ITINERARY
ITINERARY
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Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ancient city walls. Higgledy-piggledy red rooftops. Cobbled streets worn by time. That’s Dubrovnik, a heart-stealing city that you just know you’re going to love themoment…
Departs: 21:00
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Koper, Slovenia
Set along a wide horseshoe-shaped bay, Koper's a Medieval town where old and new go hand-in-hand. Lose yourself in the maze of streets, passing historical sights andbrowsing…
Time in port: 08:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
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Caves & Castles
Explore the world famous Postojna Caves. Enter the mysterious world of underground caves and echoing halls. And be mesmerised by disappearing rivers and babbling brooks. A train will take you through the halls and corridors chiselled by the Pivka River. The remarkable ‘brilliant’ stalagmite, and the ‘spaghetti’ and ‘congress’ halls will take your breath away. Not to mention the artificial pool with the mysterious ‘human-fish’ in it. Continue on for a beautiful photo stop and some free time at Predjama Castle. Perched high up in the cliff, this Renaissance castle dates back to the 16th century, but some features of the old cave castle from past centuries still survives today.
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Piran & Portoroz - Little Italy
Piran’s a quaint town bursting with Italian charm. The whole place is one big attraction as it’s barely changed in 400 years. The old seaport of Piran lies at the end of the Piran peninsula, which gradually narrows between the bays of Strunjan and Piran. The peninsula reaches Cape Madona, ending with the Savrini hills. So needless to say, the setting’s really something. You'll experience a 60-minute walking tour around the town's Medieval layout, with winding streets and higgledy-piggledy houses rising in steps from the coast up into the hills. This will stand you in a good stead to explore Piran on your own during the extra 60-minutes of free time. Next, you will head over to the nearby Portoroz. This is the place to be if you want to kick back and relax. Use your 45-minute free time to visit the Blue Flag beach - the only natural sandy swathe in Slovenia. Or uncover the town's cultural attractions and a selection of Slovenian cafes and restaurants.
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Slovenia Off-road
You’ll discover a different side of Slovenia today – a part that coaches can’t reach. You’ll leave Koper port and head into the countryside, before jumping aboard a comfortable 4x4. Your driver doubles as your guide, and they’ll share knowledge on local specialties, while driving along forgotten country lanes between remote, picturesque villages. You’ll take in unforgettable viewpoints that can only be accessed using these smaller vehicles. This tour has limited spaces due to the amount of vehicles available.
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Trieste, Italy
This Italian city showcases cobbled, café-lined piazzas, Baroque churches and an old town that’s packed with pastel-coloured buildings. It’s a great jumping-off point…
Time in port: 07:00 - 19:00Show Top Things to Do
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A Taste of Trieste
This day out pairs a sightseeing tour of Trieste with a taste of the olive oil and wine produced in the area. From the port, you’ll take a short stroll into the heart of Trieste, through the cobbled, café-lined squares this part of Italy does best. After you’ve got a feel for the city’s piazzas and cathedrals, you’ll hop onboard a bus for a drive through the Carso district. This region of picturesque highland extends across the border into Slovenia, and is separated from the sea by huge white cliffs. Thanks to its position on the globe, the area has a microclimate that lets plant and animal life thrive, creating a lovely contrast to the ruggedness of its coastline. Later on, you’ll visit a nearby factory that uses locally-sourced produce to bottle their own wines and olive oils, which you’ll get to sample alongside some tasty breads and cheeses.
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Aquileia & Wine Tasting
Travel back to toga-wearing days in Aquileia, an Ancient Roman town that dates back to 181 BC. Your guide will show you all the star sights of this riverside settlement, the highlight of which has to be the cathedral. Built in a Romanesque-Gothic style, it’s an unmissable landmark that comes wallpapered and carpeted with beautifully-preserved mosaics. You’ll also see open-air Roman ruins, believed to be the largest Roman city to be fully excavated. It’s then on to a local vineyard, where you’ll have a chance to try some of the region’s superb red and whites.
