Italy and Croatia might be separated by the Adriatic Sea, but these two countries have plenty of shared history. A vacation that combines both Croatia and Italy is one packed with marvelous sights, friendly people, and delicious food and wine.
We have dedicated local staff in both countries who will make sure you experience the vacation of a lifetime.
Popular Itineraries for Italy & Croatia Tours
Although every tour we build is unique, there are some popular routes and itineraries that we are asked for frequently. Our sample itineraries provide some ideas for you to consider as a basis for your own private tour, combining time on both sides of the Adriatic Sea.
For each of these itineraries, you can get a rough idea of tour prices using the Price Guide function. We cover many more destinations than those listed in these popular Croatia & Italy itineraries.
Our expert trip planners will work with you to incorporate any of the best places in Italy and Croatia you want to visit during your Italy and Croatia trip.
* Starting price is per person, in US Dollars, based on double occupancy in 3 star accommodation, in the most affordable month an itinerary is offered. Airfare to Europe is not included.
Click on your choice of itinerary, select number of travelers in your party, month of travel, and desired star level of accommodation to get an approximate price. Submit the enquiry form with any additional details and we can start planning your customized trip.
Italy & Croatia Vacation Reviews
Our Italy & Croatia custom tours provide a hassle-free way to see both these captivating countries. We take care of all the details so that you can skip straight to the good part.
All you have to worry about is enjoying the one-of-a-kind experiences that will make this the vacation of a lifetime. Below you’ll find some recent testimonials from guests who have visited Italy and Croatia with our help recently.
Using JayWay can turn your travel dreams and wishes into reality all the while providing a level of great care and attention to detail. They listen to your every word and customize the perfect trip for you.
Visited : Italy, Croatia
Itinerary : Bari, Monopoli, Lecce, Bari, Dubrovnik, Split
Rating :
JayWay helped to organize the trip of a lifetime. I would recommend this company to anyone.
Visited : Italy, Croatia
Itinerary : Venice, Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik
Rating :
JayWay Travel - a boutique travel company which specializes in Croatia. They want their clients to love Croatia just as much as they do, so they work extremely hard to build and execute the itinerary that does just that for their clients! Highly recommend!
Visited : Croatia, Italy
Itinerary : Dubrovnik, Hvar, Split, Plitvice, Rovinj, Venice
Rating :
Italy & Croatia: A Perfect Pairing
The charms of Italy are undeniable, but when paired with Croatia, you’ll be visiting one of Europe’s most rewarding destinations and gaining an understanding of the whole region.
Much of Croatia was part of the Roman Empire and much later the Republic of Venice. You’ll come across several similarities, echoes, and differences as you enjoy your Italy and Croatia tour.
Apart from their rich history and ancient riches, Croatia and Italy also boast unequaled natural wonders, breathtaking views, and admirable cultural heritage.
Culinary Delights
Italian food needs no special introduction as it’s one of the most cherished local cuisines worldwide.
From world-renowned staples, like pizza and pasta, to the special dishes featured in regional cuisines across the country, food in Italy is a reason in itself to plan a trip to this beautiful country.
Yet, Croatia can be equally delicious. Heavily influenced by Italian cuisine, Croatian food is hearty and flavorful.
Italian & Croatian Wine Routes
Apart from their local cuisine, another thing these two countries have in common is their wide variety of exquisite wines, and the best way to appreciate the similarities and differences between the many grape varieties and wines is with a wine tasting or two.
Near Florence, Chianti is one of the most famous wine-producing regions in Italy, nestled in the rustic heart of Tuscany. In Croatia, Istria takes center stage when it comes to wine tourism.
Wherever your Italy and Croatia itinerary takes you though, you’ll have no shortage of opportunities to sample top-quality delicious local wines.
Just Want To Hit The Highlights?
If you want to hit the main hotspots, you could start your trip in Rome, whose historic city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Eternal City awaits to dazzle you with its beautiful architecture, top-rated museums, impressive archaeological sites, and most famous attractions, such as the Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, and Piazza della Signoria.
In Vatican City, one of the world’s smallest states, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel will amaze you.
