Croatia & Slovenia

Welcome to Croatia and the historic city of Dubrovnik situated on the country's southern coast. Its ancient city walls, ramparts and bastions overlook the Adriatic Sea, and its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is a favoured location for travellers worldwide.

We don't want you to miss out on any aspect of your small group tour. To ensure that you don't, we recommend you arrive at your starting destination by 4:00pm.

At 5.00pm, join your fellow travellers and tour director for brief introductions and an orientation walk before our welcome dinner.

Special Experience: Enjoy the warm hospitality of the locals and taste the regional cuisine at a special home-hosted dinner.

Stone buildings with deep green window shutters, capped with terracotta roof tiles, await in Dubrovnik's Old Town today. A walking tour through the town's streets will transport us back in time when Dubrovnik was home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, physicists, mathematicians, and other scholars.

Commencing at the Pile Gate, we'll pass the Bell Tower Clock, Orlando's column, Sponza Palace and the Dominican Monastery. We'll tour Rector's Palace, learning more about the effect of fires, explosions and earthquakes on its blend of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. We continue to the Franciscan Monastery, which boasts one of the world's oldest pharmacies. After our tour, we'll have the opportunity to see the Old Town from a different perspective when a cable car ride takes us up Mount Srd for spectacular views over the Old Town. Our afternoon is at leisure to further explore Dubrovnik on our own.

This morning, we cross the border into the tiny country of Montenegro for a day trip to explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of Kotor. The Bay of Kotor is the longest and deepest fjord in southern Europe and is dotted with charming villages along its coastline.

We'll take a scenic cruise along the sparkling water of Kotor Bay and visit the islet, Our Lady of the Rocks.

After our cruise we'll spend time in Kotor, a well-preserved medieval township renowned for its architecture and numerous monuments. Our walking tour acquaints us with the town, including the Triphoon Cathedral, before we indulge in lunch at a local restaurant. We'll arrive back in Dubrovnik in the evening.

From a vibrant restaurant and bar scene to incredible Roman ruins, Croatia's second largest coastal city, Split is a true gem.

We'll travel along the coast of the Adriatic today en-route to Split. During our travels, we'll get the chance to stop at the lakes Bacinska Jezera to take in the serenity and snap some photos! Enjoy some time at leisure for lunch in the town of Makarska before arriving in Split.

In Split we'll enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town. Here we will see the influence of the Roman Empire in this region and visit one of the world's most impressive Roman monuments, Diocletian's Palace. The acoustics are superb and often a capella singers will give an impromptu performance, their song echoing along the walls and down the narrow passageways. We'll also see Jupiter's Temple, the Peristyle and St Doimus Cathedral as we walk the cobblestone streets.

Our day begins with a visit to the town of Trogir, situated on a tiny island and surrounded by medieval walls. Within these confines is a profusion of Renaissance buildings that have earned the city a UNESCO World Heritage designation. We'll spend the morning touring the city's Old Town before making our way to the town of Klis.

Special Experience: Visit the Stella Croatica village and see their proud cultural heritage first hand during a tour and tasting of their produce. Upon our return to Split, you'll have the rest of the day to enjoy at leisure.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest and most beautiful parks in Croatia, made up of stunning forestry and sixteen cascading lakes. Renowned for their range of distinctive colours, the lakes' water changes from azure to green, grey or blue depending on the quantity of minerals in the water and the angle of sunlight.

We'll make our way to Plitvice this morning, stopping en-route at Krka Bridge where we are afforded views over the quaint village of Skradin. Arriving at the lakes, we will have some free time for lunch. This afternoon we embark on a guided walking tour meandering through the tree-lined paths and across boardwalks to soak in the picturesque nature that surrounds us.

We cross the border into Slovenia today and head to its enchanting capital city of Ljubljana. It's easy to see why the city is becoming an increasingly popular destination in Europe, with elegant buildings, tree-lined streets and a charming atmosphere.

Upon arriving in Slovenia, we'll visit one of the most fascinating underground sights in the country, the Postojna Caves. Thought to be nearly 12 million years old and created by the Pivka River, almost 20 kilometres of tunnels, caverns and passages create a labyrinth for us to explore with our guide.

Once in Ljubljana, we'll take a short sightseeing tour before enjoying the rest of the day at leisure to further explore this beautiful city.

The Julian Alps have called to European travellers for centuries and today we'll experience their beauty on a day trip to Bled. With its serene, sapphire-toned lake, charming villages and alpine fresh air, Bled enchants all who make their way here.

In Bled, we enjoy a morning guided tour of the town including a visit to the picturesque Bled Castle. Built in approximately 1011 on a cliff that lines the shore of Lake Bled, the castle is home to sweeping views across the lake. Whilst in Bled we will try a local Slovenian dish, the famous Bled cream cake - made with layers of puff pastry, custard and whipped cream.

Next, we make our way through the pretty Slovenian villages to the town of Bohinj, where we'll visit a local farm and learn all about the dairy industry here.

Special Experience: Experience a traditional butter making demonstration at a family dairy farm and enjoy a taste of the delicious dairy products. We return to Ljubljana and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Located on a horse-shoe bend of the Krka River, the charming town of Novo Mesto is our destination this morning. Its tranquil location, charming cobblestone streets, and quaint size make it an ideal town to visit.

Special Experience: Take a relaxing cruise aboard Rudolf's Raft as we meander past the adorable houses and buildings dotted along the riverbanks, all while enjoying local wine paired with delicious snacks and light music. Next, we travel back into Croatia and to its capital city, Zagreb. The cultural and economic centre of the country, Zagreb is situated between the slopes of the Medvednica Mountains and the northern bank of the Sava River. Arriving in Zagreb we'll get acquainted with the city during free time for lunch.

This afternoon, we'll enjoy a guided walking tour of the city that includes views of St Mark's Church, St Catherine's Church, the Parliament and Government Palace. We also see Zagreb Cathedral, whose twin Gothic spires stand out against the city skyline. This evening, we'll indulge in a three-course farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning. We bid farewell to our new friends and to the splendour of Croatia and Slovenia.