Trieste Walking Tour
This walking tour’s a great way to see Trieste's galaxy of sights. Some of the best bits can be seen from Capitol Hill, like the San Giusto Castle and the Roman theatre. But nothing beats getting up close. You'll wander the narrow alleyways of the old town and the wide avenues of the new town, seeking out all of Trieste's must-sees. There's the town's main square, Piazza dell'Unita, on the old harbour. The grandiose Neo-classical contours of the Old Exchange. The great curve of the Roman ampitheatre. And the Canal Grande, a waterway that echoes the shape of its Venetian sibling. Not to mention a clutch of religious buildings that would make even the most church-laden Italian town green with envy. Think Serb-Orthodox chapels, Greek-Orthodox sanctuaries, and a Catholic Cathedral - to name but a few.
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Zadar, Croatia
Zadar doesn’t put age before beauty, it offers them both at the same time. This Dalmatian city on the Adriatic Coast is one of the oldest in Europe, and its timelinecan…
Time in port: 09:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
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Panoramic tuk-tuk tour of Zadar
This trip offers up a speedy way to see Zadar’s most-snapped sights. You’ll be picked up from the port in an eco-friendly tuk-tuk, and take a drive towards pebble-fronted Kolovare Beach. From there, you’ll follow the coast past the swanky Marina Borik before stopping for a snap of the Sphinx of Zadar – a concrete-and-stone structure that’s wrapped in a romantic history. From there, it’s on to the waterfront Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun – the latter’s fitted with 300 solar panels which represent the solar system, while the organ is made up of 35 pipes which play out sounds powered by the waves. Then you’ll head back to your tuk-tuk, for a drive past the Roman Forum before a short walking tour of Zadar’s cobblestone streets. Once you’re done, your tuk-tuk will pick you back up and take you to the port.
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Plitvice National Park
The Plitvice Lakes National Park lives up to its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Over thousands of years, the bright turquoise waters skimming over the limestone and chalk riverbeds have created a series of natural dams. The result is a collection of waterfalls, caves and lakes embedded among thick forests. You’ll get almost 3 hours at leisure here, so you can explore the park at your own pace – and since it’s the largest national park in Croatia, there’s plenty to see. Aside from the much-photographed falls, you’ll find clusters of lakes, wide river canyons and forest-blanketed mountain slopes. Wildlife-wise, everything from butterflies to brown bears roam the forests, plus it’s home to over 1,000 different species of plants.
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Zadar by Foot
Zadar is one of the oldest towns on the Dalmatian Coast, having passed through the hands of the Romans, Crusaders, Croatians and Venetians. As you’ll see on this walking tour, it’s the last two who visibly made their mark – a mix of Croatian and Venetian architecture makes for a scene of pastel-pale buildings with terracotta roofs. The Old City is separated from its modern counterpart thanks to its spot on a protruding tongue of land. Your guide will lead you around this ancient part of town, which is still clutched by well-preserved walls. A jumble of Croatian monuments, archives, museums and libraries can be found here. Unsurprisingly, it’s also home to Croatia’s first university. A few more firsts were conjured up within its walls – the first Croatian novel and the first Croatian-language newspapers. Other highlights include the imposing Church of St. Donatus and the artefact-filled Museum of Antique Glass. After the tour, you’ll have the chance to explore the city in your own time before heading back to the ship.
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Split, Croatia
Over the past few years, Split has been staking its claim on the city-break map of Europe. Right in the heart of the Dalmatia region, this heart-stealer of a city has…
Time in port: 08:00 - 17:00Show Top Things to Do
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Walking Split
What better way to explore the picturesque city of Split than on foot! Split, Dalmatia’s largest city, has a lot to offer the visitor, from cultural and historical monuments to a rich choice of shops and elegant sea-front cafes. You will walk with your guide from the pier towards the old part of Split, where you will find the impressive 3rd century Diocletian’s Palace. Here you will visit the cellars, the Peristyle, the Golden and Silver Gates, the Cathedral (Mausoleum of Emperor Diocletian), the Temple of Jupiter and other interesting and historic sights. Following that you will walk around the ‘heart’ of the Old Town and finally you will be given free time to shop and take pictures. Just so you know... At the end of your tour you can choose to stay in the city centre if you wish to do so OR walk back to the ship with your guide.
