AI-Crafted Travel Plan · May–June 2026
Romantic Vienna & Croatia Escape
11 Days · 4 Hubs · Bengaluru → Vienna → Dubrovnik → Bengaluru
✈️ BLR Departure · 27 May 2026
4 Hubs · 10 Days
🚢 Dalmatian Coast Ferry
🎭 Game of Thrones
🌊 Blue Cave & Stiniva Cove
🏰 Dubrovnik Old Town
0
Departure Day
Bengaluru → Vienna 🛫
Day 0
Fly Out from Bengaluru
Wed · 27 May
›
Late Evening Departure · Bengaluru
Comfortable night flight — have dinner at home before heading to the airport.
✈️ Etihad Airways · EY 204 · Best Value
💰 ₹32,631 / person · ₹65,262 for 2
Flight Details
- DepartsBLR 22:15 · Wed 27 May 2026 — Bengaluru International Airport
- StopAbu Dhabi (AUH) — brief connection
- ArrivesVIE 06:40 · Thu 28 May 2026 — Vienna International Airport (11h 55m total)
- On arrivalTake the ÖBB S7 train from the airport to Wien Mitte (25 min, €4.40/person). Drop bags at Motel One and start exploring!
1
Hub One · 2 Nights
The Imperial City — Vienna 🇦🇹
Day 1
Arrival & Hidden Vienna
Thu · 28 May
›
24°C / 14°C · Vienna
Spring Breeze — Mild and comfortable. Light jacket needed for the evening.
✈️ Lands 06:40 · Etihad EY 204
🚆 ÖBB S7 · 25 min · €4.40/person · Wien Mitte
🏨 Motel One Wien-Staatsoper · Check-in 15:00
🌅 Sunset 8:38 PM · Ringstraße Walk
⚠️ EES Biometric Check · Allow 1–2 hrs at passport control
🎼 Musikverein · Vivaldi + Mozart + Haydn · 20:00 · ✅ Booked · ₹11,800
🍽️
Vienna Must-Eats — Day 1 Hit List
🌭
Käsekrainer
Cheese-stuffed grilled sausage — your dinner tonight. Watch the molten Emmental squirt.
📍 Bitzinger Würstelstand · Albertinaplatz
🎂
Original Sachertorte
Dense chocolate cake with apricot jam — only authentic at Café Sacher. Après-concert ritual.
📍 Café Sacher · Philharmonikerstraße
☕
Wiener Melange
Strong espresso crowned with steamed milk foam. Vienna's answer to a cappuccino — order one at lunch.
📍 Figlmüller · Bäckerstraße 6
🥐
Kipferl
Vienna's crescent roll — the croissant's ancestor. Buttery, flaky, best warm from the bakery case.
📍 Demel · Kohlmarkt 14
🍎
Apfelstrudel
Thin pastry spiral stuffed with cinnamon apple. Ask for it warm with Schlagobers (whipped cream).
📍 Demel · Café Central
🍲
Gulaschsuppe
Rich paprika beef soup — hearty, warming, and perfect jet-lag recovery food at lunch.
📍 Figlmüller · Bäckerstraße 6
Today's Plan — Keep It Light
- 06:40 — Land at VIETouch down at Vienna International Airport after an overnight flight via Abu Dhabi. Welcome to Austria! 🇦🇹
📍 VIE Airport - 06:55 — ⚠️ Passport Control · EES Biometric RegistrationAs Indian passport holders entering the Schengen Zone for the first time in 2026, you'll go through the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) — fingerprints + facial scan. Queues at VIE currently run up to 2–3 hours at peak times (EES launched April 2026; worst case reported at VIE is 3 hrs). Head straight for the non-EU queue as soon as you deplane — it's a one-time registration. Plan for the worst and treat everything after as flexible.
- 08:45 — Baggage Claim & Airport Freshen UpCollect checked bags (~15–20 min). Wash up, change into fresh clothes, grab a coffee at the terminal. You've earned it after 12 hours in the air.
- 09:30 — 🚆 ÖBB S7 to the CityÖBB S7 S-Bahn — every 30 mins, 25 min to Wien Mitte. Cost: €4.40/person (vs €14.90 for CAT — saves €21 for two). Buy at red ÖBB ticket machines in the arrivals hall; select Wien Mitte. Board the S7 toward Floridsdorf. Transfer to U3/U4 metro at Wien Mitte if needed.
📍 Wien Mitte Station - 10:00 — Motel One · Bag Drop🚶 10-min walk from Wien Mitte. Check-in isn't until 15:00, but the hotel stores luggage for free. Drop bags and step out refreshed.
📍 Motel One Wien-Staatsoper - 10:30 — 🎭 Vienna State Opera Guided Tour🚶 2-min walk from the hotel — the Staatsoper is literally next door. A 40-minute guided tour takes you through the grand staircase, imperial foyer, state rooms, and into the main auditorium: gilded boxes, the famous stage, and 150 years of opera history told by knowledgeable guides. Groups capped at 30 — book online in advance. Tours run almost daily in English.
🎟️ Adult — €15/person · Seniors €11 · Students & Children €9 · Duration 40 min
💡 Book at wiener-staatsoper.at/en/guided-tours · Tours start on the hour (10:00, 11:00 etc.) — check exact slot for May 28 · Arrive 10 min early · Entrance: corner of Opernring/Operngasse
📍 Vienna State Opera · Opernring 2 - 11:25 — Greek Orthodox Church · Fleischmarkt🚇 10-min from Opera: walk 3 min to Karlsplatz U1 station → one stop to Schwedenplatz (2 min) → 5-min walk to Fleischmarkt. Your first stop is the farthest east, so go there while fresh and sweep westward through the city. The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is a hidden gem — designed by Theophil Hansen (1856), richly decorated with a golden iconostasis, Byzantine-Renaissance mosaics, and twin dome towers. Free to enter; generally accessible to visitors before 15:00 on weekdays (no fixed posted hours — visit first thing before the city gets busy).
🎟️ Free entry · Best before 15:00 on weekdays
📍 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church · Fleischmarkt - 12:10 — St. Stephen's Cathedral · North Tower Only🚶 10-min walk southwest from Fleischmarkt via Wollzeile to Stephansplatz. The Gothic heart of Vienna — the free nave (open 09:00) is stunning on its own. For the tower you are doing the North Tower only:
🗼 North Tower (elevator) — Lift to the open stone platform at 68 m, right alongside the cathedral's famous 230,000-tile roof mosaic — the Habsburg double-headed eagle and Vienna's coat of arms in full colour, close enough to touch. Plus the giant Pummerin bell. Allow 30–40 min total. Cash only at ticket desk.
🎟️ Nave — Free · Full Interior (beyond nave gate) — €7/adult, €3/child · North Tower — €8/adult · Cash only at desk · Open 09:00–19:00
📍 St. Stephen's Cathedral - 13:00 — 🍽️ Lunch · Figlmüller Bäckerstrasse🚶 2-min walk from Stephansdom — head south on Rotenturmstraße, then right onto Bäckerstraße. Figlmüller has been serving Vienna's finest Wiener Schnitzel since 1905: enormous, paper-thin, pan-crisp veal or pork schnitzel in a wood-panelled dining room that hasn't changed much in a century. Allow 1.5 hrs for a relaxed lunch. Reservations essential — book in advance at figlmueller.at.
💰 Veal Schnitzel ~€22.90/person · Pork ~€18.90/person · ~₹3,600–4,200/person
📍 Figlmüller · Bäckerstraße 6 - 14:35 — Graben Stroll & Peterskirche🚶 5-min walk northwest from Figlmüller — back up Rotenturmstraße, then left onto Graben. Admire the baroque Plague Column (Pestsäule) on Vienna's grandest pedestrian promenade, then duck into Peterskirche — just off the Graben, a 1-min walk. One of Vienna's most lavish baroque interiors: oval nave, soaring gilded ceiling, Johann Michael Rottmayr frescoes, and gilded organ loft — completely free and rarely crowded. Spend 15–20 min inside.
