Who doesn't dream of going to Europe? I think whenever we talk about international trips, European countries always come to our mind first, in fact, even trespassing thought of Europe makes us excited. Now I wonder, what stopped me to go there for so long, what was I thinking? But I know that planning your first trip to any country can be a time consuming and overwhelming experience. And I want to make that easier for you.
So here I'm sharing my first experience, itinerary, budget and all miscellaneous things and I hope it will help you to plan your dream trip.
Countries Visited: Italy, Vatican, Croatia and Slovenia
Budget: 2.1 Lakh INR approx. for two
No. of Days: 12
How to apply for a Schengen Visa
First thing first, you need a visa to start making your dream trip a reality. I've written a detailed post with step by step guide to apply for visa on your own, including document list, downloadable forms, sample cover letter and travel itinerary for your reference and important links to make the visa process hassle-free and easy. You can read it below:
https://www.tripoto.com/trip/how-to-apply-for-schenegan-visa-for-indian-nationals-5e1ee06ce4a44
This Itinerary is good for:
Couples/Families/Friends/Solo
Scenic Drives
A Romantic Getaway
Game of Thrones Fans
Historical Sites
Hiking
Brief Itinerary
Day 1-3 : Explore Rome for 3 days. In case you're thinking that 3.5 days is too much time for a city then believe me you're wrong. I was thinking same before going there, but one of my friend who's already been there convinced me to keep at least 3 days for this city and I'm really happy I did.
Day 4 -5 : Fly to Dubrovnik (Croatia) from Rome and explore city's old town on day 5.
Day 6-7 : Travel to Split(Croatia) via rental car or public bus (both are fine) and explore the beautiful Mediterranean town on day 7.
Day 8: Travel to Ljubljana (Slovenia) from Split via Zagreb by rental car or public bus (you'll get the bus from Split to Zagreb and then switch to another bus from Zagreb to Ljubljana)
Day 9-11 : Explore Slovenia. You'll be amazed by its beauty from Mediterranean towns to Alps mountains. It’s a country right out of fairytale and I promise you'll fell in love.
Day 12 : Fly home from Ljubljana
Why I've chosen to visit these countries?
Italy (Rome)
Oh Rome! You're a wonder.
I can seriously go to Rome uncountable times if I get the chance. Although I didn't include Rome in my initial itineraries, because I just wanted to explore the Balkans Peninsula (Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia) as its still hasn't become that touristy and most importantly its incredibly beautiful. But when I was experimenting with all sorts of itineraries, nothing was working for me because flights were quite expensive for these countries from India. So I finally decided to fly to Rome to save some money and then fly to Dubrovnik from there. And I'm so glad that I did that because this city is going to steal your heart.
Rome is a beautiful mix of old and new. There is so much history, good food, coffee, architectural wonders, cheap wine and literally hundreds of places to visit that you'll be spoilt for choice.
Vatican
Vatican is the smallest country in the world yet it is grand. You'll be amazed by its richness of works of art by many worldwide famous artists. Its in the middle of Rome city and is worth a full day of sightseeing.
Croatia
Split and Dubrovnik
Let me tell you that if you're looking for the most beautiful drive in the world then that lies between Dubrovnik and Split. In fact, the drive throughout this country is gorgeous and it's towns with old world charm are even prettier. There is so much to see and do here that you can easily spend two weeks or more just exploring this country, but in case you don't have the luxury of time and money then exploring just these two towns is more than enough.
Slovenia
Ljubljana, Bled, Kransjka Gora and Vintgar Gorge
Slovenia is a stunning country with lakes and mountains right out of fairytale. It might look tiny on map but again there are tons of places to explore and the best part is that most of places can be covered on a day trip from its capital city Ljubljana, so you don't have to run to different hotels everyday. And the city is so lively at night, so when you'll come to hotel at night after spending a beautiful day on Slovenian countryside, the city will be ready to show you its evening charm.
With more time, you can also add below places to your itinerary
Split (Croatia)
With one or two extra days in hand, you can spend the time to visit at least one island in Split. You have the option to cruise to one of several islands on the Adriatic Sea - Hvar, Vis or Brac.
Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia)
Instead of going directly to Ljubljana(Slovenia) from Split, you can spend a day or two at Plitvice National Park, which is nature's wonder with its 16 terraced lakes and numerous waterfalls and it's just 3.5 hours away from Split and fall on the way to Slovenia.
Kamnik or Piran (Slovenia)
As I said before, Slovenia might look small but there is so much to see. If you like to add two or three days more to your Slovenian adventure (which I'm sure you would love to add), then you can visit Kamnik, which is a medieval town with two castles and a monastery, situated in Savinja Alps or Piran, which is situated on Adriatic coast with the vibrant blue contrast to the city's perfect orange roofs.
Note: I'll write a detailed post for each of these countries including what to see, where to eat, accommodations under budget and about all miscellaneous things to make every moment of your trip awesome. So, stay tuned :)
Do you have any questions about this post? Let me know in the comments below!
