Jewels of the Adriatic

Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Welcome to Croatia’s historic, elegant capital, listed on UNESCO’s Register of World Architectural Heritage. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will be greeted at the airport and escorted to your downtown hotel. Along the way, enjoy a first look of this prospering city and country, where visitors from around the world are warmly welcomed. Your Tour Director hosts a briefing tonight, followed by a get-acquainted dinner at a local restaurant.

Our morning guided tour covers the highlights of Zagreb: Upper Old Town with its monumental walls and iconic 13th-century St. Mark’s Church; colorful Jelacic Square and charming alleyways nearby; and beautiful Mirogoj Park Cemetery, which looks more like an open-air art gallery than a final resting place. The remainder of the day is free to explore this gracious city on your own. Zagreb is called the city of museums, boasting more of them per square foot than any other city in the world. Why not check out Mimara Museum, which features an impressive collection of arts and crafts?

After breakfast, we’ll travel through verdant countryside and across the border to the Republic of Slovenia. Our first stop: Slovenia’s thriving capital, Ljubljana, where we’ll admire the architectural legacy of city native and 20th-century architect, Joze Plecnik, acclaimed for his work rebuilding the city after a devastating earthquake in 1895. We’ll see some structures that survived the earthquake as we explore the old town with its small shops and outdoor cafes. There’s time to stroll along the riverside promenade and through the open-air market before we continue to Lake Bled and dinner at the hotel. You’ll be enchanted by this resort town surrounded by the majestic Julian Alps.

A guided stroll around emerald-green Lake Bled is a picturesque start to our day. We’ll also visit Slovenia’s oldest castle, medieval Bled Castle, perched romantically on a cliff above the lake. Your afternoon is free to explore this charming village. A relaxing lake cruise might be just the thing!

Today’s agenda includes Slovenia’s scenic countryside, mysterious caves and seaside glamour. Our stop at Postojna Caves, second largest in Europe, includes an underground train journey to view impressive stalagmites and stalactites. We’ll drive back into Croatia to the fashionable Riviera town of Opatija, arriving at your seaside hotel in time for dinner.

Ah, the Adriatic! Spend the day like aristocrats from the past, savoring the Austro-Hungarian grandeur, lovely waterfront promenade and Opatija’s charming cafes and restaurants. You might also choose to take a delightful optional Istria Peninsula excursion to see picturesque towns along the stunning coastline.

Today we visit Croatia’s oldest, largest national park, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plitvice Lakes National Park features a string of 16 turquoise lakes linked by 92 waterfalls and cascades and surrounded by densely wooded mountains and lush vegetation. This afternoon, we’ll take a short scenic boat ride and a leisurely walk along the lakeshores to admire its magnificent natural beauty. Our hotel is located inside the National Park. 

We head to Croatia’s Dalmatian coast and Zadar, the oldest Slavic town on the Adriatic Sea and once a famed cultural center. Pause here for an orientation tour that includes a visit to ruins of a Roman-era Forum. Our travels continue along the spectacular coast to beautiful Trogir, another UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been called the Little Venice of Dalmatia. Arrive in Split in time for dinner.

With its setting nestled between the mountains and the seas, Split is truly picturesque. Our guided tour takes us to one of the most imposing Roman ruins, the third-century palace of Roman Emperor Diocletian. This afternoon, we’ll continue along the spectacular Dalmatian coast, breathing in amazing views of palm trees, olive groves and idyllic fishing villages, before arriving in Dubrovnik and our seaside hotel. Founded in the seventh century, Dubrovnik, one of Europe’s best-preserved walled cities, is a World Heritage Site.

Treasures abound in this enchanting city, and you’ll have ample time to discover them—from its massive age-old walls to winding cobblestone streets, medieval buildings to charming red-tile rooftops. Our guided morning walking tour through “Old Dubrovnik” takes us to the harbor, the Franciscan monastery and stately Baroque Cathedral. Enjoy the historic town at your own pace for the rest of the day.

Check another country off your list as we cross the border to the Republic of Montenegro and the beautiful Bay of Kotor, the longest and deepest fjord in Southern Europe. A boat cruise will take us to “Our Lady of the Rocks,” an islet off the old town of Perast. Sailors passing the islet helped build the Roman Catholic Church here, each adding their own unique contribution to the construction of the church. Later, after enjoying brief visits to Perast and Kotor, we’ll return to Dubrovnik via a short ferry ride across the bay.

Enjoy a full day of leisure in Dubrovnik, described as the “pearl of the Adriatic.” Options include browsing in a colorful local market or taking an optional excursion. Join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner at one of Dubrovnik’s famous restaurants.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will take a morning transfer to the airport for our return flight, and will touch down in the U.S. later today.