🎟️ Peterskirche — Free entry · Mon–Fri 08:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 09:00–19:00
📍 Graben 📍 Peterskirche - 14:55 — 🛍️ Kohlmarkt & Demel Stroll🚶 2-min walk west from Peterskirche — turn onto Kohlmarkt, Vienna's most storied pedestrian street. First stop: Demel (K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker seit 1786) at Kohlmarkt 14 — the Habsburgs' own pastry supplier. Window display of handmade chocolates is a spectacle. Continue to Looshaus at Michaelerplatz — Adolf Loos's radical 1912 ornament-free facade right across from the Hofburg's green-domed Michaelertor. 💡 Optional detour: Decentral (Palais Harrach, Freyung 3 — 3-min walk) is the Café Central team's pop-up, open Tue–Sat 07:30–21:30 for a Viennese Melange and pastry. No reservations.
🎟️ Free to stroll · Demel pastries from ~€5 · Open 09:00–19:00
📍 Kohlmarkt 📍 Demel · Kohlmarkt 14 📍 Looshaus · Michaelerplatz 📍 Decentral · Freyung 3 - 15:15 — Hofburg Imperial Courtyards🚶 2-min walk from Michaelerplatz — you're already standing at the Hofburg entrance. Wander through the grand Imperial Courtyards — completely free. The Habsburg seat of power for 600 years. A brief, unhurried stop before the library.
🎟️ Courtyards — Free
📍 Hofburg Palace - 15:30 — 📚 Austrian National Library · Prunksaal (State Hall)🚶 2-min walk through the Augustinerkirche passage to Josefsplatz — you're essentially already here. The Prunksaal is one of the most extraordinary baroque interiors in the world: 200,000 antique volumes arranged on gilded shelves rising 20 m, ceiling frescoes by Daniel Gran, carved marble statues, and absolute silence. Completely calm mid-afternoon, rarely crowded. Allow 45–50 min.
🎟️ €12/person + €3 audio guide = €15/person · Open Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00 · Thursdays until 21:00 · Closed Monday · English audio guide available
📍 Austrian National Library · Josefsplatz - 16:30 — ✅ Hotel Check-in🚶 10-min walk from Josefsplatz — through Augustinerstraße to Albertinaplatz, then 2 min to Motel One. Officially check in. Shower, unpack, and take a proper nap — 1 hr. You need it before the evening.
📍 Motel One Wien-Staatsoper - 18:00 — 🌭 Pre-Concert Snack · Bitzinger Würstelstand🚶 2-min walk from hotel. You've had a proper lunch so keep it light — a Käsekrainer and a cold beer at Vienna's most famous open-air sausage stand, right behind the State Opera. Quick, fun, and quintessentially Viennese.
💰 ~€8–10/person · Cash preferred
📍 Bitzinger Würstelstand · Albertinaplatz - 18:30 — Ringstraße Evening Stroll & Rathaus🚶 Easy 35-min loop from Albertinaplatz along the grand Ringstraße — the Vienna State Opera lit up, the Kunsthistorisches Museum glowing in the dusk, the Burgtheater, and the magnificent Rathaus (Vienna City Hall): neo-Gothic twin towers soaring 98 m, flood-lit and reflected across Rathausplatz. No tickets needed — walk the square freely. You're walking Vienna's imperial spine before the concert.
🎟️ Rathaus exterior & Rathausplatz — Free · No booking required
🚋 Ring Tram Tip: If tired — hop Tram 1 from Staatsoper toward Schwedenplatz (Parliament, City Hall, Burgtheater), switch to Tram 2 back (~30 min loop). Single €3 / 24-hr pass €9.70 on WienMobil app.
📍 Ringstraße 📍 Rathaus · Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz - 19:10 — 🎼 Walk to Musikverein🚶 10-min walk from Rathaus end back along the Ring — Musikverein is at Musikvereinsplatz. Doors open at 19:00 (1 hour before concert, per Musikverein standard policy) — arrive by 19:20 to find your seats and admire the Golden Hall before the house lights dim.
📍 Musikverein · Musikvereinsplatz 1 - 20:00 — 🎻 Classical Concert · Musikverein Golden HallVivaldi's Four Seasons + Mozart + Haydn performed by a live orchestra in the Goldener Saal — the world-famous concert hall where the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert is broadcast to 90 countries. Period costumes, perfect acoustics, chandeliers. Pure orchestral music — no opera singers, no ballet. Duration ~2 hrs with intermission; ends ~22:00–22:15.
🎟️ ✅ Booked · ₹11,800 for 2 (₹5,900/person)
📍 Musikverein Golden Hall - 22:15 — 🎂 Café Sacher · Sachertorte🚶 5-min walk from Musikverein back past the Opera to Café Sacher — Vienna's most legendary café, open until midnight. End your first night in Vienna with a slice of the original Sachertorte and a Viennese Melange under the red velvet and dark wood. The perfect full stop.
💰 Sachertorte ~€9 · Coffee ~€6 · Cash or card
📍 Café Sacher · Philharmonikerstraße - 23:00 — Night Walk Home 🛏️🚶 5-min stroll along the illuminated Kärntner Strasse back to the hotel. The Opera House lit up at night, the quiet grandeur of the Ringstraße — a beautiful last impression of your first evening in Vienna.
Day 2
Gardens, Gems & Sound of Vienna 🎻
Fri · 29 May
›
25°C / 15°C · Vienna
Warm & Crisp — Mostly sunny. Great walking weather; possible brief afternoon shower.
🏨 Motel One Wien-Staatsoper
🌅 Sunset 8:42 PM · Am Hof / Gloriette
⏰ Early night — FlixBus 07:50 AM tomorrow
🍺 Wiener Bierfest · Am Hof · FREE entry
🍽️
Vienna Must-Eats — Today's Hit List
🌭
Käsekrainer
Grilled sausage stuffed with molten Emmental. Take care — it squirts!
📍 Naschmarkt · Bierfest stalls
🫓
Lángos
Giant deep-fried dough disc rubbed with garlic. Hungarian street staple.
📍 Naschmarkt stalls
🥨
Laugenbrezel
Giant Bavarian-style pretzel. Classic beer festival pairing.
📍 Wiener Bierfest
🍮
Kaiserschmarrn
Fluffy shredded caramelised pancake with plum jam. Skip the Sachertorte.
📍 Any café / Glacis Beisl
☕
Viennese Melange
Vienna's version of a strong cappuccino. Sip slowly — no one rushes here.
📍 Any coffee house
🧇
Buchteln
Jam-filled baked buns. Order from the to-go window at Café Demel.
📍 Café Demel · Hofburg area
Today's Plan — The Big Day
- 09:00 — Quick Bite & Leave HotelGrab something light from the room or hotel — you'll be on your feet all day. 🚇 Metro U4 (direction Hütteldorf) from Karlsplatz — alight at Hietzing station (~12 min). Walk through the palace gates into the park. Main gardens are FREE and open from 06:30.
📍 Schönbrunn Palace - 09:40 — Gardens Walk Up to Gloriette🚶 From the palace gates, follow the grand main alley straight up the hill (~15-min uphill walk). Along the way: Neptune Fountain at the base of the hill and the Obelisk Fountain on the main axis — both free and stunning. The Gloriette sits at the top — best panoramic view in Vienna: palace below, city skyline beyond, rolling hills in the distance.
🎟️ Main palace park — Free · Neptune Fountain & Roman Ruin — Free · Maze + Privy Garden combo ~€16 (skip today)
📍 Gloriette Hill 📍 Neptune Fountain - 10:30 — Schönbrunn Zoo 🦁🐼🚶 Walk back down from Gloriette (~10 min) to the Zoo entrance at the west end of the grounds. The Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the world's oldest zoo (est. 1752) and one of Europe's finest — giant pandas, polar bears, penguins, meerkats, and the stunning octagonal baroque pavilion at the centre. Plan a loop: pandas → polar bears → baroque pavilion → penguins → exit. Allow 2–2.5 hrs.
