Island Hopping 2024: Croatian Highlights - from Zagreb

Arrival to Zagreb Airport. Transfer to hotel in Zagreb and overnight.

Following breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided introduction with Croatia’s largest city. With an air of a true European capital, Zagreb charms with its baroque facades and towers, green parks and open-air terraces, quiet courtyards and bustling streets. In the afternoon, enjoy the scenic ride to Opatija, the seaside resort town gracing the shores of Kvarner Bay, exuding a grandeur of its 19th-century vogue. Overnight in Opatija.

Sitting like a gateway to the Istrian peninsula, Opatija is an ideal starting point for a day of discovering Croatia’s
largest peninsula. Sometimes referred to as the Croatian Tuscany, along with its heritage, Istria is famed for tasty bits like truffles, wines and olive oils. From hotspot to highlight, marvel at the impressive Roman amphitheater in Pula, the outstandingly charming Rovinj and the mystic Motovun, wrapped in its medieval cloak of walls on top of a lushly green hill. Spend the evening in the graceful Opatija.

After breakfast morning departure to Split. The first visit of the day takes you to Croatia’s most popular natural gem, the Plitvice Lakes. A guided walk along the wooden pathways unveils an amazing world of 16 cascading lakes
interlaced with over 90 stunning waterfalls, bound to mesmerize you in any season. Continuing the drive to Split, take a break in Trogir, UNESCO-listed World Heritage site. A bundle of narrow atmospheric streets which twist and bend between houses, palaces and churches, the heritage of Trogir is rooted in the Greek and Roman times and
showcases some of the finest renaissance architectural works in Croatia, including the incredibly intricate portal of its Cathedral, the Town Loggia and the Cipiko palace. Arrive to Split and spend overnight in Split/Split area.

After breakfast at the hotel, set out on a late morning walking tour of Split. Dalmatia’s largest coastal town bustles and buzzes, as it grows more and more popular among travelers for its easy-going spirit, creative food and shopping scene and of course, remarkable heritage. Learn about the Diocletian’s Palace, once the Roman Emperor’s retirement estate and today a lively city center housing 2,000 people! Finally, enjoy a ferry or catamaran ride from Split to the neighboring island of Hvar where you will spend the night at a hotel in the glitzy town of Hvar.

The island of Hvar is known for its purple lavender fields, a backdrop for oil production, potent red wines from steep vineyards especially enjoying the island’s status as Croatia’s sunniest island, and the glitzy jet-set scene along the starlit waterfronts of the town of Hvar, so often featured in national and international summer media. Explore the island’s prime gem and its most trendy destination, the town Hvar, on your own. Home to the oldest theatre in Europe, also the home of organized tourism in Croatia, the heritage of Hvar extends far beyond the popular party scene! Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure and spend the night in a hotel in Hvar.

Enjoy a breakfast at the hotel and some time on your own. Hvar is known for diverse opportunities, from bustling
squares of Hvar town to the serene waterfront of Jelsa, the bridges of Vrboska and vineyards of Ivan Dolac, so expect
time to fly. In the afternoon, bid farewell to Hvar and hop on a boat to take you to the neighboring island of Korčula.
Arrive in the evening and enjoy an overnight stay in Korčula.

The far south of Croatia holds many gems. You’ll know Korčula was a Venetian stronghold as soon as you lay your
eyes on the many lion statues which lurk at you from the town’s facades and gates, intertwined with some of the most outstanding stonework you will get see anywhere on the Adriatic coast. Stroll the narrow, curved streets, marvel at beautiful churches and magnificent palaces in one of the best preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean. Early in the afternoon, cruise to Dubrovnik, which once successfully rivaled the Venetian Republic. Arrival to Dubrovnik and overnight stay in a hotel.

Enjoy a breakfast at the hotel and a lazy start of the day. In the late morning, embark on a guided walking tour of
Dubrovnik Old Town, a.k.a. the Pearl of the Adriatic or the King’s Landing. Whatever you might consider to be the
town’s main drawcard, the mighty city walls of Dubrovnik and its courteous spirit will swiftly transport you back in time to when this was an independent republic and a highly cultured Mediterranean town. After learning of its history and present, enjoy the afternoon exploring on your own. Stay overnight stay in your Dubrovnik hotel.

A marvelous city like Dubrovnik can only be surrounded by a marvelous region. Tailor this day to your own liking,
whether you are up for just relaxing or perhaps venturing out to explore the islands nearby. Locals would suggest
Lokrum Island as an easy trip from the Old Town Harbor. Promising a day of heavenly serenity, Lokrum envelops you in thick green forests of holm oak, pine and laurel, to be shared with the island’s only permanent inhabitants: peacocks and bunnies. Just a bit further away, the Elaphite Archipelago packs sandy beaches, remarkable heritage, fun hiking trails and good food into a day excursion. Enjoy the overnight stay in the hotel.

Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Dubrovnik Airport (or other hotel/accommodation unit in Dubrovnik). End of program.