14D13N Eastern Capitals & The Dalmatian Riviera

Welcome to beautiful Vienna. Enjoy your afternoon in the Austrian capital before meeting your Travel Director at a local restaurant for a pleasant evening of dinner.

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Join a Local Expert for a tour of Maria Theresa’s Schönbrunn Palace and explore its formal gardens at your pace. Then get your camera ready for a drive around the famous Ring Road. Built along the lines of the old city walls, it showcases many of the capital’s architectural highlights, including the Opera House, Hofburg Imperial Residence, the Austrian Parliament Building and Karlskirche. The rest of the day is at your leisure to continuing exploring. Perhaps join an optional evening to a Country Mansion to indulge in Classic Austrian dishes. And don’t forget to experience a performance of the waltzes and classical music for which Vienna is world-renowned!

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In the morning, cross the border into Slovenia and journey to its second largest city, Maribor. After spending time in this charming location, head to the beloved city of Ljubljana.

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Your Local Expert will reveal the Baroque elegance of the Slovenian capital. The medieval castle stands as an ancient guardian, the City Hall and Cathedral of St. Nicholas testify to its historical importance, while the Triple Bridge spans the river adorned with cafes and restaurants. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps join an Optional Experience to Postojna Caves? In the evening, choose from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around evening.

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Spend the morning in Slovenia during which you can join an optional visit to stunning lake Bled, or relax with locals in a nearby cafe before journeying into Croatia, where on arrival in Zagreb, you meet your Local Expert for an exploration of this capital. Take a walk to see the Art Pavilion, the Academy of Sciences and Art, and pass Zrinjevac Park. You will then board the city’s funicular to St. Mark’s Church and the Lotrščak Tower, take a walk back down through Stone Gate and back to the square.

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A free day to relax and enjoy a city that is bursting with culture. Perhaps spend time exploring one of the many museums or browsing the shops in Donji Grad? Maybe try the local cuisine in one of Zagreb’s interesting restaurants or cafes or join an optional experience to the charming village of Kumrovec and meet a local to hear their perspective on the region’s history?

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Journey south to visit one of Europe’s great natural wonders. 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 one of the women of the Tara Community Centre, where  handicrafts are produced, enabling employment and engagement in the community.

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The green forests give way to pebble-dashed shores lapped by turquoise waters as you travel to Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a historic town founded by the Greeks more than 2,300 years ago. Admire the cathedral and Renaissance Cipiko Palace, before continuing to the historic port of Split. 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 Golden Gate. Your exploration then continues underground as you are guided through the cellars. In the evening, don’t miss the opportunity to dine like a true local at a traditional Konoba.

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Always buzzing, lively Split has just the right balance of tradition and modernity. See Dalmatian life as it’s lived with a full day free to explore Split and its surroundings. Why not join an optional experience to discover the beautiful Dalmatian island, Hvar? Explore the historic Old Town with your Local Expert before having free time to relax by the seafront or admire the stunning views from the hilltop fortress.

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This morning, cross into Bosnia & Herzegovina and travel to Mostar. With your Local Expert, explore the cobbled old town on both sides of the famed Stari Most, the Old Bridge, a 16th-century Ottoman masterpiece rebuilt after near destruction in the Croat–Bosniak War. Browse market stalls brimming with traditional crafts and Turkish-style souvenirs before continuing to Sarajevo. In 1914, the city was the site of the assassination that triggered World War I, and in the 1990s it endured the longest siege in modern history. Follow a scenic route to the capital for your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience: an evening in a Sarajevan family home, where you’ll enjoy authentic dishes and warm hospitality while hearing personal stories that preserve and share the city’s rich cultural heritage.

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Morning sightseeing with a Local Expert introduces you to the Sarajevo War Tunnels Museum, housing part of the secret tunnel that was the city’s lifeline during the Bosnian war. Continue along the Milajacka river and see the historic Habsburg centre of the city. In the afternoon, enjoy time at your leisure, or join an optional tour to experience the flavours of Bosnia and to visit the Latin Bridge where Austrian Crown Prince, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated.

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Cross the border into Croatia and journey to the walled town of Dubrovnik. On arrival, join your Local Expert to explore the stone-paved streets inside the 16th century bastions of the old town. See Onofrio’s Fountain and the Rector’s Palace and the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries.

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In the morning, why not visit Montenegro? This Optional Experience travels to Kotor, where your camera can capture one of the most beautiful parts of the bay as you learn the history of the area, before returning to Dubrovnik with a short cruise. As the day comes to a close, and should the weather permit, join your fellow travel companions as you sit back and enjoy a relaxing cruise around the fabled bay of Dubrovnik. Later, enjoy a Celebration Dinner of typical Dalmatian Coast cuisine, accompanied by local wines.

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After breakfast, bid a fond farewell to Dubrovnik and your newfound friends as your journey comes to an end.

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