🎟️ Zoo — €29/person · Open 09:00–18:30 (Apr–Sept) · Last entry 30 min before close
💡 You are skipping the palace interior rooms — saving €38/person. The gardens + zoo alone are the real value here.
📍 Schönbrunn Zoo - 13:00 — U4 Back · KHM Exterior Photo Stop🚇 Exit via Hietzing U4 station, eastbound. Alight at Museumsquartier (~10 min). Walk briefly north — Maria-Theresien-Platz is right there, and the KHM's magnificent neo-Renaissance facade dominates the square. Quick 10-min photo stop with the Maria-Theresien monument — literally on the path to lunch.
🎟️ KHM Exterior — Free · Interior €21/person (skip today)
📍 Kunsthistorisches Museum 📍 Maria-Theresien-Platz - 13:30 — 🍽️ Lunch · Glacis Beisl🚶 5-min walk from MQ station into the leafy garden tucked behind MuseumsQuartier. Glacis Beisl is a local favourite — beautiful garden terrace, Austrian classics (Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, seasonal starters), calm atmosphere, zero tourist-trap chaos. Pre-book your table — it fills up fast on Fridays. Reservation for 13:30, outdoor garden table.
💡 Book online at glacisbeisl.at or call +43 1 526 5660 · Reserve well in advance for peak season
💰 Budget ~€25–35/person · ~₹4,700–6,500 for 2
📍 Glacis Beisl · Museumsplatz 1 - 14:45 — 👑 Imperial Treasury · Kaiserliche Schatzkammer🚶 10-min walk from Glacis Beisl through the Burggarten and across Augustinerstraße to the Schweizerhof entrance of the Hofburg. The Imperial Treasury holds the most extraordinary collection of Habsburg regalia on Earth: the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire (962 AD, encrusted with enamel and precious gems), the Habsburg imperial orb and sceptre, the Cradle of the King of Rome, St. Stephen's Sword, and the Holy Lance. Room after room of gold, jewels, and thousand-year-old artefacts that shaped European history. Allow 1.5 hrs.
🎟️ €16/person online · €18 on-site · Open Wed–Mon 09:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00) · Closed Tuesday
💡 Book online to save €2/person and skip the box office queue.
📍 Imperial Treasury · Schweizerhof, Hofburg - 16:15 — Karlskirche · Panorama Lift & Frescoes🚶 10-min walk south from Hofburg: Augustinerstraße → Albertinaplatz → Karlsplatz. Vienna's Baroque masterpiece — the elliptical dome, twin Trajan columns, and the reflecting pool are stunning from outside. Inside, take the glass panorama lift 32 m up to a platform right against the dome ceiling where you can view Johann Michael Rottmayr's frescoes at arm's length. Allow 45 min.
🎟️ €9.50/person · Mon–Sat 09:00–18:00 · Sun & Holidays 12:00–19:00
⚠️ Lift closes ~17:45 on weekdays — arriving at 16:15 gives you comfortable time
📍 Karlskirche 📍 Karlsplatz - 17:05 — 🛒 Naschmarkt Browse & Snacks🚶 2-min walk west from Karlskirche along the Wienzeile — Naschmarkt starts right here at Karlsplatz. Vienna's legendary 1.5 km open-air market — browse the last afternoon vendors, grab snacks to munch while walking. Vendors start wrapping up by 18:30 on Fridays so don't linger too long. Grab a few bites for the walk (see the Must-Eats tile above 👆).
💰 Snacks ~€5–8/person · Cash preferred
📍 Naschmarkt - 17:45 — 🏨 Back to Hotel · Rest🚶 5-min walk from Naschmarkt back to hotel via Karlsplatz. Full hour rest — kick your feet up, change, recharge. No rush. You're heading back out for sunset.
📍 Motel One Wien-Staatsoper - 18:30 — 🍺 Wiener Bierfest · Am Hof · Dinner🚇 U1 from Karlsplatz → Stephansplatz (2 stops, ~4 min) + 8-min walk to Am Hof square. Vienna's biggest open-air beer festival — 20+ Austrian breweries, 100+ craft and traditional beers, live brass bands. FREE entry. This is also dinner — festival food stalls serve proper hot food. Hit the Must-Eats above 👆 for what to order. Stay through sunset (8:42 PM) and soak the golden-hour atmosphere over Am Hof's baroque facades.
💰 Beer ~€5–7 · Dinner from stalls ~€10–15/person · Cash handy
📅 Festival runs May 28–31 · Open until 22:00
📍 Am Hof · Wiener Bierfest - 21:00 — Back to Hotel 🛏️🚇 U1 Stephansplatz → Karlsplatz (~4 min) + 5-min walk. Pack bags tonight — FlixBus departs 07:50 AM! Set two alarms.
📍 Motel One Wien-Staatsoper
2
Hub Two · 1 Night
Inland Croatia — Zagreb & Plitvice 🇭🇷
Day 3
Vienna → Zagreb · CL Final Night
Sat · 30 May
›
22°C / 14°C · Zagreb
Mild continental spring — perfect for cobblestone walking. Light jacket for the evening pub session.
🚌 FlixBus 885 · Vienna → Zagreb · 07:50–13:05 · ✅ Booked · Seats 7C & 7D
🏨 Hotel Check-in Zagreb · from 13:00
⚽ UCL Final · Kick-off 18:00 local · Pivnica Medvedgrad · Tkalčićeva
🌅 Sunset 20:36 · Strossmayer Promenade
⚠️ 06:45 AM bus to Plitvice tomorrow — in bed by 22:30!
🍽️
Zagreb Must-Eats — Day 3 Hit List
🥐
Štrukli
Zagreb's signature dish — baked filo dough pockets filled with cottage cheese, crisp on top and gooey inside. Your lunch today at La Štruk.
📍 La Štruk · Skalinska 5
🍺
Medvedgrad Craft Beer
Zagreb's beloved local brewery — dark lager Mali Medo (Little Bear) is the one to order. Perfect match-day pint.
📍 Pivnica Medvedgrad · Tkalčićeva 36
🥙
Ćevapi
Grilled minced meat sausages in warm flatbread with ajvar and raw onion. The ultimate late-night post-match grab — fast, cheap, delicious.
📍 Tkalčićeva Street stalls
🥧
Kremšnita
Creamy vanilla custard slice between flaky pastry sheets — Zagreb's take on the famous Samobor cream cake. Order one with coffee at any café.
📍 Any café on Tkalčićeva
🥐
Burek
Flaky filo pastry spirals stuffed with meat or cheese — Croatia's most beloved street food. Grab one from a pekara (bakery) anytime, day or night.
📍 Any pekara on Ilica or near Bus Station
🥃
Rakija
Croatia's fiery fruit brandy — plum (šljivovica) or grape (lozovača) varieties. One small glass is the local way to celebrate a goal (or a defeat).
📍 Pivnica Medvedgrad or Harat's Pub
Today's Plan — CL Final Day in Zagreb
- 07:50 — 🚌 Board FlixBus 885 · Vienna Central StationHead to Vienna Central Bus Station (ZOB) by 07:30 — it's next to Wien Hauptbahnhof. ✅ Seats 7C & 7D booked. The ride is ~5 hrs through the Austrian/Slovenian countryside — scenic and relaxed. Grab snacks and water before boarding; no on-board food service. The bus arrives at Zagreb Bus Station at 13:05.
📍 Vienna ZOB · Erdbergstraße 200a - 13:05 — Arrive Zagreb Bus StationWelcome to Croatia! 🇭🇷 Zagreb Bus Station (Autobusni kolodvor) is right next to the main railway station — a 15–20 min walk or a quick tram/taxi to the Upper Town area. Collect bags and head to your hotel.
🚋 Tram 6 from the station toward Črnomerec stops at Trg bana Jelačića (city centre) — 10 min, ~€1.30.
