Enjoy a vacation that includes all highlight cities in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Vienna. Start in Dubrovnik with an included visit to Rector’s Palace, as well as an excursion to Montenegro for a guided walking tour of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Budva, where lunch will be served. Admire the Old Bridge of Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and stay overnight in Sarajevo, where a visit to the Sarajevo Tunnel, which was built during the Bosnian war between 1992 and 1995, has been included. Enter Croatia and stay in Split, where a visit to the Diocletian’s Palace is included. Stop in Zadar and continue via Plitvice to Zagreb, the capital. On to Slovenia for a 2-night-stay in the elegant capital, Ljubliana, with an included trip to Trieste in Italy, where you get a taste of the traditional Illy cappuccino at one of the local cafés. End in Vienna with sightseeing that shows you the city’s highlights, and an entire day at leisure gives you the opportunity to join optional excursions to Schönbrunn Palace or to Bratislava in Slovakia. Celebrate the success of your vacation with your fellow travelers during a farewell dinner with Heurigen wine in Grizing.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Welcome in Dubrovnik! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day #2 Dubrovnik. Beautifully situated on a promontory jutting into the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik was once an independent maritime republic rivaling Venice. Enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide and see the impressive ramparts, erected during the Crusades to protect the town against land attacks, and the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries. You will also visit the 15th-century RECTOR’S PALACE. Afternoon and evening at leisure; an optional boat cruise is available. (B)
Day #3 Dubrovnik. Excursion to the Republic of Montenegro. A real treat today: first, [LF] visit stunning Kotor on the northern part of the Montenegrin coastline. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is fringed by mountains and nestled into the Bay of Kotor, also known as Europe’s southernmost fjord. Protected by an impressive wall since the early Middle Ages, the city has one of the best preserved medieval Old Towns in the Adriatic, and your Local Guide will take you on a walk along its winding, cobblestone streets to marvel at the picturesque squares and Romanesque churches. Later, continue to Budva, dating back to the 5th-century BC and considered one of the Adriatic’s oldest settlements. Relax and drink in the splendid natural beauty as you enjoy a lunch of local specialties that has been prepared for you. (B,L)
Day #4 Dubrovnik–Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina–Sarajevo. Enter Bosnia-Herzegovina and stop in the city of Mostar. Admire the OLD BRIDGE, the city’s symbol, ordered by Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman ruler in 1566, replacing the older wooden bridge. Continue to Sarajevo, where the Olympics took place in 1984, and which is the second city in the world (after California) that owned an electric tram network. (B,D)
Day #5 Sarajevo. Hear about the assassination of the Archduke of Austria in 1914, the recent Bosnian war, and see the main sights with a Local Guide. Then, [LF] visit the SARAJEVO TUNNEL, built between 1992 and 1995 during the Bosnian war. (B)
Day #6 Sarajevo–Split, Croatia. Enter Croatia and travel south to the Dalmatian Coast and Split, the ancient Spalato, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your guided walking tour, learn about the history of this captivating resort and visit the labyrinth of 4th-century DIOCLETIAN’S PALACE, a well-preserved fortress and a living part of the Old Town. This evening, enjoy a special dinner with wine at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day #7 Split–Zadar–Plitvice. Stay along the Adriatic coast and stop in the pretty coastal city of Zadar. Hear about the turbulent history of this city, fighting off the Venetians, crusaders, and Turks over the centuries. Turn inland and arrive in peaceful Plitvice for your overnight stay. (B,D)
Day #8 Plitvice–Zagreb. Time to soak in the pure beauty of the NATIONAL PARK, famous for its lakes, waterfalls, and forests. Then, head for Zagreb, capital of Croatia. (B,D)
Day #9 Zagreb. Meet your Local Guide and start your morning sightseeing, which features all important landmarks of the Lower and medieval Upper Town, such as the Parliament, Stone Gate, the Archbishop’s Palace, and more, plus a visit to the majestic CATHEDRAL. Exciting optional excursions are available to make the most of your stay, like an excursion to Kumrovec or to try out traditional dishes in one of Zagreb’s fine restaurants. (B)
Day #10 Zagreb–Ljubljana, Slovenia. Enter Slovenia and arrive in its elegant capital, Ljubljana. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the medieval castle, the impressive City Hall, and a visit to magnificent ST. NICHOLAS’ CATHEDRAL. (B)
Day #11 Ljubljana. Excursion to Trieste, Italy. Enjoy a side trip to Trieste in Italy, an important city during the Habsburg Monarchy from 1382 until 1918. After World War I, in 1920, it became part of Italy under Mussolini. The Faro della Vittoria (Light Tower) was built under the Fascist regime, and remains the city’s landmark today. In order to truly experience the Italian atmosphere, [LF] taste the traditional Illy cappuccino at one of the local cafés. (B,D)
Day #12 Ljubljana–Vienna, Austria. Leave Slovenia and the Alps behind you and drive through the loveliest part of Austria. Cross Semmering Pass and arrive in the capital, Vienna. Meet your Local Guide and start your sightseeing, including vistas of Prater Park with its giant Ferris wheel and a drive along the elegant Ringstrasse. Pass the impressive State Opera House, the Jewish quarter, and stop at Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Austrian imperial family. Marvel at the impressive courtyards and famous Heldenplatz, and visit awesome ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL. Tonight, you may join an optional evening out for dinner and a concert in one of Vienna’s many concert halls. (B)
Day #13 At Leisure in Vienna. Today is your chance to join exciting optional excursions, such as the Vienna Woods, historic Schönbrunn Palace, Bratislava in Slovakia, or to just explore this magnificent city on your own. Enjoy a farewell dinner with Heurigen wine, the best way to say, “Auf Wiedersehen, Wien!” (B,D)
Day #14 Vienna. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Hotels:
DUBROVNIK Valamar Lacroma Resort (F)
SARAJEVO Europe (F)
SPLIT President (SF)
PLITVICE Jezero (F)
ZAGREB The Westin Zagreb (SF)
LJUBLJANA Austria Trend Ljubljana (F)
VIENNA Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermeier (F)