Italy and Croatia are two of the best destinations in Europe and if you can’t decide which one to visit, there’s good news: you can easily visit both during the same trip! These three itineraries cover a similar route that are adapted and added on to for itineraries of different lengths so you’ll be able to find one that fits your travel plans.
Related Posts:
7-Day or One-Week Italy and Croatia Itinerary
If you only have one week to explore Italy and Croatia, you’ll still be able to take a highlights tour of these incredible countries. Start your trip by flying into Rome. Italy’s capital city is rich with history and culture and you can spend at least two or three days here exploring some of the most famous ancient monuments in the world. Toss a coin over your left shoulder with your right hand into the waters of the Trevi Fountain – according to legend, doing this means you will soon make another trip to Italy.
From Rome, you’ll continue on to Venice where you’ll be able to see the famous canal city in person over the course of two days. Make sure you spend an afternoon taking one of the famous gondola rides through the city. Although this can be relatively expensive, it’s definitely worth it to participate in this iconic activity.
You’ll end your trip by heading to the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. This charming city is an extremely popular destination with a rich history. The Dubrovnik Walls are one of the most famous attractions in the city and you can walk along them and admire the view of the Old Town area and climb Minceta Tower. They’re famous in pop culture for their appearance on HBO’s smash hit Game of Thrones and you may be able to find a guided tour that is based on the show when you are there. In addition to exploring these picturesque walls, you can eat local food and shop for Croatian goods to take home as a souvenir.
Travel Guide & Resources for This 7-day or One-Week Italy and Croatia Itinerary:
Enjoy this 7-day or one-week Italy and Croatia Itinerary itinerary? Here you can find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Italy and Croatia. Also, here you can browse our list of the best hotels in any destinations mentioned in this Italy and Croatia itinerary to stay in.
Need more ideas to add to your one-week or 7-day Italy and Croatia Itinerary? Find top attractions & things to do in Italy and Croatia in addition to what is already mentioned here.
10-Day Italy and Croatia Itinerary
If you have ten full days to explore Italy and Croatia, you have several more opportunities to see incredible sights and experience vibrant culture. As with the previous itinerary, you will start this ten day vacation by flying into Rome and spending three days exploring the sights. If you love museums you can head to the Vatican Museums which are widely considered to be some of the best museums in Europe, if not the entire world. The museum has nearly 70,000 remarkable historic and artistic items in it’s total collection, 20,000 of which are on display. One of the most famous is Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, the famous painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. While near the Vatican, spend some time exploring St Peter’s Basilica, another structure that Michaelangelo helped create.
From Rome, head north to Venice. In addition to a gondola ride, you can spend your time in the famous canal city walking across the nearly 400 bridges that cross the waterways. If you happen to be visiting during late February or early March, you might have a chance to experience the vibrant Venice Carnival which is famous for its elaborate masks. Pick one up from one of the local artisans when you visit.
After exploring Venice you’ll head into Croatia and towards the capital city of Zagreb. You can fly there or you can opt to drive although that trip can take around five hours. This fantastic destination blends the historic with the modern and the result is a charming city where you can learn about Croatia’s history and culture. Gradec is a quaint neighborhood where you can shop and grab a bite to eat. Dolac Market is a daily farmer’s market where you can also pick up some fresh food that makes for a quick and healthy breakfast.
During your stay in Zagreb, you can book an excursion to the incredible Plitvices Lake National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is Croatia’s largest and oldest national park and is a stunning natural landmark that is just under two hours away from Zagreb. There are several different companies that offer day trips that provide transportation and in some cases, meals are provided as well. These tours are a great way to explore the natural beauty of Croatia without having to rent a car.
After three days exploring Zagreb and taking a day trip to Plitvices Lake National Park, you’ll continue on to your final stop on this itinerary: Dubrovnik. In addition to the Dubrovnik Walls, you can explore the Stradun which is a pedestrian area lined with stores and cafes. After your time in Dubrovnik, you can easily continue on to other destinations or head home by flying out of the Dubrovnik Airport.
