Captivating Croatia

Nature, History, Culture, and Cuisine

Overview

Explore historic, beautiful Croatia on this small group adventure from the Istria peninsula in the north, south to the dramatic Dalmatian Coast. Your journey is a superb off the beaten path blend of nature, culture, and connection—with a culinary thread running through it! For example, you’ll be treated to an oyster and mussel “dégustation” (mindful, sensory food tasting), truffle hunting and tasting, and a traditional “under the bell” peka meal, all with gracious and convivial local hosts.

To wake your other senses, you’ll hike through beech forests and past turquoise lakes, explore UNESCO World Heritage sites and nature reserves, and visit notable landmarks including hilltop villages with WWII island fortifications and the famous Blue Grotto, a glowing blue sea cave you approach by small boat. Fill your senses to the brim on this captivating Croatian adventure!

Price From

$8,995 USD
Trip Type

Small Group Adventure
Departure Dates

May 8 - 16, 2026
May 19 - 27, 2026
Sep 15 - 23, 2026
Sep 25 - Oct 3, 2026
Oct 5 - 13, 2026
Apr 29 - May 7, 2027
May 10 - 18, 2027
Sep 20 - 28, 2027
Sep 29 - Oct 7, 2027
Oct 8 - 16, 2027
Mouse over or tap the departure dates to see trip prices.
Duration

9 days / 8 nights
Trip begins/ends
Pula, Croatia / Split, Croatia

*Price per person based on double occupancy. Trip price includes all lodging, meals, ground transportation, guide services and activities as described in this itinerary.

Call Toll-Free 800-445-2995

Do you want to customize this trip?

We customize trips all the time! Email us today: [email protected].

Trip Details

Trip Highlights

What’s Included? Everything you need, plus everything you want.

Distinctive Food and Lodging: Savor the gracious hospitality of boutique lodgings and the exquisite flavors of thoughtfully prepared meals, with just the right wine pairings.
Top-notch Trip Leader: Your local Croatian Trip Leader connects you to the soul, the stories, and the joys of this very special place.
History and Culture: Trace your way through history from the legend of Istrian Atlantis, to Diocletian’s Palace, to Tito’s Cave and World War II military relics.
Truffle Hunting: Take to the forest with a professional truffle hunter and specially trained dog to search for these treasured fungi.

The Essentials

Captivating Croatia

Trip Type: Small Group Adventure

Territory:

Region: Croatia

Trip Price: From $8,995

Single Supplement: $1,875

On-Trip Airfare: $0

Duration: 9 days/8 nights

Trip Begins/Ends: Pula, Croatia / Split, Croatia

Minimum Travelers: 4 travelers

Maximum Travelers: 16 travelers

Select Terms & Conditions

Pricing detailed for this Small Group Adventure is based upon double occupancy. Additional charges for single travelers and any on-trip airfare required for the trip apply. A booking deposit is required to reserve your space. Small Group Adventure pricing includes all lodging, meals (unless otherwise noted), activities, baggage handling, transportation, and guide service. Not included are travel costs to/from gateway cities, guide gratuities, and personal incidentals including, but not limited to, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.

Energy Index

No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities

Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration

High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun

Captivating Croatia

The Energy Index for this trip is “Nice & Active”, at elevations ranging from sea level to 2,000 feet. Activities include hiking 4 to 6 miles per day (with elevation gain/loss not typically more than 500 feet), and multiple boat rides that may experience choppy water at times. Travelers who can hike the minimum end of this range are a good fit for this trip. Contact a Travel Advisor for details.

Make It Private

Make this trip all yours!

Most all of our Small Group Adventures can be made private to just your traveling troupe. Just give us a call at (800) 445-2995 and tell us that you would like to “make it private”!

Generally, there are two ways to make a small group adventure private. First, you could capture one of our published departure dates for just your group. In order to achieve this, we have to have sufficient space available to create a separate private trip. Second, we could take the details of this itinerary and fashion it for just your group on dates of your choosing. For this, too, we just need to review your interest, group size, and preferred timing in order to create the trip.

In all cases, the process begins with a phone call so give us a ring at (800) 445-2995 and after just a few minutes gathering information, we can set to the task of making your trip a reality!

Trip Highlights
The Essentials
Energy Index
Make It Private

What’s Included? Everything you need, plus everything you want.

Distinctive Food and Lodging: Savor the gracious hospitality of boutique lodgings and the exquisite flavors of thoughtfully prepared meals, with just the right wine pairings.
Top-notch Trip Leader: Your local Croatian Trip Leader connects you to the soul, the stories, and the joys of this very special place.
History and Culture: Trace your way through history from the legend of Istrian Atlantis, to Diocletian’s Palace, to Tito’s Cave and World War II military relics.
Truffle Hunting: Take to the forest with a professional truffle hunter and specially trained dog to search for these treasured fungi.

Captivating Croatia

Trip Type: Small Group Adventure

Territory:

Region: Croatia

Trip Price: From $8,995

Single Supplement: $1,875

On-Trip Airfare: $0

Duration: 9 days/8 nights

Trip Begins/Ends: Pula, Croatia / Split, Croatia

Minimum Travelers: 4 travelers

Maximum Travelers: 16 travelers

Select Terms & Conditions

Pricing detailed for this Small Group Adventure is based upon double occupancy. Additional charges for single travelers and any on-trip airfare required for the trip apply. A booking deposit is required to reserve your space. Small Group Adventure pricing includes all lodging, meals (unless otherwise noted), activities, baggage handling, transportation, and guide service. Not included are travel costs to/from gateway cities, guide gratuities, and personal incidentals including, but not limited to, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.

