Taste and Feel Croatia

Our adventure begins in the famous city of Dubrovnik. You'll be picked up at the Dubrovnik airport and taken to the Rixos Premium Hotel, perfectly located with amazing sea views. 

After a brief refresh, we'll explore ancient Dubrovnik. Since the 13th century, Dubrovnik has been one of Europe's most important republics. The impressive Old Town, surrounded by ancient walls, was the city's crowning glory of the city. Our local guide will take you to discover incredible Renaissance palaces and lead you on a stroll along the city walls.  

Today, we'll enjoy a delicious seafood lunch after our walk. The menu includes delicacies like black risotto and fisherman's stews combined with a delectable choice of wines.  

You'll enjoy some free time after lunch. The hotel has a lovely spa with a sea view - a great way to fight off jet lag. 

At sunset, we'll head to a small hill above Dubrovnik's old town. Here, we'll enjoy a local meal served with Croatian wine as we say cheers to our first day in Croatia!

Today, we'll get to know the crystal-clear Adriatic Sea and its hidden islands. After breakfast, we’ll take a short and enjoyable boat ride to explore Šipan, Koločep, and Lopud, little-known to tourists. We'll meet the local islanders and immerse ourselves in their way of life. 

The highlight of the day is lunch. We'll indulge in the freshest seafood prepared by a local chef. Grilled with olive oil and sea salt, it's the simplest and most authentic way to taste the flavors of Dalmatia. Chilled local wine will complement the meal to make us feel like true Dalmatians! 

We return to the city by boat after exploring the islands and soaking up the sun. 

Take the evening to relax and unwind at the hotel. Dinner is on your own.

Our first stop after breakfast today is the historic city of Ston, where we'll take an exclusive tour of the ancient saltworks. Here, we'll discover the fascinating history of the second longest wall in the world, built to protect the "white gold" - sea salt in production. 

Next, it's time for our first gastronomic adventure of the day. We'll head to a private oyster farm located in Maloston Bay. Here, we have the unique opportunity to try the world-renowned, protected endemic oyster species found only in this area. We'll also enjoy an exclusive cooking class with local fishermen tasting the freshest oysters possible! 

Pelješac is Croatia's most famous wine region, and we're about to taste its award-winning wines. A sommelier will take us on a vineyard tour and guide us through the world of Croatian wines. Our gastronomic adventure culminates in the middle of the vineyard, where we'll taste the best of these regional wines. 

After a day filled with history, culture, and gastronomic adventures, we head to our next destination, Split. This city is known for its lively atmosphere and stunning architecture. After checking in at the Heritage 19 Hotel Split, we'll freshen up and head out for a welcome dinner at one of the best restaurants in Split, with modernly presented local cuisine. The view is spectacular as we raise our glasses to another perfect day in Croatia!

Today, we explore the historic city of Split. 

We start with a delicious breakfast. Then, our adventure will begin with a guided tour of Diocletian's town. Here is where the great Roman Emperor, Diocletian, chose to retire. We'll learn the secrets of the ancient palace, including the world's oldest cathedral, Diocletian's cellars, and the ancient thermal baths.

After our history lesson, we'll stroll the charming streets of Split and absorb the spirit of the Mediterranean. We'll try local specialties and embark on an adventure of our own. 

At lunch outside the city, we'll sample the famous lamb bursting with flavors to tantalize the taste buds.

After lunch, the Klis fortress beckons. Here, we'll enjoy breathtaking views of the Dalmatian coast and all its islands and learn a bit of Croatian history.

Tonight, enjoy time and dinner on your own.

After a delicious breakfast, we'll take a local ferry to one of Croatia's most famous islands – Hvar. We'll wander the winding streets of the ancient town of Pharos, founded by the Greeks during their campaigns. We'll explore the oldest public theater in the world, a Greek shipyard still in operation, and enjoy the smell of the Mediterranean. The tour will culminate in a visit to the small fortress of Fortica. The breathtaking views will leave you speechless.

Next, we're off to an abandoned village to visit a small household run by a local, the only remaining village resident. This is the perfect opportunity to taste homemade extra virgin olive oil and other local delicacies. An entertaining host will lead us through a cooking class, where we'll learn the secrets of island cuisine and enjoy the local wine.

Enjoy some free time exploring the town of Hvar before we return to Split by ferry. Upon our return to Split, we'll enjoy a relaxing dinner.

After breakfast, we'll venture over to Skradin, a charming fishing village where the Krka River meets the sea. We'll explore this magical place by boat. 

Krka National Park boasts a beautiful blend of the Mediterranean climate and lush vegetation. Hundreds of small waterfalls surround us as we make our way to the main attraction - Skradinski Buk, the area's largest and most famous waterfall. We’ll walk a trail through untouched nature, enjoying the view.

It's time for some authentic, homemade food. We'll visit a small household in a remote location, where we'll try handcrafted prosciutto, pancetta, aged cheeses, and local wine while enjoying the peaceful sound of the tinkling waterfalls around us.

