Nature, History, Culture, and Cuisine
Trip Type: Small Group Adventure
Territory:
Region: Croatia
Trip Price: From $7,395
Single Supplement: $1,375
On-Trip Airfare: $0
Duration: 9 days/8 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Pula, Croatia / Split, Croatia
Minimum Travelers: 4 travelers
Maximum Travelers: 16 travelers
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.
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
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.
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!
Arrive at the Pula airport by early afternoon, and head off with your Trip Leader to 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.
We start our day with breakfast at our hotel before taking to the cobbled streets of Rovinj for a guided tour of the town. Afterward, you will have the freedom to explore on your own before gathering for a group lunch. In the early afternoon, we will set sail for Lim Bay where we will dock at a small island to enjoy a traditional Croatian-style barbecue dinner on the beach. After an exquisite sunset dinner, we’ll return to the sea in the final light of the day to search for the playful dolphins known to inhabit the pristine waterways off the coast.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
All too soon, it seems, we catch the ferry back to Split and transfer to the airport for departures home.
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.
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.
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 natural and cultural tradition.
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.
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.
Stylish rooms, a garden courtyard, and warm hospitality greet you at this intimate, idyllic island hotel, a short stroll from the sea.
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