Then hop over to Dubrovnik on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast with a short intra-European flight for a seductive meander through its famed walled Old Town. From there, take a ferry to Europe’s sunniest island Hvar, for endless relaxing moments under the Mediterranean sun.
If time is of the essence head straight to Split, once the retirement home of a Roman emperor no less, and now one of the most scenic Croatian towns.
No quest to get to know the highlights of Italy is complete without an overnight stop in the city of Venice, where the Rialto Bridge, Grand Canal, and Piazza San Marco will take your breath away, or Florence, Italy’s Cradle of The Renaissance, an open-air museum like no other and a true feast of magnificent art and architecture, only another short flight away from Split.
Or Dig Deeper?
But that’s just the beginning of this captivating journey and our knowledge of both these countries goes much deeper than that.
You could spend some of your trip discovering the Istria region, a peninsula shared between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, in destinations like Rovinj and Trieste. For the Italy leg of your trip, you might think that Italy doesn’t have any hidden gems, but think again.
The rugged region of Puglia in Italy’s South can easily be combined with Dalmatia thanks to overnight ferries between Bari and Dubrovnik. For more inspiration, check out all the destinations we offer in Croatia and Italy.
You’re in The Best Hands
Our Italy and Croatia team of travel experts and trip planners will work with you to create your dream vacation itinerary. You’ll stay at the very best hotels, apartments, or villas.
You choose how you want to spend your days, either enjoying day trips and city tours with a local guide or taking a day off to wander on your own.
Before you arrive and during your trip, our on-the-ground staff in both Croatia and Italy are on hand by phone or email for any help you need.
With more than fifteen team members located throughout Italy and Croatia, we’re perfectly placed to create the most memorable trip you’ve ever experienced.
Why Travel with JayWay?
You only travel somewhere for the first time once. By taking a custom tailored trip you get a seamless trip, to your choice of destinations and at your own pace, planned by professionals and supported by locals on the ground in Europe.
Save Precious Time
Planning an amazing trip takes time. Our friendly travel advisors and experienced trip planners will listen to your needs and craft your personal dream itinerary. We will maximize your vacation time and enjoyment – we know the best way to get around and how to spend your hard-earned time off.
Have Peace of Mind
You’re in safe hands from the very beginning. Even before you arrive your dedicated tour manager in Europe will be in touch to help you prepare. When you arrive they’ll meet you and be available by phone, email and IM for the rest of your journey with us, for anything you need.
Make Memories Forever
Travel can create memories that last a lifetime. You’ll return home with indelible recollections of beautiful sunsets, magical vistas, fascinating stories, and meals so delicious you’ll want to fly back every time you think of them. This is why we do what we do.
Frequently Asked Questions about Travel to Croatia & Italy
Most of our guests travel to Italy and Croatia from the US by air, unless they are already traveling in a neighboring country.
If you’re flying from outside Europe, you might find flights to and from Italy to be much cheaper than to Croatia, particularly to major hubs like Rome, Italy’s capital, or Milan in northern Italy. If this is the case and your route allows you to start and finish in Italy (taking a ferry/bus/train/transfer from Italy to Croatia and back), then this may be preferable. Our travel advisors will help you pick the best flight itinerary for your trip.
It very much depends on your priorities. If you want to visit the most famous places, then Rome, Venice, and Dubrovnik should be top of your list. If you’ve been to Italy before but not to Croatia, we can arrange a trip combining lesser-known destinations such as Bologna, Siena, or Lucca with Croatian destinations such as Dubrovnik, Split, and Hvar.
Our Italy and Croatia custom tours start from around $250 per person per day. The largest element is often accommodation, but private full-day tours can increase the cost, too. All our sample Italy & Croatia itineraries have a Price Guide function to give you an idea of the cost for different levels of accommodation, the month of travel, and the number of travelers.
The best time of year for your trip will depend on what you want to do. Italy can be a great place to travel year-round. Croatia can be more seasonal with some destinations, especially its sun-soaked islands, almost shutting down in winter. If you want to swim, then you should travel between mid-May and mid-October. If you are more interested in sightseeing and avoiding the hottest time of year, then mid-July and August could be too warm for you.
