Summer Road Trip: Croatia, Hungary, Austria & Slovenia

The first week of our summer Eastern Europe road trip was jam-packed. We spent 7 days traveling through the countries of Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We were denied entry into a country twice, had rental car issues, and made up plans as we went. We camped or stayed in a different hotel every single night. And through it all, we loved every second. No one said road tripping was easy but this was my first legit road trip and the first for us across Europe and the Balkan countries.

If you haven’t read the first post from our road trip for days 1-8, head on over there now by clicking here, or the second one (click here for), and then you can return and pick up reading below!

Day 9

On Sunday, the second week of our road trip through the Balkan countries, we returned from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina to Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia to pick up our original rental car. We had originally planned to tour Romania for multiple days, but we were short on time and had to cut that country from our list… to be explored at a later date (which we did – read about it here). Instead, the plan was to cruise along through Croatia, Hungary, Austria, and Slovenia for the next week and return home to Italy by Friday.

With no set idea of where we wanted to spend the night in Croatia, we drove along the coast looking for “auto kamp” signs. By this point in the trip, we were semi picky on what type of campgrounds we wanted to stay at – somewhere close to the ocean so we could go snorkeling, with a decent bathhouse and a shady place to put our tent. We pulled into the town of Slano and drove around until we found a campsite that we agreed upon. Kamp Rogac was a decent campground. They had a cool little outdoor sheltered kitchen area where you can use the fire burning oven to cook. Except, people were in it all night, so we didn’t get a chance to use it and they weren’t very friendly with sharing. We set up our tent under a shady pear tree amongst an olive grove.

Related Post: Camping in Croatia: Reviews of My Favorite Campgrounds

After setting up camp, we went snorkeling for a bit, relaxed by the sea and just took a break for a bit. To our disappointment, there was hardly any sea life in this beach cove, so it didn’t make an excellent snorkeling location, but swimming wise it was nice. It wasn’t too crowded and there was plenty of beach space for Presley, Stephen, and I to lay.

We walked into town and grabbed a few drinks from the bar while chatting with a group of travelers from the States at a table beside us and using the town’s free WiFi. Overall, Slano was a neat little town with plenty of beach space right off Highway 8 between Dubrovnik and Split. It was a bit more expensive than other places we had been in Croatia, though. It makes for a great flat place to ride your bikes, but don’t come here for snorkeling as you will probably be disappointed in the amount of sea life.

Costs & More Info:

• Croatian Currency: Croatian Kuna (kn)
• Slano Drinks Recommendations: Riva
• Kamp Rogac in Slano, Croatia price for one night: 15 € (110 kn)
  • Address: Grgurici 34, 20232, Slano, Croatia
  • Website: http://camp-rogac.com/en/

Day 10

In order to get from southern Croatia to the northern part without crossing through Bosnia and Herzegovina, we had to take the ferry again, but in reverse this time – Trpanj to Ploče. We left our campground in Slano and headed toward the ferry in Trpanj. It wasn’t long before we were standing on the upper level of the ferry boat with the wind blowing in our faces and nothing but the mountains and the sea in the background. We made it to Ploče, Croatia in a little over an hour and unloaded our car from the boat.

Stephen found a great campsite online, south of Zagreb, Croatia called Kamp Slapić in Duga Resa. This had to have been one of my favorite campgrounds. Set right by the river of Mrežnica with waterfalls, canoes for rent, and plenty of space between campsites, it had all the things we love about camping. We rented a canoe and paddled down the river to swim in the waterfalls. It was so wonderful jumping in the waterfalls, swimming with little P, and just enjoying nature in the middle of the forest. The river was beautiful and clean, and it was a clear enough night to sit outside at the campsite restaurant and enjoy a meat plate for 2!

We were extremely pleased with their showers, bathrooms, and even the area to wash your dog! The campground wasn’t near the main road, meaning it was more peaceful, and we slept like babies. Being next to the river helped to cool the temperatures off and made sleeping that much easier. If you’re not a fan of tent camping, they even have cute little bungalows for rent!

