Launch your Italian road trip with a campervan hire in Bologna and discover the rich culture, rolling hills, and medieval towns of Emilia-Romagna and beyond. Drive through the food heartland of Modena and Parma, head north to Venice and the Dolomites, or venture south through Tuscany's countryside and hilltop villages. Choose from Indie Campers' California, Active, or Comfort range, all with unlimited kilometres, flexible one-way options, 24/7 online support, and extras like kitchen kits, outdoor furniture, or bedding sets. Backed by a Europe-wide fleet and 4.8-star reviews, Indie Campers makes exploring Italy's heart simple, comfortable, and unforgettable.
Our Road Trips Itineraries
Croatia's road network is built around a single spine, the A1 motorway, running from Zagreb down toward Split and beyond. A campervan lets you leave that spine at will: pull into Krka National Park for an afternoon, detour into the Zagorje hills north of Zagreb for a night, or add a ferry crossing to Hvar or Brač without forfeiting a hotel booking elsewhere. Public transport along the coast is serviceable between major towns but weak into the interior and effectively absent to the trailheads at Paklenica or Northern Velebit, so a vehicle you can also sleep in removes an entire category of scheduling risk.
The country's licenced campsite network is dense, especially along the Istrian and Dalmatian coasts, which offsets the fact that wild camping is largely illegal here (covered in full below). A campervan with a real kitchen and shower gives you a way to control costs in a country where seaside restaurant prices in July and August approach Western European levels, and where island accommodation books out months in advance. Renting also solves the parking problem in old towns like Dubrovnik, Split, and Rovinj, where narrow medieval cores close to most vehicle traffic: park once at the edge of town and walk in, rather than hunting for a hotel with guest parking inside a pedestrian zone.
Croatia's shape also rewards a one-way itinerary more than most European countries do. The coast and the continental interior are genuinely different trips, both culturally and geographically, and the
Here's what sets Indie Campers apart from other Croatia hire companies:
The Zagreb-Plitvice-Split Corridor (410 km, 4-6 days recommended)
Start: Zagreb → End: Split
Passes through: Karlovac, Plitvice Lakes National Park, the Dalmatian hinterland near Knin
This is the backbone route of any Croatia campervan trip and matches the Split-Zagreb one-way hire almost exactly. Total driving distance is about 410 km, roughly 4h30 nonstop, but budget a full day or two around the Plitvice stop.
Highlights: Plitvice's lake circuit, the karst scenery around Knin
Best season: May-June or September, when Plitvice is green but not overcrowded
One-way option: Yes, Split to Zagreb or Zagreb to Split, both confirmed Indie Campers depots
National picture: Croatia has a sharply seasonal tourism pattern. July and August are hot (daytime highs commonly 28-32°C on the coast), crowded, and the period when campsites, car ferries, and the A1 all see their heaviest load. Shoulder months, May-June and September-October, bring 20-26°C coastal days, thinner crowds, and lower campsite prices.
Regional variation:
7 to 10 Days: One Region in Depth
A realistic single-region trip: pick either the Dalmatian coast and islands, or Istria plus Zagreb and Plitvice, not both.
Best approach: the Split-based Dalmatian coast and islands loop
Dalmatian Coast and Islands Loop (approx. 350-450 km, 7-10 days)
Day 1: Pick up in Split, overnight at a coastal campsite near the city
Day 2-3: Split old town, day trip to Krka National Park (90 km each way)
Day 4-5: Ferry to Brač or Hvar (50 min-2 hours), beach time and island exploring
Day 6-7: Return to the mainland, drive to Zadar (160 km, 1h45) via Šibenik, sunset at the Sea Organ
Day 8-9: Paklenica National Park day hike (40 km from Zadar), return toward
Dalmatian Coast (Split Depot)
Split Airport (SPU) — Split, approximately 25 km from the depot, roughly 25-30 minutes drive
Best for: the Dalmatian coast and islands, with strong seasonal connections from across Europe.
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) — approximately 230 km / 3h30-4h from Split via the coastal D8 and the Pelješac Bridge
Best for: travellers starting in the south and looping north to collect the vehicle in Split; plan the transfer time carefully.
Continental Croatia (Zagreb Depot)
Zagreb Airport (ZAG) — Zagreb, approximately 17 km from the depot, roughly 20-25 minutes drive
Best for: continental Croatia, Plitvice Lakes, and Istria.
Pula Airport (PUY) — useful as an Istria entry point, but approximately 270-290 km / 3h-3h15 from the Zagreb depot
Best for: travellers who want Istria first; factor in the transfer or start the itinerary from Zagreb instead.
