11 Days Exploring Two European Countries | My Epic National Day Trip

Who says National Day has to be all crowds? I found a niche and stunning European paradise!

Just got back from Austria and Croatia. While the memories are fresh, I've put together my 11-day itinerary & pre-trip preparations! Perfect for those who want to experience both the 'Kingdom of Music' and the Adriatic charm in one go.
(P.S. As a UK student, I'm immune to European churches and museums. My goal for this trip was natural scenery! So I skipped Austria-Hungary-Czech, and was worried about crowds at Oktoberfest in Germany. I finally chose the hidden gem I stumbled upon – Croatia! Even though I haven't watched Game of Thrones, I went for it, and it turned out... absolutely amazing!)

✨【11-Day Itinerary Planning】
🌟Austria (5 days): Lake District + Vienna
📍Arrive in Vienna → Head straight to the Lake District (3 days)
Stay in Bad Ischl (!! Highly recommended. I'll elaborate on the reasons in a dedicated post about the Lake District later)
Hallstatt, Gosau Lake hike (🚶‍♀️), St. Wolfgang Schafbergbahn cog railway overlooking seven lakes (🚂)
📍Lake District → Vienna (2 days)
Belvedere Palace, stroll in Stadtpark, Karlskirche
🌟Croatia (6 days): Drive north (BGM should play here), taking in the blue sea and ancient cities
📍Vienna ✈️ Dubrovnik (3 days)
King's Landing Old City Walls, Banje Beach, Cable car viewpoint
📍Dubrovnik → Split (1 day)
Diocletian's Palace, Riva Promenade
📍Split → Zadar (1 day)
Sea Organ sunset
📍Zadar → Pula (1 day)
Pula Arena (The most disappointing day of the trip, not recommended!)
📍Pula → Rovinj (1 day) → Pula Airport for return flight to Hong Kong
Rovinj, the 'Cake Town', colorful alleys

📦【Pre-trip Preparation Checklist】
✅ Visa: Schengen visa for Austria, visa-free entry for Croatia
✅ Flights: Try to avoid backtracking!
✅ Internet: Buy a Vodafone EU data SIM card on Taobao, stable signal (certified by a UK student)
✅ Currency: Euro. Cash is very much needed in the Lake District! Many local shops only accept cash. Croatia is mostly card-friendly.
✅ Transportation: Self-drive in Croatia, OBB in Austria
🚨【Real Experience & Avoid These Pitfalls】
⚠️ Always buy insurance when renting a car! Roads in Croatia are narrow, and there are many gravel roads. We drove across Croatia almost to Italy, which was a very long journey, and I had some regrets afterwards.
⚠️ Dubrovnik is not very suitable for self-driving. Considering parking fees and rental costs, some places are difficult to drive to and require taxis, which is very uneconomical. Uber and Bolt are more convenient for taxis. If you want to visit other places, you can rent a car after exploring Dubrovnik (renting at the airport is cheaper than in the city center).
⚠️ If you have a layover in Frankfurt, make sure to allow an incredibly generous amount of time. I personally avoid this airport and Lufthansa.
📸 I'll be updating a full guide on accommodation, transportation, and food soon... I hope my procrastinating self doesn't procrastinate!