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Croatia: Jewel of the Coast

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 Trip Length
9 Days
 Trip Starts
Zagreb
 Trip Finishes
Dubrovnik
9 Day Croatia: Jewel of the Coast Itinerary (Abercrombie & Kent)
Countries Explored: Croatia
Trip Operator
No Reviews
Trip Style
Connections Boutique
Accommodation
5 Star
Max. Group Size
24
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
AKCJC

Overview

Book online and enjoy exclusive savings on Abercrombie & Kent's 9 Day Croatia: Jewel of the Coast. Discover the glimmering Adriatic coast with ancient cities, private tours and unforgettable meetings with locals. Connect to Croatian food and culture, savouring fresh oysters and a private tour of the Mestrovic Gallery.

Itinerary

On arrival, transfer to your historic Art Deco hotel, set within a gracious building dating back to 1925. Gather for a welcome dinner tonight. Stay: Esplanade Zagreb Hotel (D)

Zagreb is Croatia's capital and largest city, its history stretching 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 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.” After enjoying a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, take the rest of the afternoon to explore the capital. Stay: Esplanade Zagreb Hotel (B/L)

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 flavour, and is a key ingredient in the Hemingway daiquiri, one of the legendary author's favourite drinks. Then, take a short walking 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. Stay: Cornaro Hotel (B/L/D)

Begin the day with a private tour of the Ivan Mestrovic Gallery with its curator, marvelling 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. Stay: Cornaro Hotel (B)

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. Stay: Cornaro Hotel (B/L)

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 centre of maritime trade, its wealth and skill in diplomacy enabling 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. Cap off your day with dinner in the Old Town, accompanied by a traditional klapa (a cappella choir) performance arranged just for you. Stay: Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik (B/L/D)

Spend the day in marvellous 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 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. Stay: Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik (B)

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 experience 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. Stay: Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik (B/D)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Discover fascinating Zagreb, Croatia's charming capital, as a local expert introduces you to the city old and new
  • Explore stunning Montenegro and the fjord of Boka Kotorska, the muse of painters, poets and travellers alike
  • Meet a local fisherman and sample his harvest of Croatia's juicy oysters, plucked from the salty waters of the Adriatic
  • Learn about the Balkan Wars during a talk in Dubrovnik with a local who shares her experiences of the conflict

  • English-Speaking Resident Tour Director and Local Guides
  • Hand-Selected Boutique Accommodations
  • Airport Meet and Greet with Private Transfers
  • Full Breakfast Daily; Select Lunches and Dinners
  • Internet Access
  • Entrance Fees, Taxes and All Gratuities Except Resident Tour Director
  • 24/7 A&K On-Call Support
  • Guaranteed Departures with Just Two Guests

  • Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
  • Disruptions to itinerary may occur.
  • Minimum age is 10 years
  • First group event: welcome briefing at 6:00pm on Day 1
  • Last group event: farewell dinner at 7:30pm on Day 8
  • Departures are guaranteed to operate with a minimum of 2 guests
Connections Boutique Journeys
Connections Boutique Journeys

Go beyond the guidebook for authentic discovery and discover a destination as only the locals know it. Read more

Boutique Hotels That Tell a Story
Boutique Hotels That Tell a Story

Boutique connections in every destination staying in boutique hotels that tell a story. Read more

Experienced Resident Tour Directors
Experienced Resident Tour Directors

A&K's Resident Tour Directors have lived for decades - perhaps even their entire lives - in the places you visit. Read more

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Prices & Dates

There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.

Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Abercrombie & Kent. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Abercrombie & Kent. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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