Balkan Extended: Ljubljana to Dubrovnik (Self-Launched)

Fly into Ljubljana Airport and take the Nomago or FlixBus shuttle/coach into the city centre (~£10-12, 45 min). Check into a hostel or guesthouse near the old town, then spend the evening wandering the car-free centre: Preseren Square, the Triple Bridge and the riverside cafes along the Ljubljanica. Pick up a Urbana card for city buses. Grab dinner at Odprta Kuhna (Open Kitchen) if it's a Friday, or a cheap burek and a beer by the river.

🚌Airport shuttle/coach to Ljubljana centre, then on foot

🛏Hostel in Ljubljana old town (dorm ~£18-22/night)

• →Walk the old town: Triple Bridge, Preseren Square, Robba's Fountain
• →Riverside dinner along the Ljubljanica

Do a free (tip-based) walking tour of Ljubljana's centre in the morning — operators like Ljubljana Free Tour run them daily, tip £5-10. Then take a direct train from Ljubljana station to Bled Jezero (~1hr, ~£6) or an Arriva bus (~1hr10, ~£7). Walk the lakeside circuit (6km, easy), rent a traditional pletna boat out to the island and Church of St Mary (~£15 return, boats depart from the western shore) and climb to Bled Castle for the view (~£13 entry). Try a krempita cream cake. Return to Ljubljana by late bus or train.

🚌Train or Arriva bus Ljubljana–Bled Jezero (return ~£12-14)

🛏Hostel in Ljubljana old town (dorm ~£18-22/night)

• →Tip-based free walking tour of Ljubljana
• →Lakeside walk at Bled
• →Pletna boat to the island and Church of St Mary (~£15)
• →Bled Castle entry (~£13)

Take the train from Ljubljana to Postojna (~1hr, ~£7). Pre-book a Postojna Cave ticket online (~£24-27) — you ride the underground electric train through the caverns and walk the rest with a guide; the adjoining Predjama Castle combo ticket is worth it (~£35 combined). Onward, buses from Postojna to the coast run via Sezana/Koper. Base yourself in Koper or Izola rather than pricey Portoroz for cheaper beds and food.

🚌Train Ljubljana–Postojna (~£7), bus Postojna–Koper/coast (~£8-10)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Koper/Izola (dorm ~£22-28/night)

• →Postojna Cave electric train and guided walk (~£24)
• →Optional Predjama Castle combo (~£11 extra)

Cross into Croatia — bus Koper/Trieste to Buje or Umag, then a local bus to Groznjan and Motovun (~£8-12 total). Groznjan is an artists' colony in a hilltop village — galleries, workshops and cheap wine by the terrace. Motovun is the classic Istrian hill town with the forest below famous for truffles; you can book a truffle-hunt experience directly with local families (~£35-50, includes tasting of truffle cheese/sausages with Istrian wine) rather than through a tour. End the day in Porec by bus (~£5) and overnight there.

🚌Local buses around Istria (~£8-12)

🛏Hostel or soba (private room) in Porec (~£22-30/night)

• →Groznjan galleries and hilltop village
• →Motovun old town and walls (~£3)
• →Optional truffle hunt with local family (~£35-50)

Buses link Porec–Rovinj (~45min, ~£4). Rovinj Old Town is a peninsula of Venetian alleys — join a tip-based walking tour or just climb the bell tower, and walk Grisia Street. From Rovinj, local buses run to Buje or you can take a taxi/boat to Lim Bay (Limski Kanal) for the famous oyster and mussel tasting at a konoba on the water (~£12-18). Continue to Pula by bus (~£5) for the Roman amphitheatre (~£8 entry), Temple of Augustus and the Triumphal Arch of Sergius.

🚌Local buses Porec–Rovinj–Pula (~£10 total)

🛏Hostel or soba in Pula (~£20-28/night)

• →Rovinj Old Town and Grisia Street
• →Oyster/mussel tasting at Lim Bay (~£15)
• →Pula Roman Amphitheatre (~£8)

This is the long transit day the tour does in a van — do it by bus instead. Pula to Rijeka (~1hr) then Rijeka to Plitvice (Entrance 1) on an Arriva or FlixBus (~2.5-3hrs, total ~£20-25). Stop for coffee on the Opatija Lungomare if timings allow. Book a Plitvice entrance ticket online in advance for a timed slot (~£30 June-Sept, ~£12 in winter) — this covers both upper and lower lakes and the park boat/bus. Overnight in a guesthouse in the villages near the park gates rather than a 4* hotel.

