# VanSledright Travel

VanSledright Travel is a trip-planning service from 45Squared LLC. It writes custom day-by-day itineraries for independent travellers and does not book or sell travel: the traveller books and pays every provider directly. Prices are $79 for trips up to 3 days, $149 for 4 to 7 days and $249 for 8 to 14 days. All sales are final (no refunds).

## 10 days in Barcelona, with three day trips
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/itineraries/barcelona-10-day-itinerary/

Spend seven days in Barcelona: the Gothic Quarter and El Born, Sagrada Família and Sant Pau, Passeig de Gràcia, Park Güell and Gràcia, Montjuïc, the beach and Poblenou. Add three day trips by train: Montserrat, Girona, and Sitges or Tarragona. Stay in the Eixample, book Gaudí sites ahead and get around by metro.

Sample itinerary. This plan shows the format and level of detail of a VanSledright Travel itinerary. Opening hours, prices, train times and booking rules change, so confirm the details with each provider before you book.

Where should you stay in Barcelona?
Stay in the Eixample, the grid of wide streets north of the old city. It’s central, with Passeig de Gràcia, Gaudí’s houses and good metro and train links, and it’s an easy base for the day trips. Choose somewhere close to a metro station on lines 2, 3 or 5, or to Passeig de Gràcia station.
For more atmosphere and narrower streets, El Born in the old city is lively and full of restaurants, though it can be noisy at night. Gràcia feels like a village of small squares and suits a slower trip.
How do you get around Barcelona?
Walk and take the metro. Barcelona’s metro and buses, run by TMB, reach everything in the city part of this plan, and a multi-journey card is usually better value than single tickets. Check current fares and passes before you buy.
From the airport, the Aerobús express bus runs to Plaça de Catalunya, and the L9 Sud metro line serves both terminals. Standard single tickets don’t cover the airport metro stations, so check the fare first. The R2 Nord train runs from Terminal 2. Keep your phone and wallet secure on crowded trains.
Day 1: La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter and El Born
Morning. Start early at La Boqueria market, just off La Rambla, before the crowds. Walk down La Rambla, then into the Gothic Quarter: Plaça Reial with its lamp posts designed by a young Gaudí, Plaça Sant Jaume, and Barcelona Cathedral with its cloister.
Afternoon. Cross Via Laietana into El Born. See Santa Maria del Mar, a 14th-century church in Catalan Gothic style, then the Picasso Museum on Carrer de Montcada. Book a timed ticket for the museum.
Evening. Dinner in Barcelona is late, often from 9pm. Have tapas or vermut in El Born, and try pa amb tomàquet, bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil.
Day 2: Sagrada Família and Sant Pau
Morning. Visit the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece, on a timed ticket booked well ahead. A morning slot often gets the best light through the stained glass on the east side. Consider adding a tower visit, booked with your ticket.
Afternoon. Walk up Avinguda de Gaudí to the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, a former hospital complex designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its pavilions, tiles and gardens are usually much quieter than the basilica.
Evening. Head to Gràcia for dinner. Its small squares, such as Plaça del Sol and Plaça de la Virreina, fill with people on warm evenings.
Day 3: Passeig de Gràcia and the Palau de la Música
Morning. Walk Passeig de Gràcia, the Eixample’s grand avenue. Visit Casa Batlló, Gaudí’s remodelled house with its curving, colourful façade, and see Casa Amatller next door. Book timed tickets online.
Afternoon. Continue up the avenue to Casa Milà, known as La Pedrera, and its sculpted rooftop. Later, head to the old city for a guided tour of the Palau de la Música Catalana, a concert hall famous for its stained-glass ceiling.
Evening. If you can, see a concert at the Palau de la Música; the hall is at its best with music playing. Otherwise, have dinner in the Eixample.
Day 4: Park Güell and Gràcia
Morning. Take the metro or bus up to Park Güell and enter the Monumental Zone on a timed ticket. See the dragon stairway, the hypostyle hall and the long, tiled bench on the main terrace, with views over the city to the sea. The rest of the park, outside the Monumental Zone, is good for a walk.
Afternoon. Walk down into Gràcia and visit Casa Vicens, Gaudí’s first major house, now open as a museum. Then wander Gràcia’s streets for independent shops, cafés and squares.
Evening. Have a relaxed dinner in Gràcia or go back to your hotel to rest. Tomorrow involves some climbing.
Day 5: Montjuïc and Poble-sec
Morning. Take the funicular from Paral·lel metro station up Montjuïc, then the cable car to Montjuïc Castle for views over the port. Walk downhill to the Fundació Joan Miró, a museum dedicated to the Catalan artist in a building designed by Josep Lluís Sert.
Afternoon. Continue to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in the Palau Nacional, known for its Romanesque church murals, and walk past the 1992 Olympic stadium area. The steps in front of the Palau Nacional give a classic view down to Plaça d’Espanya.
Evening. Walk down into Poble-sec and eat pintxos along Carrer de Blai, a street of small bars where you pay by the skewer.
Day 6: Day trip to Montserrat
Morning. Take the R5 train from Plaça d’Espanya station toward Manresa. For the rack railway (the Cremallera), get off at Monistrol de Montserrat; for the cable car, get off at Montserrat-Aeri. Combined train and mountain tickets are sold at Plaça d’Espanya. Go early to beat the coach groups.
Afternoon. Visit the Benedictine monastery and its basilica, home to La Moreneta, the Black Madonna. If the boys’ choir, the Escolania, is singing that day, it’s worth timing your visit for it. Then take a funicular higher up and walk one of the mountain trails among the rock pinnacles.
Evening. Return to Barcelona and have a quiet dinner near your hotel.
Day 7: The beach, Ciutadella and the port
Morning. Walk through Parc de la Ciutadella, past its monumental fountain, and under the Arc de Triomf. Then head down to Barceloneta, the old fishermen’s quarter by the sea.
Afternoon. Have a long seafood lunch: arròs negre (black rice with squid ink) or a seafood paella, which is traditionally a lunchtime dish. Spend the rest of the afternoon on the beach or walking the seafront promenade toward Port Olímpic.
Evening. Watch the sunset by the water, then have dinner in Barceloneta or back in El Born.
Day 8: Day trip to Girona
Morning. Take a high-speed or regional train from Barcelona Sants to Girona; the fast trains take well under an hour. Walk from the station to the river Onyar and its row of colourful houses, then climb the wide stone steps to Girona Cathedral.
Afternoon. Walk the old city walls (the Passeig de la Muralla) for views over the rooftops, and explore the narrow lanes of the Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, and its museum.
Evening. Return to Barcelona. If you’d like a longer day, continue from Girona to Figueres to see the Dalí Theatre-Museum, and come back later.
Day 9: Day trip to Sitges or Tarragona
Morning. Choose one. For a beach town, take the R2 Sud train from Passeig de Gràcia or Sants to Sitges, with a whitewashed old town and a church on the seafront. For history, take a train south to Tarragona, the Roman city of Tarraco, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Afternoon. In Sitges, spend the afternoon on the beaches along the promenade. In Tarragona, see the Roman amphitheatre above the sea, the circus vaults and the walk along the old walls.
Evening. Return to Barcelona for dinner. If you went to Sitges, stay for sunset before the train back.
Day 10: Sant Antoni and Poblenou
Morning. Visit the Mercat de Sant Antoni, a restored 19th-century market hall in the Eixample, and have breakfast nearby. If you’re there on a Sunday morning, its book and collectors’ market fills the streets around the hall.
Afternoon. Take the metro to Glòries for a look at Torre Glòries, then head into Poblenou, a former industrial area, and walk the Rambla del Poblenou down to the beach at Bogatell. Check whether the Els Encants flea market by Plaça de les Glòries is open that day.
Evening. Have a last dinner back in the city centre, and leave time to pack and get to the airport.
When is the best time to visit Barcelona?
Late spring (May and June) and early autumn (September and October) are the most comfortable, with warm days, a swimmable sea by June and fewer crowds than midsummer. July and August are hot and very busy, and some local businesses close for part of August.
Winter is mild and quiet, with the shortest queues at the major sights, though it’s too cold for the beach. Check local holidays before you go: on some, such as the city’s La Mercè festival in September, the city is full of events, and museums may change their hours.
What should you book ahead in Barcelona?
Book these as soon as your dates are fixed:

Sagrada Família, and a tower visit if you want one.
Park Güell’s Monumental Zone, for a timed entry.
Casa Batlló and La Pedrera.
The Picasso Museum, for a timed slot.
A Palau de la Música tour or concert.
High-speed train tickets to Girona, if you want a specific train.

Want a Barcelona plan built for your trip?
This sample is written for two adults on a first visit. A custom plan starts from your own dates, budget and interests: a family trip, more food and wine, Barcelona combined with Madrid or the Costa Brava, or a trip that skips the busiest sights.
A custom itinerary for a trip of 8 to 14 days is $249. Send your details through the form below and we’ll confirm the plan and the price by email before you pay anything. See pricing for shorter trips.

Q: Is 10 days too long for Barcelona?
A: Not if you use some of it outside the city. Seven days in Barcelona lets you see the main sights without rushing, and day trips to Montserrat, Girona and the coast add mountains, a medieval old town and a smaller beach town. If you’d rather see more of Spain, swap the day trips for a few nights in Valencia or Madrid.

Q: Do you need to book Sagrada Família in advance?
A: Yes. Entry is by timed ticket, and slots sell out days or weeks ahead in busy months, so book on the basilica’s official website as soon as your dates are fixed. The same applies to Park Güell’s Monumental Zone, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. Buy from the official sites to avoid resellers’ markups.