📍 Zagreb Bus Station - 13:20 — 🏨 Hotel Check-in · Drop BagsCheck in and freshen up — you've been on a bus since 07:50. Wash up, change, and be back out by 14:00. If your room isn't ready yet, leave bags at the front desk and head straight out.
💡 The hotel is likely 5–10 min walk from Ban Jelačić Square — ask the front desk for the fastest way to the Upper Town.
📍 Zagreb City Centre - 14:00 — 🥐 Lunch · La Štruk🚶 10-min walk or 1 tram stop from the main square — head up Skalinska street into the Upper Town. La Štruk is a Zagreb institution: a tiny rustic restaurant specialising entirely in štrukli — baked filo pockets filled with cottage cheese, crisp on the outside and molten inside. Try the salty cheese štrukli (baked) and the sweet version for dessert. Simple, cheap, and deeply local.
💰 ~€9–9.50/portion · Budget ~€20–22 for two | Open 11:00–22:00
📍 La Štruk · Skalinska 5 - 14:45 — Ban Jelačić Square🚶 2-min walk downhill from La Štruk. Zagreb's main square — the city's central hub, dominated by the equestrian statue of Ban Jelačić. Good orientation point; pick up a mental map of the city from here.
🎟️ Free entry (public square, open 24/7)
📍 Ban Jelačić Square - 15:00 — Tkalčićeva Street Stroll🚶 2-min walk north from the square. Zagreb's most vibrant pedestrian street — café terraces, colourful 19th-century townhouses, bars, and flower stalls. You'll be back here for the match — but scout your pub now and note how early it's filling up. Grab a quick espresso if needed.
🎟️ Free
📍 Tkalčićeva Street - 15:20 — Stone Gate (Kamenita Vrata)🚶 5-min walk north along Tkalčićeva then up the steps. Zagreb's only surviving medieval city gate (1266), enclosing an active Catholic shrine — a painting of the Virgin Mary that allegedly survived a fire in 1731. Locals light candles and pray here daily; it has a genuinely mystical atmosphere unlike anything else in the city. Take a quiet moment inside.
🎟️ Free entry · Open all day
📍 Stone Gate · Kamenita ul. - 15:35 — St. Mark's Church🚶 2-min walk uphill from the Stone Gate. The iconic symbol of Zagreb — a 13th-century church with a brilliantly coloured majolica tile roof bearing the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia and Zagreb. The surrounding square holds the Croatian Parliament and Government buildings. Best viewed from the square for photos.
🎟️ Exterior always free · Interior accessible 11:00–16:00 (closed during services)
📍 St. Mark's Church · Trg sv. Marka - 15:50 — Grič Tunnel🚶 5-min walk from St. Mark's — entrance on Mesnička 12 or Radićeva 19. A secret Zagreb: a 350-metre WWII air-raid shelter tunnel bored directly through the Upper Town hill, now open to the public. Cool, atmospheric, and completely free. Walk through from one end to the other — it connects two parts of the city and gives a real sense of Zagreb's wartime history. Allow 20 min.
🎟️ Free entry · Open 09:00–21:00
📍 Grič Tunnel · Mesnička 12 - 16:15 — 🗼 Lotrščak Tower🚶 5-min walk south from the Grič Tunnel exit — follow signs toward the funicular. The 13th-century tower is Zagreb's oldest intact structure, and the climb to the top gives the best panoramic view in the city: terracotta rooftops, cathedral spires, the Zagreb plain stretching to the mountains beyond. Allow 30 min at the top.
💡 The famous noon cannon (Grički top) fires daily at 12:00 — you'll miss it today, but the views are reward enough.
🎟️ ~€3/person · Open 11:00–19:00
📍 Lotrščak Tower · Strossmayerovo šetalište 9 - 16:50 — Strossmayer Promenade🚶 Directly beside the tower — the promenade begins here. A romantic tree-lined walkway running along the southern edge of the Upper Town ridge with sweeping views over the lower city rooftops, the Zagreb Cathedral twin spires, and on clear days the snow-capped Medvednica mountain. Best spot for the late afternoon golden light and pre-match photos. Stroll west to east (~15 min easy walk).
🎟️ Free
📍 Strossmayer Promenade - 17:10 — 🚠 Funicular Down · Zagreb FunicularWalk back to Lotrščak and hop on the funicular — 66 metres, 55 seconds, the world's shortest funicular in continuous operation since 1890. A fun and iconic Zagreb experience. Deposits you at Ilica street in the Lower Town.
🎟️ €0.66/person · Runs every 10 min, 06:30–22:00
📍 Zagreb Funicular · Upper Station - 17:20 — Head to Tkalčićeva · Secure Your Pub Spot🚶 5-min walk from the funicular lower station — back up through the square and north on Tkalčićeva. Get there by 17:20 at the latest — the CL Final on a Saturday will fill every bar on this street. Head straight to Pivnica Medvedgrad (Mali Medo) for Zagreb's best craft beer in the best football atmosphere. If it's packed, Harat's Irish Pub (same street, no. 36) is your Plan B. Order a Mali Medo dark lager and settle in.
📍 Pivnica Medvedgrad · Tkalčićeva 36 📍 Harat's Pub · Tkalčićeva 36 - 18:00 — ⚽ UEFA Champions League FinalKick-off! 90+ minutes of football in one of Europe's great football cities. Zagreb's bar scene goes electric for the CL Final — the terrace atmosphere on Tkalčićeva will be unforgettable. Order snacks from the bar to keep energy up.
💡 Match runs ~90–120 min. Extra time + penalties possible → ends as late as 21:30. Keep dinner flexible.
🎟️ Free (pub screening)
📍 Pivnica Medvedgrad · Tkalčićeva 36 - ~20:30 — 🥙 Grab Snacks & Head BackSkip dinner — grab something quick on the way out. Any pekara (bakery) on Tkalčićeva or Ilica sells fresh burek until midnight for ~€2. Or pick up chips/snacks from a convenience store for the walk back. No sit-down meal needed tonight.
📍 Pekara · Tkalčićeva area - 21:00 — 🛏️ Back to Hotel · Early NightAlarm set for 05:45 AM. Bus to Plitvice departs Zagreb Bus Station at 06:45 — leave the hotel by 06:15. It's worth every bit of lost sleep: Plitvice Lakes before the crowds is one of the most beautiful things you will see on this entire trip.
📍 Zagreb Bus Station · depart 06:45 AM
Day 4
Plitvice Lakes & On to Split
Sun · 31 May
›
14°C / 6°C · Plitvice Forest → 26°C / 17°C · Split Coast
Cool misty forest morning in the mountains — layers and good shoes essential. By evening you'll be on a warm Mediterranean waterfront. Plitvice boards get slippery when wet; wear grip-sole shoes.
🚌 CHR933 · Zagreb → Plitvice · 06:45–09:00 · ✅ Booked
🎟️ Park Entry 10:00 AM · Entrance 1 · ID 25429787702 · ✅ Booked
🚌 CHR934 · Plitvice → Split · 16:20–20:45 · ✅ Booked
🏨 Check-in Livo Disno 12 · Kragića ul. 12 · Split
🌅 Sunset 20:27 · Riva Promenade · Split
⚠️ 16:20 bus is the LAST bus to Split — do NOT miss it!
🍽️
Split Dalmatian Eats — Your First Night on the Coast
🐙
Hobotnica ispod peke
Octopus slow-cooked for 3 hours under a heavy cast-iron bell (peka) with potatoes and rosemary. Smoky, tender, and unmistakably Dalmatian. The dish that defines this coast.
📍 Konoba Fetivi · Dioklecijanova 4
🐟
Grilled Adriatic Fish
Sea bass (brancin) or sea bream (orada) grilled whole with olive oil, garlic and lemon. Always ordered by the kilogram. Ask which fish came in that morning.
📍 Riva waterfront restaurants
🦐
Buzara
Prawns or mussels tossed in a fragrant sauce of garlic, white wine, olive oil and parsley. Simple, incredibly fresh. Order it with crusty bread to mop the broth.
