Croatia Countryside & Island Hopping

ITINERARY

• DAY 1
  Cathedral in Zagreb, Croatia

  Welcome to Zagreb!

  Arrive at Zagreb Airport, and transfer to your hotel in Zagreb.
  
  The capital of Croatia, Zagreb, is on the historic and political threshold between East and West, illustrating both the continental and Mediterranean spirit of the nation it spearheads. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic, political, and administrative center of the Republic of Croatia, and is home to the Croatian Parliament, and Government Its favorable location between the Pannonian plain, the edge of the Alps, and the Dinaric range have allowed it to become a crossing point of mass international communication.

  What's included?

  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 2
  King Tomislav square and Art Pavilion in Zagreb, Croatia

  Zagreb - Enjoy a guided tour of Zagreb

  Your Croatia countryside and Island Hopping tour starts from Zagreb's capital city.
  Following breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided tour of Zagreb, Croatia’s largest city with an air of a true European capital, charms with its baroque facades and spiffy towers, green parks, open-air terraces, quiet courtyards, and bustling streets.
  
  Visit one of Zagreb's restaurants for a ˝štrukli˝ tasting. Štrukli is a rather simple 'pulled pasta' dish, which, depending on the type of filling, can be either savory or sweet. Once the dough has been pulled, filled, and rolled, it is cut into smaller pieces than be baked or cooked. The best-known version of this dish is the savory variety filled with cheese, eggs, and sour cream baked in the oven and coated with either butter or sour cream. This traditional meal is from the Zagorje region and has a long history spanning over the last several centuries. However, the dish and its many versions are known all over central Croatia, as well as in the city of Zagreb.
  
  In the afternoon, we will spend exploring the Museum of broken relationships. Overnight in Zagreb.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 3
  Plitvice Lakes National Park, Countryside Croatia

  Plitvice - Discover Plitvice Lakes national park

  Breakfast at the hotel, after we will start our tale story first visiting Ogulin and then the most beautiful National Park in Croatia – Plitvice.
  
  The town of Ogulin is situated in a place that looks as if it came straight out of a fairytale. It was built at the foot of the mystical mountain Klek, on top of numerous secret cave halls and passages, and deep beneath it run the rapids of the longest subterranean river in Croatia, river Dobra.
  
  You will probably agree that this is the perfect place for letting your imagination run wild and for telling stories. Ogulin is the birthplace of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, one of the most notable children’s authors in the world, also known as “the Hans Christian Andersen of Croatia”.
  Visit the museum and Đulin Ponor - This is where the river Dobra begins to run underground, through the largest cave system in Croatia, Đula–Medvednica, which is over 16 km long.
  
  The mysterious 40-meter-deep gorge has always tickled people’s imagination and ultimately led to the creation of a legend in the 16th century, which gave it its name – Đulin Ponor (Đula’s Precipice).
  
  Continue to Plitvice to hike beautiful paths that separate 16 crystal blue lakes. Experience a special day full of beauty in Plitvice lakes, the oasis of untouched nature. This amazing Plitvice lakes tour takes you to the unique park of natural beauty and serenity made of 16 turquoise-colored lakes tumbling into each other through a series of majestic waterfalls and cascades.
  
  Discover why Plitvice Lakes national park is the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Croatia. Enjoy strolling around nature trails that take you around the edges and above the rumbling crystal clear water.
  
  Overnight in Plitvice.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 4
  Island Hopping, Trogir, Croatia

  Split - Wine tasting with the brunch in Trogir

  After breakfast, we will head towards the coastal part of Croatia. On the way to Trogir, you will have a wine tasting with brunch in one of the villages. Enjoy delicious wine tasting at one of the wineries, where you can sample various rich flavors.
  
  You will find out more about Dalmatian wines and wine production. See the wine cellars and try different types of quality wine, followed by a brunch.
  
  Continue to Trogir, where you will spend the rest of the afternoon. Trogir has 2300 years of continuous urban tradition. The name comes from the Greek "Tragos" (a male goat). Its culture was created under the influence of the ancient Greeks and then the Romans, French, and Venetians.
  
  Additionally, Trogir has a high concentration of palaces, churches, and towers, as well as a fortress on a small island, and in 1997 was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The tour will reveal the most famous sights in Trogir, such as St. Lawrence's Cathedral.
  
  Late afternoon departure to Split for overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 5
  Split, Croatia

  Split - Exploration of the biggest town in Dalmatia, Split

  You will dedicate the day to exploring the biggest town in Dalmatia. The morning will start with the walking tour of Split - built around Diocletian's Palace, a nearly 2000-year-old relic of the Roman Empire, this is a city begging to be explored. Uncover the many layers of history that make up this evocative region on your own private Split tour.
  
