Hi there...it's been ages since I visited pre-civil war Croatia (well, Yugoslavia) or Italy. However, if you haven't been to Italy...you just have to, at least once. It's got the museums, the artwork, the tradition that just has to be absorbed at least once a lifetime (though I would prefer it in April or May). That said, Croatia is gorgeous...the scenery is terrific, you can find old roman ruins, and Dubrovnik (it's either in Croatia or real close) is just incredible. It's the place to relax and just chill...

I've never been to Croatia, but I _love_ Italy. I highly recommend staying in Siena if you go to Florence (rather than staying in Florence) - it's a beautiful town, amazing food, plenty of sights to see, and a short bus or train ride from Florence. You get to avoid lots of the crazy Florence crowds that way. The museums in Florence are a once in a lifetime kind of sight - absolutely worth going to. Important tip - you can book tickets to many of the museums in advance to avoid nasty lines and restrictions on the number of people allowed in. The Amalfi coast is a beautiful area as well. When you're in Rome, when you're at any of the Roman ruins, look for the books that have overlays of "what it looked like originally..." - it really adds something to what you're seeing.

Check out the blog of an American expat who married an Italian, and runs neat little holiday apartments in Rome (Trastevere). Even if the apartment isn't what you need, she's got articles on things to see & do in Rome.

Enjoy your vacation!

Imperatrix (a long-time lurker)

Sorry! I forgot to put in the link:

http://reallyrome.com/blog/

Unfortunately mid August is the worst possible time to visit Italy. 90% of the Italian population is on vacation and about half the Germans who are on vacation are also in Italy. Everything is crowded and at its most expensive. August 15 is a huge summer holiday with everyone out of town and most city shops closed for 2-3 days depending on which day of the week the 15th falls on. Stay clear of beaches, unless you enjoy being crowded as in a Tokyo subway.
If you are headed to Croatia, you could stop somewhere in Tuscany, Romagna and Veneto on the way. If you decide to stop in Romagna, email me. I grew up there and might be able to make suggestions.
Good luck!

I visited Croatia back when it was all part of Yugoslavia as well, so I'm not sure which cities are in which part. But I can agree with the previous comment that Dubrovnik is a great place to visit - beautiful city, great views, and very relaxing. I also liked Lake Ohrid, but i believe that is somewhere on the Albanian border.

As for Italy I can't say enough about the Amalfi coast. We stayed in Sorrento in a hotel on a cliff (the Excelsior Vittoria)and one day we sat on our balcony until 2 in the afternoon just watching the boats come and go. We also took the ferry to Capri one day - it was just lovely.

In Rome there are two things you can't miss - the Sistine Chapel (it really does live up to the hype) and the Borghese Gallery (you have to get tickets ahead of time, but it's the most amazing museum I have ever seen).

Have a great time!

- Brooke

I cannot give you much advice on various places to go and see, other than Venice. My husband and I spent a week there earlier this year. If you go -- try staying in this apartment: http://www.veniceapartments.org/html/galbajo.html

Its close to the action but not IN it. Its really sweet and not much more expensive than a hostel.

I traveled through Italy last year. The best is Cique Terra (sp?) it's on the north west coast of Italy. Also, Florence was great. I also liked Venice, but by the afternoon it was overrun with tourists.

As for Crotia, I have a friend who is from Crotia. The coast is always nice, along with the port cities.

I went to Italy on my honeymoon, and it was heavenly! We stayed in Poggibonsi, outside of Florence, and it was nice to have a drive into Florence. Assissi is a must see- it's a wonderful old town. Amalfi, on the coast, is very chic and romantic. Pompei was very cool and kind of spooky at the same time.

I went to Croatia a few years ago, and my husband spent a month there last year. Zagreb is a great city- very European feel. You can get Germanic type food, as well as Turkish style food. The wine is wonderful, and reasonably priced. There are museums- the Natural History Museum is run by a friend of ours, and houses Neanderthal fossils found in Croatia. Plitvice National Park is supposed to be gorgeous, and I've heard great things about Split and Dubrovnik down on the coast. Hvar is supposed to be a nice place too.

Be warned that August is travel month- we encountered lots of Italians and Germans on vacation while we traveling last.

Oh- and many Croatians seem to know German as a second language, instead of English. A good travel guide/language guide should help.

Have fun- I'm green with envy!

