Croatia & Slovenia: 10 Days of Historic Coastline, Waterfalls & Mountains

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik's Old Town

Dubrovnik was able to accumulate vast fortunes as a safe trade route into the Balkan hinterland and thus create a remarkably beautiful city and gargantuan fortifications that remain astonishingly well preserved to today. On this two-hour private guided walking tour, you will experience the supreme delight of viewing the old town almost as it was centuries ago and learning about the history and culture of the city through the ages.

Morning/Mid-Day

Excursion to the Old Resort Town of Cavtat

Less than 45 minutes by boat or bus from central Dubrovnik, Cavtat is a fascinating and cultured destination in itself. It perches on the saddle of a wooded peninsula set between two bays, so the water is never far away, and a wide promenade, fringed with palm trees, runs along the harbor front. It's an ideal half-day excursion from Dubrovnik where you can while away the hours exploring the town or soak up the sun on a rare sandy beach nearby. Much of Cavtat's allure survives is in the old part of the town, which straddles the ridge behind the waterfront. Badly damaged in what the Croats call the 'Homeland War' of the early 1990s, the town has been conveniently restored to its previous charm. The cosmopolitan center of the town, where fishing and tourist boats jostle with gleaming jet-set yachts the size of mini cruise liners, is crisscrossed with cobbled streets lined with traditional red-roofed brownstone houses that climb back from the gleaming turquoise-blue of the waterfront. The narrow stairways between the opposite sides of each street are carpeted in clouds of white, mauve and pink blossoms in spring and summer.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Walking Tour of Split Old Town & Diocletian's Palace

This two-hour guided tour will take you to the Roman emperor Diocletian's 1700-year-old palace which was built as his personal rest home. Walk from the Bronze Gate through the central hall of the ancient cellars is the main communication line between the busy waterfront promenade, the Riva, and the palace's main forecourt, the Peristyle. You'll also stop by the Cathedral of St Duje, one of the most beautiful cultural attractions on the Adriatic coast, the Roman temple of Jupiter (latterly a Christian baptistry), the fabulous Golden Gate, and the medieval Croatian bishop who introduced the Croatian language in religious services.

Morning

Excursion to the Commanding Heights of Klis Fortress

For thousands of years the mighty and imposing Klis Fortress, with its grand views of the Dalmatian Coast, has been guarding the strategic mountain pass just above Split. For many modern visitors, however, more significant than the real history of the castle is its use as a film set for the city-state of Meereen in Game of Thrones. In either case, ciimbing the fortress's steep trails and exploring its ruins makes for a fascinating visit. The remarkably intact structure with grand views of the Dalmatian Coast was first fortified by the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Dalmatae, and later by Romans. In medieval times it was a seat of power for the expanding medieval kingdom of the Croats, even repelling a Mongol army in 1242. Klis was later defended by a band of irregular Croatian defenders, the Uskoks, who managed to hold off repeated sieges by the Ottoman Turks until finally being defeated in 1537. Within the fortress you'll find an interesting exhibit on the Uskoks. Retaken from the Turks in 1648, the fortress changed hands several more times, and saw its last military action during the Second World War when it was a stronghold for Italian and German occupation forces. These days, you can easily conquer the fortifications yourself via the local bus line 22 from Split. Even more easy is the Promet tourist bus which leaves from the main bus station and reaches the fortress in 20 minutes. Of course most convenient is take a guided tour which can explain both the real and the cinematic story behind the fortress.

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Guided Tour of Plitvice Lakes

On this private four-hour tour you will see the most eye-catching and majestic of any natural attraction in Croatia, if not all the Balkans; the Plitvice Lakes National Park is an astounding 8-kilometer (5-mile) stretch of 16 lakes that cascade one into the other over a terraced sequence of barriers formed over millennia. Thanks to its mineral-rich waters, the Park's lakes practically glow with a brilliant turquoise hue when seen from afar, and are crystal clear up close.

8:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Private Transfer to Ljubljana

A private transfer with door-to-door service is certainly the most convenient way to travel. While bus connections do exist for this route, and are usually more affordable and carbon friendly, you may prefer the ease of travel and service offered by a private driver. Taking the bus will require at least 3 extra hours of travel time as well as a connection in Zagreb, meaning you have to purchase two separate tickets with no guarantees in case of delays from the first leg. The 3-4 hour journey to Ljubljana takes you through the picturesque landscape of Slovenia and Croatia. Much of the journey will be along often winding 2-lane highways, but for at least part of the journey, you will take advantage of the excellent 4-lane highway systems in Croatia and Slovenia.

Morning to Evening

Excursion to Postojna Caves & Predjama Castle

Two of Slovenia's most famous and impressive attractions are located about 6 miles (10km) from each other, meaning that it's a no-brainer to see both of them on the same excursion. The other-worldly Postojna Caves are some of Europe's most impressive, while the the wonderfully dramatic Predjama Castle, 9km north of the cave, is built into a setting as unforgettable as it is improbable. Pressed into a huge cavern, hollowed out of the high, flat rock face over the karstic swallow hole of the Lovka stream. The caves are fairly easily reached from Ljubljana. You have a choice of either bus or train; although you will have to walk over a mile (1.7km) to reach the cave ticket office from the train station. Getting to the castle is another story. During July and August, a free shuttle bus runs from the caves to the castle, but otherwise, the only option is finding a taxi. You can also face very long lines at both attractions. For these reasons, we suggest pre-purchasing a guided excursion that covers both. The castle, first built in 1202 AD, contains some interesting features, including holes in the ceiling of the entrance tower for pouring boiling oil on besiegers, a very dank dungeon, a 16th-century chest full of treasure (unearthed in the cellar in 1991), and an eyrie-like hiding place at the top called Erazem's Nook, named for the castle's most famous resident, Erazem Lueger. Lueger was a 15th-century robber-baron who, like Robin Hood, allegedly stole from the rich to give to the poor. In 1484, the Austrian army besieged the castle, but it proved impregnable. Little did they know that the castle had a secret passage through which the castle garrison could be resupplied. Erazem was thus able to mock his attackers, even showering them with fresh produce. But the Austrians had the last laugh when they bribed one of his servants to give him away; as Erazem answered the call of nature one evening the servant placed a candle in a window to indicate that his master had gone to the wooden lavatory, which was positioned on the outer wall. The Austrians fired a cannonball at the castle privy and Erazem died an ignoble death.

Early Morning to Late Afternoon

Excursion to the Picturesque Lake Bled

With its mountain setting, dark turquoise waters, boats rowing passengers out to the island church, and dramatic cliff-top castle, Lake Bled is picture-postcard perfect, making it the most popular destination in Slovenia for both international and domestic tourists alike. You can take a walk or ride a tourist train around the lake, row out to the island, and dine alongside the enchanting shoreline. With enough time to spare, you can also take in the dramatic Vintgar Gorge and the beautiful medieval village of Radovljica. Lake Bled is about an hour-and-a-half trip from Ljubljana. You have two options for getting to there by public transport - bus or train. Buses depart Ljubljana more frequently and arrive at a very convenient location near the lakeshore in Bled, but they can get very crowded during the summer, especially at the weekends when seemingly every young backpacker in the country wants to get there, while the train departs more infrequently and doesn't arrive directly in Bled, but it isn't as crowded. Of course you can also just take a guided excursion if you want to keep it simple.

To Be Determined

Transfer to Ljubljana Airport by Taxi

Ljubljana has one main airport, Ljubljana Airport, also known as Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, where almost all visitors depart. You can also arrange a private transfer for added convenience. If you are picked up about two hours and forty-five minutes before your departure time, you should arrive at the airport with about two hours to spare, depending on traffic. The cost should be about 35 EUR. It is a very small airport so you should have little trouble finding your way upon arrival at the airport.