  The heart of Split is the city's majestic cathedral that rises from within the ancient walls of Diocletian's Palace. Built upon the octagonal base of a Roman Mausoleum, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius is a testament to many eras of Western history, from Roman Times, through to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Stroll along the marble streets inside the Palace walls, where you can shop for local souvenirs, or simply take in the ambiance of this World Heritage site. The tour continues with olive oil tasting. Learn how to smell, taste, and enjoy different types of olive oil.
  
  After the tour, you will have free time for lunch. In the afternoon you will visit the Meštrović Gallery. Throughout the second decade of the 20th century, Ivan Meštrović bought plots in the area of Meje, the western part of Split, intending to build his future residence. After his death, the house was left to the Croatian people, which is now a famous gallery. In addition to museum artifacts (sculptures, drawings, paintings, architectural drawings, and furniture), the Gallery preserves documentation referring to the life and opus of Ivan Meštrović – photographs of his first works of art taken at the beginning of the century in Vienna and Paris, as well as archive materials, primarily the family archive found in the house in 1952, containing letters from family members and friends, their personal documents, etc.
  
  Overnight in Split

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 6
  Island Hopping Hvar, Croatia

  Split - Explore the Hvar Island

  Early morning, transfer with ferry/catamaran to Hvar island. The journey will take an hour, and then the tour of Hvar island will start. Croatia’s sunniest island Hvar hides so many beauties. Apart from the island’s landscape, scented lavender fields and arancini from the island’s citruses, first-class wines, trendy beaches, and catering offers, there are those hidden historical values of the heritage, hidden behind the monastery walls.
  
  The tour will start with a visit to Tvrdalj - The Tvrdalj Castle, which was the summer residence of 16th-century poet Petar Hektorović, is a fascinating combination of intimate residence and castle, wrapped into a beautiful Renaissance building. Space was meant to act as a peaceful place for all creatures. Continue to Vrboska to see St Mary's Church - One of the most significant monuments of the island of Hvar is the Church – fort erected in 1571, after the Turkish attack on the location of an older church that originated in 1465. The church has the shape of a fort with an observation post and a loop-hole and from its top, there is a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding places and fields.
  
  We will drive through lavender fields to arrive at the place where we will have lunch. After lunch, a short drive to Hvar town for a walking tour. The central stone core of the town of Hvar, called the “piazza”, will leave nobody indifferent. Among many souvenirs in the shops or coral jewelry stores intended for cruiser tourists, there is one special product that needs emphasizing – a souvenir from Hvar created by the diligent and dedicated work of the Benedictine nuns – Hvar lace. Embroidering lace from agave strings is a protected cultural heritage and was recognized by UNESCO in September 2009. We finish our tour by getting the ferry/catamaran back to Split overnight.
  
  Overnight in Split

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Cruise/Boat
• DAY 7
  Mostar, Bosna Hersek

  Mostar - Visit Počitelj where best-preserved the city walls in this region

  After breakfast, we start our ride to Bosnia & Herzegovina with a short stop in Počitelj.
  Počitelj presents one of few urban ensembles in Bosnia and Herzegovina preserved in their integrity to the present time developed through the several phases of history, beginning with the medieval period. Its important strategic role during the 13th to 17th centuries gave the power of its inhabitant to build up one of the most important, and best-preserved ensembles within the city walls in this region.
  
  After the visit, continue to Mostar for a lunch in a local restaurant. Free time and then a tour of Mostar in the afternoon.
  
  Mostar is a city with a rich history that has shaped and formed it since ancient times. This city is also known as the “melting pot of cultures” and it is a perfect choice if you are looking for a one-of-a-kind experience. Is there anything more exciting than exploring the cobbled stone streets of a city where the Neretva River divides cultures and religions? The differences and contrasts here can be seen not only through architecture. The story of Mostar could be named after “The tale of two cities”. The city has two sides; the left and the right bank of the river are connected by one of the wonders of the modern world, the spectacular Mostar Bridge.
  
  Overnight in Mostar.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 8
  Sunset view Dubrovnik, Croatia

  Dubrovnik - Stop city of Ston for a visit and oyster tasting

  Drive to Ston for a visit and oyster tasting. The town that once guarded the northern border of the Dubrovnik Republic - Ston. Since the time of the Roman Empire, Ston has possessed one of the most important salt factories in the Mediterranean region and in ancient times the inhabitants build stone walls all around their town to protect it. Ston was one of the first urban planned towns in medieval Europe, but today Ston's most popular commodity is the specialty oysters and mussels! On the way to Dubrovnik, stop in Trsteno for a visit.
  