Q: Is Barcelona safe for tourists?
A: Barcelona is generally safe, but pickpocketing is common in crowded places, especially on La Rambla, in the metro and at the busiest sights and beaches. Keep your phone and wallet in a zipped front pocket or bag, don’t hang a bag on the back of a chair, and keep valuables out of sight on the beach.

## 3 days in Chicago, a first-timer's itinerary
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/itineraries/chicago-3-day-itinerary/

Spend day 1 in Millennium Park and the Art Institute, then take an architecture boat tour on the Chicago River. Spend day 2 at the Museum Campus and an observation deck, with dinner in the West Loop. Spend day 3 in Lincoln Park and Wicker Park, or at a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Stay in the Loop or River North and use the ‘L’ trains.

Sample itinerary. This plan shows the format and level of detail of a VanSledright Travel itinerary. Opening hours, prices, timetables and booking rules change, so confirm the details with each provider before you book.

Where should you stay for 3 days in Chicago?
For a short first visit, stay in the Loop, River North or Streeterville. All three are within walking distance of Millennium Park, the Chicago River and the lakefront, with ‘L’ stations close by. River North has the most restaurants and nightlife. Streeterville is quieter and close to the lake. The Loop is the most central and the easiest base for this plan.
If you’d rather stay somewhere more residential, Lincoln Park and Wicker Park both have hotels and short-term rentals and a short train ride to downtown.
How do you get around Chicago?
Use the CTA’s ‘L’ trains and buses. You can pay at the turnstile with a contactless bank card or phone, with the Ventra app, or with a Ventra card. From O’Hare, the Blue Line runs to downtown around the clock. From Midway, take the Orange Line to the Loop.
Downtown is flat and easy to walk, and Divvy bike-share stations are found across the city. You don’t need a car for this plan, and parking downtown is expensive.
Day 1: Millennium Park, the Art Institute and the river
Morning. Start at Millennium Park: Cloud Gate (the “Bean”), the Crown Fountain and the lawn in front of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Walk through the Lurie Garden, then cross the Nichols Bridgeway into the Art Institute of Chicago. Give the museum at least three hours. Its collection includes Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Hopper’s Nighthawks and Wood’s American Gothic; check what’s on view before you go, as works travel on loan.
Afternoon. Walk to the Chicago Riverwalk and take an architecture boat tour. Several operators leave from docks near the Michigan Avenue bridge, and the tours explain the buildings along the river’s main and branch channels. Book a departure ahead in summer.
Evening. Have deep-dish pizza in River North. Deep dish takes a while to bake, so expect to wait or order ahead.
Day 2: The Museum Campus, the lakefront and a view from the top
Morning. Walk south through Grant Park, past Buckingham Fountain, to the Museum Campus on the lakefront. Choose one: the Field Museum, home of SUE the T. rex; the Shedd Aquarium; or the Adler Planetarium. One large museum is plenty for a morning. All three are popular, so buy timed tickets online.
Afternoon. Walk part of the Lakefront Trail, which runs along the shore for about 18 miles, for skyline views back toward downtown. Then see the city from above: the Skydeck at Willis Tower or 360 Chicago at 875 North Michigan Avenue. Pick one and book a time slot.
Evening. Head to the West Loop for dinner. Randolph Street and Fulton Market are lined with some of the city’s best-known restaurants; book ahead on Fridays and Saturdays.
Day 3: Lincoln Park, Wicker Park or Wrigley Field
Morning. Take the train or bus north to Lincoln Park. Lincoln Park Zoo is free to enter, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory is next door. Walk east to North Avenue Beach for one of the best views of the skyline across the water.
Afternoon. Choose one. Walk the 606, an elevated trail on a former rail line, into Wicker Park and Bucktown for independent shops and coffee. In baseball season, see a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, the team’s home since 1916. Or ride the Pink Line to Pilsen for its murals and the National Museum of Mexican Art.
Evening. Try an Italian beef sandwich or a Chicago-style hot dog, then live music: the Green Mill in Uptown for jazz, or Buddy Guy’s Legends in the South Loop for blues.
When is the best time to visit Chicago?
Late May to early October is the easiest time for this plan. The weather is warm, the lakefront is busy, the river tours run their full schedules and baseball is in season. Summer weekends bring festivals and higher hotel prices, so book rooms early.
Winters are cold and windy, but the museums, theatres and restaurants all stay open, and the city’s holiday markets run from late November. If you visit in winter, swap the boat tour for a second museum and the beach for an indoor afternoon.
What should you book ahead in Chicago?
Book these before you arrive, especially in summer:

The architecture boat tour, for a specific departure time.
Timed museum tickets for the Art Institute and whichever Museum Campus museum you choose.
An observation deck time slot at Skydeck or 360 Chicago.
Cubs tickets, if you’d like to see a game.
Dinner reservations in the West Loop on weekends.