Costs & More Info:

• Jadrolinija Car Ferry for 1 car & 2 people: 27,28 € (202 kn)
  • Address: Trg kralja Tomislava 26, 20340, Ploče, Croatia
  • Tickets: Park in line, then purchase tickets on site
• Highway tolls from Ploče to Camp Slapic: 31 € (229 kn)
• Camping (Kamp) Slapić in Duga Resa, Croatia price for one night: euros? 41 € (302 kn)
  • Address: Mrežnicki Brig bb, 47250, Duga Resa
  • Website: http://www.campslapic.hr/en/

Day 11

On Tuesday we left our campsite haven in Croatia and headed toward the Hungarian border. The border crossing was easy, despite the long line to get our passports checked. You will have to purchase a vignette, which can be bought from the first gas station you see and will require you to give them the license and country of your vehicle.

Heading towards Budapest for the night, I rented us a decently priced apartment that provided a bit more room than a tent, working space for my writing, and a chance to leave Presley in the room so we could go out to explore some on our own. When we arrived in Budapest, finding our apartment downtown was a bit of a doozy. Driving in cities with our big stealth car was not an easy feat. There are a ton of stoplights in downtown Budapest!

One thing I absolutely loved about Budapest is the fact that it’s very bike friendly and we enjoyed getting out and riding our bikes through the town –  a great alternative to trying to drive through the busy streets. They have lanes, turning lanes, and even stop lights for bicyclists!

The first thing we did that night was head to the Gellert Thermal Spa. I had heard all about the thermal spas of Budapest and this place came highly recommended by a friend who had recently visited Budapest. We explored all of the thermal baths there – indoor and outdoor – and enjoyed getting a little bit of relaxation in. We rented a changing cabin to dress and keep our valuables in, which I recommend instead of just getting a locker. We didn’t rent any towels since you can bring your own. The thermal pools weren’t too crowded except for the ones outside since it was a beautiful day. Some people had their kids there, like in the steam room when we went, which is strange to me since it should be a relaxing and romantic place. Gellert Thermal Spa was less strict on wearing shoes, robes, and swim caps (compared to Abano Ritz Thermal Spas in Padua, Italy) which was nice. We stayed there for a little over an hour, trying out all the different temperature pools – yes even the ones that felt like an ice bath. One thing to note about this place is it’s like a maze! It was so hard for us to find the next pool we wanted to go to. Also, I wish we had purchased a couple’s massage packet, but we had to prioritize the things we wanted to see while in town.

After returning to the apartment, we changed into dinner attire and set out on foot for dinner. Walking past the beautiful Basilica, we headed toward Zeller Bistro – highly recommended by our friend Josie. As soon as we walked in the door, they welcomed us with sparkling wine and a food bowl for Presley. The ambiance inside of the bistro was so friendly and inviting. They absolutely loved little P and gave him lots of treats throughout our meal. We sipped on fresh Mojitos and chowed down on a rack of ribs. I highly recommend this place if visiting Budapest, Hungary!

Post dinner, we took a stroll along the Danube where there were plenty of party boats, small concerts, and karaoke along the river. I wish we could’ve spent more time in this city full of life.

Costs & More Info:

• Highway tolls from Camp Slapic to Hungary Border: 6,32 € (47 kn)
• Hungary Currency: Hungarian forint (ft)
• Vignette (purchased at a gas station): 9,15 € (2975 ft)
• Gellert Thermal Spa cost for 2 people w/ cabin: 36 € (11,600 ft)
• Budapest Dinner Recommendation: Zeller Bistro
  • Address: Budapest, Hercegprímás u. 18, 1051 Hungary
  • Website: http://www.zellerbistro.hu/

Day 12

We woke up early Wednesday morning to bike around the city before traffic picked up. We rode down to the Parliament building and to see the Danube shoes. The Shoes on the Danube Bank are a memorial which was created to honor the people who were killed by Arrow Cross military men in Budapest during WWII. They were commanded to remove their shoes and were shot at the edge of the Danube River. The shoes, made of iron, represent the shoes left behind on the bank from the 3,500 people, of which 800 were Jews, who were shot. The plaque reads “To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944-45. Erected 16 April 2005.” It’s a very sad monument, but one I felt that was a must see for us while we were there.

The Hungarian Parliament Building lies nearby the shoes on the bank of the Danube. It’s a popular tourist destination in Budapest, for good reason, and is currently the largest building in Hungary.

Biking across the iron bridge and back worked up a pretty good appetite. Fat Mama’s had been on my mind since we passed it the night before, so we stopped here for breakfast. It was phenomenal and they have many gluten-free options (AND prosecco!)

