Need help finalizing our itinerary for mid-Sept to 3 October. Flying in and out of Zagreb. Our current plans are: 1. 5 days at Lake Bled as a base for LJU, Piran, caves, horses, Predjama and Julian Alps drive. 2. Drive to Plitvice for 2 night stay. 3. Drive to Split, turn in car and take ferry to Korcula, total of 4 nights in Split or Trogir and Korcula. 4. Korcula to Dubrovnik for 3 nights. 5. Fly Croatia Air back to Zagreb, 1 night and fly home next day.
Other option was to fly to Dubrovnik from Zagreb after stay at Lake Bled, then move north with Plitvice the last stop. Any suggestions on sites to see or skip are appreciated. Would like to do Rovinj also, but seems like we would need to spend max of 3 days at Lake Bled. We are in our 60s and like to do some moderate hiking, prefer picnicing to dining and want to ride a ferry down the coast of Croatia. Thanks for any help. Dave and Cathy
Posted by
columbus, nc
294 posts
I think 3 days at Lake Bled should be fine.
Posted by
Ajdovscina
106 posts
Hi there! For 5 days in Slovenia we recommend: day 1: drive to Ljubljana (half day city sights) then to Bled for sights and overnight day 2: Bled sights (lake, castle, pletna etc), hike to Vintgar Gorge, overnight Bled day 3: Bohinj (lake, waterfall, cable car to vogel), hike to Mostnica Gorge, overnight Bled day 4: Julian Alps trip via Kranjska Gora, Vrsic Pass, Kobarid, Soca Valley, Goriska Brda down to the Caves area overnight: Postojna day 5: Postojna caves, predjama castle then Piran in the afternoon For accommodation in Bled, we can recommend Hisa Sonca, Penzion Mayer or Dolinar Tourist Farm Around Postojna, Hudicevec Farm or Hotel Rakitna or Hotel Kras. Hope that helps
Greg and Rona
Posted by
OP
Webster Groves, Missouri, USA
76 posts
Thank you for your suggestions. They will help us with finalizing our plans. Dave and Cathy
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
Keep in mind that some coastal ferries don't run daily. You can check ferry schedules at www.jadrolinija.hr. If the high season schedules (June-September) aren't yet posted, then check back again in April. Should the ferry schedules not coordinate with your itinerary, there's daily catamaran + bus service that will get you from Split to Korcula and daily bus service from Korcula to Dubrovnik. If you'd like to stop for a few hours in Hvar, take the late morning catamaran to Hvar and then catch the late afternoon catamaran to Korcula. While in Lake Bled, consider visiting the nearby Vintgar Gorge. While in Dubrovnik, consider taking a daytrip to Montenegro.
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
543 posts
I agree with earlier writers who suggested 5 days in Lake Bled is more than needed. It's also not convenient to use that as a "home base" for exploration in Piran, the caves, and so forth. I liked LJU and would recommend at least a full day and night there. Lake Bled needs only a day. After you drive west through the Julian Alps, stay near the caves. We really enjoyed Hudicevec Farm b&b. I'm not sure Plitvice needs a 2 night stay. For the southern part of your trip, I liked Trogir because it was small and manageable on foot. Split, in contrast, is a modern, congested city that requires only a half day to see Diocletian's Palace. One of my regrets about my travel in this area is that we didn't schedule time for Rovinj.
Posted by
columbus, nc
294 posts
I think Anita has it about right. I wish we had stayed an extra day in LJU. One night in Plitvice is all you need.
Posted by
OP
Webster Groves, Missouri, USA
76 posts
Thank you all for your suggestions. Definitely looking at a stop at Hudecevec Farm instead of using Lake Bled as a base for 5 days. If we can't get a ferry from Split to Korcula, can we get there by rental car? Wanted to drop off the car in Split to save rental days. Do want a car though for the trip around the Bay of Kotor as this seems popular. Thanks again, Dave and Cathy