Hello,
We will be heading on a spontaneous trip to Europe on Sunday. We fly in and out of Venice (cheaper) and really want to check out Slovenia and Croatia. We are interested in seeing the Dalmation Islands, maybe Bosnia and then, head back up to Slovenia for Soca River, and the Alps then, back to Venice to head home. We have 17 days. We are outdoorsy people and don't mind having to hike, etc. We aren't sure if trains, buses, cars or ferries or a mix of all are the best ways to go. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks so much.
Deja
Trains and bus will be your best bet, as most of the time the departure and arrivals are at the city centers. While there, you can even get the help of the tourist center or even the local travel agency.
If you think you may drive, I'd get an international driving license. You can get it at Auto Club and you'll need 2 passport sized pictures.
Have fun!!
Not sure about the trip between Venice and Slovenia but Kent's post will give you great info about your options:
Itinerary Planning Tips
We enjoyed visiting Ljubljana and rented a car there for the day to Lake Bled. We hiked in the Vintgar Gorge area.
From Ljubljana we took a train to Zagreb and then flew Croatia Air from there to Dubrovnik (I'd recommend flying as the distance between the two is far.) We took a ferry from Dubrovnik to Korcula--if you visit the Dalmation Islands be sure to check the schedules carefully as the ferry doesn't run to each location every day. Here's the ferry website:
Jadrolina Ferry
I highly recommend Rick Steves' Croatia/Slovenia Guidebook.
You'll have a great time!
Thank you ever so much for all your help and tips. I will look in to these! I certainly appreciate it and will be sure to respond to others asking for help once I have some travel experiences. By the way, I have a few of Rick's books and love them. Thanks! Deja