This section was created back in the day when very few airlines flew direct from the UK to Croatia – and we advised many travellers to make use of the low-cost flights to Italy instead, as it’s relatively easy to then travel (by ferry or bus) from Italy to Croatia.
However, we know that many of you are still looking for travel advice on how to travel from Italy to Croatia – or vice versa! Depending on where in Croatia you’re intending to reach, flying to Italy can give you more choice and possibly some cost savings too.
Of course, for those trying to reach Croatia from outside of Europe (especially American travellers), you may find it very suitable to fly to Italy first and then travel on to Croatia – perhaps combining both countries into one rather lovely holiday.
It’s a good idea to compare ideas in this section with the Flights to Croatia page (for flights direct to Croatia from the UK & Ireland) when planning your holiday to find the best possible route to Croatia for you.
Travelling From Italy to Croatia
Please see the following guides for information on travelling from:
Flights from Italy to Croatia
There are now a very good number of flights from Italy to Croatia. If you are trying to reach Dalmatia (Split or Dubrovnik) from Central Italy (Rome), flying is undoubtedly the quickest way of travelling. Flights can also be pretty cheap as well, if booked far enough in advance!
Moreover, some of these routes operate year-round, so they are very useful if you are travelling out of season.
- Croatia Airlines
Milan Malpensa to Zagreb and Split; Bologna to Zagreb; Rome to Split and Dubrovnik (both year-round)
- Easyjet Milan Malpensa to Zadar; Milan Linate to Split; Naples to Split and Dubrovnik
- ITA Airways Rome to Split and Dubrovnik
- Ryanair Rome Ciampino to Zagreb (year-round), Zadar and Split; Milan Bergamo to Zagreb (year-round), Rijeka and Zadar; Milan Malpensa to Zadar; Bologna to Zadar; Naples to Zadar; Turin to Zadar; Bari to Zadar
- Sky Alps Bolzano to Brac and Dubrovnik
- Wizzair Rome Fiumicino to Split and Dubrovnik
Can I rent a car in Italy and drive it to Croatia?
With Croatia part of the EU, the vast majority of car hire firms allow you to rent a car in Italy and take it into Croatia (and Slovenia as well). It is nevertheless advisable to double-check prior to booking that the company you hire with does allow this. If you have any issues when contacting car hire companies in this regard, it is sometimes better to contact the regional offices directly (e.g. in Trieste). However, many companies now explicitly list – in their terms and conditions – that you are allowed to take a car into Croatia if renting it from Italy.
In particular, we have heard that these car hire companies let you take a car from Italy to Croatia:
One-way car rental from Italy to Croatia
Although some companies let you rent a car in Italy and drop it off in Croatia (or vice versa), it’s not a particularly sensible idea due to the high costs involved with one-way cross-border hire.
However, one-way car rental in Italy is allowed – so you may like to investigate the possibility of hiring a car in northern Italy, taking it into Croatia, and then perhaps returning (via car ferry) to one of the more southerly cities in Italy, such as Ancona or Bari.
Alternatively, one-way car hire in Croatia is also possible, and most companies do not charge any extra for this. You could – for example – fly into somewhere in northeastern Italy (such as Venice or Trieste) and then travel to the nearest larger town in Croatia (Porec, Rovinj, Pula, perhaps even Rijeka) to pick up a car there.
See our Renting a car in Croatia page for more details.
Italy & Slovenia
If you’re not in a hurry to reach Croatia, it is definitely worth staying in Trieste itself for a day or two to see this very pretty, Austrian-influenced town. Nearby Udine is also good for a visit.
Or why not try one of the Slovenian coastal resorts such as Portoroz, Piran, Ankaran or even the busy port of Koper for a stop on your way to Croatia?