After packing up our stuff and loading the bikes back onto the car, we headed toward the Austrian border. The original plan was to stay near Vienna , but after having such a time driving through Budapest, we decided to avoid cities for the rest of the trip. Instead, we headed to the southern part of Austria to search for a campground near the lake of Podersdorf Am See.

We knew the second we crossed into Austria, and it wasn’t because there was a border crossing. It will forever be one of my favorite countries with the picture perfect architecture, farmlands, and mountain views for days.

Our stay that night was at Strandcamping Podersdorf in Podersdorf am See. When we arrived, it started raining, so we put up our tent quickly and laid in it while the rain passed. Once the rain cleared, the skies were blue and we walked around the campground then into town to Gasthof Kummer for dinner. I got the Weiner schnitzel, my food weakness, and Austrian style is certainly one of the best. There were plenty of restaurants and gelato shops just outside of the campground as well.

Dogs, unfortunately, cannot swim in the lake here and you have to have a card for beach access, which I haven’t seen anywhere else before. But luckily, our campground had a small beachside area where we were able to bring our camp chairs and Presley on a leash and watch the sunset. In the distance we watched windsurfers going in and out.

This wasn’t my favorite campground of the trip, mainly because the tent area was next to the road and we heard people screaming on the streets and cars passing by all night. The WiFi was very spotty and you had to keep signing in to be connected. It was pricier than what we usually pay for a campground, but we did like that it wasn’t very crowded here.

Costs & More Info:

• Austria Currency: Euro
• Strandcamping Podersdorf cost one night: 36,50 €
  • Address: Strandpl. 19, 7141 Podersdorf am See, Austria
  • Website: http://www.strandcamping-podersdorfamsee.at/?L=1
• Podersdorf Am See Dinner Recommendations: Gasthof Kummer
  • Address: An der Promenade 5, 7141 Podersdorf am See, Austria
  • Website: www.gasthof-kummer.at

Day 13

Thursday morning, we packed up and left Austria toward Slovenia. The goal was to get to Lake Bled and stay at Camp Bled. We took the no toll route since we hadn’t yet purchased a vignette in Austria. It was a long drive, but a beautiful one. Plus, we listened to our favorite podcasts the entire way.

When we arrived in Lake Bled, it was packed with people. In fact, we actually drove all the way to Camp Bled, I stood in line at reception, and after 15 minutes of circus-like behavior from the campers signing in and not ever being spoken to by anyone, we decided this wasn’t the place for us. Both of us were hoping for a quiet and peaceful last night of our road trip, and it wasn’t going to happen at Camp Bled, unfortunately.

We drove back a bit to an area that we had passed on our way in, Camping Šobec in Lesce, and I ran in and asked if they had any open spots. Luckily, they did, and we found a lovely spot at the end of the campground by the river with a view of the Julian Alps and Karawanke mountains in the background. We loved this campground for many reasons, but especially because there’s lots of freedom for where you can tent camp. They don’t prioritize campers over tents. At the site, you’ll also find zip lining, their own lake, a grocery store, restaurant, and a spa area. Things were extremely nice here and we were able to hang our hammocks and read by the Sava Dolinka river. They even have daily activities that are posted like art, singing, concerts, going for bike rides on the nearby bike trails, walking to Lake Bled, and whitewater rafting. We enjoyed a very nice dinner outside at the campground restaurant where they were setting up for a concert later that night.

Our last night of camping was relaxing and we enjoyed reminiscing on all that we had seen in 13 days. The next morning we left towards home around 10:30 and made it back in about 3.5 hours.

We enjoyed life on the road, spending hours in the car driving around Europe and the Balkan countries, and I could honestly do that forever. Life is simple and we could only carry what would fit in the car. My new favorite pastime is sitting around the fire drinking wine after enjoying a pot of pasta that we just cooked ourselves. Sleeping in a tent at night, the three of us, was stuffy at times, but to lay in there and listen to the rain pour down outside – that’s my kind of heaven. Taking a road trip was so much less stressful than booking tons of flights, even with our rental car debacle, and it gave us more flexibility in deciding things last minute.

I highly encourage you, once in your life, to go on an epic Eastern Europe road trip with nothing but a rough draft kinda plan and just make it up as you go! Your perspective of the world will certainly change  – at least mine did!

Related posts: Our last holiday leave was to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights. Read about it here.