A Luxury Discovery of Croatia and Slovenia

Glimmering on the Adriatic coast, enchanting Dubrovnik is Croatia’s most up-market destination. Lauded by George Bernard Shaw as “Paradise on Earth", the city delights with its Mediterranean-style culture and the marbled streets of its UNESCO World Heritage old town.

Meet your guide for a pleasant walk through Dubrovnik's Old Town. George Bernard Shaw was so enchanted by this beautiful city that he exclaimed "those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik", as well as famously describing it as "the pearl of the Adriatic". Dubrovnik's Old Town became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, and a magnificent curtain of walls surrounds marble streets and baroque buildings that exude a pearly light in the Adriatic sun. The main pedestrian thoroughfare, Placa, is a mélange of cafés and shops with outstanding monuments at either end. Churches, monasteries, and museums ornamented with finely carved stone recall an eventful history and a vibrant artistic tradition.

This morning, meet your guide and take a short walk to St. Jacob’s beach for a private sea kayaking adventure around the island of Lokrum. Discover unreachable caves and hidden beaches, paddling near impressive sea rocks. Experience cultural-historical sites from a wholly new perspective. Enjoy swimming and snorkelling in the crystal clear blue Adriatic Sea. You will also enjoy a short stop on the island of Lokrum, so you can take a walk through its beautiful botanical garden or relax in a bar on the island with a refreshment before we return to the mainland and your hotel.

Averaging a record number of sunshine hours a year, long and narrow Hvar is Croatia's sunniest island and one of Europe's most sunlit spots. Rivalling even France's famed Saint-Tropez in terms of glamour, it's become Croatia's most popular destination and attracts luxury yachts, sun-seeking adventurers, and visitors of all kinds.

Meet your local guide for a private guided walking tour of Split. Originally the palatial walled summer residence of the Emperor Diocletian, Split became a city in itself after the Roman Capital of Dalmatia, Salona, was sacked in the 7th century. Fleeing refugees were given asylum inside the two-meter thick walls of the palace and over the next 1000 years, the “city” of Split gained a reputation as a safe haven. Because of this, the city never grew beyond the same walls that exist today. As a result, the remarkable ensemble of Roman, Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance, and other architectural remains are all still visible. Today there are more than 3,000 people still living inside these ancient walls.

We travel to the picturesque Skradin and the Krka Waterfalls National Park. On its green path, River Krka has seven falls, the last one being the amazing Skradinski buk. Thanks to the constant process of travertine building, the Krka River is a karst phenomenon, carving a spectacular canyon along its 70-kilometre journey from the foothills of the Dinara Mountains to the beautiful estuary under the walls of historic Sibenik. Walk the winding wooden paths through the main park area and visit the Ethno Museum and shops housed in the old mills at Skradinski buk.

Intriguingly unique, Zadar is a northern coastal hub with a very particular character. Although it's definitely less busy than the tourist centres further south, it is one of Croatia's larger metropoles and a living, vibrant city. You'll be greeted with a mix of ancient Roman relics, Hapsburg elegance, and clever, cutting edge art installations.

Today after breakfast, meet your guide for today's exciting hiking excursion. We join the hiking trail at the village of Ravni Golubi, from where it leads us through to the Vratolom ridge to the mouth of Krupa and into Zrmanja with wonderful views of the Krupa waterfalls under Babin Grad. The trail leads us further up the River Krupa before ascending just in front of the Kuda Bridge, bringing us to the edge of the canyon with a wonderful view over the Krupa canyon. Kuda Bridge is the only place where you can cross on the left side of Krupa. This old bridge is a historical monument woven from 13 arches that are masterfully formed from travertine. As part of the Kuda Bridge hiking tour, you will visit the Krupa monastery which is situated near the spring of the River Krupa and was built in 1317. We'll take a short break during the hike to enjoy a picnic lunch in the pleasant shade. We then return to Zadar in the afternoon to spend the evening at our leisure.

Upon arrival in Rab, meet your guide and start your sea kayak adventure. The Island of Rab is the best sea kayaking destination in the North Adriatic. We leave by car for Lopar from where we travel on to Goli Otok by boat, and then to the Tetina Cove. At Tetina Cove, we launch our kayaks in to the sea and start rowing towards Vela Draga Cove, over the Šparožinje area and Cape Blažina to Galeb Islands and Mali Goli Island. This group of limestone islands are very white because of strong northern wind which blows at up to 250km/h and causes the salt to stick to them. We then continue rowing to Cape Tanki and two coves, Vela Senjska and Mala Senjska. We then have a chance to freshen up in the cool sea, paddle around the cove and move ahead towards Cape Makronj and its little beaches. From here we see Glavina, the highest peak of Goli Otok. By following the coast we will pass beneath high narrow cliffs and reach the Macanj rock where we stop for some diving. After enjoying this area we go forward to the Veli Brig rock and the lighthouse on Cape Sajalo. We then reach Melna Cove, half way to our destination, where we leave our kayaks to explore what is left of the notorious Rab prison which lay unmarked on maps and unknown to Amnesty International during its operation.

