Eastern Capitals & Dalmatian Riviera
Overview
Itinerary
Welcome to beautiful Vienna. Enjoy your afternoon in the Austrian capital before meeting your Travel Director at a local restaurant for a pleasant evening of dinner.
Join a Local Expert for a tour of Maria Theresa's Schönbrunn Palace and explore its formal gardens at your pace. Then get your camera ready for a drive around the famous Ring Road. Built along the lines of the old city walls, it showcases many of the capital's architectural highlights, including the Opera House, Hofburg Imperial Residence, the Austrian Parliament Building and Karlskirche.
The rest of the day is at your leisure to continuing exploring. Perhaps join an optional evening to a Country Mansion to indulge in Classic Austrian dishes. And don't forget to experience a performance of the waltzes and classical music for which Vienna is world-renowned!
In the morning, cross the border into Slovenia and journey to its second largest city, Maribor. After spending time in this charming location, head to the beloved city of Ljubljana.
Your Local Expert will reveal the Baroque elegance of the Slovenian capital. The medieval castle stands as an ancient guardian, the City Hall and Cathedral of St. Nicholas testify to its historical importance, while the Triple Bridge spans the river adorned with cafes and restaurants. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps join an Optional Experience to Postojna Caves? In the evening, choose from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around evening.
Spend the morning in Slovenia during which you can join an optional visit to stunning lake Bled, or relax with locals in a nearby cafe before journeying into Croatia, where on arrival in Zagreb, you meet your Local Expert for an exploration of this capital. Take a walk to see the Art Pavilion, the Academy of Sciences and Art, and pass Zrinjevac Park. You will then board the city's funicular to St. Mark's Church and the Lotrščak Tower, take a walk back down through Stone Gate and back to the square.
A free day to relax and enjoy a city that is bursting with culture. Perhaps spend time exploring one of the many museums or browsing the shops in Donji Grad? Maybe try the local cuisine in one of Zagreb's interesting restaurants or cafes or join an optional experience to the charming village of Kumrovec and meet a local to hear their perspective on the region's history?
Journey south to visit one of Europe's great natural wonders. Explore Plitvice with Insight Choice. Choose between two MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences: Join a Local Expert to explore Plitvice National Park and learn how the site actively carries out research to monitor the natural habitat of species. Alternatively, meet one of the women of the Tara Community Centre, where handicrafts are produced, enabling employment and engagement in the community.
The green forests give way to pebble-dashed shores lapped by turquoise waters as you travel to Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a historic town founded by the Greeks more than 2,300 years ago. Admire the cathedral and Renaissance Cipiko Palace, before continuing to the historic port of Split.
The Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace here, and today it forms the heart of the Old Town of Split. With your Local Expert, explore the 1,700 year-old palace cellars, and learn the story of the infamous emperor. Continue through the labyrinthine streets and arcaded squares to see St. Duje's - originally Diocletian's Mausoleum and the Golden Gate. Your exploration then continues underground as you are guided through the cellars.
In the evening, don't miss the opportunity to dine like a true local at a traditional Konoba.
Always buzzing, lively Split has just the right balance of tradition and modernity. See Dalmatian life as it's lived with a full day free to explore Split and its surroundings. Why not join an optional experience to discover the beautiful Dalmatian island, Hvar? Explore the historic Old Town with your Local Expert before having free time to relax by the seafront or admire the stunning views from the hilltop fortress.
This morning, cross into Bosnia & Herzegovina and travel to Mostar. With your Local Expert, explore the cobbled old town on both sides of the famed Stari Most, the Old Bridge, a 16th-century Ottoman masterpiece rebuilt after near destruction in the Croat–Bosniak War. Browse market stalls brimming with traditional crafts and Turkish-style souvenirs before continuing to Sarajevo. In 1914, the city was the site of the assassination that triggered World War I, and in the 1990s it endured the longest siege in modern history.
Follow a scenic route to the capital for your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience: an evening in a Sarajevan family home, where you'll enjoy authentic dishes and warm hospitality while hearing personal stories that preserve and share the city's rich cultural heritage.
Morning sightseeing with a Local Expert introduces you to the Sarajevo War Tunnels Museum, housing part of the secret tunnel that was the city's lifeline during the Bosnian war. Continue along the Milajacka river and see the historic Habsburg centre of the city.
In the afternoon, enjoy time at your leisure, or join an optional tour to experience the flavours of Bosnia and to visit the Latin Bridge where Austrian Crown Prince, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated.
Cross the border into Croatia and journey to the walled town of Dubrovnik. On arrival, join your Local Expert to explore the stone-paved streets inside the 16th century bastions of the old town. See Onofrio's Fountain and the Rector's Palace and the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries.
In the morning, why not visit Montenegro? This Optional Experience travels to Kotor, where your camera can capture one of the most beautiful parts of the bay as you learn the history of the area, before returning to Dubrovnik with a short cruise. As the day comes to a close, and should the weather permit, join your fellow travel companions as you sit back and enjoy a relaxing cruise around the fabled bay of Dubrovnik.
