DAY 1, ARRIVAL DAY – VENICE CITY SIGHTSEEING
Arrival at Venice airport, meet with your private guide and transfer to the center of Venice, romantic city located in Veneto region of Italy. Venice is situated on a group of 118 small islands, connected with series of canals and linked by over 400 bridges. Your guide will show you the most famous areas of the city of Venice and you will have plenty of time to enjoy its gondolas, canals, amazing restaurants, and unforgettable romantic ambiance. Accommodation in Venice.
Venice: Venice is definitely a city for one's wish list. Waterfront palazzos, palaces, and churches make drifting down the Grand Canal feel like cruising through a painting.
Top attractions in Venice are: visit famous St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) located in the heart of Venice, with its outstanding Basilica and Campanile, take a gondola ride through the Grand Canal and small waterways, which are in a sense is the real boulevard of Venice, enjoy unique views of Venice from the romantic Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri ),visit Gallerie dell’Accademia, Doges Palace and many others splendid building representing rich culture of Venice.
DAY 2, VENICE – WINE TASTING KOPER – OPATIJA
Morning departure to Slovenia, to the picturesque town of Kotor famous for its rich wine tradition.
During the day we will visit Vinakoper's magnificent wine cellar and taste delicious wines.
Vina Koper have been producing top-quality and luxurious wines since the foundation of the company in 1947. Once will have change to explore the exquisite aroma of ruby jewels of Slovene Istrian soil and the Mediterranean sun. On your tour through the Refosco Mansion, you will be able to discover the abundant thousand-year-old tradition of viticulture and oenology in Slovene Istria and to taste different grape varieties.
Late afternoon continue to Opatija.
DAY 3, GASTRONIMIC EXPERICENE IN ISTRIA: ROVINJ, MOTOVUN AND LIVADE
Istria is heart-shaped peninsula located just south of Trieste in Italy and surrounded by the Adriatic Sea. It is a a top gourmet destination for food and wine lovers thanks to its sun-kissed hills and a unique blend of soils that favoures growth of grapevines and olives. Wine and olive oil is domestically produced from traditionally native Istrian sorts.
Our foody trip to Istria starts with a touch of romance in Rovinj, followed by gastronomic and wine experience in Stancija Meneghetti. Stancija Meneghetti is an authentic Istrian estate from the beginning of 20 century. The wine hotel, restaurant and winery is built on a 120.000 square meter estate, surrounded by olive and wine yards. Some of the best wines will be served during wine tasting.
Afternoon is reserved for truffle search demonstration organized in Motovun woods with well trained dogs, followed with truffle tasting in restaurant Zigante in Livade.
Did you know that in 1999. Mr. Giancarlo Zigante, owner of Croatia's largest exporter of Istrian truffles Zigante Tartufi, along with his dog Diana, found the world's largest truffle in Istria, weighing 1.31kg and making it into the Guinness Book of World Records?
Before return to hotel, we will visit a high-perched village Motovun and enjoy a liitle bit more mgnificent views of the surrounding green hills and vineyards.
Rovinj: Built upon a rich fishermen’s tradition this town with unique old core, the 67-kilometer shoreline, 2,289 ha of protected green surfaces and improved park forests, 16 islands, islets and reefs, is one of the most romantic places in the Mediterranean.
The town is dominated by the baroque Church of St. Euphemia, its 60-meter tower providing a view of grey and red rooftops, streets and squares, the port and pier with ships and boats.
Did you know people from Rovinj built their own fishing boat called Batana?
DAY 4, OPATIJA – VISITING NATIONAL PARK KRKA – SPLIT
We continue with exploring the diversity of Croatian cuisine and discovering its wonderful specialties as we travel south along the Coast.
Today we will have guided tour of National Park Krka, located in beautiful natural surroundings of karst hinterland of Sibenik Riviera. This is a spot where the stunning beauty is expressed in full through the perennial play of sun and water , where the River Krka forms picturesque waterfalls cascading over 17 natural barriers.
After Krka Waterfalls hiking tour, lunch will be served in traditional Dalmatian tavern. Menu of the day is Peka (baked under the iron bell). The recipe for a peka is over a thousand years old, but still used today because it is the best way to preserve the richness of taste. You can put anything you choose under a peka – meat, fish, vegetables etc., it will be delicious. The only thing you need while waiting peka to be ready is a sip of homemade rakija (brandy). Bus ride to Split.
