Trying to plan a trip in September. Not quite sure how to do both countries without backtracking. Have been looking at Rick's tour guide ideas...but would actually like to hear from people who have actually done it. We are open to public transportation in both countries.
Our 'hit list' is:
Dub
Kotor
Korcula
Hvar
Split
Plitvice
Zadar (day trip)
Rovinj
Ljub
Bled
Thanks!
Ruth
Do Kotor as a day tour from Dubrovnik - Atlas offers a good one. You can get from Dubrovnik to Korcula by public bus. There's daily catamaran service from Korcula to Hvar and on to Split. Zadar, Plitvice and Rovonj are best done with a rental car. Easiest to drop off the rental car in Zagreb and take train to Ljubljana. There's good bus service between Ljubljana and Lake Bled.
Based on my 3 trips to Croatia and Slovenia, I would suggest you reduce the number of stops you're trying to fit into 14 days. Maybe do either Korcula or Hvar, and consider dropping Rovinj as it's the most out of the way and the least convenient to reach. If skipping Korcula, it's logistically easier to do Split after Dubrovnik and then Hvar (better fit to catamaran schedules). That's what I did, and then picked up a rental car in Split for the drive north. Uniline, a Croatian company, will meet you with the car at the catamaran dock and charges no drop off charge for 3 day rentals.
that was the sticky part...where to drop off the rental car and not back track to get into slovenia.
I guess alot depends upon into which airport we will fly in/out of. would prefer open jaw. coming from dayton area, so we will end up taking 2-3 legs.
thanks for your help!
You could fly into Zagreb, rent a car there, drive through Slovenia and then down through Croatia, flying out of Dubrovnik. Or the reverse. That would allow you to see both countries without backtracking, as well as pick up and drop off a rental car in the same country. Could even add in a day trip to Montenegro when in the Dubrovnik area.
Last time I rented a car to travel in both countries, a car rented in Croatia couldn't be driven into Slovenia (Slovenia into Croatia was OK). If that restriction still exists, you can get around it by dropping off or picking up the car in Zagreb, which is an easy train connection to Ljubljana.
Lake Bled – Julian Alps - Karst Region - Rovinj - Plitvice Lakes – Trogir - Split – Hvar - Dubrovnik
Pictures, details and spreedsheet at my personal blog. Let me know if you have any questions.
thanks mark...I had already downloaded your itinerary last week. the only thing that we find missing, and really wish to see/spend couple days in ...is ljubljana. you didn't include that.
the farm stay sounds great.
again, thanks.
To get around the car drop off fees, we toured Croatia and then dropped off the car in Opatija/Rijeka. We took the train (2 hours?) into Ljub. Bussed to Lake Bled and then rented a car for the Karst area. We only rented a car for a couple of days at a time, (so we didn't have to worry about parking, etc.) and took the train or the bus. The bus was actually way nicer than the trains we took!
Hi, Ruth. I don't have a tremendous amount of time to write, right now. But I'd say Bled itself is very touristy, and over-rated. Though the scenery, and the Island is ABSOLUTELY stunning, and worth a day.
If you can hit Lju on a weekend on on a Thurs, that's great. Thurs is late shopping night, and the whole town comes out and strolls the promenade.
I'd make time to do the Karst region the caves therea re absolutely stunning. (Postojna, Skocjan), and Predjama is one of my most favorite castles in all of Eruope - great story.
I've spent several months in Eastern Slovenia. If you have any questions, feel free to message me! =)
Sound like fun!
Chris
thanks everyone for all the great advice!
I think that we will try to start in dubrov. 3 days there without car.
1 day trip w/rental to kotor.
on to korcula/hvar for one night each or 2 on one of them?...via ferry.
ferry to split - 2 days pick up rental car
drive to plitvice 1 night there
drive to istria - 2 nights rovinj
day trips to hill towns
drop off car @ rijeka
train to ljub. 1 night
train to bled 1 night
rent car in bled and drive through alps back to ljub. 1 night
day trip to skocjan cave
1 last night in ljub.
home
this makes much more sense...using pub. transportation for most of the trip. renting a car in each country to avoid drop off charges.
since we are splitting cost of rental, it shouldn't be too bad.
chris...I have heard that bled is pretty touristy as well. so one day one night there should be enough. maybe we could venture to bohinj for a hike!
Hi Ruth,
Just a thought, but instead of overnighting for one night in Ljubljana right after you leave Rijeka, you may want to consider going directly to Lake Bled for the night (if public transportation lined up correctly). Then from there, head down to Ljubljana for the last 2-3 nights of your trip.
Additionally, you may want to consider doing 2 nights in Bled and 2 nights in Ljubljana, renting a car in Bled on the second day and using that (instead of Ljubljana) as your home base of operations for driving through the Julian Alps (or heading to Lake Bohinj).
I understand Bled gets packed to the gills during peak tourist season (was told it is a very popular spot with Europeans, particularly Germans), but depending on when in September you will be there it might not be so bad. We were there in March and had the town to ourselves.
Have fun!
(ps Hope you got the private message I'd sent you in response to the questions you'd sent!)
OK ..thanks angela. here is my new plan:
I think that we will try to start in dubrov. 3 nights there without car.
1 day trip w/rental to kotor.
on to korcula/hvar for one night each or 2 on one of them?...via ferry.
ferry to split - 2 nights PU rental car
drive to plitvice - (stopover in zadar) 1 night there
drive to istria - 2 nights rovinj
day trips to hill towns
drop off car @ rijeka
train to ljub. bus to bled
PU rental car
bled 2 nights
drive through alps back to ljub. 2 nights
day trip to skocjan cave/horses
home
this would all work out great if we can get decent fare $ in to DBV and out of Ljub.
otherwise..if we are coming into zagreb or zadar or trieste...this plan is foiled!
shoot...I just now noticed all of these emails in my 'message' box. sorry...I will catch up and respond to each of you.
thanks!!!
Here are a couple of other things to consider on your trip. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Trogir is a fabulous place to stay for a couple of nights and from there you can visit Split or make a day trip to Krka National Park.
As for Slovenia, if you enjoy hiking in the Julian Alps, consider basing yourself in Kranska Gora, from where you can do day trips to Bled, or the Trenta Valley, or Lake Bohinj.
Also, if you are at all interested in caves, Slovenia is blessed with two spectacular sites. Postonja is more touristy (complete with a small underground train) and has the nearby Predjama Castle to recommend it. But for my money, I prefer the UNESCO World Heritage site at Skocjan. The caverns there are jaw-dropping!
definitely doing skocjan caves. and will consider the home base in the alps as well. we are hikers, and although bled will be somewhat quieter in late sept...perhaps it would be more fun to base someplace else. thanks!
