Day 1
Overnight: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Our tour begins with a with an evening walking tour in Ljubljana, the charming capital of Slovenia. Our guide will give an in-depth view of life and history in Slovenia and Ljubljana. Learn about the history, architecture and people from early inception during the Roman empire, its development under under the Habsburgs for over many centuries and it’s tumultuous last century with Yugoslavia. We’ll also get to see plenty of works by renowned architect Joze Plecnik.
Dinner at an old town restaurant with many traditional Slovenian dishes on the menu. Guests can enjoy a local beer or one of many great wines from this country. Overnight at centrally located two-star hotel.
Day 2
Overnight: Ljubljana, Slovenia
All day at your leisure to explore. Some of Ljubljana’s highlights include walking up to the castle overlooking the city, visits to one of the many museums & galleries and browsing the outdoor market alongside the river. Outside the center, Tivoli Park offers many pleasant walking paths, a fine graphics art museum and a good opportunity to watch the locals enjoy their city.
Day 3
Overnight: Karst, Slovenia
Say “nasvidenje” (goodbye) to Ljubljana as we journey to the enticing Karst region filled with pretty stone houses, bold red wines and a labyrinth of underground curiosities. First up is the Predjama Castle, a 16th century castle that clings to limestone cliffs and has a rich history, including folklore about the Slovenian Robin Hood who once lived there.
Guided tour and delightful nature walk around Stanjel, the region’s most captivating hill town and boasting interesting history, an art galley, pretty Ferrari gardens and lovely views on to the Karst.
A traditional home-cooked karst dinner awaits you at our farmhouse tucked away in the village of Tomaj. The Skerlj family offers up mouth-watering prsut, pastas and fresh vegetables with a good dose of local Teran wine, all in a house that’s been in their family for more than 400 years.. Save room for their honey ice-cream!
Day 5
Overnight: Karst, Slovenia
Our focus is once again the Karst region of Slovenia. A trio of highlights from the area. First, a morning carriage ride through the karst countryside at Lipica farm, home to the famed Lipizzaner horses. Next a journey to the fascinating underground world of the Skocjan caves - this UNESCO protected site boasts the world’s largest subterranean canyon and many subterranean halls filled with beautiful limestone formations.
Following lunch in the tiny village of Hrastovlje, we’ll take a peek inside the Church of The Holy Trinity, renowned for its Dance of the Macabre frescoes. Dinner at farmhouse and visit the family’s wine cellar in the evening.
Day 6
Overnight: Sarajevo, Bosnia
Morning visit to picturesque Lake Bled, one of Slovenia’s most popular and attractive spots. We will visit the castle overlooking the lake - a great photo op for this fairytale setting. and then take a gondola boat ride on the lake to the tiny island in the center.
Afternoon flight from Slovenia to Sarajevo in Bosnia. We will have a walking tour of Sarajevo, a unique mix of Oriental and Austro-Hungarian influences. This tour focuses mostly on the old Turkish quarter (known as the Bascarsija). There’s a heavy oriental feel mixed with Austro-Hungarian buildings, scars from last decade’s war, vibrant cafes, sweet shops and very warm people that give the city an astonishing vibe.
Dinner at the city’s oldest restaurant, situated in a traditional wooden house on the riverside and featuring a heavenly sirnica (baked cheese pie in phyllo dough) - my personal recommendation. Overnight at central located pension.
Day 7
Overnight: Sarajevo, Bosnia
All day at your leisure to explore Sarajevo. Browse the art galleries, old Turkish quarter, master craftsmen shops and outdoor cafes while soaking in the rich history and culture.
Optional excursion to Travnik, a town that served as the Ottoman’s seat of power for many centuries. Climb around its ancient fortress, tour the house of Nobel prize-winning author Ivo Andric (”Bridge on the River Drina”) and relax by the Plava Voda (Blue Waters) to enjoy fine Turkish coffee and sweets. Ask the local tour guide if you are interested in arranging this excursion. For a shorter trip you can do yourself, hop on a tram in Sarajevo and head out to nearby Ilidza Park and enjoy a nice stroll or carriage ride.
Day 8
Overnight: Herzegovina, Bosnia
One of our most unique excursions on the tour, a visit to the highland village of Lukomir. It is the highest and most isolated village in Bosnia (1500 meters). Traditional dress, the occasional turban and fez are still worn. We will first visit with the local villagers before heading off into the canyon to witness Peruc waterfall and the amazing Rakitinca Canyon. Picnic lunch will be served on a high ridge over the 800meter drop into the canyon with stunning views of majestic mountains.
Afternoon drive into the Herzegovina region in southern Bosnia. Overnight and dinner at warm and inviting family run guesthouse. The homecooked organic meals here are delicious!
Day 14
Overnight: Dubrovnik, Croatia
All day at your leisure to see Dubrovnik. Take an unforgettable walk along its 80 foot high walls. Other sights include the Dominican and Franciscan monasteries, Lovrijenac Fortress, Rector’s Palace, an excellent photo gallery regarding the 1990’s war and more cafes and gelaterias than probably necessary. For nature over culture, escape the crowds with a trip to nearby Lokrum island. Short ferry rides start at the old town harbor.