Want a Chicago plan built for your trip?
This sample is written for two adults on a first visit. A custom plan starts from your own dates, budget, pace and interests: a family weekend, a food-focused trip, a winter visit or a fourth day added on.
A custom itinerary for a trip of up to 3 days is $79. Send your details through the form below and we’ll confirm the plan and the price by email before you pay anything. See pricing for longer trips.

Q: Is 3 days enough to see Chicago?
A: Three days is enough for a first visit if you focus on downtown and one or two neighbourhoods. You’ll see Millennium Park, a major museum or two, the river architecture and the lakefront. With a fourth day you could add a second museum, Hyde Park, Oak Park’s Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, or simply a slower pace.

Q: Do you need a car in Chicago?
A: No. The ‘L’ trains and CTA buses reach everything in this plan, downtown is flat and walkable, and parking downtown is expensive. A car only makes sense if you’re adding trips out of the city. For short hops late at night, rideshare and taxis are easy to find in the central neighbourhoods.

Q: What's the easiest way from O'Hare to downtown Chicago?
A: Take the CTA Blue Line, which runs around the clock between O’Hare and downtown. You can pay at the turnstile with a contactless bank card or phone, or with a Ventra card. From Midway Airport, the Orange Line runs to the Loop. Check the CTA website for current fares and any planned service changes.

## How our itinerary planning works
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/how-it-works/

You send your destination, dates, party size, budget and interests through the form. We reply by email with a quote, 45Squared sends an invoice with a payment link, and once it’s paid we plan your trip day by day and email you the itinerary. Payment comes first; we don’t start planning before it. You then book everything yourself.

What do we need from you?
The request form asks for a few things: where you’re going, when and for how long, how many adults and children are coming, a rough daily budget, what you enjoy, and your email address. A sentence or two for each is enough.
The details that change a plan the most are easy to forget, so mention them if they apply: whether you’ll have a car, how much walking suits you, travelling with children or older relatives, dietary needs, and anything you’ve already seen on an earlier visit. If your dates aren’t fixed yet, a month or a season works too.
What happens after you send the form?
We read your request and reply by email with a quote. It confirms the destination, the trip length, the price for that length, and when your itinerary will be ready. If something needs a decision first, such as two regions that won’t both fit in five days, we say so then.
If you’re happy with the quote, 45Squared LLC sends an invoice with a secure payment link. Payment is due in full before planning begins: we start work on your itinerary once the invoice is paid, and we send it to you by the date in the quote. If you decide not to go ahead, simply don’t pay the invoice: nothing is charged until you do.
How do we plan your days?
We plan around geography first. Each day is grouped by area, so mornings and afternoons are spent near each other instead of crossing the city twice. Then we fit the plan to your interests and pace, leave room for meals and rest, and add the practical notes: how to get from the airport, which sights need timed tickets, and which days a place is usually closed.
We use official sources, such as tourism boards, transit operators and the attractions themselves, and we tell you which details to double-check before you book.
What do you do with the plan?
You book it. The itinerary tells you what to reserve and when, and you make each booking directly with the airline, hotel, tour company or restaurant you choose. That means you keep control of your own bookings, cancellation terms and loyalty accounts, and you deal with the provider directly if a plan changes.
We are not a travel agency and don’t book or sell travel. Our terms of service explain what the service covers.

Q: How do I pay?
A: After we’ve confirmed your trip details by email, 45Squared LLC sends you an invoice with a secure online payment link. You pay that invoice, and we start planning once it’s paid. We never ask for card details by email, and we never take payment for flights, hotels or tours, because you book those yourself.

Q: Will you ask me questions before you start?
A: Only if something matters to the plan and isn’t clear from your request, such as whether you’ll have a car, how much walking suits you, or which of two regions you’d rather favour. We ask in our reply, before you pay, so the price and the scope are settled before any work begins.

Q: What format is the itinerary in?
A: We send it by email as a document you can read on your phone, print, or share with the people you’re travelling with. It’s organised by day, with each day split into morning, afternoon and evening, followed by notes on where to stay, how to get around and what to book ahead.

## Custom trip itineraries. We plan, you book.
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/

VanSledright Travel plans custom, day-by-day trip itineraries for independent travellers who want a plan built around their dates, budget and interests, then book every flight, room and ticket themselves. Plans cost $79 for up to 3 days, $149 for 4 to 7 days and $249 for 8 to 14 days.

What is VanSledright Travel?
VanSledright Travel is a trip-planning service. We write itineraries; we don’t sell travel. You get a day-by-day plan for your destination, built around your dates, your budget and the things you like doing. Then you book it yourself, with whichever airline, hotel or tour company you choose.
It’s a 45Squared product, run by 45Squared LLC. Our sample itineraries show the level of detail you can expect: Chicago in 3 days, Istria in Croatia over 7 days, and Barcelona over 10 days.
What’s in your itinerary?
Every plan covers each day of your trip from morning to evening:

A schedule for each day, grouped by neighbourhood so you’re not crossing town twice.
Where to stay, as the neighbourhoods or towns that suit your plans and budget.
Where to eat, including the local dishes worth trying.
How to get around, from the airport to the last stop of the day.
What to book ahead, such as timed museum entries or popular restaurants.
Notes on the season, such as what’s best in spring and what closes in winter.

