enterprise does here), and they may be the only rental company with an office in Rovinj. They charge no drop off fee for rentals of at least 3 days. With so little time in Istria, I'd skip Motovun. It's really small and a bit of a detour. Plan to arrive in Plitvice just before dinner time, as there's not much to do in the evening. Eat at Licka Kuca instead of the hotel. Spend a little more time touring Plitvice before heading to Split, maybe saving the walking tour until the next evening. Mostar is definitely worth an overnight, but make sure you can take your rental car into Bosnia-Herzegovina. There's plenty in Dubrovnik to fill 2 days, so a part-day trip to Lokrum or Elaphite islands would work better than the full day required for a tour to Kotor. As others have stated, roads in Croatia are good and you should have no problems driving. Be sure to take an International Drivers Permit, and mind your speed.

Thanks for the advice. I am going to take out Motovun and spend the majority of the day in Rovinj before heading out to Plitvice. Is the drive from Rovinj to Plitvice easy? How long does it take? Google maps says around 3.5 hrs. If the drive does not have many twisties, I can leave Rovinj around 3pm.

As for the evening walking tour in Split, just touring the Riva would be nice and relaxing, no evening tour.

As for the drive, I will have Tom Tom navigation unit for the drive.

Revised itinerary:

May 12 - Arrive to Rovinj around 7pm. Check in hotel. Have dinner.

May 13 - See Rovinj 'til noon (self-guided tour). Rent Car. Drive to Plitvice.

May 14 - See Plitvice. Drive to Split. Check in hotel. The Riva.

May 15 - See Split. Sunset Tour with Lifejacket Adventures

May 16 - Drive to Mostar in morning, see town, and stay the night.

May 17 - Drive to Dubrovnik, stopping by Medjugorje. See Dubrovnik

May 18-19 Day trips?

May 20 - Fly home.

Steve - It seems like I am doing the reverse of your path. How long was your trip?

The fastest driving route is probably the fairly new toll roads. You'll likely exit the A1 at Otocac and take local roads from there to Plitvice. The local road south from Karlovac via Slunj to Plitvice is a very nice drive, but only if you have extra time and don't mind the 2 lane road.

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it.

May I suggest that you consider staying in Trogir rather than Split. The old town of Trogir (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is an exquisite little walled enclave free of vehicles and only 30km from Split. You can park outside the town walls and walk to your accommodations. There is some fabulous architecture and a charming central plaza. Compared to the noisy metropolis that awaits in Split, it is a relaxed and charming retreat.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into that. Do you have any suggestions on what to do, what to see, and where to stay?

In Split, I'd recommend Base Rooms. Quiet, comfortable, clean, inexpensive, fabulous location.

Too bad you will miss Pula in the north- some of the best Roman architecture around including an awesome coliseum and the old town is enjoyable. To save some money, bus it around the coast into Rijeka from there and grab a rental car downtown for the parks. For any smaller city - double check that your rental car is available a day or two before you need it as they can be gone when you arrive without this confirmation.

Back to the coast, skip Zadar and stay in Trogir as it is very clean and amusing. Use it as a base for a ferry to Split - Diocletian's Palace area is excellent and a ferry stop. From there, take the Hydrofoil to Hvar (a must see if you like the Med) and ferry again to Korcula - another must see place. One more ferry to Dubrovnik will be your crowning jewel for Croatia.

Leave your car and let the ferry take you around after the Parks. To each his own - I found they can be mundane after an one hour of viewing anyway although a good hike. You have chosen alot of driving for just half a day of sight seeing there. Stick to the water of the Dalmatian coast - where real beauty is located.

Thanks for the advice Brian. Do you think Plitvice is worth it? I am thinking about spending two nights in Rovinj and then drive to Split. I am doing some research on Trogir to replace Split.

i definitely think plitvice is worth it. we drove from rovinj in the morning, toured plitvice in the afternoon and stayed there. next day we drove all the way to dubrov. i loved the coastal cities but taking a nature break was nice.

I agree with Marc. You do need a day to see Plitvice lakes. This was on my bucket list and was
truly awesome. I took so many pictures there.
I hope you have a sunny day. You can enter the park at 8 am or before. I would suggest going early as this lovely place brings many many tourists!