Delmata Travel / Summer 2017 Discover, feel and taste Croatia
Discover, feel and taste Croatia General info In this 14 days travel package you will discover Croatia through a tour which begins in the capital Zagreb and finishes in Dubrovnik. After a day in the Zagorje region, you will head to Plitvice - the most famous national park of Croatia. Your journey will continue through Dalmatia where you will have guided tours of historical cities Šibenik, Zadar, Nin, Trogir and Split. Visits to two other national parks, Krka and Kornati, are also scheduled. For the last six days of the journey, you will be situated in the Old City of Dubrovnik from where you will explore gems that were once under the crown of the Republic of Ragusa. Depending on the number of travelers, you can choose between a villa, an apartment, a hotel or a lighthouse for your accommodation. Transfers are organized depending on your time and place of arrival. If you are interested in other kind of activities or if you have any other questions regarding the program, please contact our team so we could provide an itinerary fitting your needs and wishes.
General info - map From your arrival up to your departure, our team will be at your service, taking care of every detail in order to make your stay as comfortable as possible. 1 Zagreb / Arrival 2 Zagroje Region 3 NP Plitvice 4 Šibenik 2 5 NP Kornati 6 NP Krka 1 7 Zadar 3 8 Nin 9 Trogir 10 Split 7 8 5 4 6 9 10 12 11 12 13 14 Dubrovnik Mostar Elaphite islands Arboretum trsteno 16 15 14 13 11 15 16 Oyster and fish farm Wine tasting
Day 1 1. Arrival / Zagreb Welcome to Croatia! We will welcome you at the airport, and transfer you to your accommodation. After checking-in you will have free time for relaxation. Depending on the time of your arrival and your preferences, different activities can be organized. In the evening hours a welcome dinner will be served in a restaurant in the city center.
Discover, feel and taste Croatia Day 2 2. Zagreb + Zagorje Region Zagorje is a region in the north-western part of Croatia, near the capital city Zagreb. That relatively small region is known for its extraordinary rich history and cultural heritage. No other part of Croatia can offer that many castles and fortifications, churches and abbeys, as well archeological sites that attract visitors. Along with great gastronomy and wine, Zagorje is one of the best touristic regions in Croatia yet relatively unknown. A traditional lunch will be served in a restaurant, or a family farm.
Discover, feel and taste Croatia Day 3 3. National Park Plitvice + Šibenik In the morning hours you will travel from Zagreb to the Plitvice Lakes National Park. In 1979, Plitvice was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list among the first natural sites worldwide. The park is famous for its 16 lakes arranged in cascades, connected with waterfalls, including the largest waterfall in Croatia, with a height of 78 meters. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey and blue, surrounded with forests full of unique flora and fauna. In the park area there are more than 100 different plant species, 50 species of mammals, 300 different kinds of butterflies and over 150 species of birds. In the afternoon hours you will continue your journey to Šibenik, where you will spend your night.
Day 4 4. Šibenik Your day will start with a guided tour of Šibenik, one of the most naturally protected harbors on the Adriatic coast. Its narrow winding streets, stone houses, ancient staircases and the remains of the city walls give Šibenik a romantic Mediterranean atmosphere. As the oldest Croatian autochthonous town, it was first mentioned in 1066 during the reign of one of the most important Croatian kings, Krešimir IV. Numerous churches, monasteries, palaces and four fortresses dote the city. Lunch will take place in the city center, after which you will have a panoramic boat ride around the city.
Day 5 5. National Park Kornati In the morning hours you will meet up with your skipper and set sail for the National Park Kornati. The Kornati archipelago consists of 152 islands that are approximately 100 million years old; on their surface you can find many fossils of ancient marine organisms which lived on this territory about 15.000 years ago, before the huge global warming that raised the water level for 100m. Due to its outstanding natural beauty, diverse coastlines, preserved nature and rich marine ecosystem, the Kornati Island archipelago was declared as a National park in 1980. While cruising around the islands you will have a few stops to explore the islands and enjoy the untouched nature. In the evening hours you will be transferred back to Šibenik.