For the rest of the day, we'll explore the region's heritage. The watermill complex at the Roški slap waterfall is one of Dalmatia's most interesting ethnographic monuments.

After a full day, we'll ride back to Split for free time at the hotel before dinner at a nearby restaurant.

After check out and breakfast in Split, we continue our journey around Croatia. Today, the only slightly longer ride awaits us. It takes 3 hours of pleasant driving to reach the Istrian peninsula. But once we come, you won't want to leave this paradise. The first destination is Hum, better known as the smallest city in the world. Yes, even the Guinness Book of Records officially declared it. A charming little place on top of a hill will serve us as an ideal starting position to introduce you to Istria. During a pleasant walk, we will also do a tasting of local liqueurs (the best aperitif for the guests that follow). And something fantastic is coming! Did you know that Istria is the second largest truffle region in Europe? That! Let's meet a local family that has been hunting truffles for generations. They will introduce us to their little helpers, trained dogs, and take us into the forest to try to find that precious mushroom. All the more reason not to return empty-handed is that your period is the best season for truffle hunting. After a pleasant walk and hopefully finding truffles, let's cook them the local way. A local family will also help us there. A spectacular cooking class includes making homemade pasta or gnocchi and combining it with fresh truffles. So together we will make a homemade 3-course lunch and pair it with local wines.

Eh, speaking of wines…Our next stop is a small boutique winery. Known to all gourmets from this area. The friendly host will reveal to you the secret of making the local Malvasia, a famous white wine. Of course, we will try all his products and conclude this gourmet story in a wonderful way.

The last stop today is the magical Motovun. A place that, like in a fairy tale, was located on top of a hill back in the ancient Middle Ages. We will take a leisurely walk, hear local myths and legends and head to our accommodation nearby – Villa Menenghetti, part of the famous Relais & Châteaux group. Their chef will welcome us with light local dinner for the end of this amazing day!

We start our new day in Istria in the beautiful gardens of Villa Menenghetti and with a farm to table breakfast. Today our first stop will be the one of the highlights of this whole vacation- 3 starts Michelin restaurant ''Hiša Franko''. On this trip, you got used to the flavors of the sea, the flavors of Croatia. Now something different follows. Slovenia is a mountainous country, and the food here is much stronger than in Croatia. We won't tell you much except that it's very tasty. And our food will be prepared by one of the world's best chefs, and the only woman with 3 Michelin stars– Ana Roš. 10 courses lunch experience is waiting for us!

It's time to get back to Croatia – Let's go to Rovinj! The charming fishing village has become a frequent advertisement for postcards due to its colorful houses and special shape. Together with the guide, we will explore all the small streets of this beautiful coastal city. This is followed by a relaxed walk and free time in Rovinj.

What follows is perhaps the crowning glory of the entire trip. Rovinj fishermen have been known for centuries for their traditional boats with sails. At the sunset time, local fisherman will bring us to exactly one of these and take us around Rovinj Old Town. Sunset sail with glass of wine to circle whole experience today sounds like a perfect plan!

Ride back to Villa Menenghetti (30min)

It's time to say goodbye to beautiful Istria, and today we're going to visit our neighboring country, Slovenia. After breakfast and check out, we leave for the city of Bled (1.5h ride). But, before Bled, we have to stop at one spot in Croatia- Pula.

When you type Croatia into Google, one of the first images will be the famous amphitheater in Pula! Let's take a tour with a local guide who will reveal all the secrets of the sixth largest amphitheater in the world. After the amphitheater, a pleasant walk around the coastal town of Pula leads us to the other remains of the ancient Roman city.

Bled and Lake Bled are the most famous tourist destinations in Slovenia, and for good reason. A small glacial lake is located between the massive Alps, and we will make a circle around it to begin with. Then we take a small wooden boat and go explore the lake that way. As you can see, there is also a small island with a monastery on the lake. That will be our next destination. Well, now we can start with our gastro story. Great specialties are associated with Bled, but what is really unique and special is the Bled Cream Cake. There is nothing better than trying it with a coffee on the shore of the lake.

Free time at Bled lake.

Quick ride to Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia. Our guide will show us all highlights of this beautiful town. Yesterday we had gastronomic experience in Hiša Franko, so today we gonna try some traditional Slovenian food. Near city centre, there is a one family owned bistro and they are preparing traditional menu according to fresh market each day.

Free time in Ljubljana and ride to Zagreb.

Our stay in Zagreb is something special. Hotel built to be a rest station for clients of Orient Express. The old school charm is still here.

We hope that with this trip we brought you closer to the tastes, customs and culture of our country. The purpose of everything is to leave people with good memories and that's all we want! We invite you to a pleasant walk through the capital and an exclusive dinner to toast the last day in Croatia together!

Thank you and cheers!

We'll enjoy a delicious breakfast at the Esplanade Hotel, among the best in Europe.

After breakfast, it's time to say goodbye and head for the airport. Airport transfers will be organized based on your flight details, so we can relax and enjoy the rest of the day stress-free.

The holiday is over but your memories will last a lifetime.