Croatia is incredible. Zagreb is one of my favorite places. I would suggest going to Italy first while you're still super excited about being on the road and then go to slightly less crazy Croatia for a calmer end of your trip. Italy's worth the hassle, though. I would ditto the other comment about booking for museums and the like. It saves a ton of time. I know it will be amazing!

Oh, and one more tip: When you're in Rome, if you're going to the Coliseum (and you definitely should) you can skip the massive line if you go to the Roman Forum first (which is right down the street) and get your ticket there. It's a joint ticket so you can skip the big line and go straight in to the Coliseum. I was so grateful that somebody tipped me off about that before I went and thought I'd pass it along. It can save you hours in line :-)

I have a new friend (good friend's bride) from Croatia--want to talk to her? I plan to see her soon so I'll do a little digging for you!

No real advice, but we are headed to the area for our honeymoon in October, with stops in Venice and Dubrovnik, so I'll be excited to see your pictures and hear about your travels!

If you go to Tuscany - there are so many charming hill towns that you can stop at (on the way to Sienna as recommended by others): Montalcino for the wine, Montepulciano also for the wine, and Pienza for the cheese. These were my favorites. I think this place is on the way to the Amalfi Coast (if you decide to go in this direction): Saturnia and it's an outdoor spring. Here's a link: http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hot_springs.htm. Scroll down to Natural Hot Springs, it's the first paragraph. I loved this place but be prepared for the smell of a natual spring (i.e.: sulfur!). The smell will wash out of your bathing suit and hair, after several washes. It's totally worth it - make your way down the river to try out the mud on your face and body! Have an fantastic time!!!

I second the Siena advice--it's a really cute little town, as is even smaller San Gimigniano (sp?) which is also in Tuscany. Florence is SPECTACULAR, so much to see and do, if you're into that. Sicily is lovely and can be uber-relaxing, if that's more your style. And Rome is... Rome! But I think I prefer Florence to Rome... I just don't know!
Anyway, if you want to talk Italy, give me a yell. I've got lots of photos too. :)

I have to second all the mentions to see the Amalfi coast when you're in Italy. We stayed in one of the small towns in the Cinque Terre, and you can take a train through the mountain to get to the other towns. Sorrento was my favorite place to stay, and we took a boat trip to the island Ischia one day, which was beautiful and had a great beach. I still remember getting a cannoli off a street vendor that was like heaven. Ok, now I'm getting jealous! Have a wonderful time

I highly recommend Santa Margherita, Portofino (expensive but interesting, chic day trip) and Cinque Terre. Have a great time!!

If you can get your hands on a copy of "Olive" from the UK, they have a smashing article on where to eat in Croatia. I was very hungry after reading it . . . I could post it to you if you like.

i'm too excited that you want to go to croatia! talk to me. (that's where i'm from when i'm not busy pretending to be swiss)

sounds blissful. we are going to italy in september and have nothing but our plane ticket. so if you find any great hotels in rome, let me know!

I love love love Italy, all of it. Where you should go in Italy depends on what you want to do; are you climbing/hiking people (Cinque Terra, etc.), or do you prefer to shop (Rome, Florence, Capri), or would you rather just hang out and eat and watch it all go by (anywhere, but Venice is great for this)? In any case, if you're vacationing as a means of relaxation, please remember that you don't *have* to go to a huge number of places, and you don't always have to be on the move! That said, if you do city-hop, you might check out ryanair.com -- they have some crazy cheap deals, like 3 euro to fly from Rome to Venice.

my husband and i just got back from 11 days in italy - rome, florence and tuscany. most of italy "shuts down" for two weeks in August - when it is most hot and they go on holiday. Look into that before you plan too much there. Florence is beautiful and romantic but nothing beats renting a car and exploring the small Tuscan villages. Feel free to email me with questions!

Sounds like you will be getting plenty of help! My good friend visited Croatia a few years back and her boyfriend at the time was from there. It really impressed her and she has lots of stories about that place. She said it was amazing and laid back and everyone I've talked to about Croatia agrees. I agree with previous posters, my friend specifically mentioned Dubrovnik and Zagreb as the most beautiful places, and excellent nightlife. Sorry I don't have anymore details or placenames, but the general idea is that you can't go wrong just roaming around those towns!
Have a fun, relaxing trip!

Croatia: was there in the winter (I do things backwards) in 2000 while the conflict was still "settling down" and loved it. It is rumored to be as wonderful as Italy, but without the Italians. Never having been to Italy I cannot say...

