Ask Lonely Planet: Dig the Roman ruins of Croatia

Cavat is a typical coastal town on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. Photo / Supplied

We are a group in our 60s and plan to visit Eastern Europe in late June/July. We have five days to spend in Croatia. Can you recommend a tour or itinerary for this duration?
- Prabha Jain, by email

Spend a day exploring the museums, churches and galleries of Zagreb, but the capital is not what you come to Croatia for. The Dalmatian Coast beckons, but before hitting Split take the bus to Zadar that stops at Plitvice Lakes National Park ($22, three hours).

The 16 turquoise lakes here are connected by a series of waterfalls and cascades and are truly beautiful. From Zadar head to Split and wander through Diocletian's Palace, one of the most imposing Roman ruins in existence.

Take a bus ($44, five hours) to Split or fly ($148) from Zagreb. Trogir, an hour by bus ($5, every 20 minutes), has wonderful Romanesque and Renaissance architecture and a magnificent cathedral.

From Split take a ferry to Hvar ($10, three to five times daily) and enjoy the harbourside promenade and Venetian-style buildings. Most ferries continue to Korcula, the largest island in an archipelago of 48. Here there are coves, rolling hills and a charming walled old town. Go down the Dalmatian coast and end in Dubrovnik. A highlight is a walk around the top of the stone walls surrounding the luminous marble streets and finely ornamented buildings of the Old Town.

Get the most out of the Reef

My wife and I are going to Cairns for two weeks to see the Great Barrier Reef. What tours are there to the reef from Cairns? Are there interesting islands that can be visited on a day trip from Cairns?
- Tom Burgess

Tours to the Great Barrier Reef usually start at around $99 plus a reef tax of about $5 per person. Reef Magic cruises go to Moore Reef, one of the best outer reef sites, at a cost of around $205. Quicksilver charges $169 for a catamaran trip to two outer reef sites. Passions of Paradise operates award-winning trips to Breaking Patches and Michaelmas Cay.

Others include Falla, Seastar and SeaQuest, all charging around $99. For more info, see Lonely Planet's Great Barrier Reef: Diving & Snorkelling guide.

There are three islands that you can visit on a day trip from the mainland. Half-day and full-day trips by catamaran to Green Island cost around $72, or you can take a boutique schooner to Green Island and Pinnacle Reef, and a cruiser to Upolu Cay for $205 with Ocean Free.

Ferry trips to Fitzroy Island National Park begin at $52, and full and half-day tours including lunch are available. Frankland Islands National Park is a group of five islands surrounded by coral. Camping is allowed on Russell Island.

Day tours with Frankland Islands Cruise & Dive include a cruise down the Mulgrave River.

From Britain to Norway

We are a couple of seniors touring around England and Scotland and the Norwegian coastal areas of Bergen and Flamm this July. What is the most interesting way to get from the UK to Bergen? Do ferries leave from northern England? We have heard that the train trip from Bergen to Oslo is very beautiful. What would be the best way to get from Oslo to Copenhagen? We were thinking of getting a Eurail pass as we have further travel to do in Europe.
- Vivienne Redding, by email

A North Sea crossing is an interesting way to reach Norway from the UK. Fjord Line sails from Newcastle to Bergen ($150 to $300) two to three times weekly. The trip takes 21 hours. Some boats also run to Stavanger.

Trains from Bergen to Oslo run three to five times a day ($185) and take around seven hours. This train line is northern Europe's highest and is a great railway experience. Enjoy the scenery as you skim over the top of the country.

A Eurail Pass makes things simpler and cheaper, especially as you will be entitled to a senior's discount. For more information on rail travel and passes in Europe, go to seat61.com.