Licence and Age Requirements
Speed Limits
Toll Roads
7 Days (Split-Based Dalmatian Coast Trip, Two Adults)
Campervan hire (Adventure/California class, 7 nights): roughly €490-770 (about €70-110/night depending on season). Campsite fees for 5-6 nights: €125-270. Fuel for roughly 500-700 km at €1.45-1.60/L diesel: €55-95. A1 tolls for Split-area driving: €10-25. Krka National Park entry for two adults: €40-60 in peak season. One round-trip ferry crossing to Brač or Hvar for vehicle plus two passengers: €60-120. Groceries and eating out for 7 days, mostly self-catering with some meals out: €210-350.
Budget total: approximately €990-1,690. Mid-range total: approximately €1,300-2,000. Premium total (peak season, more meals out, resort campsites): approximately €1,700-2,600.
14 Days (Split to Zagreb One-Way, Two Adults, Coast Plus Interior)
Campervan hire for 14 nights: roughly €980-1,540. Campsite fees for 10-11 nights: €250-500. Fuel for roughly 1,000-1,300 km including the Split-Zagreb corridor and Istria detour: €110-180. A1 tolls, Split to Zagreb one-way at motorhome class, plus minor tolls elsewhere: €30-45. One-way hire repositioning fee: €80-180 depending on season and vehicle class. Plitvice Lakes entry for two adults in peak season: €40-80. Krka National Park entry for two adults: €40-60. One ferry crossing to a Dalmatian island: €60-120. Groceries and eating out for 14 days: €420-700.
Budget total: approximately €2,010-3,225. Mid-range total: approximately €2,700-3,900. Premium total: approximately €3,400-5,000.
Croatia sits toward the affordable end of the Indie Campers European network for a coastal trip; fuel and campsite costs run below Western European equivalents, though ferry crossings and peak-season campsite premiums add up faster here than in a country without an island network.
Domestic One-Way
International One-Way (from the Zagreb Depot Only)
The Istrian Truffle and Hill-Town Loop (150-200 km, 3-4 days recommended)
Start/End: Pula, looping back to itself
Passes through: Rovinj, Motovun, Grožnjan, Buzet
A compact loop through Istria's interior, best done slowly with short hops between hill towns.
Highlights: truffle hunting near Motovun (peak white truffle season, October); the Venetian harbour at Rovinj
Best season: September-October for truffles and harvest light, or May for spring flowers
One-way option: No dedicated one-way; drive as a loop from a Zagreb-based hire
The Dalmatian Coastal Run (230 km, 2-3 days recommended)
Start: Split → End: Dubrovnik
Passes through: Omiš, Makarska, Ston
About 230 km, 3h30-4h, but the drive rewards stopping every 20-30 km.
Highlights: the Makarska Riviera's pebble beaches backed by the Biokovo mountains; Ston's city walls and oyster farms
Best season: May-June or September-October; July-August brings heavy D8 traffic
One-way option: No dedicated one-way (Dubrovnik has no depot); plan this as an out-and-back to Split
Krka and the Šibenik Hinterland (90-180 km, 2 days recommended)
Start: Split → End: Šibenik or back to Split
Passes through: Trogir, Krka National Park, Skradin
A short loop, easily done in 2 days including a full day inside Krka.
Highlights: the Skradinski Buk boardwalks; Trogir's UNESCO-listed old town
Best season: April-June and September, for the fullest waterfall flow
One-way option: No; treat as a spur off the Split depot
Paklenica and the Zadar Coast (200 km, 2-3 days recommended)
Start: Split → End: Zadar
Passes through: Šibenik, Zadar, Paklenica National Park
Zadar to Paklenica is only 40 km, about 40 minutes, making the canyon an easy add-on rather than a detour.
Highlights: Paklenica's Velika Paklenica canyon, popular with climbers and day hikers; the Sea Organ at sunset in Zadar
Best season: April-June and September-October; the canyon runs very hot in July-August
One-way option: No dedicated one-way; drive as a spur from Split
The Zagreb-to-Vienna Continental Run (380 km, 3-4 days recommended)
Start: Zagreb → End: Vienna, Austria
Passes through: Varaždin, the Croatian-Slovenian-Austrian border zone
About 380 km, about 4 hours via the A4/A2. A genuine cross-border one-way from the Zagreb depot.
Highlights: Varaždin's baroque old town as a stopover
Best season: year-round; this is a continental route, not a coastal one
One-way option: Yes, Zagreb to Vienna
The Zagreb-to-Venice Run (380 km, 3-4 days recommended)
Start: Zagreb → End: Venice, Italy
Passes through: the inland A1/A4 corridor via Slovenia and Trieste
About 380 km, about 4 hours. Slovenia requires its own separate vignette (see Driving in Croatia below) if you transit it on this route.