I recommend Opatija as a stop. It is at the top of the Adriatic, easily reachable by train or ferry (and a jumping off point for Krk and the dalmatian islands). Opatija is lovely and small, but with charm and lovely things to do. I'd suggest staying at the "Hotel Opatija" which is affordable and has a nice restaurant.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

I loved Italy! I went for a week, and used Rome & Florence as my base camps. I took a day trip to Sienna and a day trip to Venice. Since those are smaller towns, we were able to see a lot of them without feeling we were missing out on too much. The Sistene Chapel is a must, as is visiting the piazza outside of St. Peter's Basilica. I began to investigate Michelangelo's work & the Medicis after my trip. That trip got me interested in art of any kind!

My advice (since I haven't been to Italy OR Croatia) is that you and travel partner make separate lists of what you want out of the trip: photographs? adventures? leisure? great food? exercise? meetings with natives? etc etc. My husband and I sometimes revise our preferences on a daily basis, but the list/conversation helps avoid the dread T.E. (Thwarted Expectations.)

I will say that I love Italy and I could go each year and be very happy! I love the Amalfi coast - positano and capri are both wonderful. Do you want to see the cities or beach resorts? I have the best travel agent ever for Italy and Europe.
Croatia has been on my list and I feel very guilty that I have not been yet. My oldest son visits his aunt in Croatia each year. My first husband and his family are originally from Croatia. Their houses are in Split and Ciovo. I have heard they are going to switch to Euros in the near future which will bring prices up so now is the time to go. My girlfriend who lives in Spain has an amazing fully staffed yacht and has chosen to vacation in Croatia the last 3 years in a row visiting "M"s aunt. She has traveled extensively and says that it is the most beautiful area that she has visited. I think that it is common to rent houses or apartments there - It seems there are not many hotels. I have my notes and favorites for Italy so let me know where you decide. Check in to flying MaxJet, Virgin Atlantic, and Air Alitalia. Inter Europe airlines such as Ryan Air and Easy Jet have remarkably low rates.

I spent a few weeks in Croatia last summer. Split and Dubrovnik are absolutely amazing and Zagreb has a great older European city feel. The younger people in the bigger cities speak English amazingly well (better than anywhere else I've been on the continent) and it's easy to rent an apartment for the equivalent of about $30 a day (or at least it was last May). The food is amazing, the people are wonderful, the scenery is beautiful (Split has Diocletian's palace, still intact and a living part of the city now), and it's cheap. Oh, and try the "rakija" - in moderation, it's basically the local moonshine. ;)

Go to Venice. It's a singularly unique city and must be seen. Unfortunately, in August, I've heard it can be quite putrid - lots of standing water during hot weather will do that. Still, it's a beautiful, culturally rich city and shouldn't be missed.

I'd also go to the Liguria region (or, the Italian Riviera). Walk along the hiking route of Cinque Terre which winds between 5 picturesque villages hugging the cliffs of Liguria. Hopefully, this area will be a bit cooler.

Have a good trip!

i wish i could remember the name of the pensione we stayed at -- simple rooms that were really cheap, clean and included breakfast. it was just a 10 minute walk from termini, on the main bus lines and next door to the most delectable inexpensive pastry shop/bakery where we often picked up lunch & dinner. i think we found it in rick steves' "italy" guide. our rates may have been better since we were traveling in november. at any rate, i highly recommend steves' guides in conjunction with lonely planet. steves' walkthrough of the roman forum is quite enjoyable (even better is his walking tour of pompeii, if you can make it there!) when i went we were based in rome and then sorrento (if you make it there, take the local bus to positano -- the best 4 euro you'll ever spend. sit on the right side of the bus in a window seat, and you'll thoroughly enjoy the amalfi coast). my friend and i went with a few specific things we each wanted to do, made sure we hit those, and then winged the rest of the trip (we spent a week in southern france and a week in southern italy). oh, and don't forget to eat gelato every day and enjoy the passagietto if you can. giolitti's (gelato) in rome near the pantheon is a must-taste.

I second Francesca's comments about the holidays and vacation time in Italy. We had some disappointments in mid-August in Italy (sadly we had no choice of timing) because many cities were relative ghost towns -- the only people in town were tourists, and the only businesses open were the bare minimum to serve the tourists -- no local color. If possible, and if there are fewer timing issues with Croatia, try to push Italy to whichever end of the trip will avoid the holidays. I recall that things started to liven up again in the second half of the month.

One more thing -- in case no one has already suggested it, I have heard nothing but raves about Slovenia/Ljubljana -- definitely worth consideration.

