While Rome and Athens have long been considered the go-to destinations for history buffs who are seeking to delve into the ancient past, far too little travelers realize how rich and wondrous the cultural relics of Croatia’s are as well. That is why the Easter European gem of Croatia is the perfect pick for this historically-based, 10-day adventure through time and space. From Dubrovnik’s Old City to Zagreb’s Upper Town and the iconic historical landmarks in between, this historically-based adventure...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Dubrovnik - Arrive in Dubrovnik and Enjoy a Sunset Dinner Sail
The moment that you arrive in Dubrovnik, your private driver will whisk you to your luxurious accommodation. After having a short time to settle in and freshen up, you will embark on a relaxing dinner cruise on an authentic, 16th-century karaka vessel. As you marvel at the craftsmanship of the boat and listen to facts about these vessels’ historical significance, you will enjoy a Dalmatian meal amid the stunning backdrop of the coastline.
After being awed throughout and inspired by the kaleidoscope of colors in your first official Croatian sunset, you will glide back to the Dubrovnik docks upon the azure Adriatic waves. Your driver will be waiting to meet you upon your arrival, and they will return you to your luxurious accommodation for the remainder of the evening.
What's Included:
Day 2
Dubrovnik – Explore the Old City and Get a Glimpse at Lokrum Island
Day 3
Dubrovnik – Delve into the Storied Past of the Konavle Valley Region
Day 4
Dubrovnik - Private Sailing Adventure around the Elaphiti Islands
Day 5
Split - Stroll around Split and Dive into Trogir’s Treasure Trove of History
Day 6
Zadar - Take a Historical Tour of Zadar and Enjoy a Sunset Sail
Day 7
Plitvice - Visit Picturesque Plitvice National Park and Rastoke Village
Day 8
Zagreb – Wander Zagreb’s Upper Town and Take a Cooking Class
Day 9
Zagreb - Explore Croatia’s Royal Past on a Day Trip Filled with Castles
Day 10
Zagreb – Wish Croatia Farewell after Enjoying a Lovely Brunch
Trip Highlights
- Cruise along Dubrovnik’s coastline on an authentic, 16th-century karaka as you admire sweeping views of the city from this unique seaside perspective
- Indulge in a side adventure to Lokrum Island and introduce yourself to the abundant wildlife there, which includes peacocks and bunnies
- Uncover the intriguing origins of the Konavle Valley through a local’s eyes, which will be complete with fascinating backstories, legends, and myths
- Discover the charming village of Rastoke as you wander among the quaint streets that include working watermills
- Explore the fairytale world of Plitvice National Park while wandering among its endless waterfalls and picturesque lakes
- Stroll through Dubrovnik’s Old City on an in-depth historical tour, meandering among its labyrinth of towering walls and timeless landmarks
- Delight in a historically themed cooking class, creating a delicious addition to your historical romp through Croatia
- Witness the secret side of Split and venture to all of the highlight destinations before traveling back in time in nearby Trogir
- Stroll along the picturesque Upper Town and marvel at Zagreb’s historical landmarks while snapping photos of the Zagreb Cathedral and Dolac Market
Detailed Description
Steeped in history and marked by iconic landmarks and locales that harken back to a beautiful and complicated past, Croatia is a country that boasts layers of intrigue and excitement. History lovers will be in heaven as they explore every nook and cranny of this remarkable nation, which encompasses everything from ancient fortresses to various war-torn ruins.
Your luxurious, 10-day journey into Croatian history begins as you peruse every delightful corner of Dubrovnik. You will soon understand why this seaside haven has earned itself the nickname the “Pearl of the Adriatic.” It has received this nickname due to its wealth of historical riches and its spectacular scenery. Your first evening will be spent sailing on a delicious dinner cruise aboard an authentic, 16th-century karaka vessel. A private tour of the completely walled Old City with a short excursion to Lokrum Island will provide your entertainment for your first full day. It will be followed by a private tour of origins of Konavle Valley. Here, you will be provided with the chance to spend an entire day cruising among Croatia’s Elaphiti Islands in a Galleon Ghost Ship.
Upon departing Dubrovnik, your private driver will lead you to another coastal city: Split. Here, you will jump right into an in-depth tour that will show you all of the secrets of Split’s past in addition to allowing you sightsee among its numerous landmarks. A side trip to Trogir, where you will uncover another treasure trove of history, will also inspire you. You will then indulge in a tour of Zadar’s highlights, which will allow you to explore its communist era, before venturing on a sunset sail.
Plitvice National Park will be your next destination, and here, you will be amazed by the jaw-dropping waterfalls, crystalline lakes, and luscious scenery of this national treasure. Afterward, you will venture to Rastoke Village, where you will be romanced by its charming main street and working watermills.
An exploration of Zagreb and its Upper Town will mark the final leg of your adventure, and after visiting the iconic sites, such as Dolac Market, Zagreb Cathedral, St. Mark’s Church and more, you will indulge in a private cooking class that will focus on the cultural and historical significance of the dish that you decide to craft. After spending your final day visiting Croatian castles, you will return home with a newfound appreciation of this magical country.