According to legend, the Plitvice lakes were created after a long drought when the "Black Queen" took pity on the people and animals that cried for water. Heavy rain began to fall and continued until they formed the lakes we see today. Plitvice National Park is Croatia’s natural masterpiece. Even for seasoned world travellers, the overpowering beauty and grandeur of Plitvice National Park is simply astounding. With waterfalls spilling over impossible hills, sixteen different lakes, and fascinating flora and fauna, Plitvice is the most visited place in Croatia. Since 1979, the park has been under the protection of UNESCO as a rare World Heritage Site.

Enjoy your time in the elegant sea side resort of Opatija, a favourite retreat of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy in the late 19th century that is slowly returning to its former glory.

Today you will visit Krokar virgin forest, a UNESCO site that is just an hour from Ljubljana. On arrival, a guardian of the forest, known as a forester, will be there to welcome you and take you on a four-hour guided hike within the forest.

The Krokar forest, which covers 74.49 hectares, has a long history of science and research - genetic research from this area shows markers for beech forests in central Europe and as far away as Britain. There is no evidence of glaciation in this forest and no evidence of cutting or logging. The forest itself is typical old growth and is an important example of the montane association in the Illyric region.

Slovenia’s largest city and capital since independence 1991, Ljubljana is the country’s cultural, educational, economic and political hub. Emblematic for Slovenia as a whole, it is an extremely pretty and easily manageable place with many wonderful attractions either in the historic centre or within easy reach by road.

With no world famous attractions to tick off, Ljubljana is perfectly for semi aimless wanderings, soaking up the city’s rich history and vibrant cosmopolitan vibe. People watch with a glass of crisp local wines by the Ljubljana, duck into an offbeat gallery, see the opera or head to Metelkova City, a converted military barracks that has become the creative centre of Slovene counterculture. Above all, Ljubljana is a place to be explored.

Set amidst the snowcapped Julian Alps less than an hour from Ljubljana, the mirror emerald lake is small enough to walk around on foot. The beautiful Church of the Assumption, sitting on an islet, dates from 1698. According to local tradition, one who can ring the bell loudly enough will be granted a wish and a husband who can carry his new bride the 99 steps up from the dock into the church will be ensured a happy marriage. With the waters off limits of motorized craft, the island is reached on pletna boat - a huge gondola type vessel - or by rowboat.

Watching over the lake is the imperious Bled Castle. The oldest part of the medieval castle is the Romanesque tower while other buildings were constructed in the Renaissance style during the the 17th century. If you want to get a glimpse of Bled's history, culture and people, visit the castle's museum.

Bohinj is one of the most beautiful places in the heart of the Julian Alps and in Triglav National Park. Bohinj Lake has numerous inflows, the most important one is the Savica. Enjoy a walk around the lake's shores and a boat trip on its waters before taking a cable car to Vogel panoramic plateau. The upper Vogel cable car station, located at 1,535 meters (5,036 feet), greets visitors with spectacular panoramic views of Komna, the Triglav mountains and all the way to the Kamnik and Savinja Alps. Triglav (meaning three peaks) is the highest peak in Slovenia and is represented in the coat of arms of Slovenia.

Meet your local guide for private guided walking tour of Ljubljana city. Ljubljana is one of those central European cities that grabs you with the eternal charm of its classic architecture, beautiful bridges, friendly locals and great food and wine. The architecture of Ljubljana is strongly influenced by the former Austro-Hungarian Empire and its beauty is omnipresent. Some of the famous sights are the Magistrat (Town Hall), the Baroque town mansion, the 18th-century cathedral, the Shoemaker Bridge and the Jewish quarter.

Smartno is a picturesque walled village with five preserved towers, perched on a panoramic hill like an eagle's nest overlooking miles of vineyards that can be seen from every corner of Brda. The settlement that was probably built on Roman foundations used to be a fortification on the strategic Venetian-Austrian border. Today it is an architectural jewel, a cultural monument, unique as a whole and in numerous details. The village derives its name from the church of St. Martin, the largest church in Brda, with a bell tower which was once a fortification tower.

Enjoy a privately guided tour of the cellars beneath the Simčič household, a family run winery in the small village of Vipolže. Run by father-son duo Edi and Aleks, this initially unassuming winery is heralded by many as the finest and most forward thinking in Slovenia with its selection of whites and reds grown on small vineyards around the country. Learning about their work which is reinvigorating wine growing traditions and grapes of pre-Socialist Republic Slovenia while pushing forward into more experimental areas, you'll taste a number of their vintages accompanied by local cheeses and olive oils.