📍 Konoba Fetivi or Tri Volta
🧂
Dalmatinski Pršut
Dalmatian smoked ham — aged in the bura (north wind), wafer-thin slices with sheep's cheese and olives. The classic first plate at every Dalmatian table.
📍 Any konoba on the Riva
🍷
Pošip White Wine
Croatia's finest white — grown on Korčula island, bone dry with citrus and mineral notes. The perfect match for grilled fish and seafood on a warm evening.
📍 Any wine bar on Riva Promenade
🥐
Park Café Burek (Morning)
The Plitvice entrance café opens at 08:00. Grab a burek or pastry and a hot coffee before your 10:00 entry — there's limited food inside the park and you'll walk ~8km.
📍 Entrance 1 Café · Plitvice
Today's Plan — Plitvice Lakes & On to Split
- 05:30 — ⏰ Wake-Up CallEarliest start of the trip. Pack your bags the night before — you'll be checking out. Quick shower, dress in layers (Plitvice mornings are cold), double-check you have your park ticket (ID 25429787702) on your phone. Hotel breakfast won't be available this early — grab a snack from your bag.
📍 Your Zagreb hotel - 06:15 — 🚶 Check Out & Head to Bus StationLeave the hotel with all luggage — you won't be coming back. Walk or take a short taxi (~€5, 5 min) to Zagreb Bus Station. The station is well-signposted. Allow 15 min to find the platform and get settled.
🚕 Taxi from city centre: ~€5 · 5 min | 🚶 Walk: ~12–15 min from most central hotels
📍 Zagreb Bus Station · Autobusni kolodvor - 06:45 — 🚌 Depart Zagreb → Plitvice LakesBoard Route CHR933 (Prijevoz Knežević). ✅ Seats booked. Journey is ~2h 15min through rolling green hills and forests — relax, sleep, or watch the landscape change from city to countryside. No food service on board; eat any snacks now. Bus drops you directly at the park entrance.
📍 Zagreb Bus Station (Depart) - 09:00 — Arrive Plitvice Lakes Bus StopThe bus stops right outside Entrance 1 on the D1 highway. ✅ You're here. Walk 3 minutes to the ticket booth. The entrance café (Restoran Plitvice) opens at 08:00 — grab breakfast now before the 10:00 entry. Get coffee, a burek or pastry, and fill your water bottle. There's limited food inside the park.
📍 Plitvice Lakes · Entrance 1 - 09:15 — ☕ Breakfast at Entrance Café · Gear UpSettle at the café terrace — the park is already beautiful from here. Apply sunscreen, fill water bottles (last chance), check your map (free paper maps at the ticket booth). You'll be walking ~8km on Route C with boat and shuttle included.
💰 Coffee + pastry: ~€4–6 | Water 500ml: ~€2
📍 Entrance 1 Café · Plitvice - 10:00 — 🌊 Enter Plitvice Lakes · Entrance 1Show your pre-booked ticket (ID 25429787702) at the gate. You're starting Route C — the full circuit of both Upper and Lower Lakes using the electric boat and panoramic shuttle. This is the definitive Plitvice experience: 16 terraced lakes, dozens of waterfalls, turquoise water over travertine barriers.
🎟️ Adult — €25/person (May shoulder season) · ✅ Already booked. Includes boat + shuttle.
📍 Entrance 1 · Plitvice Lakes National Park - 10:15 — Lower Lakes BoardwalksDescend the path from Entrance 1 into the Lower Lakes. The famous wooden boardwalks float just centimetres above the surface of impossibly clear turquoise water — you'll walk directly above waterfalls. Galovac, Gradinsko, Milanovac and Novakovića Brod lakes in sequence, connected by cascading falls. Pace yourselves — this is the most photographed section of the park.
🎟️ Included in park entry | 🚶 ~45 min of walking, easy boardwalk terrain
💡 Boardwalks are slippery when wet — grip-sole shoes essential
📍 Lower Lakes Boardwalks · Plitvice - 10:50 — 💦 Veliki Slap · Croatia's Tallest Waterfall🚶 Continue along the boardwalk — the Great Waterfall appears dramatically around a bend. At 78 metres, it's the tallest waterfall in Croatia and one of the most spectacular in Europe. A viewing platform puts you right in front of it — the mist is constant and the roar fills the canyon. Allow 15 minutes here for photos. This is one of the genuine highlights of the entire trip.
🎟️ Included in park entry
📍 Veliki Slap · Great Waterfall · Plitvice - 11:30 — ⛵ Electric Boat · P3 → P2 · Lake KozjakBoard the park's silent electric boat at Terminal P3 on the shore of Lake Kozjak — the largest lake in the park. The 15-minute crossing glides you across deep emerald water surrounded by forested cliffs. Completely free, included in your ticket, runs continuously. This transition between the Lower and Upper Lakes is a meditative pause in the middle of the walk.
🎟️ Included in park entry · Runs every 20–30 min
📍 P3 Boat Terminal · Lake Kozjak - 12:00 — 🌿 Upper Lakes · Prošćansko jezeroDisembark at Terminal P2 and follow the path up into the Upper Lakes. Quieter, wilder, and lush — tall beech and fir forests, smaller cascades between narrower lake basins. The northernmost lake (Prošćansko) is the highest and most serene. Far fewer visitors than the Lower Lakes — this is where you'll find the real peace of Plitvice.
🎟️ Included in park entry | 🚶 ~1h 15min circuit of Upper Lakes
📍 Upper Lakes · Prošćansko jezero - 13:15 — 🚌 Panoramic Shuttle Train · ST3 → ST1Board the park's free electric shuttle at stop ST3 near the upper lakes. The open-air train glides along the ridge between Entrance 2 and Entrance 1, giving sweeping views over the lake basin below. Sit on the right side for the best water views. Journey: ~15 min. This deposits you back near Entrance 1.
🎟️ Included in park entry · Runs frequently throughout the day
📍 Shuttle Stop ST3 · Upper Lakes - 13:45 — 🍽️ Lunch at Park Restaurant · Rest Your LegsThe main park restaurant near Entrance 1 serves hot food: Croatian stews, grilled meats, salads and sandwiches. It's busy but functional. Alternative: sit on the terrace benches near the entrance with your own snacks. You've walked ~6km at this point. Rest for 30–40 minutes before your afternoon free time.
💰 Mains: ~€12–16/person | Budget ~€30–35 for two
📍 Park Restaurant · near Entrance 1 - 15:00 — 📸 Last Shots & Souvenir ShopWander back through the lakeside viewpoint near Entrance 1 for any remaining photos. The park gift shop sells quality Croatian products — lavender, olive oil, local honey, hand-painted ceramics. Worth a look. Pack up and start mentally shifting gears: in 75 minutes you're on a bus to the Adriatic coast.
📍 Entrance 1 Shop · Plitvice - 15:45 — 🚌 Head to Bus Stop · Do Not Be LateWalk the 3 minutes from Entrance 1 back to the D1 bus stop. The 16:20 bus (CHR934) is the last direct service to Split today — missing it means an unplanned night in Plitvice. Be at the stop by 16:05. The bus pulls in and leaves quickly; be visible and have your bags ready.
⚠️ Last bus to Split today — no alternatives if missed
📍 Plitvice Bus Stop · D1 Highway - 16:20 — 🚌 Depart Plitvice → SplitBoard Route CHR934 (Prijevoz Knežević). ✅ Booked. Journey: ~4h 25min. The bus winds south through the Dalmatian hinterland — increasingly dramatic scenery as you descend through the Velebit mountains toward the coast. Around 19:30 you'll get your first glimpse of the Adriatic sea. Sit on the right side of the bus for the coastal views approaching Split.
📍 Plitvice Bus Stop (Depart) - 20:45 — 🎉 Arrive Split Bus StationWelcome to the Adriatic! 🇭🇷 Split Bus Station is on the waterfront — step off and you can already smell the sea. Grab a taxi or walk 15 min to Livo Disno 12 (Kragića ulica 12). Check in, freshen up, and feel the warm Mediterranean air for the first time.
