Compare Croatia & Montenegro by Carpe Mundo vs Eastern Discovery - Small Group Small Group by Insight Vacations
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Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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Duration | 7 days | 14 days |
Price From | $ 1,675 | $ 5,495 |
Price Per Day | $ 239 | $ 393 |
Highlights |
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Trip Style | Private guided tour | Group tour |
Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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Travel Themes |
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Countries Visited | ||
Cities and Attractions |
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Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
Activities |
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Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
Description |
Croatia and Montenegro are two beautiful nations situated where the Dinaric alps meet the Adriatic sea. With small fishing villages, magnificent mountain scenery, delicious food and warm hospitality, you will love discovering this lesser known area of Europe! |
See the great lakes of Croatia in Plitvice National Park and breathe in the Balkan beauty of Montenegro on this two-week discovery of the east. From Zagreb’s Presidential Palace and Split’s Old City, your expert led itinerary gallops across Croatia to the pearl of the Adriatic—Dubrovnik. Marble streets, hidden markets and terracotta roofs abound within the walled city and a Dubrovnik traditional dinner acquaints the taste buds with glasses of grappa, authentic local flavors and delicious dessert wines. Set sail from the shores of Greece to the island of Corfu—with its bleach white domes and azure blue seas, before forging onwards to the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, and the Acropolis in Athens. |
Day 1:
Welcome to Split. For the first day of the tour, you have the day to explore the beautiful city of Split. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for Diocletian’s Palace which was built for the Roman Emperor Diocletian over 1,700 years ago! Split has some of the best preserved Roman remnants and you will love wandering the narrow streets of this enchanting city. If you would like to arrive before the tour starts and spend more time, consider visiting nearby Plitvice or Krka National Parks.
Day 2:
Korcula. In the morning we take a ferry to the island of Korcula where we will spend the next two nights in the town of Korcula. Korcula is the rumored birthplace of Marco Polo, and the small walled city is loved my almost all who visit.
Day 3:
Korcula & Surrounding Islands. After a delicious breakfast, we charter a boat to go island hopping among some of Croatia’s most beautiful islands! You can swim in the crystal clear water, visit a monastery on one of the islands, enjoy a beach bar accessible only by boat, and/or just relax on the boat . In the afternoon, you can explore Korcula on your own, rent a bike to venture around the island, or visit nearby vineyards (Korcula is known for Grk, a type of wine found only on the island!).
Day 4:
Peljesac & Montenegro. Today we head down the coast to Montenegro, passing through the Peljesac Peninsula which is one of Croatia’s premier wine growing regions. We stop at a local winery along the way, where you will learn about Croatian wine and will sample varieties like plavac mali, which is found only in this region! We continue to the small fishing village of Perast, located on the Bay of Kotor (this area was selected by Lonely Planet as the #1 place to visit in 2016!). You will be amazed by the beauty here as the mountains plunge into the sea. The next two nights are spent at a seaside hotel with gorgeous views of the Bay.
Day 5:
Kotor & Lake Skadar. In the morning, you will have time to visit the town of Kotor. This is a great spot for shopping, or for those wanting a workout you can climb up the fortress that rises above the town, affording a panoramic view of the bay. Then, we continue to Lake Skadar, one of the largest lakes in the region. Situated in a valley surrounded by high mountains, we embark on a boat tour of the lake and will hopefully see a lot of wildlife (part of the lake is a National Park). There are dozens of monasteries around the lake and we stop to visit one built in the 14th century- still with the original frescoes! After the boat tour, we return to Perast, stopping to visit a small family owned winery. Sampling the local wines along with homemade cheese, prosciutto and bread will be the perfect way to end the day!
Day 6:
Dubrovnik. Today we head back to Croatia to the incredible city of Dubrovnik. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and perhaps Croatia’s best known city- it’s become even more popular recently since it is used as a filming location for Game of Thrones. You can wander the narrow cobblestone streets, eat at a cliffside café, swim at one of the nearby beaches, or go for a sunset sail on the Adriatic! There’s an optional cooking class where you can learn to make a traditional Croatian meal- for many this is one of the trip highlights!
Day 7:
Farewell. This is the end of the tour, and you have the day to explore as you please. Dubrovnik is an incredible city so we recommend spending an additional night or two if your schedule allows. There are a lot of additional activities for you to enjoy, or you can take a flight or ferry to Italy or a day trip to Mostar in Bosnia.
Day 1: Welcome to Zagreb
Transfers to your hotel depart from Zagreb airport at 11:30 and 14:00. Relax and settle in or perhaps head for the romantic chestnut-lined Stross Promenade for your first views over the city. At 17:30, join your Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant with the opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers over a pleasant evening with wine.