Travel Guide & Resources for This 10-Day Italy and Croatia Itinerary Itinerary:
Enjoy this 10-day or one-week Italy and Croatia Itinerary itinerary? Here you can find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Italy and Croatia. Also, here you can browse our list of the best hotels in any destinations mentioned in this Italy and Croatia itinerary to stay in.
Need more ideas to add to your one-week or 10-day Italy and Croatia Itinerary? Find top attractions & things to do in Italy and Croatia in addition to what is already mentioned here.
14-Day or 2-Week Italy and Croatia Itinerary
If you have a full two weeks to explore Italy and Croatia, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore some of the best sights in the country. As with the other itineraries, you’ll start by flying into Rome. In addition to being home to a major airport and being easy to get to, Rome is a great place to start your Italian adventure as there are several iconic monuments within city limits and plenty of opportunities that are designed for tourists such as guided experiences in languages other than Italian.
Following your time in Rome, head north to Florence. The city has long had a reputation for encouraging art and many famous creators were either born in Florence or established a residence there in later years. For example, if you head to Piazza della Signoria, you can see the iconic Statue of David. This marble sculpture was created between 1501 and 1504 by the famous artist Michalangelo. Visit the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore to see one of the most famous cathedrals in the world.
After exploring Florence, you can continue up north to Venice before heading into Croatia. You can spend just a day and a half exploring the city by land and by gondola before continuing on. Make sure you stop by the famous St. Marks Square where you can explore cafes and shops while enjoying stunning views of the blue waters framed by the terracotta colors of the structures.
After your time in Venice, you’ll fly into Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city. In addition to fresh food and charming medieval alleyways and neighborhoods, you’ll be able to spend your time here visiting historic sites such as Karlovac – a 16th century town that was built as an outpost to defend against the Ottoman army. It is a fascinating example of military planning and is also a beautiful spot. For a more unconventional route, head to the Museum of Broken Relationships. This museum contains items from heartbroken people around the world along with a brief explanation as to what these seemingly random items are. It might not sound like a good time but the galleries are poignant and remarkably human.
Next, you’ll start heading south – specifically towards Plitvice Lakes National Park. You’ll rent a car for this part of your trip and you’ll be able to experience some stunning scenery and unique aspects of Croatian culture you’d miss if you were flying over it. If you’re heading to the park without a tour guide you’ll have the complete freedom to hike and explore the area at your own pace. You can even opt to stay overnight at a nearby hotel like the beautiful Plitvice Hotel. You can rest and explore the park for a few hours the next morning before continuing on.
After exploring Plitvices Lake National Park, you’ll continue on to Split, Croatia’s second-largest city. Split is a cultural hub in the region and is also home to several historic landmarks such as the Diocletian’s Palace, which was erected for the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century AD. Today you can tour the palace and even see it from Split’s Old Town neighborhood.
Finally, continue on to Dubrovnik. You can spend your days here exploring the remnants of imposing historic sites and immersing yourself in Croatian culture before heading home.
Travel Guide & Resources for This 14-day or Two-Week Italy and Croatia Itinerary:
Enjoy this 14-day or two-week Italy and Croatia Itinerary itinerary? Here you can find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Italy and Croatia. Also, here you can browse our list of the best hotels in any destinations mentioned in this Italy and Croatia itinerary to stay in.
Need more ideas to add to your 14-day or two-week Italy and Croatia Itinerary? Find top attractions & things to do in Italy and Croatia in addition to what is already mentioned here.
Video Guide: Italy & Croatia Itinerary Ideas for 7, 10, & 14 Days
Related Posts
Travel resources for planning a multi-city trip to Italy and Croatia
To make planning a trip to Italy and Croatia easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip to Italy and Croatia.
Flights:
Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: EuRail, Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
Need help planning a trip to Italy and Croatia?
Want to plan a trip to Italy and Croatia but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a multi-city trip to Italy and Croatia are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.
Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.
To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in 5 Easy Steps” here.
Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.
