Adriatica

A 14-day exploration of the three countries that converge on the northern shores of the Adriatic Sea: Croatia, with its beautiful Dalmatian Coast and fabulous Plitvice Lakes; Slovenia, featuring superb Alpine scenery; and Italy’s historic seaport of Trieste, off-the-beaten-path province of Friuli, and ruins of the metropolis that was the terminus of Antiquity’s legendary Amber Road, Aquileia, one of the numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited on this trip. This tour is offered in collaboration with Guelph Arts Council and will again combine wonderful scenery with plenty of history and culture, plus, of course, excellent hotels and fine food and wines! It will be escorted by historian Jacques Pauwels, PhD, author of books such as ‘Beneath the Dust of Time: A History of the Names of Peoples and Places’ (London, 2009), who will lecture on the sometimes tragic but rich and exciting history of this part of Europe.

BOOKING INFORMATION

April 05 - 18, 2018

$4,595 from Toronto

Land only: $3,655 Single room supplement: $675

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ITINERARY

Day 1 - Thursday, April 05:

Evening departure from Toronto to Munich with Lufthansa German Airlines. Dinner and a light breakfast will be served on board.

Day 2 - Friday, April 06:

Morning arrival in Munich and connecting flight to Zagreb, arriving around noon. A private coach will be waiting to take us to Plitvice National Park (140km), considered to be one of Europe’s most beautiful and interesting landscapes, featuring a rosary of sixteen lakes in the midst of a beautiful forest complex; this area has been a national park since 1949 and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, described as follows: “The waters flowing over the limestone have, over thousands of years, deposited travertine barriers, creating natural dams which in turn have created a series of beautiful lakes, caves, and waterfalls; the forests in the park are home to bears, wolves, and many rare bird species." Dinner and overnight in the 4-star Hotel Ethno Houses Plitvica Selo, situated near one of the entrances to the National Park, or similar.

Day 3 - Saturday, April 07:

A full day of relaxed sightseeing in the Plitvice National Park, including touring by coach and a boat tour, as well as some leisurely hiking, e.g. to view the waterfalls. Dinner again in our hotel.

Day 4 - Sunday, April 08:

Today we motor for a total distance of about 200km through Croatia’s rugged interior, stretching along the Bosnian border, via towns such as Gracac and Knin, to the beautiful Dalmatian Coast. Our destination is picturesque Sibenik, the oldest Croatian town on the Adriatic Sea, ruled for many centuries by outsiders such as the Venetians and the Austrian-Hungarians. Dinner and overnight in a 4-star beachfront hotel a few miles away from the city centre, the Amadria Park Hotel Jure.

Day 5 - Monday, April 09:

Morning tour of historic Sibenik and its fortresses, noble residences, monasteries, and churches. The absolute highlight is the late-medieval Cathedral of St James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose architecture and sculptures, a fusion of Gothic and Renaissance architecture and art, reflect influence from Northern Italy and as far away as Tuscany. Time for lunch, individual exploring, and shopping before we return to our resort hotel to relax and or enjoy a walk along the beach – and/or a traditional glass of the famous local plum brandy (šljivovica) in the bar? - before dinner.

Day 6 - Tuesday, April 10:

Full-day excursion to two nearby UNESCO World Heritage Sites. First, Trogir, a quaint coastal community with ancient Greek origins and plenty of medieval, Renaissance, and baroque buildings. Second, the ancient city of Split, with its magnificent seafront and ruins of the palace of Roman Emperor Diocletian, built around 300AD. Return to Sibenik - along the scenic coastal road if time permits! Dinner in the hotel.