🚕 Taxi to hotel: ~€8–10 · 5 min | 🚶 Walk: ~15 min along the harbour
📍 Split Bus Station 📍 Livo Disno 12 · Kragića ul. 12 - 21:30 — 🌊 Late Dinner on Riva Promenade🚶 5–10 min walk from Livo Disno to the Riva. Split's legendary waterfront promenade is alive and buzzing on a warm May Sunday evening. Recommended: Konoba Fetivi — Michelin Bib Gourmand, Dalmatian seafood, just off the Riva (Dioklecijanova 4). Or walk directly into Diocletian's Palace and try Tri Volta inside the ancient walls. Order peka if they have it; it must be pre-ordered but worth asking.
💰 Dinner for two: ~€40–60 | Open until 23:00+
📍 Riva Promenade · Split 📍 Konoba Fetivi · Dioklecijanova 4
3
Hub Three · 2 Nights
Central Dalmatia — Split ⛵
Day 5
Diocletian's Living Palace
Mon · 1 Jun
›
27°C / 19°C · Split / Hvar
Hot & Sunny — Perfect boating weather. High UV index on the water; bring strong sunscreen.
🏨 Livo Disno 12 ★★★ — 12 Kragića ulica, Split
🌅 Sunset 8:26 PM · Riva Promenade or Marjan Hill
Today's Plan
- MorningSleep in, then step right out of your hotel into Diocletian's Palace. Explore the Peristyle square and the underground cellars.
- Afternoon · Off the Beaten PathEscape the crowds by walking up Marjan Hill. Shaded pine forest trails offer the absolute best aerial views of Split and the surrounding islands.
- EveningWalk the palm-lined Riva Promenade and enjoy incredible Mediterranean tapas and wine at Bokeria Kitchen & Wine Bar.
Day 6
The Blue Cave & Hvar
Tue · 2 Jun
›
27°C / 19°C · Split / Trogir
Warm Coastal — The midday sun will feel hot on the stone steps. Bring a windbreaker for the speedboat.
🛥️ Blue Cave, Hvar, Mamma Mia, 5 Islands Boat Tour
✅ Booked · Ref GYG48YVRFB5Q
🌅 Sunset 8:27 PM · Hvar fortress (Fortica) hilltop
Today's Plan
-
6:50 AM · Meet Up Head to the meeting point — south steps of Prokurative (Trg Republike), Split. Arrive 10 min before your slot or you lose your place. If driving, park at Street Zrinsko Frankopanska 6, Split.
📍 Prokurative, Trg Republike, Split -
7:00 AM · Departure 10.5-hour guided speedboat tour departs. Visits: glowing Blue Cave on Biševo island, hidden Stiniva Cove swim stop, the glamorous Hvar Town, and the "Mamma Mia" filming beach.
🎟️ Blue Cave entry ticket NOT included — pay cash on the boat · Tour includes: snorkel gear, sun shade, driver/guide, storage, insurance - ~5:30 PM · Return to Split Tour ends back at Prokurative. Returns to start.
-
Evening · Dinner Recover with a hearty seafood dinner at Fife — a beloved local institution, huge portions, loud and fun vibe.
📍 Restoran Fife, Split
What to Bring
- 🧴 Sunscreen · 💧 Water · 🍿 Snacks · 💵 Cash (Blue Cave ticket + food) · 🏊 Towel · 🧥 Windbreaker · 🤿 Snorkel gear included
4
Hub Four · 4 Nights
Pearl of the Adriatic — Dubrovnik 🏰
Day 7
The Journey South via Korčula
Wed · 3 Jun
›
28°C / 20°C · Korčula → Dubrovnik
Summer Heat — Warmest part of the trip. The Adriatic Sea will feel refreshing at ~22°C.
🏨 Home in Dubrovnik (Airbnb) — Hosted by Mato
🛥️ Krilo / TP Line / Jadrolinija Catamaran
🌅 Sunset 8:19 PM · Panorama Restaurant, Mt. Srđ
Today's Plan
- 7:00 AM — Split PortGrab a coffee and pastry at a bakery near the port (try Bajadera Pastry, 2-min walk from the pier). Head to the Krilo/TP Line catamaran dock at Split City Port.
💡 Ticket note: You need TWO separate tickets for this day — Split→Korčula & Korčula→Dubrovnik (~€45/person total). Book both in advance on krilo.hr or ferryhopper.com — they sell out in summer.
📍 Split City Port - 7:40 AM — BoardingWalk onto the ferry and place large suitcases in the metal luggage racks near the doors. Keep a small daypack with valuables, sunscreen, and snacks.
- 8:00 AM — Depart SplitRelax and enjoy the scenic 2-hour ride south. The catamaran stops at Brač (Milna) and Hvar Town along the way — gorgeous views both.
🎟️ Ticket 1: Split → Korčula · ~€20/person · ~ ₹1,840/person - 10:10 AM — Arrive Korčula Old TownThe catamaran docks right alongside the Old Town walls — dramatic arrival into "Little Dubrovnik," built in a fishbone street pattern to deflect sea winds. Your luggage stays here until you're ready to leave.
📍 Korčula Ferry Dock - 10:20 AM — Drop LuggageWalk 3–5 minutes to the bus station area south of the Old Town gates. Drop bags at the luggage storage near the ferry dock (look for "Čuvanje prtljage" signs) or at a local travel agency. Typically €3–5/bag.
📍 Korčula Luggage Storage Area - 10:30 AM — Stroll the Fishbone Lanes🚶 Enter the Old Town through the Great Land Gate — the main medieval entrance and best photo spot. Korčula's famous herringbone street layout fans out from here, designed to channel sea breezes and confuse attackers. Every lane is pedestrianised, stone-paved, and draped in Venetian-Gothic charm. Take 20–25 minutes to simply wander before joining any queues.
📍 Great Land Gate (Old Town Entrance) - 10:55 AM — St. Mark's Cathedral + Bell Tower🚶 2-min walk from the Land Gate to the central square. The cathedral is Korčula's crown jewel — Gothic-Renaissance stonework carved by local craftsmen. Step inside to see the 15th-century stone altarpiece, then climb the narrow bell tower stairs for a rooftop panorama of orange terracotta tiles, the Pelješac peninsula, and the open Adriatic. Allow 45 min total.
🎟️ Cathedral — €3/person · Bell Tower — €5/person extra · Open 9:00–21:00 in peak season · ~₹735/person for both
📍 St. Mark's Cathedral - 11:40 AM — Marco Polo's House🚶 2-min walk east of the cathedral. Korčula claims to be the birthplace of Marco Polo — contested by historians, but fun. The restored house has exhibits tracing his voyages to China and a rooftop terrace with lovely old-town views. Allow 20–25 min.
🎟️ €5–7/person · Open 10:00–18:00 · ~₹460–645/person
📍 Marco Polo House - 12:05 PM — Lunch: Konoba Adio Mare🚶 1-min walk from Marco Polo House — practically next door, inside a stone vault near the Marco Polo tower. Order the Crni rižot (black cuttlefish-ink risotto — a Dalmatian classic), grilled fish of the day, and a glass of local Pošip white wine. Budget ~1.5 hours for a relaxed, shaded lunch.
🎟️ Mains ~€12–20/person · ~₹2,200–3,680 for 2
📍 Konoba Adio Mare
💡 Alternative: Konoba Filippi, 3-min walk south — equally excellent, often less crowded.
📍 Konoba Filippi (backup) - 1:35 PM — Swim at Zakerjan Beach🚶 5-min walk from Konoba Adio Mare, just outside the city walls on the western side. Rocky platforms and ladders drop straight into the clear Adriatic — a refreshing dip with views of the Pelješac peninsula across the channel. Water is warm (~22°C) and brilliantly clear in early June.
