A Taste of Croatia - 9D/8N

Croatian white truffles courtesy of Croatia Tourism Board An itinerary perfect for a family or a few friends who would like to discover the tastes of the Croatian regions from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. The best of Croatia will come to life on this private tour.

Croatian cooking is one of the high points of a visit to Croatia. Although it may be an exaggeration to say the whole country is made up of gourmets, it’s true that Croatians place a high priority on fresh, correctly prepared food. Like much of Croatian culture, the cuisine is divided into coastal and interior flavors with a sub-category of Slavonian cuisine from east Croatia.

In the coastal regions of Croatia the cuisine has a rather Mediterranean flavour, as you would expect, with lots of olive oil used in the preparation. All along the coast and the isles, the fish menus are unrivalled - even the humble sardine will never taste quite so delicious. Many Croatian fish restaurants have their own fishing boats, so you can be assured of the freshness of the fish. Also, it is not uncommon to choose your own fish from a selection of different species kept on ice in the centre of the restaurant.

In the interior of Croatia Austro-Hungarian culinary influences are strongest. One finds meats cooked in bread crumbs, goulashes served with stuffed cabbage, and a dish called sarma, a winter delight of a rare excellence.

Dalmatian city sea-traffic, courtesy of Croatia Tourism BoardDubrovnik is a beautiful city, a veritable “jewel of the Adriatic” with a long maritime history. Founded in one of the most favorable geographical position at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea and protected by islands, Dubrovnik took advantage of the intensified traffic between the East and the West during and after the Crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries and finally conquered its freedom from the Venetian Republic in the 14th century.

Departures: On a Daily basis from January 6 to December 10, 2010 with a minimum of 5 passengers (Please enquire for rates on smaller parties)

Included features:

  • • 7 nights in twin – bedded or single rooms in your select hotels or similar; hotel taxes
  • • 7 breakfasts (B) + 5 lunches (L) + 6 dinners (D)
  • • Arrival and departure transfers
  • • Entrances as per program indicated in bold
  • • Professional English speaking throughout tour director from day 02 to day 09
  • • Touring with air conditioned car or van

Hotels:

  • • Zagreb: Hotel Dubrovnik 4* or similar
  • • Opatija: Hotel Bristol 4*or similar
  • • Zadar: Hotel Kolovare 4* or similar
  • • Split: Hotel Art 4* or similar
  • • Dubrovnik: Hotel President 4* or similar

Zagreb cathedral courtesy of Croatia Tourism BoardItinerary:

  • Day 1 Zagreb - Transfer from Zagreb Airport to hotel. Welcome dinner in a typical local restaurant. (D)
  • Day 2 Zagreb – Kumrovec Excursion - A short yet scenic drive takes us to Kumrovec, situated on the bank of the river Sutla, along the Croatian-Slovenian border. Visit Kumrovec Ethnological Musem Staro Selo (Old Village) with very well preserved village houses from the turn of the 19th – 20th century. So far 40-odd houses and other farm-stead facilities have been restored, which makes Staro Selo the most attractive place of this kind in Croatia. Later, we follow a winding road through the Zagorje hills. An lunch of genuine local specialties and wine is served at the restaurant/farm Gresna Gorica (The Hill of Sin) with magnificent views of the 15th century castle Veliki Tabor. Return to Zagreb for overnight at hotel (B,L)
  • Day 3 Zagreb – Samobor – Opatija - In the morning your sightseeing tour takes you along the historic Upper Town, to see St. Mark’s Church, St. Catherine’s Church, the Cathedral, the Parliament and Government Palace. Leave for Samobor, a picturesque town where we will have lunch at a famous restaurant which preserves the tradition of the ancient Croatian dishes. Continue to Opatija, an elegant destination, once favorite resort of choice for the Habsburgs and European Royalty. Dinner at local a restaurant in Lovran on a seaside terrace. Overnight in Opatija. (B,L,D)
  • Day 4 Opatija – Pag – Zadar - Leave for the island of Pag, famous for its lamb meat and famous Pag cheese of an exquisite taste coming from the quality of grazing aromatic herbs in the vicinity of the sea. Enjoy lunch at local restaurant. The island of Pag is also famous for its long tradition of lace-making we will have a possibility to visit lace-makers. Continue to Zadar, located in the very centre of Croatian Adriatic in the vicinity of the most indented Adriatic archipelago, Kornati Islands. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at your hotel in Zadar (B,L,D)
  • Day 5 Zadar –Krka Falls – Trogir - Split - Sightseeing of Zadar, including the Cathedral of St. Anastasia, St. Donatus Church – the masterpiece of Romanesque architecture – and Roman Forum from the 2nd century B.C. Leave for the Krka National Park and continue to Split, stopping enroute in Trogir, a lovely medieval town dominated by the Cathedral of St. Lawrence with its famous Romanesque Portal, the Town Loggia and Renaissance palaces. Tonight dinner of sea food specialties at Split Marina Restaurant. Overnight in Split. (B,D)
  • Day 6 Split – Ston – Dubrovnik - Sightseeing of Split, including the visit to the Diocletian’s Palace with its cellars and gates, St. Duimus Cathedral, Peristyle and Jupiter’s Temple. For lunch, we will taste a typical Dalmatian “pasticada” before departing for Dubrovnik. On the way stop at Ston, well-known for its oysters of outstanding quality and enjoy dinner in one of the typical restaurants. Continue to Dubrovnik for overnight (B, L,D)
  • Day 7 Dubrovnik – Konavle And Cavtat Excursion - Morning city tour of Dubrovnik, including the Franciscan Monastery with the Old Pharmacy, St. Blaise’s Church, the Cathedral and Rector’s Palace. Leave for the excursion to the region of Konavle and lunch at Konavoski Dvori restaurant. Continue to Cavtat, a picturesque town with charming cobblestone streets, churches and Franciscan Monastery, situated on the site of the ancient Greek and Roman settlement of Epidaurum. Return to Dubrovnik. Farewell dinner at famous restaurant in Dubrovnik. Overnight in Dubrovnik. (B, L,D)
  • Day 8 Dubrovnik – Departure - Morning transfer to Dubrovnik Airport. (B)

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Also tagged with: Europe, Croatia, Educational, Cultural, Culinary / Wine Discoveries, Classic Visit, Private Tour, Private Escorted Journey


Vantage World Strongly Recommends Insurance for all your Travel Programs

Insure My Trip We provide, through TravelSafe Insurance, one of the nation's largest and most respected providers of travel insurance, a TravelSafe Custom Plan, where you decide the benefits YOU want and the levels of protection YOU desire including access to their 24-hour emergency assistance service from anywhere in the world. Click the link below the Plan Benefits table for plan details.