Day 6 6. National Park Krka After breakfast in Šibenik, you will be transferred to the National Park Krka. The park boundaries stretch for 50 km along the upper and middle course of the Krka River, and the lower course of the Čikola River. With its seven travertine waterfalls and total drop of 242m, the Krka River is a natural and karst phenomenon. The living world of Krka National Park is very rich and diverse, with numerous endemic, rare and threatened species. Visovac Island is one of the top attractions in the park and it is situated in the middle of a lake bearing the same name. A Franciscan Monastery and a Church are there since 1445. After the exploration of the National park you will head back to Šibenik for dinner.
Day 7, Part 1 7. Zadar In the morning hours you will head north to Zadar. The entire city of Zadar was built for centuries and preserved. Its monasteries and churches witness the artistic and material wealth of Zadar. The Symbol of the city is the church of St. Donatus dating back to the 9th century and built on the remains of an ancient Roman Forum. The city of Zadar can be found in the oldest European tourist guidebooks and has kept its status as a tourist center for centuries. You will spend your morning discovering the city though a private guided walking tour and during which you will visit two unique attractions, the sound-and-light spectacle of the Sea Organ and the Sun Salutation.
Day 7, Part 2 8. Nin After Zadar you will head to Nin. The town of Nin is located on a small island in the middle of a shallow lagoon which is connected to the mainland by two stone bridges. Founded in the 9th century BC and partially destroyed a few times throughout history. Venice sacrificed the city in 1646 in order to protect Zadar from the Turkish invasion. A guided tour and free time for lunch are scheduled before your travel to the city of Trogir in the afternoon hours.
Day 7, Part 3 9. Trogir Greek colonists from the island of Vis founded Trogir in the 3rd century BC. Since 1997 the historic city center is under UNESCO protection. The whole town is made out of stone and is situated on a small island that is connected by bridges to the mainland and the island of Čiovo. Your evening hours will be free of activities.
Day 8 10. Split + Dubrovnik In the morrning hours you will have a guided tour of Trogir and then you will head to Split. On the streets of Split you can still feel the Dalmatian way of life as it once was. The story of the city is already 17 centuries old, dating back to the time when Roman Emperor Diocletian decided to build his own palace in which he would retire after stepping down from the imperial throne. During these 1700 years the Palace slowly turned into a city that nowadays still holds the natural beauty and its cultural heritage from the Roman ages. In the evening hours you will head to Dubrovnik where you will stay for the next 6 days.
Day 9 11. Dubrovnik The undeniable charm and beauty, that the city of Dubrovnik offers, resides in its long and rich history.. The city achieved a high level of development and wealth, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries in which many beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains were built, and preserved until today. From 1979 the Old City of Dubrovnik is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will have a gudied tour of the city and the rest of the day will be free of activites.
Day 10 12. Vjetrenica + Mostar + Hutovo blato In the morning hours, you will head to the Vjetrenica cave which is located on the way to the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vjetrenica is one of the most important caves in the Dinaric alps mountain range, famous worldwide for its karstic and speleological riches. After the guided tour of the cave, you will head to the cultural capital of Herzegovina region, the city of Mostar. There you will have a guided tour and lunch in one of the local restaurants near the famous Old Bridge. In the afternoon hours, you will visit the natural reserve and bird reserve Hutovo Blato where you will have a guided boat tour through the marshlands. It is the largest reserve of its kind in the region, in terms of both size and diversity.
Day 11 13. Elaphite Islands In the afternoon hours you will cruise around the Elaphite islands. The archipelago is composed of 13 islands, however, only 3 of them are inhabited: Koločep, Šipan and Lopud. On Koločep you will find several churches dating back to the 9th century, as well as the famous Blue Cave located on the south of the island. After lunch on Koločep, you will be transfered to the Šipan Island. Because of its quiet bays, beaches and groves of orange and lemon trees, the island used to be a gateway for wealthy families from Dubrovnik. The cruise will end in the evening hours on the Lopud Island. In the past, the island was famous for its captains; it provided most of the sailors for the Dubrovnik Republic navy. Nowadays cars are banned on the island and it represents one of the biggest attractions in the Dubrovnik region.
