Itinerary

You will be met at the airport and transferred to the Pucic Palace. If time permits, take a late afternoon walk around Dubrovnik’s famous medieval walls.

Two overnights at the Pucic Palace.

Your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel for a walking tour of the historic center of Dubrovnik. You may visit the Church of St. Blaise with its distinctive baroque façade, and the Rector’s Palace, now home to the Museum of Dubrovnik. Over 15,000 works are on display documenting the economic and cultural history of the city.

Your guide will also take you into the Dubrovnik Cathedral and its treasury, famous for its ancient relics, gold and silver artifacts and sacred objects. Next you will visit the Dominican Museum, an absolute must for those interested in the Dubrovnik and Venetian schools of art.

In the afternoon, enjoy a private wine and oyster tasting on the Peljesac Peninsula, a scenic one-hour drive from Dubrovnik.

Note: All of Dubrovnik’s historic city center is pedestrian-only. Please wear comfortable footwear.

Today you will travel by ferry or private boat to Hvar Island. This island is well known for its nightlife, jet-set crowds and beautiful beaches.

Three overnights at the Hotel Adriana.

Today you are at leisure to enjoy the beaches, explore Hvar Town or visit historic Stari Grad (Old Town). Another option is a day trip to Pakleni or one of the other offshore islands for snorkeling and diving. We can arrange a private boat with full crew, if desired.

At leisure.

Today you will travel by boat from Hvar Island to Split, a beautiful and historic town on the central Dalmatian coast.

Three overnights at the Hotel Marmont, Le Meridien Lav or Vestibul Palace.

Your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel for a walking tour of the historic district of Split, including the Diocletian Palace Complex, dating back to the 2nd century AD. Residents of Split still live in 17-century-old towers and houses. The churches and markets of that time are still teeming with life and very much in use today!

You’ll also enjoy a private tour of the Mestrovic Gallery with the museum curator. This museum features a comprehensive collection of works by Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia’s most prominent modern sculptor.

Afternoon is at leisure.

Note: All of central Split is pedestrian only. Please wear appropriate footwear.

Today you might choose to make a day trip to Brac Island. Your car and driver will accompany you on the one-hour ferry ride. Your tour of Brac will take in the small local museum, the main town of Bol with its Dominican Monastery, local wineries, and the town of Skrip, the oldest settlement on the island.

Other options include the Roman ruins of Solin, just northeast of Split, or Krka National Park, known for its magnificent waterfalls.

Today you will travel by car from Split to the Croatian capital of Zagreb. If desired, make a stop along the way at Zadar and Pag Island. You might also consider visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park on this day, rather than Day 11.

In the evening, check into the Regent Esplanade in Zagreb. Three overnights.

This morning your guide will take you to the Upper Town of Gornji Grad where you may begin your walking tour of the historic heart of Zagreb. The best way to get around the Old Town is on foot.

You’ll tour St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the city’s most prominent landmark. The cathedral contains the tombs of the most important personalities in the history of Croatia as well as an enormous collection of ornaments and manuscripts dating from the 11th-20th century. Next, you may visit the Viceroy’s Palace which houses the President of the Republic’s personal residence as well as various government offices.

You will also have the opportunity to visit the atelier of Ivan Mestrovic. Your guide will take you to his studio and home where he created some of his best-known works.

Afternoon is at leisure.

Note: All sightseeing today is on foot. Please wear comfortable footwear.

Today you will travel to Plitvice Lakes National Park, located 104 miles south of Zagreb (approx 2 hr drive). This stunning park is justifiably famous for its 16 jewel-colored lakes, with waterfalls flowing from one to another. The lakes are linked by boardwalks that make it easy to stroll around them and appreciate the area’s unique and stunning beauty up close.

In the evening, return to Zagreb.

In the morning, you will depart Zagreb and head for Rovinj, a charming fishing village on the western coast of Istria.

On your way, you will stop in Pula, at the southern tip of the Istrian Peninsula. Your guide will take you on a walking tour of Pula starting at the historic center of the city at its most famous landmark, the Pula amphitheater. From here you may continue walking along the fragments of the ancient city walls, built by the Romans in the 1st and 2nd Centuries and still surviving today thanks to the fine craftsmanship of the Roman masons.

You may also visit the Church of St. Francis and the Franciscan monastery that is adjacent to it. Both were built in the 13th century and are fine examples of Gothic architecture.

In the afternoon, arrive in Rovinj and check into the Hotel Monte Mulini. The rest of the day is at leisure to walk around the historic old town.

Note: The streets of Rovinj’s pedestrian old town are steep and paved with marble cobbles, which can be slippery. Be sure to wear comfortable footwear with good grip.

Two overnights at Hotel Monte Mulini.

Today you will visit the Brijuni Archipelago, two islands and 12 islets off the southwest coast of Istria. Now a national park, these pine-forest-covered islands are most famous as the site of former Yugoslav President Tito’s summer retreat. You will be taken to the islands by private motorboat from Fazana.

In the evening, return to Rovinj.

Today you will explore the rugged, picturesque interior of the Istrian peninsula. You’ll begin in Motovun, an excellent example of the ancient hill towns that dot the Istrian peninsula. Your local guide will meet you and take you on a walking tour of the upper and lower towns of Motovun.

Next you’ll travel to Livade, a small village famous as one of the best-known truffle regions in Europe. White Istrian truffles are among the most expensive mushrooms in the world, and truffle harvesting is a local tradition in the interior of Istria. You will have an opportunity to go truffle hunting with an expert guide.

To end the day, visit the home of the Marceta family deep in the Istrian countryside, who are known for their production of award-winning wines and olive oil. Enjoy a unique tasting session starting off with rakija (the local grappa) followed by the local red Dingac and the white Malvazija wines, interspersed with home-made cheese, prsut (the local prosciutto) and bread.

In the evening, check into your hotel in Lovran, a picturesque resort town on the eastern coast of Istria. One overnight at Villa Astra.

This morning, you will be picked up by your driver and transferred to the airport at Zagreb for your departing flight. (Rijeka also has a small international airport, which is closer, and may be an option depending on your carrier and destination.)