Is it feasible to combine a visit to Zagreb with a stay on the Croatian coast? We want to hire a car and make our own travel plans. Jamie Cox, Nottingham

Sunday Times travel expert, Richard Green, responds: Absolutely - a few days exploring historic, friendly, and vibrant Zagreb, followed by either some time at a single beach resort (or maybe a driving tour along the coast), is a perfect way to discover Croatia.

It wasn’t long ago that the drive from Zagreb to the coast was an eight-hour ordeal on poor roads, but since 2005 a new motorway has opened which connects the capital with Rijeka, and beyond to the coastal resorts of the Istrian Peninsula. Now the driving time is under four hours, with a one-way toll of about £20.

If you can avoid travelling along it during July and August weekends that will help, as many local tourists head for the coast at summer weekends.

Just over half way to the coast, the motorway connects with another newly improved route south, which runs along the Dalmatian coast all the way to Split, and then not yet in such good condition, onto Dubrovnik.

It depends how much time you have and how much driving you are happy with, but to cut down on any doubling-back, you might consider flying into Zagreb and then flying back from Rijeka, Pula or Split, and dropping off the car there too.

For further information, contact the Croatian Tourist office on 020 8563 7979, or visit www.croatia.hr

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