Day 2: Zagreb’s Twin Towns Relaxed Start
Join your Local Expert to explore the two-tiered capital of Croatia. Drive through the squares of the Lower Town, Donji Grad, designed to give a sense of grandeur. See the Mimara Art Museum in Roosevelt Square and continue to Ban Josip Jelacic Square en route to the cathedral. Board the city's funicular to the medieval Upper Town, Gornji Grad. It's a network of little streets, stretching between the Kaptol and Gradec hills. View the former Presidential Palace, Stone Gate, St. Mark's Church and the Lotrščak Tower. The afternoon is at leisure. Relax and enjoy your hotel's amenities or perhaps take an Optional Experience to the Zagorje region to learn about the local traditions and visit the house of Marshall Tito?
Day 3: The Crystal Lakes of Plitvice Relaxed Start
Take this morning to relax and enjoy your hotel's facilities. In the afternoon depart for your next hotel, located inside the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, this is Croatia’s first and largest national park of Croatia. While the park is predominately forests and grasslands, the true highlight are the interconnected lakes that cascade from one to another.
Day 4: Plitvice Lakes, Ancient Trogir and Split
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 the industrious women of the Tara Community Centre, who produce handicrafts, enabling employment and engagement in the community.Travel along the coast and visit Trogir, founded by the Greeks more than 2,300 years ago. This town is renowned for its beautiful cathedral and Renaissance Cipiko Palace. Continue to the historic port of Split.
Day 5: Diocletian’s Palace
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 Temple of Jupiter, which today is a baptistery, as well as the Golden Gate. Travel alongside sparkling deep blue seas and the rocky islands of the Dalmatian coast to Dubrovnik.
Day 6: Dubrovnik, Pearl of the Adriatic Relaxed Start
The walled town of Dubrovnik, was once described as 'paradise on Earth', according to George Bernard Shaw.Join a walking exploration of the city, guided by a Local Expert. Get a glimpse into local life, as you explore the stone-paved streets inside the 16th century bastions of the Old Town. Walk past Onofrio's Fountain, see the Old Jewish Quarter and the synagogue, and marvel at the grandeur of the cathedral and the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries. This evening, should weather permit, embark on a dazzling cruise around the fabled bay and gaze out at views of the glistening Adriatic. Start your dinner with a glass of grappa, before savouring authentic flavours of local specialties and enjoy locally produced wine.
Day 7: Mediterranean Montenegro Relaxed Start
Stop to visit the old town of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the bay, with its azure waters lapping at the edges of the medieval towns which dot the coastline. Next, make your way along the Adriatic sea to Budva. Discover the medieval old town, home to religious sites such as the 9th century Church of Santa Maria in Punta.
Day 8: Scenic Drive to Tirana
Travel through the spectacular scenery of Montenegro and Albania and continue to the fascinating capital of Tirana. Led by your Local Expert, explore this warmhearted and colourful city, and see the diverse relics that remain from its Ottoman, Italian and communist past.
Day 9: Across to Corfu
Take in Albania’s unique scenery, as you journey across the country to Greece, and set sail for the cobalt-blue waters of Corfu. Renowned since Odysseus for its untamed beauty and strategic position in the Mediterranean, Corfu today is one of Greece’s most charming islands.
Day 10: Relax in Corfu Relaxed Start
Enjoy a full day at leisure to relax and enjoy the beautiful island of Corfu. Perhaps explore the Old Town and admire the interesting mix of architectural styles, from Roman and Venetian to French and British, each resembling an era of the island’s interesting past before it was united with Greece. Alternatively, you may want to lay back and unwind at one of the incredible beaches?
Day 11: Delphi, Centre of the Ancient World
Set off from your island paradise for Delphi, a spectacular cliff-side amphitheatre and worthy of its status as the centre of the ancient world. History and mythology run deep here, with finds of ritual artefacts that date back to 4,000 B.C and remains of a Mycenaean settlement. It is said that Delphi is the location where two eagles crossed paths, after they were released by Zeus from opposite end of the universe to find ‘the navel of the world. ’
Day 12: Delphi sightseeing and on to Athens
Ascend the Sacred Way of Delphi with your Local Expert. Pass the Parian marble Treasury of the Athenians and Polygonal Wall with its interlocking stones, still perfectly intact after thousands of years. You'll approach the Temple of Apollo, where for 14 centuries the mysterious Oracle of Delphi breathed her enigmatic ‘words,' rumoured to have successfully predicted events related to the Argonauts expedition and the Trojan War. Your travels then continue to the ancient city of Athens, the modern capital of Greece. In the evening, enjoy a hearty Celebration Dinner at a local restaurant in true Greek style, complete with wine and good cheer.
Day 13: The Glory of Athens
Join a Local Expert for a morning of city sightseeing. Enjoy the glory of ancient Greece from the Acropolis with the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, also known as the Temple of the Wingless Victory, and the six stone-carved caryatids that make up the Porch of the Maidens on the Erechtheion. You will also see the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Arch of Hadrian. This afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace.
Day 14: Depart Athens
Your journey comes to an end with a transfer to Athens airport.