Western Balkans Discovery
From the Croatian capital of Zagreb, cross the border into Slovenia to uncover the fairy tale beauty of Bled in the Julian Alps and visit the pretty city of Ljubljana, before venturing back into Croatia to see the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and coastal Split and Dubrovnik.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes
Tour overview
Itinerary
Day 1 Zagreb
Day 1 Zagreb
Wednesday. Welcome to Zagreb and the start of your holiday. Included transfer for the airport to your hotel in the city. There will be a welcome meeting in the hotel lobby at 18:30.
The remains of the day offer free time for you to head out and explore this beautiful city which marks the crossroad between the Adriatic coast and Central Europe.
Day 2 Zagreb & Ljubljana
Day 2 Zagreb & Ljubljana
Zagreb - Ljubljana. Embark on a morning sightseeing adventure of Zagreb, offering you the chance to explore the fortified Upper Town, the historic heart of the city, the charming St. Mark's Church with its vibrant, multi-colored roof, the grand Cathedral, the Croatian National Theatre, and the University. Following this, we will journey to Ljubljana.
In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, where you'll have the opportunity to witness the most notable landmarks in its old center. This includes the picturesque Central open-air Market and the iconic Three Bridges, the elegant Baroque Town Hall, and the enchanting Robba's Fountain. Overnight stay in Ljubljana.
Day 3 Bled
Day 3 Bled
Ljubljana - Bled - Plitvice. Today, we'll set out for Bled, a charming small town nestled in the Julian Alps, renowned as one of the most breathtaking alpine resorts. It's a place that seems straight out of a timeless fairy tale, with its vast natural beauty, encompassing mountains and forests that embrace an emerald glacial lake. Here, we'll explore the Bled Castle, which stands as the oldest in all of Slovenia. After our visit to Bled, our adventure continues as we make our way to the Plitvice Lakes area for an overnight stay and dinner.
Day 4 Plitvice & Split
Day 4 Plitvice & Split
Plitvice - Split. Begin your day with a morning stroll around Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you'll witness the wonder of 16 crystal-blue lakes, gracefully cascading into a network of 92 waterfalls. After this enchanting experience, we'll continue our journey to the historic city of Split.
This afternoon, our guide will reveal the secrets of the UNESCO-protected Diocletian's Palace and its intriguing cellars. Originally built during ancient times, the palace underwent modifications by its inhabitants in the Middle Ages, resulting in its present-day charm. It stands as the heart of the city, brimming with history and culture. Overnight in Split.
Day 5 Split & Dubrovnik
Day 5 Split & Dubrovnik
Split - Pelješac - Dubrovnik. Following breakfast, we embark toward the captivating city of Dubrovnik. En route, we'll make a stop at one of the wine cellars on the Pelješac peninsula, where you can taste the region's renowned red wine, Plavac Mali. You'll have some free time for lunch and the opportunity to explore the charming little town of Ston.
In the afternoon, we'll join a city tour of Dubrovnik, often referred to as the "Pearl of the Adriatic," a UNESCO-protected gem. Explore its magnificent Cathedral and take a step back in time to the maritime era of the Republic of Dubrovnik. Marvel at its grand palaces, elegant fountains, and robust city walls. Enjoy the city's marble streets, baroque architecture, and the endless glimmer of the Adriatic Sea.
Day 6 Free Time in Dubrovnik
Day 6 Free Time in Dubrovnik
Today is yours to spend at leisure exploring the UNESCO listed old city of Dubrovnik with its towering fortress wall and the Dubrovnik Cathedral, built in Roman Baroque architectural style.
Day 7 Dubrovnik
Day 7 Dubrovnik
Tuesday. Today your tour of Croatia comes to an end. After breakfast and hotel check-out a departure transfer will take you to Dubrovnik airport.
Tour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Prices & Dates
Hotels
Part of Best Western's Premier range, the elegant Hotel Astoria offers a high level of comfort and style, fitting with the brand. Guests can choose from a variety of different sizes of room, each offering plush, attractive furniture and a range of modern amenities, including a minibar and satellite TV. The hotel's Ragusa restaurant has a great ambiance and serves a wonderful selection of local and international dishes. The accommodation is conveniently located just 300m from the train station and offers free parking for guests.
Hotel Lev is centrally located in Ljubljana, the 13 floor high glass exterior offers marvelous views of Slovenia's capital city. Guest rooms are decorated modernly featuring private ensuite bathrooms and air-conditioning. Additional features of the hotel include complimentary Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness centre and bicycles to rent for those wanting to explore the area.
Nestled in the heart of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Jezero Hotel is the perfect base for any overnight stay in this stunning locale. The property offers a selection of guest rooms and suites, and while the hotel interior is modern in design, the building has been constructed to sit perfectly amongst the natural surroundings. A short walk away is Kozjak – the park’s largest lake. Hotel amenities include an in-house restaurant and lobby bar, a night club and complimentary spa facilities including a gym, whirpool massage and two Finnish saunas. There’s also a small gift shop on site, plus room service and free WiFi.