  The tour begins with a stroll through Trsteno's renowned arboretum. At over 500 years old and housing more than 300 species of exotic tree and plant life, the arboretum is widely acknowledged as one of the finest gardens in Europe. During the tour, you'll have a chance to take in the magnificent scenery, including the summer manor, pavilion, aqueduct, and Baroque fountain and will also be able to view the centerpiece of the arboretum, two ancient Oriental Plane trees. Standing at almost 60m tall, the trees are the only specimens of their kind in Europe and make a wonderful photo opportunity.
  
  Overnight in Dubrovnik.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 9
  Panoramic Dubrovnik, Croatia

  Dubrovnik - Walking tour in the pearl of the Adriatic

  Late morning walking tour of Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik, situated on the Dalmatian coast, is often referred to as the pearl of the Adriatic. It was a very significant center of trade and a Mediterranean maritime power from the 13th century on. The Old Town was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1667, and again in The War of Independence in the 1990s, but thanks to UNESCO and the determination of local people it has preserved its world’s famous City walls, beautiful palaces, and churches, monasteries, and fountains.
  Free time for lunch on your own. Optional afternoon visit to City Walls.
  
  Overnight in Dubrovnik.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 10
  Konavle, Countryside Croatia

  Dubrovnik - Discover hidden places of Konavle

  Today we discover hidden places of Konavle, starting with the town of Cavtat.
  
  We will start our day to visit the picturesque seaside resort town of Cavtat, which was the Ancient Roman City of Epidaurus. Over the years, Cavtat has been a favorite destination for sailors and yacht enthusiasts. After a brief orientation of the town with your guide, you will have time on your own for a pleasant walk along the beautiful seafront promenade, or time to take a coffee in one of the many cafes located along the shore. After your free time in Cavtat, rejoin your guide and drive to Gruda. This is an opportunity to explore the beautiful natural setting of the green and fertile Konalve valley. A scenic drive through the small and picturesque villages takes you to the village of Gruda where Antonia Ruskovic keeps the tradition of small ancient handcraft of silk production. Silk is one of the oldest textile fibers known to mankind. During the Roman Empire, it was sold for its weight in gold. Here in Konavle Valley, near Dubrovnik, women keep alive the ancient craft of silk production, not for profit but the sake of tradition. After visiting Antonia’s atelier we will continue our drive to Ljuta village where you will visit Old Mill called Mlinica Dvori which is still in function today. Here you will be able to see a demonstration of flour production using traditional methods where the water power stone mill. There is a system of watermills and stamp mills built on river Ljuta which consisted of eight watermills for flour, two watermills for oil, and three stamp mills.
  
  Continue to honey tasting – homemade produced honey, where it is possible also to buy it.
  You will have the unique opportunity to visit a working apiary to learn how honeybees make this liquid gold we call honey, how terroir and nectar source determines a honey's color, aroma, and flavor and how honey is harvested and extracted from the hive. Most importantly – learn how to select quality honey.
  
  Overnight in Dubrovnik.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 11
  Kotor, Montenegro

  Dubrovnik - Admire the UNESCO-World Heritage-listed Bay of Kotor in Montenegro

  Today, you will have a full-day tour to Montenegro. Departing from Dubrovnik, you will visit off-the-beaten-path Montenegro, a diminutive southeast European country that boasts big things: the UNESCO-World Heritage-listed Bay of Kotor, the walled seaside town of Budva, and the eye-pleasing city of Kotor, situated within Europe’s southernmost fjord. During the tour, you will have some free time to explore Kotor and Budva on your own and later enjoy a ferry ride across the Bay of Kotor on your way back to Dubrovnik.
  
  Kotor's old city area, surrounded by fortress walls, served as the cultural and trade center of Kotor Bay throughout the centuries. It is one of the most beautiful places in Montenegro, showcasing impressive medieval architecture and numerous cultural monuments. Join this walking tour to experience the best sights in the district.
  
  Overnight in Dubrovnik.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 12
  City walls, Dubrovnik, Croatia

  Dubrovnik - The day is leisure to find the hidden gems of the city

  Enjoy your day at leisure before going home.
  
  You can walk along to admire the best views of the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ and the surrounding lush green islands.
  
  Dubrovnik’s Baroque churches, monasteries, and palaces, its Renaissance fountains and facades, are all intertwined with gleaming wide marble-paved squares, steep cobbled streets, and houses, all of which have also remained unchanged for centuries.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
• DAY 13

  Depart to Dubrovnik Airport for fly back home

  Today is the departure day. As your journey in Croatia Countryside and Island Hopping comes to an end, the morning is yours to have a great breakfast and rest until your flight.
  
  At the proper time, pick up from the hotel and transfer to Airport for your flight back home.
  
  Goodbye! for now...

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Transfer