What’s not included?
We don’t book or pay for anything on your behalf, and we don’t hold your money for a third party. We don’t arrange visas, travel insurance or transfers, and we don’t provide support while you’re travelling.
Opening hours, prices and timetables change. We plan with the best information available when we write your itinerary, but you should confirm details with each provider when you book. Entry rules, passports and health requirements are your responsibility; the official sources listed at the bottom of this page are a good place to start.
What does a plan cost?
The price depends on the length of the trip, not the destination:



Trip length
Price
Good for




Up to 3 days
$79
A city break or long weekend


4 to 7 days
$149
A week in one region, or two bases


8 to 14 days
$249
A longer trip with day trips or several stops



All sales are final, with no refunds, so we confirm the details and price before you pay. Longer trips are quoted individually. See pricing for the details.

Q: Do you book flights, hotels or tours?
A: No. We plan the trip and you book it. That is the whole idea of the service. We are not a travel agency, and we don’t take payments for travel providers. You pay airlines, hotels and tour operators directly, so you keep full control of your bookings, loyalty points and cancellation terms.

Q: What do I need to tell you before you start?
A: Where you’re going, your dates or trip length, who’s travelling, a rough daily budget and what you enjoy. Mention anything that matters to how you travel, such as mobility needs, travelling with young children, whether you’ll have a car, or places you have already seen. The more you tell us, the more the plan fits you.

Q: Can I get a refund?
A: No. All sales are final, because each itinerary is custom work that starts as soon as you pay. To make sure you know exactly what you’re buying, we confirm your destination, trip length and price by email before you pay anything. Please read the terms of service before you order.

Q: Can you plan a trip that covers more than one place?
A: Yes. Many trips combine a city with day trips or a second base, like the Barcelona sample with Montserrat and Girona, or the Istria sample with a coastal base and an inland base. Tell us everything you’re considering in the form, and we’ll say when we reply if the route works for your trip length.

## 7 days in Istria, Croatia, a road trip itinerary
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/itineraries/istria-croatia-7-day-itinerary/

Base yourself in Rovinj for four nights: see Roman Pula, Rovinj’s old town, the Brijuni Islands National Park and Cape Kamenjak. Then drive past the Lim Channel and Poreč to an inland base near Motovun for three nights, for truffles, Grožnjan, Hum and the Glagolitic Alley. Rent a car; inland Istria is hard to reach by bus.

Sample itinerary. This plan shows the format and level of detail of a VanSledright Travel itinerary. Opening hours, prices, ferry and tour times change, so confirm the details with each provider before you book.