I've been to Italy in the summer a couple of times, so much fun. Sounds like you're getting lots of advice there.

I went to Croatia a couple of years ago (again, in the summer) to search out my roots in the Dalmatian Islands (family is from Viz, very small but wonderful, and we also visited Hvar and Split). The Jadrolinia is a ferry system in Croatia, including a ferry between Italy and Croatia so you can save time by going right over water instead of flying ($) or train (time). I would recommend The Rough Guide to Croatia. It was a little hard to pre-book hotel/motel/rooms in the islands; not everything was online yet nor English-friendly. But I did finally find rooms for us before we left. Once we arrived in the islands, there were tons of people who met us there asking if we needed a room. So if you're a fly by the seat of your pants sort...

I would definitely do Italy first because it's going to be more touristy, busy, etc., depending on where you go, and if you do the islands you can have more beach/laid back/small town time.

Go straight to Florence! Hop over to the coast at the cinqueterre (five seaside village clinging to a cliff you will die for) arriving in the town of La Spezia by train.

Skip Pisa and head straight for the Adriatic.

I've just got back from a week spent in a little resort village called Mlini in Dalmatia, between Dubrovnik and the town of Cavtat. This area of southern Dalmatia is lovely. Dubrovnik is amazing and you should definitely visit (the Bradt City Guide to Dubrovnik is very useful and not too overwhelming for a short visit and there is also a Bradt Guide to Croatia by the same author which I would imagine is equally good). You can fly to Dubrovnik or there are ferries from Bari in Italy I think. Cavtat is also a nice small town, very pretty. The sea (very clear and clean) and coastline between Dubrovnik and Cavtat are beautiful and would make for a lovely place to spend a few relaxing beachy days.

I've heard that Dubrovnik is really crowded, but Split is really nice. And you can get a boat to the island Brac from there, I'd stay in village Supetar. Plitvice lakes are superb as is Zagreb.

UPDATE: I gave you old info on the hotel booking site! They've changed the domain name in the past year from bookings.org to booking.com. It should forward you to the new site automatically.

I have a girlfriend from Croatia and she highly recommends the coast. The Adriatic sea is gorgeous. She also says that the vendors in the markets speak English. That's a plus!

My fiance and i went to Italy after taking the bar exam. So we also went in August and had a fabulous time! We went to the Cinque Terre to relax by the ocean - Manarola was breathtaking, and nothing is more relaxing than lying on the rocks in the sun and swimming in the Ligurian Sea before lunch. If you can, try to get to Siena. The city is timeless and worth the trip. ESPECIALLY if you can catch the Palio, a medieval horse race that is the culmination of a day of insane partying in each separate neighborhood of Siena. The race is a frantic couple of minutes, as riders ride bareback on horses around the town's central square. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event, if you can stand being pushed around by strangers for hours on end as you wait for the race to start :) I can't say enough good things about Italy in August - it really is a good time to go!

I went to Italy last summer on a cruise and if you have the chance, you have to go to the Almafi Coast. It is by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my entire life. We spent a day in Naples and Capri and it was the best of the entire trip. I also higly recommend going to Pompeii as it is really, really cool.

What a fantastic holiday plan!! I tend to disagree with what some have said about Croatia- the north (Zagreb, et al) is not nearly as jaw-droppingly gorgeous as the Dalmatian coast. In Croatia, you have to go to Dubrovnik- no question. Split is also amazing, and if you have time for the islands, go to Hvar. You won't regret it.

Looks like il Palio is scheduled for 16 Aug. I've always wanted to be there for the race - total madness is usually worth seeing - but I fear finding a place to stay might be quite difficult. I love Siena, though, and last time I was there I figured out how to take a local bus out to Montalcino, which was a great adventure. In Montalcino there's an enoteca where the owner's nephew will drive you in his car out to Sant' Antimo, one of the neatest old churches I've visited. There are still monks in residence who sing the offices, and it's in a perfectly beautiful valley.

The Villa Gamberaia in the hills outside Florence is also worth a visit if you want to get away from the most touristy areas. It's got a beautiful old garden you can explore and lovely views over the olive orchards and the city - a peaceful place for a picnic. Again, there's a city bus you can take from outside the train station and then a nice little walk.

Oh, and if you happen to rent a car and find yourself in Assisi, there's an incredible restaurant just outside of the town where you sit at big communal tables and they roast all kinds of stuff on big spits. I managed to eat well there as a vegetarian, but my meat-loving hubby was over the moon about it. I could get you the name and directions from a friend, I think.

