Italy to Croatia Itinerary help please :)

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leigh.anderson.73
leigh.anderson.73

Hi there,

I will be travelling from Italy to Croatia although with much investigation I have come to realise it won’t be as easy as I thought. Your help in identifying where I should go and how would be really much appreciated.

I fly into Venice 23rd July for 3 nights, planning on travelling to Croatia 26th.

My original plan was to ferry it over to Pula, but have decided Pula is actually too far north for where I want to end up in the amount of time I have (I need to be in Dubrovnik by 1st Aug).

I would like to do another Croatian mainland for a few days that is not too far (a few hours bus ride) away to Plitvice lakes that I can enjoy a day trip to and has a young-ish atmosphere. Now thinking I should travel down Italy to Ancona for more of a selection of ferries. What mainland would you suggest (Split / Zagreb?) and is travelling out of Ancona the best option?

From there I’d like to visit a Croatian island for another few days. All look absolutely lovely, but perhaps a little too touristy / busy? Hvar / Mijet? I’d love something a little more secluded for total relaxation, stunning beaches, romantic (even though I am on my own) and somewhere I can perhaps rent a bike and cycle round in a day. Is it best to wait until I am on mainland to suss out where to go, or would you recommend some of these more popular islands I have already looked into? I presume I would also then need to travel back to the mainland to connect to a Dubrovnik ferry / bus to get me there for the 1st Aug?

As mentioned above, I will be travelling solo (first time) and definitely overwhelmed by all the options.

Many thanks in advance. I look forward to hearing from you.

Leigh

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adriaticblue
adriaticblue

There is a direct flight between Venice and Split (http://www.volotea.com/), as well as from Milan (EasyJet). There is no need to go to Ancona.

You can also use a bus from Venice to Pula (http://www.croatiatravelguide.net/transport/bus-pula-venice-ita-timetables-prices) or even to Zagreb. If you go to Zagreb, the best solution is to first travel to Trieste, there are two daily direct routes from there to Zagreb.

Split is more fun during that time than Zagreb, although Zagreb is increasingly touristy in recent years, so you might find some fun during that period in Zagreb as well.

Regarding the islands, Hvar is the most popular one now and you can expect the most crowds there. Mljet is the exact opposite, it's the place where people go to enjoy nature and it's much more calm.

It's hard to be completely secluded in that period of summer, but if you're looking for "total relaxation, stunning beaches, romantic", these are some of the good options:

  1. Vis - nice beaches, relaxing, not as touristy as other big islands
  2. Mljet - wonderful nature and beaches
  3. Murter - great beaches, but mostly very crowded during the summer

After you research a bit more, ask what you're interested in, I'll try to help. :)

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maddie_blossom
maddie_blossom

Zadar is close to Plitvice and has a young-ish wibe, great city. You can get there by ferry from Ancona.
Mljet fits your description of an island you'd like to visit. it's close to Dubrovnik, so you can schedule it near the end of July.

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leigh.anderson.73
leigh.anderson.73

Hi, thank you both. Below is what I think I have decided upon.

Am I right in thinking I can't book ferries / busses until I get there?

23rd - 26th July - Venice

26th July: Venice to Rome to Split (flight - booked)

Split 26th - 29th (Day trip out to Plitvice lakes)

29th July: Split to Vis (ferry) 11am - 1:20pm going by Jadrolinija 54KN.

Vis 29 - 1st Aug (Day trip to Blue caves)

1st Aug: Vis to Split (ferry),7am - 8:25am going by Krilo 55KN.
Split to Dubrovnik (bus) 10:30am - 2:30pm Bus ID 726 going by Bus Croatia

Dubrovnik 1st - 5th Aug (Day trip to Mljet)

Thanks all!

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mia.jurjevic.9
mia.jurjevic.9
In response to #3

May I suggest instead of Vis to visit beautiful island Šolta. It is only 30 min away from Split, catamarans and ferries run all day on relation Split-Šolta so you can spend mornings exploring Split and hot afternoons swimming and relaxing on Šoltan beaches. Šolta has been gaining popularity over last couple of years as a tourist destination but it is still much less visited then Brač, Hvar, and other islands. You can easily rent standard or electric bicycle and enjoy breathtaking scenery. Or rent a kayak and explore islets in front of Šolta, maybe go skinny dipping, and enjoy some of the most romantic sunsets you will ever see. I am Šoltan native and I garantee that you will fall in love with this island according to your vacation preferences specified. Please check out this facebook page to get an idea of what to expect on Šolta: https://www.facebook.com/soltamygreenisland?hc_location=timeline
or for accommodation in Šolta (all private accommodation by local people, amazing view overlooking sea and islets, all price ranges) check: http://www.eko-adria-solta.com/index.php/en
Have a great vacation!
Best,
Mia Jurjevic

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