Energy Index

No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities

Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration

High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun

Captivating Croatia

The Energy Index for this trip is “Nice & Active”, at elevations ranging from sea level to 2,000 feet. Activities include hiking 4 to 6 miles per day (with elevation gain/loss not typically more than 500 feet), and multiple boat rides that may experience choppy water at times. Travelers who can hike the minimum end of this range are a good fit for this trip. Contact a Travel Advisor for details.

Make this trip all yours!

Most all of our Small Group Adventures can be made private to just your traveling troupe. Just give us a call at (800) 445-2995 and tell us that you would like to “make it private”!

Generally, there are two ways to make a small group adventure private. First, you could capture one of our published departure dates for just your group. In order to achieve this, we have to have sufficient space available to create a separate private trip. Second, we could take the details of this itinerary and fashion it for just your group on dates of your choosing. For this, too, we just need to review your interest, group size, and preferred timing in order to create the trip.

In all cases, the process begins with a phone call so give us a ring at (800) 445-2995 and after just a few minutes gathering information, we can set to the task of making your trip a reality!

Itinerary

Day 1: Pula / Rovinj

Arrive at the Pula airport by early afternoon, and head off with your Trip Leader to explore Pula’s old town. The Roman Amphitheater here is considered to be among the best preserved in the world. We’ll settle into our gracious hotel in Rovinj this afternoon.

Day 2: Rovinj and Lim Bay

After breakfast, our day includes a guided tour of Rovinj and getting out on the water in Lim Bay, enjoying stunning views of the coastline and the Adriatic Sea. Our ultimate destination after exploring the bay is a small island where our friendly boat captain and crew will prepare a traditional Croatian-style barbecue on the beach. After an exquisite meal, we’ll return to the sea to search for the playful dolphins known to inhabit the pristine waterways off the coast before making our way back to Rovinj.

Day 3: Groznjan / Parenzana Trail

After explorations this morning in the 14th century Venetian village of Groznjan, we hike along the Parenzana trail, once a narrow-gauge railway. The original stone viaduct arches still bridge the canyons of thunderous small rivers. After our walk, we visit a local olive oil farm and Istrian winery for a tasting. Then, we'll meet a local truffle hunter who will guide us on a 45-minute forest walk to find truffles. Our day ends in Buzet with a lovely dinner.

Day 4: Plitvice Lakes National Park

Today, we explore UNESCO World Heritage Plitvice Lakes National Park to savor the colors and unique geography. The park is famous for its spectacular landscape of colorful lakes linked by cascading falls and travertine pools. At the end of the day, we settle into memorable luxury accommodations in the heart of the park.

Day 5: Paklenica National Park / Trogir

From Plitvice, we drive to Paklenica National Park, part of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, for some of the most pristine scenery in the Mediterranean. There are several wonderful hikes through beach and black pine forests to choose from, and we enjoy lunch in a tiny mountain village. Next stop, Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the Little Venice of Dalmatia, and sometimes called a city-museum because of its rich cultural heritage and intact authentic architecture.

Day 6: Split / Vis

After arriving in Split, we'll take a morning walking tour that takes us inside Diocletian's Palace, one of the most imposing Roman ruins in existence. Later we board a ferry to the island of Vis, which has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. Vis has two towns, Komiza and Vis, located on opposite sides of the island. Today is all about getting to know the charming streets of Vis town. Dinner tonight is in a traditional Dalmatian restaurant.

Day 7: Biševo island

This morning we explore tiny Biševo island, situated on the ancient sailing passage known as “Diomedes’ route.“ Over centuries, the few residents have covered the landscape with renowned vineyards. Perhaps the island’s most famous feature is the Blue Grotto, a sea cave that fills with mesmerizing blue light at certain times of day. We head back to Vis after visiting the Blue Grotto, and are treated to a traditional Peka, or “under the bell” meal tonight.

Day 8: Vis / Hum Peak / Tito’s Cave

After breakfast we explore the island’s interior and take a short walk to the summit of Mount Hum, the highest point on the island. Former Yugoslavian president Josip Tito used a cave on this mountain as his headquarters during WWII, and we’ll get to see it on a walking tour. There was a huge base for land-sea missiles at Stupišće point near Komiža, with impressive tunnels and a bunker complex on alert in case of invasion. We enjoy dinner tonight in a traditional restaurant.

Day 9: Departures home from Split

All too soon, it seems, we catch the ferry back to Split and transfer to the airport for departures home.

Request a Trip Brochure Book My Space

Lodging

Angelo d'Oro

Held in the embrace of centuries-old stone walls, this boutique hotel is nestled in the heart of Rovinj’s Old Town. You’ll love the Secret Garden.

Boutique Vela Vrata Hotel

This unique hotel sits perched over the town of Buzet amid historic buildings, offering stunning views of the hills and Mirna River Valley. The hotel is intimate, with only 19 guest rooms.

Villa Piemonte

Villa Piemonte, located just outside of Grožnjan, offers an intimate experience for guests, with just four guest rooms onsite. The property is newly renovated, and features a spacious terrace with a swimming pool.

Ethno Houses Plitvica Selo

Located in the heart of Croatia's oldest national park, this recently built lodge earns the "ethno" in its name in its respect and consideration for the natural and cultural tradition,

Hotel Pasike

Stay in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site! This 13-room family-owned hotel is in a historic Trogir building and is furnished with restored antiques.

XII Century Heritage Hotel

Originally a 12th century palace, the XII Century Heritage Hotel sits on Trogir’s waterfront just steps from the town’s historic streets and waterfront promenade.