We’re doing the Central Europe tour from
Prague to Lake Bled next April/May We’d like to continue back into Croatia to Split and Dubrovnik after the tour ends . The options we’ve come up with for travel from Bled to Split or Dubrovnik renting a car, hiring a driver(suggestions?) or flying to Dubrovnik on Croatia Air. Anyone done any of these or have any other ideas?
Thanks!
Posted by
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
24940 posts
My first time down from Zagreb to Dubrovnik I hired a trip planner for transportation and stops along the way (villages, wineries, olive Plantations, oyster farms, on to Perast on Kotor Bay). The trip planner was Dijana Krkotic
Doclea Travel
+39 389 765 5935 (phone or WhatsApp)
[email protected]
www.docleatravel.com.
I've used her a half dozen more times since; in Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro.
Posted by
Chicago
1163 posts
It's a non-trivial distance from Bled to Split, so it kind of depends on how much time
you have. From Split, it's another 3-4 hours to Dubrovnik by bus or car (there are
no trains).
Renting a car will most likely incur a multiple-country dropoff charge if you get the
car in Slovenia and drop it off in Croatia.
If your focus is Split and Dubrovnik, I'd fly into one of the two and go from there.
If you have a ton of time, then get a car or a driver and craft an itinerary per
Mr. E's guidance.
Posted by
6416 posts
Agree we need to know how much time. Have you scoped out the car rental? As mentioned, cross-border drop-offs can be pricey.
Easiest course if you intend to focus on Split and Dubrovnik is to fly or break up the trip by public transport with a stop in Zagreb.
Posted by
California
120 posts
Looking at the itinerary, it seems the tour does not include Ljubljana - the capital of Slovenia. We just wrapped up a Rick Steves Tour of Germany, Austria, Switzerland - ending in Vienna - and took the train to Ljubljana for a 3-night stay. During that stay we visited Lake Bled and more.
We thought Ljubljana was a great little city - has a lovely old-town center, with a little river running through, lined with great restaurants. We basically spent one and a half days in Ljubljana, and one day touring the countryside. We could have spent more time in both. I would certainly prioritize Dubrovnik over Ljubljana, but I would certainly consider Ljubljana as a worthy destination.
Posted by
Mandeville, LA
103 posts
Chris, this tour used to include Ljubljana, at least for a quick visit.
I just noticed that the tour itinerary for day 13 has been changed. Going from Rovinj to Bled, the tour now stops in Lipica for a visit to a horse farm and then in Radovljica for a visit relating to beekeeping and a gingerbread bakery. Last year, on day 13, the tour stopped in Ljubljana.
I am not sure why this change was made. To me, the old itinerary was much more attractive--Ljubljana versus horse farm and beekeeping and a gingerbread bakery. If you have watched RS's travel shows, they often show some RS interests that are on the quirky side. A quibble with the RS tour itineraries is that they too often includes stops that presumably promote some "interaction with the locals" and that charitably can be described as quirky.
Posted by
Prosser, Washington
67 posts
We are going to do that tour in 2027. Will take the train from Bled to Vienna for 3 nights and fly back from there.
Posted by
Mandeville, LA
103 posts
As far as other ideas, Salzburg and Munich, which would be a good place to fly home from.
Posted by
Washington DC
29935 posts
If the new tour itinerary skips Ljubljana, I'd agree that's strange and should be remedied in your free time. Bled is quite close to Ljubljana. Bus service is available, but I suspect taking a taxi would not be terribly expensive.
For points south, you could start with a train or bus from Ljubljana to Zagreb, where you could pick up a rental car if desired. That would avoid the expected, costly international drop charge on the car.
I've never driven in Croatia--or anywhere else in Europe--so no comments on that idea.