Later, enjoy a Celebration Dinner of typical Dalmatian Coast cuisine, accompanied by local wines.
After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to Dubrovnik and your newfound friends as your journey comes to an end.
Trip Inclusions
- Vienna: Visit Vienna's grand Baroque palace with your Local Specialist and trace the legacy of the Habsburg dynasty. See the Hall of Mirrors where Mozart performed as a child, the richly decorated Great Gallery used for court functions, and the private apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. Learn how court rituals, politics and personal tastes shaped one of Europe's most influential empires.
- Vienna: During your orientation led by your Travel Director, travel along the Ring Road to view the Hofburg Imperial Residence, Opera House, Parliament Building and Karlskirche.
- Maribor: Led by your Travel Director, explore this charming city, the second largest in Slovenia. Take a moment to appreciate the blend of old and new architecture.
- Ljubljana: Spend time with your Local Specialist in the glorious Central Market and learn about some of the Slovenian delicacies on display and relish in a tasting.
- Ljubljana: Join a walking tour with a Local Specialist, following riverbanks and squares towards key landmarks. See Ljubljana Castle on its hilltop, City Hall on Mestni trg, the Baroque cathedral dedicated to St. Nicholas and Plečnik's Triple Bridge spanning the Ljubljanica, setting out the main civic and religious centres of the city.
- Zagreb: Walk with your Local Specialist from the 19th-century parks and facades of the Lower Town towards the older streets around the main square. Along the way, you'll see key buildings such as the Art Pavilion and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, setting out the city's main landmarks.
- Zagreb: Ride Zagreb's funicular, in operation since 1890 and often cited as one of the world's shortest public-transport funiculars. The 66 m (217 ft) line links Ilica Street with the Upper Town in around a minute, giving an immediate sense of the change from the commercial Lower Town to the old fortified ridge.
- Plitvice Lakes National Park: Join a Local Specialist to explore Plitviče Lakes National Park and learn how ongoing studies monitor and protect its fragile lake and forest habitats. Hear about habitat restoration, low-impact visitor practices and work to safeguard local wildlife, as staff share village traditions and their own stories of living beside the park.
- Split: Join a Local Specialist and discover Diocletian's Palace as you walk through its well-preserved Cellars. See the Temple of Jupiter, St Duje's Bell Tower and the Golden Gate. Continue through the labyrinthine streets and arcaded squares of the Old Town.
- Split: Explore above and below the Roman Emperor Diocletian's palace. A Local Specialist guides you through labyrinthine streets to see St. Duje's, the Golden Gate and the Cellars.
- Mostar: Learn the history and symbolic significance of Stari Most and explore the old town with your Local Specialist.
- Sarajevo: A Local Specialist will show you the cobbled old town market where Sarajevo was founded by the Ottomans, known as Baščaršija. You will also see the Latin Bridge where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.
- Sarajevo: Meet an expert on the Bosnian War for a visit to Sarajevo's Tunnel of Hope and learn about the 44-month siege of the city.
- Dubrovnik: Walk the limestone Stradun with a Local Specialist, stopping at Onofrio's Fountain and St. Blaise's Church. You'll visit the cathedral and Franciscan Monastery and see how the compact, UNESCO-listed Old Town sits within its defensive walls beside the harbour.
- Dubrovnik: Sail across the bay to see the walled city, fortresses and coastline from the water. As the light changes, you'll have time on deck for photos and a last look back at Dubrovnik before returning to shore for dinner.
- Plitvice Lakes National Park: Join the ladies of the Tara Centre, where income from tourism has funded a small community hub for the Tara Citizens' Association, formed mainly by older women, many once refugees. Hear about local customs and personal stories of the village, and learn about the traditional handicrafts that support their income and well being. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
- Sarajevo: You are invited into a Sarajevan family home for a dinner and drinks. Savour the warm hospitality and authentic cuisine as you hear inspirational stories about their culture. This experience advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.
- Air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with a local specialty representing the destination.
- Complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi where available
- Vienna: Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a drink, followed by a pleasant dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
- Ljubljana: Your Travel Director offers you a varied selection of charming restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening - a culinary experience not to be missed.
- Dubrovnik: Come together with your Travel Director and small group to share a final meal. It's a chance to look back on the journey from Zagreb to the coast and islands, swap favourite moments and say goodbye over Croatian dishes.
- Dining Summary: 6 Dinners (D), 13 Breakfasts (B)
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
You’ll enjoy the icons and hidden gems with a Local Specialist by your side. Read more
With one on every itinerary, Be My Guest ensures your journey is truly one-of-a-kind, wherever it takes you. Read more
Find yourself overnighting in accommodations with stories as rich as the destinations you’re exploring. Read more
Download Brochure
Trafalgar Worldwide Tours (2027-28)
Dates & Pricing
Global Tour Rewards
GJ Loyalty Discount
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Trafalgar. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and 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.
Similar Tours
