5 days in Croatia - suggested itinerary?

[cjgergits95]

My husband and I are ferrying over from Ancona, Italy to Split. We have five days. Can anyone who has been there suggest a good itinerary for us? It will be our first trip to Croatia and I don't want to cram too much in, but want to see whatever we can feasibly see in that amount of time!

[peroploce]

Dear madam,

What I can suggest you is nice and quite nights, and trips over day.......
Split,Dubrovnik,Korcula,Ston,Medjugorje.http://www.villa-solo.com is near the lake,close to sea .meet traditional Croatia in Dalmatian village....

Brgds,

Peter

[Jeanne]

Well, 5 days is a little brief but if I were you I'd spend a night in Split, then rent a car and drive to Dubrovnik possibly with an overnight in Makarska. Spend at least two nights in Dubrovnik and do a couple of excursions to see the surroundings!

Jeanne

[cjgergits95]

Jeanne -

Thanks so much for the travel advice. We have been feeling a bit stuck lately and really needed a little guidance!

Thank you again SO MUCH!

~Carrie and Jim Gergits

[cjgergits95]

I am wondering if anyone has any advice on car rentals and room reservations.

Car rental vs. bus? --- I have never rented a car in another country before and although my husband and I know how to drive stick, we are wondering if it is foolish to try and learn how to drive on the left side of the road AND drive a stick shift in a foreign car at the same time! (especially on coastal roads!) Also, is renting a car much better than taking the bus? I read a previous message that said the bus system runs on average 12x/day from Split to Dubrovnik???

Room reservation vs. waiting until we arrive --- I have read that there are many options for renting a room upon arrival into town, however, I am wondering if it is still that way, or now that Croatia is becomming more and more "discovered", if we should make a reservation ahead of time?

A BIG thank you in advance to anyone out there with any tips!

[Jeanne]

Hi.

In Croatia you drive on the RIGHT side of the road! But I would also add that there are a lot of buses going from Split to Dubrovnik and they are very reliable.

As for accommodation. . .it's true that ladies with rooms have always met incoming buses and ferries to hawk their offer. However, it is "illegal" in the sense that most of them do not pay a residence tax. Apartment owners that do put a lot of pressure on local authorities to crack down and there's some indication that they may start to do so. We'll see this season.

Meanwhile, reserving in advance is a surer deal in terms of making sure that you will have a good location. If location doesn't matter so much or if you're willing to take your chances, then just show up and see what's available.

Jeanne

[cjgergits95]

Thank you again for your help Jeanne!

I have another question for you or anyone who might have some information...

Has anyone driven from Split to Dubrovnik before? I have heard it is similar to California's coastal highway? I am trying to decide between stick and automatic and want to make sure the hills aren't too San Francisco style!!

[valhalla]

I have ridden the bus from Dubrovnik north through the Peljesac peninsula to Orebic, so I am not sure how mountanous the entire route is, but it is certainly a hair-raising drive in parts: curvy and mountainous.
Renting a car would give you freedom to explore, but if you are only travelling from Split to Dubrovnik and doing nearby day trips in each, it may not be something you need to do.

http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm
is a great source for maps and directions.
good luck

And accomodation reservations depend on the time of year--booking through the nearest tourist office has worked for me.

[marystalker]

Hi Carrie,
You could try this website. We have accom booked with them in Split for May on our return from a week sailing around the island. Enjoy. Mary

[marystalker]

Hi again, Woops it would help to give you the web address ..... www.croatiasplitapartments.com. Bye Mary