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Salona & Trogir
If you have been to Split before, why not venture out of the city and see other places of interest the beautiful Croatian coast has to offer? On this lovely tour you will discover the Roman settlement of Salona, which supported a population of 60,000 in ancient times. Here you will walk with your guide around the ruins and take in the stunning views of the surrounding area before proceeding to Trogir. Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an impressive, fortified, Medieval town, built on an island, connected to the mainland by a bridge. You will be given free time to explore on your own, wander around the quaint, narrow streets, view the fashionable and very picturesque marina or do some shopping in the many souvenir shops!
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Best of Split & its Countryside
You’ll get up close and personal with Croatia’s second-largest city on this day out. It begins with a walk around the old town, and you’ll take in the well-preserved cellars beneath the Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO-listed fortress from the Roman times. Gothic cathedrals, cobbled squares, and ancient city gates are all on the itinerary, too. Afterwards, you’ll take a drive along the coast into the mountains to visit Omiš, a small town on the banks of the Centina River. You’ll climb aboard a boat to set sail through the canyon, and head to a local restaurant where you'll get to sample local smoked ham, cheese and olives.
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Kotor, Montenegro
For years, the travel-savvy have kept Montenegro under their sunhats. But now the cat’s creeping out of the bag – and it’s hardly surprising. A tiny republic in southeast…
Time in port: 08:00 - 17:00 | Tender to shoreShow Top Things to Do
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Highlights of Montenegro
The port of Kotor finds a home on the world’s southernmost fjord - or the ‘Bride of the Adriatic’, as it’s also known. As places go, it’s beautiful. Think blue seas. A stony shore. Green mountains. All drenched in the heavenly scent of lemons, oranges, mimosas and camellias. And here’s your chance to explore this gorgeous part of the world. First you’ll stop at the mountain village of Njegusi to taste the region’s delicious smoked ham and cheese. Stomach full, you’re ready for Cetinje. Known as the ‘Valley of Gods’, it was once the smallest European capital and it’s filled to bursting with beautiful buildings. Here you'll visit the King Nikola's palace before having some free time to stroll around. Next you’re off to Budva - the most popular tourist destination on Montenegro’s map. And quite rightly so. Beautiful architecture meets seductive sandy beaches in this spot. Perhaps that’s why lots of millionaires decide to live here. Want to join them?
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Walking Tour of Kotor
When a town is two thousand years old like Kotor there are plenty of stories to tell. Its ancient Roman beginnings. Its Middle Ages struggle of ownership between Goths, Saracens and Serbians. Its Venetian past. With a history like this, it’s no surprise Kotor has got itself a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And what better way to explore it than with a guided walking tour? In every stone of its timeworn walls, on every fresco painting and every hidden alley, you’ll relive its glorious past. The old town centre is still really well preserved and the criss-crossed narrow streets and squares have monuments at every corner. From Prince’s Palace and Napoleon’s Theatre to the most recognisable symbol of the city - the Romanesque Cathedral of Saint Tryphon – you’ll be mesmerised from the word go. And how many towns in this part of the world have preserved their fortifications from the Middle Ages? Not many. But Kotor is one of the few. The chunky walls surrounding the old town are impressive to say the least - at some places they reach 20 metres in height and 16 metres in thickness. If you don’t believe us, you’ll have plenty of time to measure them in the free time you’ll get here. Have we given you enough reasons to join our guided visit to Kotor? We think so.
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Traditional Kotor
The olive farm starring on this trip is perched on the Bay of Kotor. Spectacular scenery comes as standard in these parts, thanks to the huge expanse of water mirroring the surrounding mountains. Pretty villages speckle the coastline and – after stopping to take a quick photo of the bay – we’ll reach a small peninsula called Luštica, home to a farm owned by the Moric family. A welcome drink in the 900-tree-strong olive grove marks the start of the tour, during which your guide will reveal all about the family’s artisan style of olive cultivation, harvest and production. We’ll then wander towards the village of Tići, checking out the old and new mills on the way. The best is saved for last – you’ll get to taste-test the family’s extra virgin olive oils alongside a spread of homemade breads, seasonal fruit and local brandy. To top things off, the day will finish with a whistle stop tour of Kotor.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ancient city walls. Higgledy-piggledy red rooftops. Cobbled streets worn by time. That’s Dubrovnik, a heart-stealing city that you just know you’re going to love themoment…
Arrives: 04:00