Yay for vacation. There's no bad time for one...

I like perusing the Follow the Reader archive on SFgate - a quick search found a reader posting about an apartment in Dubrovnik, Croatia and it sounded amazing! http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/25/TRG0DJHUAE11.DTL&hw=croatia&sn=001&sc=1000

I also like using www.tripadvisor.com as it's a handy site for reservations and reading actual travellor comments.

P.s. I love Italy and would happily go any time...take lots of pix for us living vicariously.

Hi!! i just got back from touring Italy... the places you MUST go are: Amalfi coast: specifically Amalfi, Sorrento, and the island of Capri.

If you have the chance to go to Sicily - GO! We went to this cute town called Taormina. It has a stunning view of Mt. Etna!

Obvi in Rome see the Collseum, Forum and the Vatican - on your way to Sorrento if you have the chance to see Pompeii it's pretty rediculous - plus there's a great Cameo factory there that sells beautiful rings! ok enough out of me!

I went to Italy last summer on a law school study tour. While we were mainly in Rome, I would also highly recommend visiting Sorrento (the Hotel Minerva was beautiful, clean, and fairly inexpensive), Capri, and the Cinque Terre. Also, the food in Rome can be awful and touristy but we found L'Archetto on P. SS Apostoli (about 2 blocks from the Trevi Fountain) had amazing, amazing spaghetti. Have fun!

I've just been to Italy for the first time and it was absolutely heavenly! My bf and I combine our passion for nature (mine), culture (ours) and food and wine in a UNESCO heritage area called cinque terre. I would highly recommend it if you would like to get away from big cities.
It's located between Genua and La Spezia on your map , just above Corsica.

http://www.cinqueterre.it/

I've never been to Croatia but would absolutely love to! Are you going to see Sarajevo and/or Dubrovnik?

go to italy
relax

get a bottle of wine that is a little too expensive
sit and enjoy

We just got back from Italy. Oh, where to begin. I probably can't fit it all into a blog comment but my top tip is to stay in a decent hotel/apartment wherever you go - it can be hot and crowded and exhausting in Italy (although also beautiful, romantic, etc.), but spend the extra couple pennies to stay where you can come home for a nap without wanting to Lysol the sheets. We actually rented a little house in the Tuscan hillside for a week - it was *excellent* - cheaper than a hotel, quiet, set right in a vineyard and close to Florence, Siena, and every hill town in between. If you are interested, contact Alice Tetelman at Italian Vacation Villas, 202-333-6247, www.villasitalia.com and ask for a brochure. It is a great deal and the places are beautiful, inside and out. Also recommend Residenza Cellini in Rome - where it is CRITICAL you have a sactuary to which to return!

Hi Jess,
Just came back from 2 weeks in Italy in early May and we had an amazing time! People have given you a lot of tips, so I'll keep it short and you can email me if you want more details. We stayed in Rome for 5 days, Tuscany (Montalcino, Siena, and San Gimignano) for 3 days (stayed at a beautiful villa), 2 days in Florence (should've done 3!) and 3 in Venice. It was all so amazing, I can't pick a favorite place. If you want more info on the BEST gelato in Rome, and all the nice B&Bs/hotels we stayed it, just let me know.

Hi! I literally just got back from Croatia two weeks ago. We were there for a bit over a week and it was part of an Eastern Europe trip. We went to Split (under-rated!), Hvar (oh my god, go before it's too touristy!) and Dubrovnik. I was in Italy and Greece last year and I LOVE Italy. You can take a ferry from Bari (I was there last year for a wedding) to Croatia. If you're looking for some advice on where to go, how to get there, restaurants, hotels, feel free to email me.

Hello,

I've been to Italy several times and to Croatia once, more recently than my Italy trips. Both are beautiful countries, but if I had to choose my next vacation destination, I'd go back to Croatia in a heartbeat! It is less crowded, the beaches are clean, and the people are so welcoming and friendly. Not to mention it is cheaper!
We went to Istria, which is in the northern part of the country, but I hear that the islands in the south are magical.
In Italy, I'd recommend Cinque Terre and the Amalfi coast for less touristy spots.
Enjoy!

I have a friend in Austria who just got back from Croatia and regularly vacations in Italy. Check out her blog at http://www.millharrow.com/weblog/front_content.php she has all her photos in the sidebar. She would answer any questions you have too.

While you're in Rome, it's worth taking a day trip out to Tivoli to see not only Hadrian's villa, but also the Villa D'Este, which was inspired by Hadrian's villa.