Day 15
Overnight: Dubrovnik, Croatia
A very scenic drive around Montenegro’s lovely Bay of Kotor (dramatically situated below fjords) leads to the alluring Venetian town of Perast. A short tour of the maritime museum and church will be followed by a boat ride out on the bay to Our Lady of the Rocks church, situated on one of two jewel-like islands in Kotor Bay. Lunch followed by a tour of walled town of Kotor, including the Cathedral of St. Tryphon. Optional walk up 1300 steps to the fortress for commanding views over Kotor and Montenegro’s black mountains. Dubrovnik in the evening.
Day 12
Overnight: Trogir, Croatia
Enjoy an entire day in historic Split, Croatia’s 2nd largest city and main port. Our guide will show you around the old town and focus mostly on the remains of Diocletian’s palace. This was built by Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century AD. Much of it is still intact and the rest of Split’s center has been built around it. Those interested in art should pay a visit to the Ivan Mestrovic museum/gallery, Croatia’s most famous sculptor. And we recommend guests enjoy dinner and evening stroll here, Diocletian’s is most atmospheric when lit up at night.
Day 13
Overnight: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Gorgeous drive down the Dalmatian coast. A short stop to see the towns of Ston & Mali Ston, once important for their salt production. The walls surrounding Ston are the longest in all of Europe. Enjoy a coffee and cake in Mali Ston before heading on.
Late-afternoon guided walking tour of Dubrovnik, a magical walled city with a rich and important history. Heavily touristed but much less so when the day trippers leave around 4pm. Our local guide will take guests for a great dinner after the tour. Overnight at apartments located in the old town near the outdoor makret and Rector’s Palace.
Morning of Day 16
END OF TOUR: transfer to airport
Day 4
Overnight: Karst, Slovenia
Excursion into Croatia’s Italian-hued Istria region, famed for its beautiful countryside and tasty truffles and wine. Our first stop is the charming hill town of Groznjan. In the 1960’s it was nearly abandoned as most residents emigrated back to Italy so the Yugoslavian government turned it into an artists colony. It’s now bustling with artists galleries, handmade jewelry shops and gourmet food shops.
Afternoon in the charming seaside town of Rovinj, including a guided walking tour and a great viewpoint of the town and offshore islands atop St. Euphemia’s Church (for those willing to climb its 60m tower). At your leisure time to explore artists’ galleries or sip back an espresso at one of the many boardwalk cafes. Late afternoon walking tour of Pula and an exploration of its rich history, spanning over two millennia, including its showpiece, the 6th largest Roman Amphitheatre in the world. Dinner back at farmhouse.
Day 9
Overnight: Herzegovina, Bosnia
We’ll spend the late morning and early afternoon exploring Mostar, the former
oriental trading center of Herzegovina, situated on the Neretva River. Undoubtedly, you will have heard much about this city, which was split during the conflict in the early 1990s. You’ll still see the scars of war, but these days, Mostar is once again a warm and bustling place, with a fascinating history & wonderful architecture including the 16th century bridge spanning the Neretva River.
Next we’ll visit Blagaj whose highlights are the Buna Spring and the adjacent Ottoman house/monastery. The spring is amazing. It flows out of a 200m cliff wall and single-handedly creates the Buna River. The Ottoman sultan was impressed, and ordered a tekija to be built right next to it. This 16th century house/monastery was built for the Dervish cults and is still one of the most mystical places in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A 500 year old Dervish House is amazingly tucked into the corner of this natural phenomena.
We’ll enjoy a lunch at a local fish restaurant in Blagaj. We’ll walk along the old trading route before we begin a gentle climb up to the 13th century Fortress of Duke Stjepan. The trail is the original one and is fairly well maintained. The walk to the fort only lasts one hour…maybe a touch more. High up on the walls we’ll have a fantastic view of Blagaj, the Neretva Valley and the mountains around Mostar. Dinner back at our hosts’ guesthouse.
Day 10
Overnight: Herzegovina, Bosnia
Busy day of sightseeing. First off the Oriental hill town of Pocitelj. It also hosts the longest operating art colony in southeast Europe. The most striking object in Pocitelj is the Sahat Kula, a silo-shaped fort that towers on the top of the hill above the town. Then time to enjoy the Kravica waterfall, a wonderful, green oasis in the rocky Herzegovinan landscape.
We take a 1 hour boat ride and have lunch at Hutovo Blato, a great place for nature and bird watching. At the end of the afternoon we slowly wind our way back via Radimlja, with its beautiful Christian Medieval tombstones, back to Podvelez to enjoy our last night in this oriental wonderland. Dinner at our hosts' guesthouse.
Day 11
Overnight: Trogir, Croatia
On the way to our hotel in Croatia (approximately 3hours) we will stop by for a tasty lunch and wine tasting in Etno Village Medjugorje in Herzegovina. The restaurant is located in the centre of the village, perfect for enjoying the region’s food and wine, especially for its famous varieties of Zilavka and Blatina. The restaurant is located in the centre of the village. The unique basement seating area built in stone is quite representative of the old type of architecture. This is the heart of the restaurant, where the best wines are served, and food and drink are enjoyed in quiet, intimate corners of the traditional setting.
Check into your hotel in the heart of Trogir’s old town. Enjoy the charms of little Trogir, a small island connected to Croatia’s mainland by a short bridge. A local guide will show your around the town and St. Lawrence Cathedral which has stunning stone carvings on its 12th century portal. Guests can get a great bird’s-eye view from the cathedral’s 47m high tower. Overnight at Villa St. Petar hotel, a 3-star boutique hotel in the heart of the old town.
The Grand Tour: Daily Itinerary