🎟️ Free entry · Bring water shoes — smooth rock platforms
📍 Zakerjan Beach
💡 Quieter option: Luka Korčulanska Beach is 15-min walk east — sandier and more local, but tight on time.
📍 Luka Beach (alternative) - 2:20 PM — Gelato + Souvenir Round🚶 Walk back through the old town centre (5 min). Grab a gelato from a café on the main square. Pick up a bottle of Pošip wine or local Korčula olive oil — both make excellent souvenirs.
💡 Massimo Cocktail Bar — cocktails served by pulley from a medieval turret — is a Korčula bucket-list experience, but opens only in the evening. File it away for a future trip!
📍 Massimo Bar (evening only — FYI) - 3:00 PM — Retrieve Luggage & Return to PierPick up bags and head to the ferry dock — the Krilo afternoon catamaran departs at 15:40 sharp.
- 3:40 PM — Depart Korčula → DubrovnikFinal 2-hour stretch south along the Dalmatian coast. Watch for the Pelješac Peninsula and Mljet island as you approach Dubrovnik.
🎟️ Ticket 2: Korčula → Dubrovnik · ~€25/person · ~₹2,300/person
💡 Alternative: TP Line departs Korčula at 18:20 (arrives 20:20) if you want more time — but arriving that late means skipping the cable car. - 5:45 PM — Arrive Dubrovnik (Gruž Port)Dock at Gruž Port, ~3 km from the Old Town. Take local bus 1A, 1B, or 3 (€2, 15 min) or an Uber (~€8) to your accommodation.
📍 Gruž Port - 7:30 PM — Mount Srđ Sunset🚡 Cable car up to Mount Srđ — 4-min ride. Sunset is at 8:19 PM; arrive early for the best spot on the viewing terrace.
🎟️ Cable car return — €26/person (buy online to skip queues)
📍 Dubrovnik Cable Car Station
📍 Panorama Restaurant, Mt. Srđ
Day 8
Game of Thrones & Sea Kayaking
Thu · 4 Jun
›
28°C / 20°C · Dubrovnik
Intense Sun — The white limestone walls reflect the heat. Start early on the walls, paddle in the afternoon, sip cocktails at sunset on the cliffs.
🏨 Home in Dubrovnik (Airbnb)
⚔️ GoT Walking Tour
🚣 Sea Kayaking
🌅 Sunset 8:20 PM · Buža Bar Cliffs
Today's Plan
- 7:45 AM — City Walls Walk🚶 Walk from your accommodation to the Pile Gate entrance — the best start to the 2 km circuit, fewer crowds before 9 AM and cooler temperatures. Allow ~1.5 hours. The walk gives you a full aerial view of the old town rooftops and the Adriatic below.
🎟️ €40/person (covers both City Walls AND Fort Lovrijenac — valid 72 hrs) · ~₹3,680/person · Buy online to skip the queue: dubrovnik-walls.com
📍 City Walls – Pile Gate Entrance - 9:15 AM — Fort Lovrijenac (The Red Keep)🚶 5-min walk from the Pile Gate exit, just outside the western walls. Your City Walls ticket covers entry. Climb to the top for the iconic GoT view — the fortress rises 37 m directly above the sea. Where "Power is Power" was filmed, and the setting for much of the Red Keep exterior.
🎟️ Included with City Walls ticket · Free entry with combo ticket
📍 Fort Lovrijenac (Red Keep) - 10:15 AM — Game of Thrones Walking Tour🚶 Walk 3 min back to Pile Gate — this is the standard meeting point (look for guides with GoT banners or prop swords). The 2-hour walking tour covers all key filming locations in the old town:
- Pile Gate — Main entrance to King's Landing
📍 Pile Gate - Jesuit Stairs (St. Ignatius Steps) — The Walk of Shame scene (Season 5). The longest staircase in Dubrovnik.
📍 Jesuit Stairs - Rector's Palace — Used as Qarth and other locations. Worth popping inside even without the tour.
📍 Rector's Palace - Minčeta Tower — The House of the Undying (Season 2). Tallest tower on the city walls.
📍 Minčeta Tower - Dubrovnik Harbour (Blackwater Bay) — The bay below Old Town, used for fleet scenes.
📍 Old Town Harbour (Blackwater Bay)
💡 Fort Lovrijenac entry is already covered by your Walls ticket — save €15 vs. buying separately.
Book via: Dubrovnik Walks or Viator - Pile Gate — Main entrance to King's Landing
- 12:30 PM — Lunch in the Old Town🚶 2-min walk from the tour end point. Try Nishta for excellent vegetarian food, or grab a slice at Pizza Babić for a quick affordable bite before the afternoon kayaking.
📍 Nishta Restaurant
📍 Pizza Babić - 2:00 PM — Sea Kayaking (Half-Day)🚶 5-min walk from the Old Town to the West Harbour launch point. Launch from the Old Town West Harbour ("Blackwater Bay") on a 3-hour guided kayak tour. You'll paddle along the exterior of the ancient city walls — surreal views you can't get any other way — then cross open water to Lokrum Island for a swim in a sheltered cove.
🎟️ ~€35–45/person · ~₹3,220–4,140/person · Book in advance for guaranteed afternoon slots.
Operator: Adriatic Kayak Tours or search "Dubrovnik kayak" on GetYourGuide
📍 West Harbour Launch Point (Blackwater Bay)
📍 Lokrum Island - 5:15 PM — Back at Old Town, Freshen UpReturn to your Airbnb, shower, change. The evening is the best part of Dubrovnik — take it slow.
- 7:30 PM — Buža Bar (Cliff Bar)🚶 From your accommodation, walk into the Old Town and look for the sign on the city wall that literally says "COLD DRINKS." This is Buža — a bar carved into the cliff face outside the walls, with concrete platforms above the open sea. One of the most atmospheric spots in the world for a sundowner.
🎟️ Free entry · Drinks ~€7–10 each
📍 Buža Bar - 9:00 PM — Dinner at Restaurant Proto🚶 5-min walk back through the Old Town. Proto has been serving Dubrovnik's finest seafood since 1886 — grilled whole fish, Adriatic lobster, and black risotto. Classic Dalmatian dining at its best.
🎟️ Mains ~€25–40/person · Budget ~₹4,600–7,360 for 2 (dinner)
📍 Restaurant Proto
💡 Day 8 Pro Tips
- Buy the City Walls + Lovrijenac combo ticket (€40) online the night before — the queue at Pile Gate is brutal by 10 AM in June.
- Bring a dry bag for kayaking — your phone/camera will thank you. Most operators provide them, but confirm when booking.
- GoT tour tip: bring the GoT episode guide on your phone — guides appreciate engaged fans and share extra behind-the-scenes stories.
- Buža Bar tip: there are two Buža bars (Buža I and Buža II, 50 m apart). Both are excellent; Buža II is slightly larger with more seating.
Day 9
Bosnia Day Trip
Fri · 5 Jun
›
30°C / 20°C · Bosnia & Herzegovina
Hot & Sunny — Inland Bosnia is warmer than the Dalmatian coast. Sunscreen essential; bring swimwear for Kravice.
🏨 Home in Dubrovnik (Airbnb)
🛂 Passport mandatory — Bosnia is not Schengen / EU
🌅 Sunset 8:21 PM · Back in Dubrovnik
Today's Plan
-
6:30 AM · Depart Dubrovnik Meet your guide at Pile Gate (group tour) or start self-drive. The drive to Bosnia is ~130 km via the Pelješac Bridge — one border crossing into Bosnia. In June, border queues average 20–45 min; an early start beats the rush. Bring your passport — Croatian ID card is not accepted.