🚌Arriva/FlixBus Pula–Rijeka–Plitvice (~£20-25)

🛏Guesthouse near Plitvice Entrance 1 (private room ~£30-40/night)

• →Opatija Lungomare stroll (if time)
• →Plitvice Lakes timed entrance with upper and lower lakes, boats and shuttle (~£30)

Morning re-entry or a last lakeside walk if your ticket is multi-day, then bus Plitvice to Split (~4hrs via Zagreb/Knin, ~£18-22 with FlixBus or Arriva). Break the journey at Trogir (buses stop at the Trogir junction) — the UNESCO old town, Cathedral of St Lawrence, Clock Tower and Kamerlengo Castle are all walkable in 90 minutes. Arrive Split, check in near the old town, and do a tip-based walking tour of Diocletian's Palace and the Riva in the evening. Cable car to Srd Hill (~£7) if you want sunset views.

🚌Bus Plitvice–Trogir–Split (~£20), local bus Trogir–Split (~£3)

🛏Hostel near Split old town (dorm ~£22-30/night)

• →Trogir old town, Cathedral of St Lawrence, Kamerlengo Castle (free to wander)
• →Diocletian's Palace and Riva on a tip-based walking tour
• →Optional Srd Hill cable car (~£7)

Take the Krilo (Kapetan Luka) high-speed catamaran Split–Hvar Town (~1hr, ~£15-20) — book ahead in summer. Hvar town is compact: wander the Renaissance cathedral, the Benedictine convent lace shop, the Franciscan monastery and the Spanish Fortress above town (~£8). For beaches, take a water taxi or the local boat to the Pakleni Islands (~£10-15) or hike the trail to Milna Bay. Catch the late catamaran back to Split. Far cheaper than the tour version because you buy the ferry ticket yourself.

🚌Krilo high-speed catamaran Split–Hvar return (~£30-40)

🛏Hostel near Split old town (dorm ~£22-30/night)

• →Hvar Town walking and Spanish Fortress (~£8)
• →Pakleni Islands water taxi and beach day (~£12)
• →Optional hike to Milna Bay

Take a FlixBus or Arriva Split–Dubrovnik via the Peljesac Bridge (~4-4.5hrs, ~£20-25). Hop off at Ston to walk the longest stone walls in Europe (~£8) and taste the famous oysters at a konoba on the water (~£10-15). Local buses or a short taxi connect Ston to the Peljesac wine villages (Dingac and Postup are the Plavac Mali heartland) — many wineries take walk-ins for tastings (~£10-15). Continue to Dubrovnik by afternoon bus and check into a hostel in the old town or Lapad.

🚌FlixBus/Arriva Split–Ston–Dubrovnik (~£22)

🛏Hostel in Dubrovnik old town or Lapad (dorm ~£28-38/night)

• →Ston Walls walk (~£8)
• →Ston oyster tasting (~£12)
• →Optional Peljesac winery tasting (~£12)

Do the classic self-launched Dubrovnik day: walk the City Walls early to beat heat and crowds (~£33, includes Fort Lovrijenac), stroll the Stradun from Pile Gate to Placa, and see the Rector's Palace and the cathedral. A tip-based or small-group walking tour covers Game of Thrones locations and history (~£15-25 booked via GetYourGuide). Ride the cable car to Srd Hill for the panoramic view (~£22 return). Optional: sunset kayak around the walls (~£30) or a sunset cruise on the Karaka replica galleon (~£30).

🚌On foot; local bus between Lapad and old town (~£2/ride)

🛏Hostel in Dubrovnik old town or Lapad (dorm ~£28-38/night)

• →Dubrovnik City Walls and Fort Lovrijenac (~£33)
• →Walking tour of Stradun and old town (~£20)
• →Srd Hill cable car (~£22)
• →Optional Karaka sunset cruise (~£30)

Final morning in the old town — a last coffee on the Stradun or a swim at Banje beach below the walls. Take the Atlas or Platanus airport bus from Pile Gate to Dubrovnik Airport (~45min, ~£8) or a shared taxi, and fly home. Flights are not included.

🚌Airport shuttle bus from Pile Gate (~£8)

🛏None (day of departure)

• →Final old town stroll and Banje beach swim