Where should you stay in Istria?
Split the week between two bases. Spend four nights in Rovinj on the west coast: it’s central for Pula, Brijuni, the Lim Channel and Poreč, and its old town is one of the prettiest on the Adriatic. Then spend three nights inland near Motovun, ideally at a rural guesthouse (an agroturizam) with home cooking, so the hill towns are a short drive away.
If you’d rather not move, Rovinj alone works as a base for the whole week. Your inland days just become day trips.
How do you get to and around Istria?
The closest airport is Pula. Other options within driving distance include Rijeka, Trieste in Italy, Ljubljana in Slovenia and Venice, though check car rental rules before you cross a border with a hire car.
Rent a car for this trip. A motorway known as the Istrian Y links the main towns and has tolls. Old towns such as Rovinj are largely pedestrian, so plan to park outside the centre and walk in. Inland roads are narrow and winding but not difficult.
Day 1: Pula’s Roman sights
Morning. Arrive in Pula and pick up your car. Start at the Arena, Pula’s Roman amphitheatre and one of the best-preserved anywhere, and allow time to walk the outer ring and the underground galleries.
Afternoon. Walk through the old town to the Forum, where the Temple of Augustus still stands, and on to the Arch of the Sergii at the start of the main shopping street. Stop for coffee in the Forum square.
Evening. Drive north to Rovinj and check in. Have a first dinner in the old town: try fuži, Istria’s twisted pasta, or a plate of grilled fish, with a glass of local Malvazija white wine.
Day 2: Rovinj’s old town and the Golden Cape
Morning. Explore Rovinj’s old town before it gets busy. Wander up the cobbled lanes, including the gallery-lined Grisia street, to the Church of St. Euphemia at the top of the hill. If the bell tower is open, the climb gives a view over the town and the islands.
Afternoon. Walk or cycle south along the waterfront into the Golden Cape forest park (Zlatni rt), with pine woods and rocky coves for swimming. Bring water shoes, as most of the coast here is rock rather than sand.
Evening. Watch the sunset from the old town’s western edge, then have dinner at one of the harbour restaurants. Book ahead in summer.
Day 3: Brijuni Islands National Park
Morning. Drive to Fažana, about half an hour south of Rovinj, for the national park’s boat to the Brijuni Islands. Book the boat and tour with the park in advance, especially in summer. On Veli Brijun, the largest island, a guided tour by tourist train usually covers the safari park, Roman remains and the story of the islands as Tito’s summer residence.
Afternoon. Rent a bike or golf cart on the island if time allows, or return to Fažana for a seafood lunch on the waterfront; the town is known for its sardines.
Evening. Head back to Rovinj for a relaxed evening, or stop in Pula for dinner on the way.
Day 4: Cape Kamenjak and the southern tip
Morning. Drive to Premantura at Istria’s southern tip and into the Cape Kamenjak protected area. Its dirt roads lead to dozens of coves, cliffs and clear water, and it’s at its quietest early. Cars pay an entry fee in season, and the tracks are rough, so drive slowly.
Afternoon. Swim, walk the coastal paths and have lunch at one of the simple beach bars in the area, or bring a picnic. Bring sun protection; there’s very little shade.
Evening. Return to Rovinj for your last night on the coast. Pack tonight: tomorrow you move inland.
Day 5: The Lim Channel, Poreč and the drive inland
Morning. Check out and drive to the Lim Channel, a long, narrow sea inlet between steep wooded slopes, often compared to a fjord. Stop at the viewpoint on the road above it, then go down to the water for oysters and mussels, which are farmed in the channel.
Afternoon. Continue to Poreč and visit the Euphrasian Basilica, a 6th-century church complex with gold mosaics, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Walk the Decumanus, the old Roman main street.
Evening. Drive inland to your base near Motovun. Have dinner at your guesthouse if it serves meals; many rural guesthouses in Istria do.
Day 6: Motovun and Grožnjan
Morning. Walk up into Motovun, a walled hilltop town above the Mirna river valley, and around its ramparts for views over the oak forest below. The forest is one of Istria’s best-known truffle grounds.
Afternoon. Have a long lunch with truffles, such as fuži or fritaja (Istrian omelette) with shaved truffle, then drive to Grožnjan, a small hill town known for its art galleries, studios and summer music. Walk its lanes and the viewpoint at the town’s edge.
Evening. Try a glass of Teran, the local red wine, at a wine bar in Grožnjan or back at your guesthouse.
Day 7: Hum, Roč and the Glagolitic Alley
Morning. Drive to Roč, then follow the Glagolitic Alley toward Hum: a road lined with stone monuments that celebrate the Glagolitic script, the old Slavic alphabet used in Istria for centuries. Stop at each one along the way.
Afternoon. Explore Hum, which bills itself as the smallest town in the world, and try biska, a mistletoe brandy made in the area. Continue to Buzet, another truffle town, or visit the Pazin Cave and castle on the way back.
Evening. Have a farewell dinner inland. Ask for maneštra, a hearty bean-and-vegetable soup, and Istrian pršut, the local cured ham.
What should you book ahead in Istria?
Book these before you go, especially from June to September:

Your hire car, collected at Pula Airport or in Pula.
The Brijuni boat and tour, directly with the national park.
Both bases: Rovinj books up fast in summer, and the best rural guesthouses have only a few rooms.
Dinner on summer evenings in Rovinj’s harbour restaurants.
A truffle hunt, if you’d like to join one, with a family-run truffle business near Motovun or Buzet.

Want an Istria plan built for your trip?
This sample is written for two adults with a car on a first visit. A custom plan starts from your own dates, budget and interests: more beaches, more wine, a family with young children, or Istria combined with Slovenia or Venice.
A custom itinerary for a trip of 4 to 7 days is $149. Send your details through the form below and we’ll confirm the plan and the price by email before you pay anything. See pricing for other trip lengths.

Q: Do you need a car in Istria?
A: For this plan, yes. Buses link the main coastal towns, but the hill towns, wineries and the Glagolitic Alley are hard or impossible to reach without a car, and you’d lose a lot of time waiting. Hire one at Pula Airport or in Pula. Note that the old towns of Rovinj and Motovun are best reached on foot from car parks outside them.

Q: When is the best time to visit Istria?
A: June and September are the sweet spot, with warm sea water, open restaurants and smaller crowds than July and August, which are the busiest months on the coast. Autumn brings the white truffle season inland and quieter roads. Between late autumn and early spring the coast is calm, and some seasonal hotels and restaurants close.

Q: Is 7 days enough for Istria?
A: Seven days covers the highlights at a comfortable pace: Pula, Rovinj, Poreč, Brijuni and the inland hill towns. Istria is small, so no drive in this plan is long. With more time, add a day in Opatija on the Kvarner coast, a wine route day around Buje, or a slower day at the beach.