🚗 Drive: ~2–2.5h from Dubrovnik to Mostar · 🚌 Guided group tour pickup: Pile Gate area
📍 Pile Gate, Dubrovnik (tour meeting point)
💡 Rental car tip: Bosnia requires a Green Card insurance extension from your rental company. Confirm before the trip — some charge €10–20 extra; some prohibit Bosnia crossings entirely. -
~9:00 AM · Počitelj — Ottoman Hilltop Village 🚗 ~1h 20min from Dubrovnik, on the main Mostar road. A breathtaking 16th-century Ottoman settlement built into a limestone cliff above the Neretva River. Walk the steep cobbled lanes, visit the Hadži-Alija Mosque, and climb to the medieval Gavrankapetanović Tower for sweeping valley panoramas. Allow 40–50 min.
🎟️ Village — Free entry · Fortress / Tower — ~5 KM (~€2.50) per person · Open 9:00–18:00 in summer · ~₹230/person
📍 Počitelj Historic Village
💡 Wear sturdy shoes — the lanes are steep uneven cobblestone. Počitelj is 35 km south of Mostar and perfectly placed as an en-route stop. -
~10:30 AM · Stari Most & Kujundžiluk Bazaar — Mostar 🚗 35-min drive north from Počitelj. The iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) is a 16th-century Ottoman limestone arch spanning the emerald Neretva gorge. Rebuilt after destruction in the 1993 war and re-inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2005. Cross the bridge, then wander the cobbled Kujundžiluk Bazaar — copper vendors, textile stalls, and handmade jewellery under Ottoman-era archways. Allow 45 min here.
🎟️ Bridge crossing — Free · Bridge divers — optional tip ~5–10 KM (~€2.50–5) · Bazaar — free
📍 Stari Most (Old Bridge), Mostar
📍 Kujundžiluk Bazaar (5-min walk from bridge) -
~11:15 AM · Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque & Minaret 🚶 5-min walk west from Stari Most along the river bank. A beautiful 17th-century mosque open to non-Muslim visitors. The minaret climb is the best vantage point in Mostar — the view frames the Old Bridge perfectly against the gorge. Remove shoes on entry; women cover shoulders. Allow 25–30 min.
🎟️ Mosque entry — ~5 KM (~€2.50) · Minaret climb — ~5 KM (~€2.50) extra · Combined ~10 KM (~€5) per person · ~₹465/person
📍 Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque (5-min walk from bridge)
💡 The minaret is only ~25 steps but gives you the postcard view of the bridge. Best photo light is in the morning, which lines up perfectly with your arrival time. -
~11:50 AM · Old Bridge Museum (optional) 🚶 Right at the south foot of Stari Most. Small but well-curated museum covering the original Ottoman bridge construction and its destruction and reconstruction during the 1990s war. Worth 25–30 min if you want historical context.
🎟️ ~7 KM (~€3.50) per person · Open 9:00–18:00 · ~₹325/person
📍 Old Bridge Museum, Mostar -
~12:30 PM · Lunch — Riverside Bosnian 🚶 Multiple restaurants line both Neretva banks directly below Stari Most. Order traditional Bosnian: ćevapi (grilled minced meat with somun flatbread), burek (meat or cheese pastry), or a slow-cooked lamb stew. The riverside terraces with the bridge above are spectacular. Budget ~1 hour.
🎟️ Mains ~10–20 KM (~€5–10)/person · Budget ~30–40 KM (~€15–20) for 2 · ~₹1,400–1,860 for 2
📍 Hindin Han Restaurant (river terrace, recommended)
📍 Labirint Restaurant (cliff terrace, backup) -
~1:45 PM · Drive to Kravice Waterfalls 🚗 ~45-min drive southwest from Mostar through the Neretva valley. Bosnia's most spectacular natural sight — a 25-metre horseshoe of cascading falls tumbling into a turquoise plunge pool. The green jungle-like setting is stunning. In June the water is around 16–18°C — cold but perfectly refreshing in the inland heat. Allow 1.5–2h here.
🎟️ Entry — 20 KM (~€10) per person · Open 7:00–22:00 in June · Parking 3 KM/hr · Changing rooms & café on site · ~₹930/person
📍 Kravice Waterfalls, near Ljubuški
💡 Bring swimwear, towels, and water shoes — the rocks around the falls are slippery. Entry ticket also covers nearby Koćuša Waterfall and Humac Monastery Museum. -
~5:00 PM · Return Drive to Dubrovnik 🚗 ~2.5h from Kravice via the Pelješac Bridge back into Croatia. Allow extra time for the border crossing. Departing at 5:00 PM puts you back in Dubrovnik around 7:30–8:00 PM — time for a shower before dinner.
📍 Pelješac Bridge (Croatia border re-entry) -
~8:30 PM · Dinner — Taj Mahal Restaurant 🚶 A short walk from Dubrovnik Old Town. Don't let the name mislead — this is authentic Bosnian food, and today it's the perfect full-circle finale. Order Bosanski lonac (slow-cooked meat and vegetable stew), burek with yoghurt, and the mixed grill platter. You visited Bosnia today; now taste it in Dubrovnik.
🎟️ Mains ~€12–18/person · Budget €35–45 for 2 · ~₹3,255–4,185 for 2
📍 Taj Mahal Restaurant, Dubrovnik
Guided Tour vs Self-Drive
- 🚌 Group tour (~€60–90/person): Recommended — guide handles border paperwork, no rental car insurance issues, live commentary. Viator, Deep Green Travel, and Dubrovnik Day Tours all run this Počitelj + Mostar + Kravice route. Book in advance; June fills fast.
💰 ~ Est. ₹11,160–16,740 for 2 (+ entry fees on top) - 🚗 Self-drive (~€40 fuel + tolls total): More flexible; cheaper overall. Requires Green Card insurance extension from your rental company — confirm before booking the car. Some companies charge €10–20 extra; some prohibit Bosnia crossings.
💰 ~ Est. ₹3,720 fuel + entry fees
What to Bring
- 🛂 Passport (mandatory) · 💵 Bosnian KM cash ~50–80 KM (euros accepted too) · 🏊 Swimwear + towel for Kravice · 🧴 High-SPF sunscreen — inland Bosnia is hot and dry · 👟 Sturdy shoes for Počitelj cobblestones · 📷 Camera · 🧥 Light layer for the evening drive back
Day 10
Departure Day
Sat · 6 Jun
›
25°C / 15°C · Vienna
Mild Return — Back to pleasant, breezy continental weather before your flight home.
✈️ Return Flights — DBV → VIE → BLR
🌅 Sunset 8:51 PM · Longest sunset of the trip!
Flight Schedule
- AfternoonAustrian Airlines DBV 14:55 → VIE 16:15 (direct, 1h 20m). ₹10,115/person.
- EveningAir India VIE 20:30 → BLR 13:20+1 (via DEL, 13h 20m). ₹48,944/person.
- Arrives homeSunday 7 Jun 2026 at 13:20, Bengaluru (BLR).
Day 11
Home Sweet Home 🏠
Sun · 7 Jun
›
Homeward Bound · Vienna → Bengaluru
11 incredible days done. Back home with memories of Austria & Croatia!
✈️ Air India · VIE → DEL → BLR
💰 ₹44,849 / person · ₹89,698 for 2
Flight Details
- DepartsVIE 20:30 · Sat 6 Jun 2026 — Vienna International Airport
- StopDelhi (DEL) — connection
- ArrivesBLR 13:20 · Sun 7 Jun 2026 — Bengaluru (13h 20m total)
- NoteFlight departs the evening of Day 10 (6 Jun) and lands the next day (Day 11, 7 Jun).
The Strategy
Why This Plan Works
✈️
The Vienna Gateway Hack
Flying in & out of Vienna saves over ₹1 Lakh on airfare vs. direct flights to Croatia — and gives you 2 full days to explore the Imperial City.
🗺️
Hub-and-Spoke Model
3 strategic bases — Vienna (2n), Split (2n), Dubrovnik (4n) — with a Plitvice Lakes day-tour stop en route. Minimise packing while maximising exploration through day trips.
💰
Budget: ₹2,00,000/person
Covers boutique hotels, private speedboat tours, guided experiences, and excellent dining — 2 days Austria + 8 days Croatia.