Day 12 / Free day in Dubrovnik
Day 13, part 1 14. Arboretum Trsteno Arboretum trsteno was officially founded in 1498, which makes it the oldest arboretum in this part of the world. The noble family Gutecic-Gozze took the initiative to ask the sailors to bring back seeds and plants from their long journeys. Today the arboretum exhibits wonderful sights due to its five century continuous development from Gothic Renaissance, Renaissance Baroque and Romantic forms to the present.
Day 13, Part 2 15. Oyster and fish farm Blaževo is a small place located near Ston. There, you will find one of the tastiest oyster in the world, first class fish, bottarga (also called Caviar of the South ) and a seabed sparkling wine cellar. Your host will be awaiting you with seafood specialties and a glass of wine. After a few words about the fish farm, the tour will move on to the boat. You will have the chance to pick your own oysters and learn about seafood and fish species living in the area. Just before heading back to the shore, you will stop above the underwater wine cellar from where you can choose some of the best Croatian sparkling wines, stored under the Adriatic Sea.
Discover, feel and taste Croatia Day 13, Part 3 16. Wine tasting with lunch In the afternoon hours you will be transferred to Grgurević vineyards. Centuries of winemaking on the peninsula resulted in some of the best wines in the world. You will enjoy a wine tasting with local delicacies served by the owner himself. He will give you an insight on his way of life and explain his winemaking philosophy.
Day 14 / Departure
Activities / Extended In this brochure are some of our highlighted activities and if you are interested in other experiences that are not listed above, feel free to contact our team and share with us what would you like to do. These are some of our travel packages that can be used as extensions to the suggested program: 1. Explore Dalmatia with speed boats or sailing boats (3/5 days) - Visit: Šibenik, NP Kornati, Hvar, Brač, Vis, Korčula, Dubrovnik 2. Relax and explore on Pelješac peninsula (3/5 days) - Enjoy: Wine tastings, Family farms, Small beaches, Pisciculture 3. Explore Montenegro (3 days) - Acitivities: Climbing, Hiking, Rafting, Zip-line, Kayaking, Canoeing 4. Windsurfing or Kitesurfing school (5/7 days) 5. Diving school with PADI certificate (5 days) 6. Boat skipper school (7 days)
Activities / 14 days Suggested program includes these activities Highlights - City of Zagreb / Guided tour - Zagorje region sightseeing - Trakoscan castle visit - National Park Plitvice - City of Šibenik / Guided tour - National Park Krka - National Park Kornati / Boat tour - City of Zadar / Guided tour - City of Nin / Guided tour - City of Trogir / Guided tour - City of Dubrovnik / Guided tour - Vjetrenica cave tour - City of Mostar / Guided tour - Hutovo Blato / Boat tour - Elafiti islands / Boat tour - Arboretum trsteno visit - Oyster and fish farm tour - Wine tasting on Pelješac peninsula - Pelješac peninsula sightseeing Transportation - Airport transfers - Private car transportation for 14 days - Private boat transportation for 1 day The suggested program includes 16 meals in restaurants and family farms that were hand-picked by the Delmata travel team.
Delmata Travel is a tourist agency specialized in creating tailor made packages, located in Zagreb, Croatia. Company: Delmata Travel j.d.o.o Address: Prve Poljanice 7, Zagreb, Croatia OIB: 21858494377 IBAN: HR83 2340 0091 1107 2788 7 ID code: HR-AB-01-080975150 Contact us: Tel: 00385 91 792 4122 E-mail: info@delmata-travel.hr Skype: delmata.travel@gmail.com Website: www.delmata-travel.hr