I went there on a family holiday in my teens but even then I saw the potential. Since then Iāve had quite a few mates go there for stags or lads holidays and have nothing but great things to say. Very cheap, attractive women, poorly regulated shooting ranges. I think itās a serious option mate.
Plus if the weather is good they have some great places to sunbathe and get in the pool on the Danube, if thatās your bag.
What does one those cost these days, looking at the possibility of something like this next year. One last jaunt before getting serious and buying a house
The interrail-ticket cost 200ā¬. Then you will need reservations for sleeper/couchettes on the night trains which cost between 10-30ā¬. If you stay at hostels thatās between 15-25ā¬ per night (there are always cheaper ones though). If you are willing to try out couchsurfing you could also cut these costs. I found places like Prague, Krakow and Budapest (maybe Belgrade as well) were the cheapest. If you are really on a tight budget I would go to Bosnia, Albania and Macedonia instead of Croatia. Montenegro too if you want to go hiking.
Especially Dubrovnik was really pricey and overcrowded and I didnāt enjoy it because of that. Ferries between the islands from Dubrovnik to Split will set you back 15-20ā¬ each.
Itās also very easy to get around by bus in Croatia and the Balkans. You could also hop on a ferry in Italy and then book a cheap flight back from Greece. Or if you donāt mind to drive then rent a camper/VW-Bus. I rented a T5 in Freiburg last year and loved it.
There is also an alternative called the āBalkanticketā for trains, which is a lot cheaper than an interrail-pass.