Day 7 - Wednesday, April 11:

Departure from Sibenik after breakfast. We motor through beautiful Adriatic coastal as well as inland scenery to the Italian border and to the city of Trieste (415 km), where we will stay and enjoy dinner in the centrally-located, historic Victoria, a first-class “literary hotel” that was once home to James Joyce and purports to honour this multicultural city’s great literary tradition. Trieste used to be a major “centre of literature, music, art, and culture” when, until the end of WW I, it was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire; today, the city is a delightful and fascinating fusion of Italian and Eastern European architecture and atmosphere, and a magnificent window on the Adriatic Sea.

Day 8 - Thursday, April 12:

Morning sightseeing tour of Trieste, with sights such as the old town, the Austrian Quarter, the Roman Theatre, the Lighthouse of Victory, Miramare Castle, San Giusto Cathedral and Castle, and the Mercato Coperto Market Hall. The afternoon is free to explore the city on your own, shop, visit museums, etc. No group dinner this evening.

Day 9 - Friday, April 13:

Full-day tour of the nearby scenic Pula Peninsula, jutting out into the Adriatic Sea and belonging mostly to Croatia, featuring a magnificent coast and highlights such as Porec, home to yet another UNESCO site, the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica complex with its Byzantine mosaics and the ancient Greco-Roman town of Pula. Today, group lunch OR dinner.

Day 10 - Saturday, April 14:

Side-trip to the archaeological area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia, terminus of Antiquity’s Amber Road, linking the Adriatic, and the Mediterranean Sea in general, to the Baltic Sea, one of the largest and wealthiest cities of the Roman Empire, destroyed by Attila in the 5th century, another UNESCO site. We also visit Udine, the charming capital of Italy’s Friuli Province, before returning to Trieste in late afternoon via an area where many battles were fought between Italian and Austrian troops in WW I. No group dinner this evening.

Day 11 - Sunday, April 15:

Departure from Trieste after breakfast. Today we will cover a distance of about 150km as we cross into Slovenia and ascend the limestone plateau known as the Karst (Carso in Italian). Visit to the Škocjan Caves, one of Slovenia’s UNESCO sites. Then we continue to Bled, an exquisite resort in the Alps, nestled on the shores of a lake surrounded by towering mountain peaks. After a boat tour on the lake, we check into a first-class hotel, the Best Western Premier Hotel Lovec or similar. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 12 - Monday, April 16:

Morning sightseeing tour of nearby Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital, with focus on the attractive old town; highlights will include the major squares with their fountains, statues and imposing buildings such as city hall and the Slovenian Parliament, Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge, the Open Market, and Ljubljana Castle, high on a hill with superb views of the city. Also some free time to shop and/or explore on your own, followed by return to Bled. Today, group lunch OR dinner featuring Slovenian specialties in a typical restaurant.

Day 13 - Tuesday, April 17:

This morning we leave Bled, cross back into Croatia, and motor to Zagreb (200km), where we check into the first-class Hotel Dubrovnik, located on the main square. Afternoon sightseeing tour of the upper and lower towns of Croatia’s capital, with sights such as the imposing Cathedral, St. Mark’s Church, the Old Town Gate (now a shrine to the Virgin Mary), and Tito Square, followed by free time. Final group dinner in the fine restaurant of our hotel.

Day 14 - Wednesday, April 18:

After breakfast, short transfer to Zagreb Airport and return flight to Toronto with Lufthansa, via Munich; departure from Zagreb around 1PM, and arrival in Toronto around 6PM.

ITINERARY PDF

EXPLORE THE AREA

INCLUDED

Return flight from Toronto to Zagreb, with Lufthansa, including all applicable airport taxes/security fees/fuel surcharges; Overland transportation via private coach; Accommodation based on double occupancy in first-class/4-star hotels - the single room supplement is $675; Daily breakfast, mostly buffet-style, and all but two dinners (or full lunches); All visits and sightseeing, including admission to museums and monuments, as shown in the itinerary; Gratuities for the coach driver and local guides.

NOT INCLUDED

Meals other than those shown above, and wine/beer/coffee etc. with dinners; All expenses of a personal nature; Travel Insurance is available, please call our office for rates.

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