## Sample itineraries
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/itineraries/

VanSledright Travel publishes three free sample itineraries, each planned day by day with neighbourhoods, sights, meals and transport tips. They are 3 days in Chicago, 7 days in Istria, Croatia, and 10 days in Barcelona with day trips to Montserrat and Girona. A custom plan for your own dates starts at $79.

What’s in each sample?
Each sample covers a whole trip, one day at a time. Days are split into morning, afternoon and evening, grouped by area so you aren’t crossing town twice. Around the days you’ll find where to stay, how to get around, the best time to go and what to book ahead.
The samples are written for a first visit by two adults with a mid-range budget. A custom plan starts from your own details instead: your dates, the people travelling, your budget and what you enjoy.
Which sample matches which price?

3 days in Chicago is the length of a $79 plan: a city break covering the Loop, the lakefront museums and two neighbourhoods.
7 days in Istria, Croatia is the length of a $149 plan: a road trip with a coastal base and an inland base.
10 days in Barcelona is the length of a $249 plan: a city stay with three day trips by train.

How current are the samples?
We wrote these samples in October 2026 using official tourism, transit and attraction websites, and we only name long-established places. Even so, opening hours, prices, timetables and booking rules change. Treat each sample as a plan, and confirm the details with each provider before you book anything. The same applies to a custom itinerary.

## What a custom itinerary costs
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/pricing/

A custom itinerary costs $79 for a trip of up to 3 days, $149 for 4 to 7 days and $249 for 8 to 14 days. We email you a quote first; you pay the invoice before we start planning, and we send the itinerary once it’s paid. The price covers planning only, and all sales are final.

What do the three prices include?



Trip length
Price
Typical trip




Up to 3 days
$79
A city break or a long weekend


4 to 7 days
$149
A week in one region, or a trip with two bases


8 to 14 days
$249
A longer trip with day trips or several stops



Every tier gets the same kind of plan: a schedule for each day, where to stay, where to eat, how to get around, what to book ahead and notes for the season. A longer trip simply has more days to plan. Prices are in US dollars.
Are there any other fees?
No. The price we confirm in our email reply is the amount on your invoice. There’s no booking fee, because we don’t book anything, and no subscription.
The price doesn’t include travel itself. Flights, accommodation, transport, tickets, tours, meals and insurance are paid by you, directly to the companies you choose. We never collect money on their behalf.
What is the refund policy?
All sales are final. We don’t offer refunds, including if your plans change or the trip is cancelled. Itinerary planning is custom work, and it starts as soon as your invoice is paid.
That’s why we confirm everything before you pay. Our reply sets out the destination, trip length, price and delivery date, and the invoice follows only once you’ve agreed to it. The full terms are in our terms of service.
How does payment work?
It goes in this order: you send your request, we email you a quote, you pay the invoice, and then we plan your trip and send the itinerary. 45Squared LLC, which runs VanSledright Travel, sends the invoice with a secure online payment link after you’ve agreed to the quote. Payment is due in full before planning begins, and your itinerary is emailed to you once it’s paid, by the date in the quote.
We never ask for card numbers by email. If you’d like to see the kind of plan you’ll get before you order, read one of our sample itineraries.

Q: When do I pay, and when do I get my itinerary?
A: You pay after you’ve seen and agreed to our emailed quote, and before we start planning. Once the invoice is paid, we plan your trip and email you the itinerary by the date in the quote. We don’t start an itinerary, or send one, before payment. If the quote doesn’t suit you, leave the invoice unpaid and nothing is charged.

Q: Why don't you offer refunds?
A: Each itinerary is planned from scratch for one trip, and the work starts as soon as you pay, so it can’t be resold or reused. Instead of refunds, we settle everything up front. Our email reply confirms your destination, trip length, price and delivery date before you’re invoiced, and you only pay once you’ve agreed to all of it.

Q: Does a more expensive destination cost more to plan?
A: No. The price depends only on the number of days in the trip. Three days in Chicago and three days in Tokyo are both $79. What you spend on flights, rooms and meals is separate, goes directly to the providers you book with, and is shaped by the daily budget you give us in the request form.

Q: What if my trip is longer than 14 days?
A: Tell us in the request form. Trips over 14 days are quoted individually, because a month in one city and a month across five countries are very different amounts of work. We include the quote in our email reply, and as with every order, you don’t pay anything until you’ve agreed to it.