Highlights: closing a Croatia trip with a night in Venice before an international drop-off
Best season: spring and autumn shoulder seasons, avoiding both Croatian coastal traffic and Venice's peak crowds
One-way option: Yes, Zagreb to Venice
Skip if: you dislike heat and crowds and can't shift dates, skip peak July-August on the coast; if you want to swim, skip December-March.
Booking note: for July-August travel, book your campervan, campsite pitches, and any island ferry crossings at least 6-8 weeks ahead.
The most popular months for Croatia campervan hire are June, July, August, and September, in that order of required booking lead time.
14 to 16 Days: Two Regions, Coast Plus Interior
Days 1-6: Split, Krka, one Dalmatian island, Zadar, Paklenica, as above
Days 7-9: Drive north via the A1 to Plitvice Lakes (roughly 200 km from the Zadar area), 2 nights for the full lake circuit
Days 10-12: Continue to Zagreb (130 km from Plitvice, 1h45), old town, a day trip into the Zagorje hills
Days 13-15: Optional detour to Istria (270-290 km from Zagreb, 3h-3h15) for Rovinj and Motovun, then back toward Zagreb
Day 16: Return the vehicle in Zagreb via the Split-Zagreb one-way, no backtracking required
21+ Days: The Full Country
Adds Istria properly, a second island, and Southern Dalmatia to the mix. This is the only tier that comfortably fits both a Dalmatian island crossing and a full Istrian loop without rushing either: Split pickup, Dalmatian coast and 2 islands (8-9 days), Split to Dubrovnik coastal run via the Pelješac Bridge (4 days including old town time), back to Split, north through Krka and Zadar to Plitvice (4-5 days), on to Zagreb and the Zagorje (3 days), west into Istria for the hill towns and truffle country (4-5 days), returning to Zagreb for drop-off.
Road Rules Specific to Croatia
Campervan-Specific National Rules
BAC Limit
Split is not a practical starting point for these cross-border one-ways; distances from Split to Vienna, Venice, or Munich run 600-700+ km, well beyond a comfortable single push. If a cross-border drop-off is part of the plan, base the trip out of Zagreb instead.
One-way fees vary by route and season. Confirm availability and cross-border authorisation at the time of booking.
“Pick up and drop off were both super easy and very nice staff! The only negative point about the camper are the leather seats and mattresses because you get so sweaty on it. 😄”
“Buenas experiencia 100% recomendable para moverte por Croacia.”
“Super nice staff at pick up/drop off point. ”
In general, a special licence is not required to rent our campervans in Croatia. However, a valid driving licence is required to operate our vehicles. For some non-EU citizens, a IDP is required, in addition to their home country's drivers licence. Other considerations such as a valid vehicle licence to the vehicle type (manual or automatic) will also be required. For more information regarding our licence requirements read this.
Yes, our campervans are pet-friendly. Just make sure to purchase the extra cleaning service during your booking. This service includes professional anti-allergic cleaning after your trip. Please note that only one pet is allowed per motorhome, and it must weigh no more than 30kg. Keep in mind, we are not responsible for any legal fees related to travelling with your pet. For marketplace bookings, check the "vehicle rules" section for the pet-friendly icon to confirm if pets are allowed in that specific vehicle.
The number of people who can sleep in our campervans will depend on the size of the vehicle and the model. In general, our class C motorhome models can sleep up to 4-8 people, whereas our class B motorhomes can sleep up to 2-4. For cars with a rooftop tent, around 2 people can sleep in this vehicles. More details on our models and sleeping capacities can be found here.
If you are travelling in a campervan, motorhome or caravan around Croatia, it is important to understand official camping rules of the country you are visiting. As natural areas are generally protected by laws, using an official campsite or designated overnight parking area is highly recommended. This helps protect local communities and ensures you can all enjoy safely. Read more safety tips and protocols here.
We offer three protection plans to cover incidents and damages during your hire period. All Indie Campers motorhomes come with insurance for third-party vehicles and property damage (valid insurance will depend on the country). For marketplace vehicles, insurance options may vary based on the host.
Learn more about our protection plans here.
Yes, our search filter allows you to find a campervan near your location using a 60km radius system. This means depending on the location you are searching from, you will be able to find an Indie campervan hire pick-up centre near you.
Yes, a selected number of Indie Campers campervan hire in Croatia include unlimited kilometres, allowing you to explore freely and make the most of your road trip! Please note that unlimited kilometres applies exclusively to Indie Campers campervans and is subject to responsible use.
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