National Park Krka: The national park Krka is area of exceptional natural value. The Krka River is 72.5 km long. With its seven waterfalls and a total drop in altitude of 242 m, the Krka is a natural and karst phenomenon. The Park covers an area of 142 square km and includes two thirds of the river itself. The top attraction of the Park are its magnificent waterfalls, the most famous is Skradinski Buk falls, small island of Visovac on which the monastery is located and Roski Slap waterfall.
DAY 5, OLIVE OIL TASTING EXPERIENCE IN SPLIT
Good morning Split. City tour of Split will be accompanied with olive oil tasting in the best olive oil bar in center.
There are about 4.5 million olive trees growing in Dalmatia, and the largest Croatian island Brac is home to roughly 500,000 of them. The secret to the success of olive grows lies in the fact that Dalmatia has an average of 2600 hours of sun per year. More about basics of olive oil production, ways to recognize the quality of oil one can find out during olive oil tasting.
Did you know that in certain historical periods, olives were used as money?
Exquisite tastes and traditional flavors are on the menu today. Afternoon is free at leisure.
DAY 6, SPLIT – OYSTERS TASTING IN MALI STON BAY – DUBROVNIK
We continue our trip traveling south, toward Durbovnik. But before reaching Dubrovnik, stop will be made in the bay of Mali Ston, famous for seashell cultivation since the days of the Roman Empire.
Mali Ston hosts the largest oyster cultivation facilities in the Adriatic.
Join our hosts for a panoramic boat ride on a beautiful wooden boat through the Bay of Mali Sto, among the oyster beds. Find out how the oysters are cultivated and don't miss the opportunity to «pick» your own oyster and taste it directly from the sea.
Ston: Small town on Peljesac Peninsula surrounded with 5 km long city walls, considered to be second longest in the world. Its wealth was derived from the salt works that are still in function today, and today this region is predominantly known as the «oyster capital» of Croatia.
Oysters have been cultivated near Dubrovnik, in the seabed of Mali Ston Bay, since ancient times and consumed in honor of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, said to have been born from a shell.
DAY 7, DUBROVNIK – KONAVLE COOKING CLASS – DUBROVNIK
Are you ready for some cooking? Private cooking class in Konavle valley, in Dubrovnik countyside.
Get ready to have real experience in Mediterranean kitchen and learn every secret that goes into each delicious bite! Taste traditionall Croatian food, aromatic herbs and local spices and learn how to prepare authentic Dalmatian dish using local ingredients and traditional recipe. We guarantee authentic taste, plenty of fun and delicious meal!
DAY 8, CHEESE AND HAM TASTING IN NJEGUSI AND CETINJE
After breakfast we go to neighborhood Montenegro to learn little bit more about rich Montenegrin national cuisine and taste some of their delicius dished.
First stop is Njegusi, picturesque village located on the slopes of the mountain Lovcen , above Kotor. Njegusi are known as the birthplace of the Petrovic dynasty, which ruled Montenegro more than 200 years. Here in pristine nature one can enjoy the famous “prsuta “ – smoked ham. It is the meat of which people take care day and night, while it is dried exclusively on beech logs, for several months. It is served with the domestic, most often grape brandy, and with the dry cheese from Njegusi.
After tasty snack, visit to Old royal capital Cetinje. Late afternoon, return to Dubrovnik.
Cetinje: Old Royal Capital city, located in a valley surrounded by the beautiful slopes of the National Park Lovcen. This city is a pure treasure of history, culture and tradition of Montenegro. In Cetinje there are numerous museums and two buildings that are the most representative are Cetinje Monastery and Biljarda.
Nearness to the National Park Lovcen, provides an amazing opportunity for an unforgettable visit to the highest mausoleum in the world - 1657 m above the sea and with 461 steps to reach it. Mausoleum is thumb of Montenegro’s greatest historical person: Petar Petrovic II Njegos.
DAY 9, DUBROVNIK – DEPARTURE DAY
Transfer to Airport Dubrovnik for your flight back home.