If you're heading to the Vatican museums, it works very well to go in the AM (Wednesdays, I think), when the Pope gives his address. The museum lines are much shorter.

There's a very interesting, well-preserved imperial palace from the reign of Diocletian in Split. I've never been, but it's on my to-see list!

Have a great trip. Eat plenty of gelato while you're in Rome!

I second Sarah's recommendation of the Villa Gamberaia in Settignano, just outside Florence. I spent a week there last year in the Limonaia on the villa grounds, and it was so lovely. It's a great place to stay -- the owners are very welcoming, and they'll make reservations for museums and the like for you. There's a nice restaurant nearby in Settignano, too.

In Florence itself the Palazzo Vecchio is fabulous and often overlooked. The best way to see it is to sign up for the tour that's called something like "Secret Passageways of the Palazzo Vecchio" -- you get into all sorts of areas not open to the public (the Medicis' private studies, the "whore door" and passageway, up into the roof).

The Pitti Palace in Florence is disappointing, so I wouldn't recommend that.

The best part about the Villa D'Este in Tivoli is that all the waterworks still *work.* It's one of the few places in the area that's verdant, lush, and cool in the heat of the summer.

First time I read your blog but I just have to comment on this question : I live in Italy (but I'm Belgian)and have been to Croatia. Be warned, also Croatia gets extremely busy during the summer and the Croatians are not always the nicest people, especially not when it comes to tourists. Beautiful places like Dubrovnik just get flood with tourists and you need to watch out not to get ripped off, accommodation is scarce and quite expensive.

If you want to go somewhere beautiful, peaceful and with loads of nice people and good food: GO SLOVENIA !!!! Slovenia is in between Italy and Croatia, it's tiny but it's one of the nicest places I have ever been to: Capital Ljubljana is wonderful, nice bars, great people, everybody speaks English, good food, very relax... Other amazing places are Lake Bled (with a magnificent little island in the middle of the lake), Lake Bonhinj (magnificient views on the mountains, beautiful lake and an amazing waterfall closeby). There are some wonderful caves to visit (I've been told these are some of the most spectacular in the world). We also felt that we were always treated honestly and the Slovenians are really proud of their country so they are always willing to help. If you want more info, google Maria & Brett's Big Trip 06-07 to read about the travels of some Austrialian friends of mine. Enjoy !

It's been about 10 years since I was in Italy but I would love to go back (even in August)..If you have any interest at all in ruins I highly recommend Pompeii or Herculaneum. If you want to stay in the Rome area however Ostea Antica is fabulous & much less crowded. Florence is also wonderful. If you stay there you can easily take a day trip to Sienna, see the museums, etc.

My best advice though is to just enjoy.

Sorry no suggestions, but best wishes for eating well and having a great time!

I'm looking forward to reading about your trip once you return. My fiancee and I are planning to go to Croatia for our honeymoon in late April/early May 2008...right now we're considering going to Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik. I am told there is no train to Dubrovnik, only ferry...fyi.
Happy travels!!

I have just come back froma wonderful holiday in Croatia! It is a beautiful country and you will have a wonderful time wherever you go. I was in the north near Pula. That area has a strong Italian influence which was interesting to see. My boyfriend stayed in Croatia after I left and continued travelling down to Dubrovnik in the south, he is having a wonderful time visiting various islands.
It is very busy at the moment as it is peak holiday season. We were warned about that by many people however if you are not that fussy about where you stay, you will find somewhere. I say that as my boyfriend had no where to stay in Hvar (one of the bigger islands) and managed to book an flat with only 2 days notice.
Inland there are some beautiful national parks which maybe less busy - just guessing though.
Have fun!

go on a drive...go to venice...take the autostrada to Trieste, stop of at Grado on the way...went there in June, it was lovely

then either carry on thro Slovenia to Croatia or head up to the dolomites...alpine walking....

what ever you do have a great trip

Jess

H. Klinton vs. Obama. How you think who will win elections?

Book online a nice apartment in Florence for your Italian vacation.

I haven't been to Croatia but went to Venice in Italy last year and used this site's services: http://www.apartmentsapart.com/venice_hotels/venice-hotel.htm
Pretty cheap and decent staff. (Sorry, couldn't find the link to the apartment I was at)

Cars and houses are not cheap and not every person is able to buy it. However, credit loans are created to support people in such kind of situations.

According to me the Croatia is a great place with lots of beaches to stay and you can also get ride on the Sea-Diving and related sports.