## Privacy policy
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/privacy/

Who runs this site, and when does this policy change?
This website is operated by 45Squared LLC (“we”, “us”). VanSledright Travel is one of its products. Questions about this policy can be sent through the request form with “Privacy” in the message.
If we change this policy, we’ll update the date on this page. This policy covers this website only. It doesn’t cover other websites we link to, including those of travel providers mentioned in our itineraries, which have their own policies.
What do we collect when you send a request?
When you send the request form, we collect what you type: your name, email address, destination, travel dates, who’s travelling, budget range and the interests you describe. We also record the page you sent it from, the time, and the website that referred you, if any.
If you become a customer, we also keep the itinerary we write for you and the invoice and payment records for your order. Card payments are handled by our payment provider; we never see or store your full card number.
What do we collect when you browse?
We count page views without cookies. We record the page, the referring website and a daily visitor count. To count unique visitors, we create a one-way code from your IP address and browser that changes every day and is deleted within 48 hours. We don’t store your IP address in our own records.
We also use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors find and use the site. Google Analytics uses cookies and collects information such as the pages you view, your approximate location and your device type. It doesn’t load at all if your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal. You can also block it with your browser’s settings or a content blocker.
How do we use your information?
We use your request to reply to you, confirm your order, plan your itinerary and send it to you. It’s stored in 45Squared’s own customer records. We don’t sell your information, and we don’t share it with travel providers or other companies, except the service providers that help us run the site, send email and take payments.
When do we send newsletters?
Only if you ask us to. The newsletter checkbox on the request form is unticked by default and optional. If you tick it, we record your email address, the date and that you agreed through this site, and we may send occasional travel-planning emails.
Every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing takes effect right away. Ordering an itinerary never signs you up on its own.
How long do we keep your information, and what are your choices?
We keep requests and customer records for up to 3 years, or longer where tax and accounting rules require it. Visit counts are kept as totals and don’t identify you.
Form submissions travel over an encrypted HTTPS connection and are stored in access-controlled systems run by 45Squared. You can ask us to delete your information at any time: send a request through the form with “Delete my data” in the message, and include the email address you used.

## Terms of service
URL: https://vansledrighttravel.com/terms/

Who provides the service?
VanSledright Travel is a product of 45Squared LLC (“we”, “us”). These terms apply when you order a custom itinerary from us. By paying an invoice for an itinerary, you agree to them. If we change these terms, we’ll update the date on this page; the version in force when you paid applies to your order.
Questions about these terms can be sent through the request form on this site with “Terms” in the message.
What is the service?
We provide trip planning: a written, day-by-day itinerary for your trip, based on the details you give us. That’s all the service includes.
We are not a travel agency or tour operator. We don’t book, sell or resell travel. We don’t make reservations for you, take payment on behalf of any airline, hotel, tour operator or other provider, or hold money for a third party. We don’t arrange visas, travel insurance or transfers, and we don’t provide support during your trip.
Who books and pays for the trip?
You do. You choose and book every flight, room, tour, ticket, rental and restaurant yourself, directly with the provider, and you pay them directly. Your contract for each booking is with that provider, under their terms, including their prices, cancellation rules and refund policies.
Any provider we mention in an itinerary is a suggestion. Mentioning a provider isn’t an endorsement or a guarantee of its services, and we’re not responsible for what any provider does or fails to do.
How do orders and payment work?
After you send a request, we reply by email with a quote that confirms the destination, trip length, price and delivery date. If you agree, 45Squared LLC sends you an invoice with a secure online payment link.
Payment is due in full before planning begins. Your order is confirmed when the invoice is paid. We start planning then, and we deliver the itinerary only after payment. All sales are final.
Prices are in US dollars and are set by trip length, as shown on our pricing page. Trips longer than 14 days are quoted individually before you pay.
Is there a refund policy?
All sales are final. We don’t offer refunds. This applies if your plans change, the trip is postponed or cancelled, or you decide not to use the itinerary. Each itinerary is custom work that starts once you’ve paid, which is why we confirm the details and the price with you before you’re invoiced.
If we can’t deliver an itinerary we’ve agreed to and been paid for, we’ll tell you and return what you paid.
How accurate is the information?
We plan with care, using official and reputable sources, but travel details change often. Opening hours, prices, timetables, routes, booking rules and local conditions can change after we write your itinerary. Before you book or travel, confirm the details that matter with each provider.
You’re responsible for your own passports, visas, entry requirements, health requirements, travel insurance and safety decisions. The official sources below are a good place to check entry and health requirements for each country you visit.
What are the limits of our responsibility?
We aren’t responsible for losses that come from travel arrangements you make with providers, from changes or cancellations by providers, or from events outside our control, such as weather, strikes, illness, natural disasters or changes to government rules.
To the fullest extent the law allows, our total responsibility for any claim relating to an itinerary is limited to the amount you paid us for it. Nothing in these terms limits any right you have that can’t be limited by law.
Who owns the itinerary?
The itinerary is for your personal use and the people you travel with. You’re welcome to print it, keep it on your phone and share it with your travel companions. Please don’t resell or publish it.
We keep a copy of each itinerary we write. We won’t publish one or share it with anyone else without your permission. How we handle your personal information is covered in our privacy policy.