Slovenia is a popular addition to an Italy and Croatia itinerary, especially for people visiting Venice and the Istrian Peninsula of Croatia as it lies between the two. You could also very easily add Montenegro or Bosnia, either as day trips or overnight stops.
We can arrange rental cars for all or part of the trip, but bear in mind that dropping off a rental in another country incurs high one-way fees. Your JayWay trip planner can arrange for separate rentals where needed so you can avoid unnecessary expenses and have the freedom to get around by car only when you need to.
Among all the guided tours we offer in Rome, our most popular are culinary-based, whether food tours or cooking classes. Many visitors to Dubrovnik, the Pearl of The Adriatic, enjoy learning about the city’s alter ego, King’s Landing from TV’s Game of Thrones, during an insightful and exciting private guided tour. From Split, Zadar, or Zagreb, many vacationers opt for a day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park if they’re not including an overnight stop there already.
Absolutely. Our Croatia & Italy tour itineraries are customized to your wishes. You don’t have to fill every day, and we encourage leaving some free time aside simply to appreciate the destinations you’re visiting. Getting lost in romantic Venice, with just the occasional glimpse of St Mark’s Campanile to guide you, is part of the fun.
Absolutely. That’s the whole point of working with a custom tour operator like us. We’ll work with you to tailor the perfect trip for you, so you can be sure you have enough time to see what you want at your own pace, without having to worry about any of the details, like how to get to the train station, or making reservations at a local restaurant. We take care of all of that.
Our tour packages are designed to make touring Italy & Croatia effortless. From working with our travel advisors and expert trip planners to craft your ideal itinerary to the moment you get on the plane to return home, we will take care of everything. Your custom tour package will include accommodation, airport transfers and any kind of transportation between destinations, walking tours, day trips, and most importantly the support of our local staff in Europe. They’ll be in touch with you before your trip to finalize any details, and, if you wish, we’ll give you an e-SIM so you can be in touch by phone, email, or instant message. It’s like having a tour leader, but still traveling independently.
No, there’s no set departure date. As our tours are completely customized to you, you choose the dates and destinations you want to visit. With us, you don’t have to worry about a tour reaching a minimum occupancy to guarantee departure.
We don’t sell cruises in Croatia and Italy. We believe you enjoy a far richer experience by spending as much time as possible on land, soaking up the local cultures of these two countries, and enjoying traditional cuisine, while taking part in a more responsible type of travel. A day cruise on a sailboat or catamaran is another matter entirely, and our guests love the opportunity to spend half or even a full day on the sailing trips we offer. All of the thrills of getting out on the water without the cramped conditions and other sacrifices that sleeping on a boat brings.
This is mostly a question of how many places you want to see. Each time you move to another destination, you’ll spend half a day traveling. For this reason, we recommend three nights in most destinations and a trip length of at least two weeks. Fewer destinations mean less time and money spent moving between them, and more time soaking up the atmosphere and seeing the sights.
Both countries have some fabulous beaches. For the best Italian beaches, you need to go beyond the most popular easily-reached locations, like the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre, and head to Sardinia or Puglia‘s western coast instead. In Croatia, some of the best beaches along the Adriatic Coast are near Dubrovnik, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds: sightseeing and visiting historic sites in the early morning, and lazing by the sea in the late afternoon.
Yes, thankfully the Euro is the currency of both Italy and Croatia, so any coins and banknotes you have left after the first country can be used in the second.
You don’t have to worry about group sizes as all our itineraries in the region are private, custom tour packages. We like to call this semi-independent travel. We make all the arrangements, from airport transfers, accommodation, excursions, and transport between cities. As part of your package, you can opt for either private or group excursions and activities that will allow you to share your experience with fellow travelers. Or you can choose to have a free day for exploring on your own. Unlike an escorted tour, you aren’t paying to have a tour guide, driver, or tour director the whole time, just when needed, so our packages are more affordable, too.
From luxury hotels to charming guesthouses, there are many accommodation options in great locations available for your tailor-made Italy and Croatia tour. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, let our trip planners know at the time of booking and they’ll make sure you stay in hotel rooms that will add to your unforgettable experience. You can choose your preferred room type or share with us any specific accommodations you have in mind and we’ll take it from there.