I agree that 7-10 days is not really doable for this part of your trip. I would look for a cheap flight from budapest to “wherever’s cheapest” in Slovenia, croatia or Bosnia. Visit that city and one more on your way to Split or Dubrovnik.

I’d seriously look at cutting Vienna to spend more time in “Former Yogoslavia”

Thank you,

Do you mean cutting vienna down or cutting it out all together?

I don’t care for Vienna, but a day in nearby Bratislava would be great. I’m more “I probably won’t ever go back to Vienna” than recommending “don’t ever go there, but it is one of the first places I’d cut entirely if a cut is needed. I feel the same about Brussels — catch the medieval square and grab a waffle on a day trip or as a 1/2 day stop.

Ok- I will look into flying to somewhere from Budapest and think about cutting Vienna if I need to. Thank you!

I will go with the old lady in her suggestion. But would also like to add that give sufficient time to whichever place you are planning to explore as there is no use to just going to place for mere formality.

Thanks, I have been hard at work planning a finalised itinery, which i will update and post soon for final comments!

Didn’t u thinked to start the trip from Poland. For example from Krakow and surroundings. Then Zakopane and finally Budapest ? Krakow is magical . You won’t regret such a trip

Yes. I completely agree with oldlady. I’d also cut Vienna. I like Budapest more, if we are in a same size category. And even the relatively small Bratislava is more lively than Vienna. But I’d cut Bratislava and Budapest too in favor of former Yugoslavia. Zagreb and Belgrade are both reachable by a night train from Budapest, that would be good to start with. From Zagreb, there is a train to Split, takes some 6 hours. But it’s not worth visiting Croatia just to speed through it. From Belgrade you can take a train to coast at Bar and then crawl up the coastline, or you can take a bus into Bosnia and see that beautiful part of the world. (Note: There is a small bus station on Sarajevo’s suburb named Lukavica. As it is inhabited by ethnic Serbs, it has 5 or 6 buses to Belgrade a day, while Sarajevo’s central bus station has one.) Sarajevo is also reachable by a day train from Budapest, but that kills a day.

I missed the opportunity to see some beautiful waters of inland ex-Yugoslavia, Plitvice lakes, Kravica waterfalls, Una river etc. I wish I could go there right now

Wow I had a look at the Kravica Waterfalls etc. All looks beautiful. Can I daytrip to the waterfalls from Mostar?

I’m now thinking, Budapest-Belgrade-Sarajevo-Mostar – Somewhere on the croatian coastline (Dubrovnik? Split? Better reccomendations??) Then getting the ferry across to Italy…

Dubrovnik would hands-down be in recommendation. I also loved Hvar, an island near Split. Split was just OK for me- doesn’t need more than a day.

Thank you. I just updated and posted my itinerary

Sure thing, there are organized day trips from Mostar to Kravica waterfalls, look around in the travel agencies in the centre. Mostar is extremely beautiful, even though signs of recent war are visible almost everywhere. And it’s cheap, too, I paid €10 for a whole single room in 2009.

There is one or two trains per day from Sarajevo through Mostar to the Croatian Adriatic port of Ploce, located in between Split and Dubrovnik. There are also direct buses from Mostar to both Dubrovnik and Split. But I’d recommend to take the train from Sarajevo to Mostar if timetable allows, that train route is gorgeous. From Sarajevo, which is drained by river Bosna (Black Sea basin) to Konjic, which is drained by Neretva (Adriatic Sea basin) there are 60 tunnels and even more bridges on a 30-km segment. Then the route passes over Jablanica Dam and continues in a narrow canyon of Neretva to Mostar. Very very scenic, and as train windows can be opened, is also much more enjoyable than bus ride. I spent the whole journey standing in the corridor looking out of the window.