Day 1 - Arrive Zagreb, Croatia
On arrival, transfer to your historic Art Deco hotel, set
within a gracious building dating back to 1925. Gather for
a welcome dinner tonight.
Day 2 - Zagreb
Zagreb is Croatia’s capital and largest city, and its history
stretches back to Roman times. This morning, take an
extensive walking tour of the city to see the train station
building and downtown promenade parks. Continue on
to one of the loveliest parts of Zagreb, including St. Mark’s
Square and the Cathedral. Ride a funicular built in 1889 to
reach the charming Upper Town quarter from Lower Town. Visit Ban Jelacic Square, which divides the old and new
regions of the city. Its two prominent landmarks — the clock
at the west end of the square and the statue of Count Josip
Jelacic on horseback — have passed into the Zagreb lexicon,
with locals often making plans to meet each other “under the
clock” or “under the horse’s tail.” Afterward, enjoy a delicious
lunch at a local resident's apartment restaurant. Take the rest
of the afternoon to explore the capital.
Day 3 - Zadar
Drive to the coastal city of Zadar, the oldest city in Croatia
and one of the most scenic along the Adriatic Sea. Enjoy
lunch and a maraschino liqueur tasting — unlike its
namesake cherry, maraschino has a more sour flavor, and
is a key ingredient in the Hemingway daiquiri, one of the
legendary author’s favorite drinks. Then, take a short walking
Experience Croatia’s breathtaking, island-dotted coastline
tour that introduces you to St. Donat’s Church and the Sea
Organ, an art installation designed by local architect Nikola
Basic, which converts the movement of the waves into music.
Continue to Split, where you check in to your boutique hotel
in the heart of the city.
Day 4 - Split
Begin the day with a private tour of the Ivan Mestrovic
Gallery with its curator, marveling at the 86 bronze, marble
and wood sculptures within. Anyone familiar with Chicago’s
Grant Park knows Mestrovic’s bronze masterpieces, The
Bowman and The Spearman. Set off on a walking tour of
Split, starting with the palace of the Emperor Diocletian. This
massive complex takes up around half of Split’s Old Town
and has been immaculately preserved and restored, giving
visitors a palpable sense of life in the days of the Roman
Empire. Visitors who find its basement oddly familiar may
recognize it as the location for Daenerys’ throne room on
the hit TV series Game of Thrones. Other noteworthy sites
within the palace are Peristil Square, where the emperor
gave speeches, and his mausoleum, now a church. Afterward,
explore more of captivating Split at your leisure.
Day 5 - Brac
Board a ferry to Brac, a Dalmatian island famous for its
stone, used in Split’s Diocletian's Palace and the White House in Washington, D.C. Visit Skrip, the oldest village on
the island, and the Museum of Brac. While short on people
(with a population of barely 200), its location provides jaw-dropping
views of the coast and mainland. Stop at a traditional
restaurant for lunch, sampling local specialties of lamb, cheese,
olives and wine before returning by ferry to Split.
Day 6 - Dubrovnik
Set out for Dubrovnik, stopping at Ston, world-renowned
for its oysters. Meet a village fisherman and sample one of
these tasty delights paired with a local wine for a true taste
of Croatia. Complete a superb lunch at a nearby seafood
restaurant before continuing on to Dubrovnik. During the
Middle Ages, Dubrovnik was a center of maritime trade,
and its wealth and skill in diplomacy enabled it to become
the only Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Centuries later,
the city emerged from the chaos of the Balkan conflicts of
the 1990s with refurbished monuments and a welcoming,
forward-looking spirit that has made it one of the most-visited
on the continent. With its jumble of old buildings
topped with brilliant terra cotta tile roofs, Dubrovnik looks
like no other city in Europe, and is doubly familiar to Game
of Thrones viewers as the city of King’s Landing.
Day 7 - Kotor, Montenegro
Spend the day in marvelous Montenegro, which was finally
established as a fully independent state in 2006, following the
dissolution of Yugoslavia. With its rugged mountains that
sweep down to the glittering blue Adriatic Sea, Montenegro
features dynamic topography dotted with picturesque villages
and fortified towns. Drive around the eastern edge of Boka
Kotorska, Europe's southernmost fjord, where precipitous
mountains rise from azure waters. Reach the coastal city
of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by
fortifications that date back to the era when the region lay
under Venetian rule. Enjoy a walking tour of the town,
including its 12th-century Cathedral and Maritime Museum,
followed by lunch and exploration at leisure. Take a boat ride
back across the bay, past the Baroque Church of Our Lady of
the Rocks. From the water, admire the famous church, built
on an artificial island fashioned by a bulwark of rocks and the
remains of old shipwrecks. Local legend has it that the island
was created over the centuries by fishermen dropping rocks
into the sea, a tale re-enacted every year on July 22, when locals
sail to the island to attend church and deposit more stones
along the shore. Afterward, drive back to Dubrovnik.
Day 8 - Dubrovnik
Enjoy a morning tour of Dubrovnik. Proclaimed a “city
museum” by UNESCO, the Old Town is surrounded by
impressive stone walls and towers that make it one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Mingle with local
traders and craftspeople in its markets. Then, reflect during
an A&K exclusive as a survivor of the Balkan War shares
memories of the conflict that secured Croatia's independence
from the former Yugoslavia, a struggle that cost more than
20,000 lives. Spend the afternoon at leisure, followed by a
memorable farewell dinner accompanied by a traditional
klapa (a cappella choir) performance, arranged just for you.
Day 9 - Depart Dubrovnik
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.