This section existed before low-cost airlines started flying to Croatia, simultaneously lowering prices and increasing availability of flights. See our Getting There By Air section for more details!

However, many of you are still taking advantage of low-cost airlines' cheap flights to Trieste, Venice, Treviso, Bologna, Ancona, Pescara or Bari in nearby Italy.

Travelling From Italy
Please see the following guides:

Trieste
Venice
Treviso
Rimini
Ancona
Pescara
Bari

Can I rent a car in Italy and drive it to Croatia?
Yes, but not all car rental companies allow you to do this due to the higher insurance costs of taking a rental car into Croatia. Your best bet is to hire a car in Trieste/at Trieste Airport as this is the nearest large Italian town to Croatia, driving-wise. These are the car rental companies that we have heard allow you to do so, but please double-check with them! As a tip, it is often better to contact the regional offices directly (i.e. in Trieste), and not the company offices in your home country (or through the website).

Avis
Europcar
Maggiore
Sixt

We've also had this great tip from Ken Burns, which may be very useful to those wishing to hire a car in Venice or Treviso:
"The car hire companies you mention all allow entry into Slovenia and Croatia if asked for. It must, however, be marked on the hire documents, or the car may be refused entry at the border. If you succeed in getting across without the appropriate authorisation, your insurance may well be non-existent!

Trieste airport car hire companies know all about the permission needed, but you can still hire a car from Venice or Treviso from these companies. If they claim not to know about trans-border permission, get them to ring their Trieste office, who will put them in the picture. If all else fails, simply call at Trieste airport on your way down the motorway towards Croatia, and get them to give you the necessary stamp. It's only a slight diversion off the road."

Richard Riley has confirmed that Avis in Venice do this.

Andrej Pavlovic has this tip about renting cars through Ryanair:
"I wanted to contribute to your search for rent a car companies that are allowing their cars to be taken to Croatia and Slovenia. If you rent with Hertz, BUT ONLY through Ryanair's website of Hertz (and not from Hertz directly), you will be able to take cars from any airport in Italy where Ryanair flies and take them in to Croatia and Slovenia. This is due to a special insurance deal that Ryanair has with Hertz.

From Austria, it is also possible but you need to pay 50% more on insurance and from Switzerland you can take some cars to Slovenia only, but from Italy there are no extra charges. I rent a D group car and anything up to that group can, for sure, enter Croatia and Slovenia, as I personally checked with Ryanair and Hertz's headquarters."

Ian Hamlin says:
"Having read your interesting website and noted the advice of your contributors, I called Auto Europa with whom we had booked a car on-line, stating we wanted to travel to Croatia. They said we could not take the car there because of insurance risks. We rebooked with Avis in Venice who assured us we could travel to Croatia. At the Avis desk at Marco Polo Airport the Avis man told we could drive to Croatia but would not be insured for the 20km run through Slovenia!! We stopped off at Trieste Airport where the Avis personnel assured us we were insured. As of summer 2005 no special documents or stamps are needed for travel to Slovenia or Croatia.It might be worth pointing out that dipped headlights are required 24hours in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Nobody told us! Had great time sailing in Croatia, beautiful country."

Italy & Slovenia
If you are not in a hurry to reach Croatia, it is worth staying in Trieste itself for a day or two to see the town, which has strong Austrian influences. Some people say that 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.