Croatia is a land of many wonders – layers upon layers of history, extraordinary natural beauty, wonderful wines and delicious food. Our 12 day tour will be an exploration of the tastes, sights, smells and sounds of this remarkable country.

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We will visit the Istrian peninsula where we will base in the gorgeous old Venetian town of Rovinj and make day trips to several wineries and food artisans and historical, atmospheric towns. We will also have an afternoon on the water, seeing Rovinj and the surrounding lands as the Venetians and many sea travelers for centuries afterwards viewed them. From Rovinj we will head to the Plitvice National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site and then on to Split, where the remains of an ancient Roman palace – another Unesco World Heritage Site – are just part of the allure. We will then journey to Hvar Island for several days – one of the most beautiful places in the world with a wine history going back to the Greeks. En route to Dubrovnik we will visit the Pelješac peninsula, and depending on the season, spend one night in either the town of Ston or in beautiful Korčula instead of a fourth night in Hvar Town. Our final two nights will be in the famous walled city of Dubrovnik, where we will have a guided tour, walk the city walls, enjoy a wine tasting and a couple of excellent meals.

Because we cover so much ground on this tour, we give you ample free time to decompress and enjoy the cafes and scenery on your own.

Some of the highlights of the trip:

• Tastings at several wineries
• Visits to food artisans with tastings of regional specialties
• A day at Plitvice National Park
• Guided walks in Rovinj, Split, Hvar Town, and Dubrovnik
• A visit to Stari Grad Plain, an agricultural area dating from Greek times and a Unesco World Heritage Site
• An afternoon boat trip and picnic off the beautiful town of Rovinj
• Guided visits to the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč and the Roman Ampitheatre in Pula
• Wine tasting and the famous Ston oysters on the Pelješac peninsula
• Plus much more

On the Croatia tour, except for our lodging close to Plitvice National Park, we stay in apartments. Croatia has a long tradition of the “sobe” – apartments or rooms rented by local people for income on which to live. By staying in apartments instead of hotels, we are helping to boost the economy of the local people. In apartment lodgings, there is no daily cleaning or changing of towels. Solo travelers of the same sex may end up sharing a 2 bedroom apartment. If you have any questions about our apartment lodging in Croatia, feel free to get in touch.

Note: If you are a group of four or more and have a specific time you would like to travel, please contact us.

Would you like to see some photos of this tour? Check out some great travel photography by Aaron Fink here and here.

To reserve your spot, e-mail Shannon@GrapeHops.com or call (805) 886-1551.