Located in the heart of Split, Hotel Corner offers spacious accommodation in modern rooms with plenty of natural light. The recently renovated hotel offers rooms that are spread across two floors, and accessible by both stairs and an elevator. With a choice between four different room types (standard, triple, comfort or family), guests can enjoy comfort, as each room has free WiFi, a flatscreen TV with cable channels, a safe, complimentary toiletries and a private bathroom with a shower and hairdryer. Not only are famous landmarks, including the UNESCO-listed Palace of Diocletian located close by, the hotel also offers a 24-hour service desk, room service and free parking. There is a fitness center and a restaurant on-site, as well as a spa and wellness center where guests can unwind with a massage treatment on-site.
Enjoying an enviable location close to the historic centre of Split, this modern hotel offers an ideal combination of comfort and convenience. The spacious guest rooms benefit from air-conditioning, free WiFi, a mini-bar and plasma TV. The in-house restaurant serves a buffet breakfast and a selection of dishes from an a la carte menu for lunch or dinner, all prepared with fresh ingredients sourced daily, while the Coffee Bar is a great place to indulge in a cocktail or hot drink on the open-air terrace. Just a short stroll away from the hotel guests will find shops, restaurants and cafes, and the UNESCO-listed Diocletian Palace is just a 10-minute walk away. Guests can also make sure of the hotel’s gym and spa facilities after a long day of sightseeing in Split.
The Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik is situated on the lush Babin Kuk Peninsula, just 6km away from Dubrovniks old city. Featuring air-conditioned modern and comfortable guest rooms with free Wi-Fi and equipped with private bathrooms. The hotel features an elegant outdoor swimming pool with views of the Elaphiti Islands as well as an indoor pool and array of wellness facilities. Why not sit back and relax with a cocktail in hand after exploring Dubrovnik's old city.
The elegant Hotel Lero is a spacious accommodation that offers free WiFi to all of its guests and has an onsite salon as well as a massage parlour. The air-conditioned rooms are comfortable and stylish, ensuring that guests have a wonderful night's sleep. The hotel's bar is the perfect location for a leisurely drink before dinner, which can be taken in either of the two restaurants and consists of local and international dishes. A buffet breakfast is served each morning. The hotel is situated just minutes from the beach and 20 minutes on foot from the Old Town.
Tour Reviews
Western Balkans Discovery - 7 daysFrom the Croatian capital of Zagreb, cross the border into Slovenia to uncover the fairy tale beauty of Bled in the Julian Alps and visit the pretty city of Ljubljana, before venturing back into Croatia to see the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and coastal Split and Dubrovnik. Handpicked73277.5Blanche was a wonderful guide. She was knowledgeable, patient, kind, organised and a great communicator. Fabulous tour for a taste of the Balkans. Our bus driver was also very helpful and a safe driver.
Western Balkans Discovery - 7 daysFrom the Croatian capital of Zagreb, cross the border into Slovenia to uncover the fairy tale beauty of Bled in the Julian Alps and visit the pretty city of Ljubljana, before venturing back into Croatia to see the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and coastal Split and Dubrovnik. Handpicked73277.5The tour was well organised. And Eva the guide was really good. She was remarkable. Being that she had to conduct the tour in 2 languages. 47 people on the tour, I think that’s too many people. It felt very cramped on the bus. One of the evening meals was pretty bad I think it was in Split But overall the food was good And I would definitely recommend on the go tours or elite
Western Balkans Discovery - 7 daysFrom the Croatian capital of Zagreb, cross the border into Slovenia to uncover the fairy tale beauty of Bled in the Julian Alps and visit the pretty city of Ljubljana, before venturing back into Croatia to see the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and coastal Split and Dubrovnik. Handpicked73277.5Eva was a great our guide. She went out of her way to insure that everybody had a wonderful experience. She is well informed, kind and compassionate with a great sense of humour.
Western Balkans Discovery - 7 daysFrom the Croatian capital of Zagreb, cross the border into Slovenia to uncover the fairy tale beauty of Bled in the Julian Alps and visit the pretty city of Ljubljana, before venturing back into Croatia to see the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and coastal Split and Dubrovnik. Handpicked73277.5Great tour & tour guide. Blanche was our tour guide in Croatia. She was fantastic always letting us know what was happening always telling us about the history of the region we were in at the time. Could not fault her she was brilliant. The tour itself was really good & went to some fantastic spots & was well planned out. The last hotel ‘The Valamar’ was a great hotel to finish the tour at. It was a great hotel to relax after the tour if you wanted to.
Western Balkans Discovery - 7 daysFrom the Croatian capital of Zagreb, cross the border into Slovenia to uncover the fairy tale beauty of Bled in the Julian Alps and visit the pretty city of Ljubljana, before venturing back into Croatia to see the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and coastal Split and Dubrovnik. Handpicked73277.5Not having read the fine print I was unaware of the size of the group, 47, far too big for my preference. Tour guide was excellent as was itinary though the length of free time at the end of the various walking tours was too long, most people were back waiting for the bus almost an hour before departure time. Food at the lunch time stops was generally good but the hotel evening meals were average at the start of the trip and gradually got worse, Corner Hotel and Lachroma food was so over cooked as to be almost inevitable. Transport to airport (own used for earlier arrival day) was excellent Generally enjoyable with interesting people from Canada, Australia and New Zealand
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