Luxurious accommodations and a private driver will be arranged at each destination, making your European getaway completely worry-free. Every aspect of this adventure is also customizable, so you can adjust and area of this itinerary to better suit your moods and desires once you are in Croatia. All you have to do is say yes to this exciting invitation and get on the plane.
Consider reading some of our travelers’ Croatian tour reviews for more ideas to perfect your dream Croatia vacation.
Starting Price
$3,300 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.91 stars based on 1338 reviews.
Our travel guide was excellent. Our hotels were perfect and, from the beginning, he accommodated all of my requests, including my need for gluten-free foods. And during the trip, when my daughter got sick, he arranged for a doctor to come to the hotel.
Reviewed By Julie Q.
Croatia is a beautiful country to visit. The people we met and the guides we had were all fantastic, professional, knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. Every place we visited, even the more crowded tourist areas, felt very safe.
Our Zicasso travel agent worked really closely with us right from the beginning to make sure the trip gave our family the balance of exploration, relaxation, learning, and adventure that we look for on our vacations. Every aspect of our trip – every tour, every driver, every dinner, everything – flowed exactly as we had planned it.
Reviewed By Julia S.
Our Zicasso travel agent's communication was incredible! She was fast, professional, and always thorough. Everything she planned for us was of such high quality! It was perfect!
Reviewed By Karen W.
Zicasso's travel consultant was so helpful in designing a near-perfect trip for our group of eight travelers. We visited Croatia and Greece. In the planning stages, she was patient yet persistent in moving us toward finalizing the trip. The hotel recommendations and sightseeing choices were, for the most part, outstanding. The ground transfer arrangements were perfect. Most of all, her recommendation for the right Greek island for our group's needs was spot on.
Reviewed By Ann M.
Before our trip, Zicasso's travel specialist assured us we would have an amazing, worry-free trip through Slovenia and Croatia. We most certainly did!!
She had us in beautiful, centrally located hotels, on exciting daily excursions with knowledgeable tour guides, and even on a private speedboat ride!! Our journey included historic sites, wonderful museums, and hikes through caverns, waterfalls, and fortresses!!
Any questions we had were answered in the moment, completely and respectfully! Thank you so much to our travel specialist for her caring attention to detail and for making our trip truly memorable!!
Reviewed By Darlene Z.
The entire nine days of travel from Slovenia to Montenegro were seamless as far as being picked up at the arrival airport and departure as planned. Transportaion was on schedule, which was important to me in a foreign country and eliminated any stress. Each private guide and/or driver throughout our trip was courteous and spoke English, which avoided any misunderstanding about all the wonderful sites we saw.
Lake Bled was absolutely wonderful. The guide parked the van at this family home four blocks from the lake and introduced us to his mother and sister, who welcomed us, and we saw how they lived in this beautiful village. The walk of four blocks to the lake also gave us the opportunity to see more of this quaint place to live. Since the lake does not allow power boats, we and about 20 other people were rowed to the island, where an ancient church was located. We found out that this family, in the past, were the caretakers of the island and our tour guide had to row himself to the shore to go to school and, in the winter, skate to school every day.
Next, we were driven to the castle on top of a small mountain, which had a perfect, 360-degree view of the area. Beautiful!
The next day we went to Plitvice Lakes National Park, with too many waterfalls to count and water that looked as crystal clear as any natural water I have ever seen. The four-kilometer walk upstream was nothing like I've ever seen in the USA.
We spent the night in a wonderful mountain lodge, with individual lodges and an upper-end-style bed and breakfast theme.
Split was a city with parts dating back to the third century, with many Roman influences in its many buildings.
Mostar in Bosnia was very interesting and had a central arch-style bridge which seemed to be a central point for all to see. There was so much we saw that it is too much to describe here.
We also stopped at a wine tasting at the most modern winery I've ever been to. It even had 12 guest rooms, with a pool.
On our way to Dubrovnik, we stopped at Ston to have an unbelievable lunch. At the restaurant, we had an oyster tasting of fresh oysters being farmed several hundred yards from the restaurant. We were served oysters three ways, from raw to fried and baked, and they were the best I will ever eat in my life.
We next went to Dubrovnik, which was particularly interesting to me because it is where Game of Thrones was filmed. Our guide was excellent, as he worked as a "roadie" for the film company, helping set the scenes by taking down modern signs or anything modern, and putting them back after filming. He had large screen shots in a spiral binder and would take us to a cove and hold up the screen shot of the actual scene from the movie to show us the similarity. His behind-the-scenes knowledge of the actors and the reaction from the town and church was beyond expectations. My wife and I were fans of GOT and so excited that we are going to watch if all again one day.
Our last day was in Montenegro, which again was beautiful, and we spent the day next to the water there. We were ferried to a man-made island with an old church on it.
Overall, the Adriatic Sea along the coast of these countries was one of the most beautiful stretches of water you could imagine.
Our expectations of this tour were met and exceeded.
Reviewed By Sandra H.
