DAY 1: ZAGREB

Arrival at the Zagreb airport. Transfer to hotel. Overnight in hotel.


DAY 2: ZAGREB – OPATIJA

Breakfast. Morning city tour of Zagreb, including the fortified Medieval Upper Town, St. Mark’s Church with it’s colourful roof, the Cathedral of St. Stephen, the Stone Gate, the University and the Croatian National Theatre. Afternoon drive to Opatija,„The Queen of Tourism“ of Croatia. Upon arrival walking tour along the promenade of Opatija, once the resort of the Habsburgs and European Royalty, as well as personalities from the world of culture, such as Gustav Mahler or A. P. Chekhov. Overnight in hotel.


DAY 3: OPATIJA – PULA – BRIJUNI – OPATIJA

Breakfast and departure to Pula. Sightseeing tour of Pula includes a visit to the Roman Amphitheatre Arena (1st century), one of the best preserved in the world, Triumphal Arch of Sergius, Temple of Augustus, Gate of Hercules and Byzantine chapel of St. Maria Formosa. Pula was the home of the Histrians, the Romans and the Venetians. Once the central Austrian port, today it is the largest cultural and economic centre of Istria. Various layers of history took part in the making of this unique town in which Roman temples defy Baroque palaces, early Christian churches stand face to face to Austrian villas, and the remnants of Medieval walls are cut through by antique town gates. In the afternoon, the excursion to National Park Brijuni islands, an archipelago of 14 islands only a few miles North from Pula. The whole archipelago is under protection – the islands preserve the traces of 5000 years of human history. Only the biggest island Veli Brijun is open for tourism and there we will visit Safaripark, Ethno park, Olive tree from the 4th century, the ruins of Byzantine Castrum and Roman Villa. Ethno park presents a typical Istrian homestead with autochthonous animal species: Istrian ox, Istrian sheep, donkeys and goats. Coming back to the harbour, there will be a possibility to visit the exhibition„Tito on Brijuni“, Natural history collection, archeological museum and exhibition of copies of frescoes and Glagolitic inscriptions of Istria and Kvarner. Return to Opatija for overnight.


DAY 4: OPATIJA – PLITVICE – ZADAR

Breakfast. Departure for Plitvice Lakes, the largest national park in Croatia. The area of Plitvice Lakes was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. It is breathtakingly beautiful with its 16 lakes linked by waterfalls and surrounded by dense forests. It will take us almost 4 hours to explore the area by electric boat and minibus and you will need a great deal of film to record a fraction of the beauty around you. In the afternoon we continue to Zadar for overnight.


DAY 5: ZADAR – KORNATI ISLANDS – ZADAR

Breakfast. Excursion to the National Park Kornati. Departure by the boat to visit the archipelago in the Northern Dalmatia that includes 147 uninhabited islands and islets. During the ride, you will enjoy astonishing scenery marked by steep cliffs or „crowns“ that make the coastline unique and dramatic. Along there will be two stops for swimming before the visit of the nature park Telašćica, one of the largest and best protected natural harbours on the Eastern coast of the Adriatic. The bottom of the bay is mostly covered with communities of sea-flowering plants and habitats extremely rich on animal life and very important for the reproduction of many fish species. There will also be the opportunity to swim in the salt lake„Mir“. Return to Zadar for overnight.