A 9-Day Private Luxury Road Trip Adventure in Croatia

ِDay 1: Arrival in Zagreb

Arrival at Zagreb airport and private transfer to the Westin Zagreb hotel. Relax and freshen up. Depending on the time of your arrival, before dinner spend some time re-energizing in over 1,700 m² of modern, elegantly appointed, sleek, and airy surroundings of the hotel wellness center. Overnight.

🏚️ Hotel Option: The Westin Zagreb or Similar.

ِDay 2: Zagreb City Center Tour & Relaxed Exploration of the City

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, meet with your local guide and take a walking tour around Zagreb city center. The Croatian capital is in many ways an exceptional city. Zagreb offers its guests the Baroque atmosphere of the Upper Town, a picturesque open market, green parks, and promenades, but also superb culinary delights and an exciting nightlife. It has managed to preserve its distinctive beauty and relaxed atmosphere and is the perfect blend of a Central European metropolis and the relaxed tempo of the Mediterranean.
Your guide will take you to the historical center of the city, The Stone Gate, Church of St. Mark with the famed multicolored roof, the Cathedral, and many other sights. After the tour, have lunch in one of its various restaurants – ask the guide for a recommendation.
Spend the afternoon visiting some of the interesting museums, such as the Museum of Broken Relationships, filled with mementos of relationships that have in one way or another gone wrong. There is also a Museum of Hangovers where the artifacts related to the alcohol-infused sessions are exposed, with an attached background story, and the Museum of Chocolate, a theme park dedicated to chocolate. Overnight Westin Zagreb.

🏚️ Hotel Option: The Westin Zagreb or Similar.

ِDay 3: From Zagreb to Zadar through Plitvice Lakes National Park

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, pick up your rental car and depart for the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is a magical world of lakes, waterfalls, moss, and forests. Nestled in the embrace of the surrounding wooded mountains are sixteen smaller and larger crystal turquoise lakes, interconnected by foaming cascades and deep falls.
Meeting with a local guide and a walking tour of the National Park, which includes a boat ride, and allows you to experience first-hand the magical beauty of the lakes and waterfalls, each spectacular in its own right.
You can have lunch at one of the local restaurants that feature an array of local specialties. After visiting the park, continue towards Zadar where you will check in the unique city boutique-hotel Bastion.
Once you’ve settled in and freshened up, meet your guide at the reception and take a stroll through the cobbled streets of the old town. You will visit the most famous sights of Zadar – they are all within walking distance of your hotel. In just 5 minutes you can reach the Greeting to the Sun and the Sea organ installations, where you will listen to a unique melody played by the waves. One of the stops on the tour will also be the Roman Forum, the biggest forum built in Croatia, today one of the most visited ruins in the country.
Dine-in one of the charming taverns and return to the hotel for the night.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hotel Bastion or Similar.

ِDay 4: Picturesque Trogir, Stella Croatica Ethno Agro Park & Klis Fortress

Buffet breakfast and check-out. On your way towards the traditional family estate Stella Croatica, stop in the typical Dalmatian historical town of Trogir and meet your local guide.
The town has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1997 and one of its must-see attractions is the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, known for its Romanesque door carved in the 13th century.
After the walking tour, say goodbye to your guide and continue east. Upon arrival to the Stella Croatica estate, you will be welcomed by your host, who will let you take a peek into the past – the culture, customs, and everyday life of the Dalmatian family.
Take a tour of the (Manu)factory where the sweets are handmade, walk through the scenic botanical collection, explore the rich Mediterranean garden, and visit the olive oil museum. Awaken all your senses by tasting different varieties of homemade delicacies and some award-winning olive oils in the authentic atmosphere of the concept store.
Before going to the hotel in Split, visit the Klis fortress. Controlling the valley leading into Split, this medieval fortress offers a fantastic birdseye view of the entire Split “metropolitan” area, the Adriatic Sea, and surrounding islands.
After taking some photos at this “Game of Thrones” exterior shot location for the city of Meereen, proceed to your final destination of the day – the Cornaro Hotel, a new urban lifestyle hotel in the Split city center. When checking into the hotel, inquire about the many restaurants in the area and choose one to your liking for dinner. Overnight.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hotel Bastion or Similar.

ِDay 5: Split Historical and Gastro Tour with the Green Market

In the morning, after breakfast, you will embark on a tour that will tickle your senses. On this Split food tour, your guide will take you to different food stops so you can taste the most delicious and scrumptious food while you are walking along with the 1700-year-old imperial palace, getting to know all of Diocletian’s Palace and the surrounding medieval highlights of Split.
You’ll start your food adventure by visiting the Greenmarket, a great traditional restaurant ”Konoba” known for its culinary specialties “macaroni” – handmade pasta and fresh seafood.
During the next part of the tour, you will visit a small shop where you will taste the traditional peasant pie “Soparnik” and the tour concludes in the oldest pastry shop in Split, where you will taste traditional pastries and gelato.
Rest assured, you will enjoy this food & walk culinary tour, with the best highlights of Split and its delights. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and nut-free options are available, so dear guests if you have any kind of diet restrictions or food allergies please let us know. Return to the hotel, get some rest, and then enjoy an evening off to explore around the city. Overnight Split.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Cornaro Hotel Split or Similar.

ِDay 6: Ferry from Split to Hvar Island Tour

After breakfast, check out and catch the ferry to the island of Hvar, a popular destination with tourists due to its natural setting, mild climate, and the fact that it has more UNESCO heritage “badges” than any island in the world.
A modern 5-star Maslina Resort is just a 5-minute drive away from the ferry port of Stari Grad. Adhering to the principles of ecologically responsible hotel management, the property is dedicated to preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the island. Check into the hotel and then set off to explore the island – you can start with the town of Hvar.
Highlights of Hvar Town include its 13th-century walls, a hilltop fortress, and the main square anchored by the Renaissance-era Cathedral. For some of the best views of the island, Hvar Town, and the nearby Pakleni Islands, take a short walk up to the 16th-century Španjola Fortress. Treat yourself to a drink and a snack in the ancient piazza of Hvar overlooking the Venetian loggia and the oldest municipal theater in Europe.
As the next stop on the island tour, we suggest the ancient Greek Hora, i.e. UNESCO protected Stari Grad Plain. Hora or Ager is an impressively preserved testament to the Ancient Greek period, an agricultural landscape that has remained practically intact since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks.
After that, it’s time to visit the wine cellar belonging to the Duboković family, hear the story about wine production, and taste 5 wines (rose, white/orange, red, red / premium, dessert). You will also be offered some olive oils, given that they are an essential part of the island diet.
For the sweet end to the island tour, the Gamulin family will welcome you to their very special chocolate boutique. The story started with an old grandma’s recipe for dried figs wrapped in sugar, a traditional Christmas treat in Dalmatia – with the sugar being replaced with chocolate, a new praline was invented and named Figolini. Now the whole family is involved in making a fusion of chocolate and Mediterranean fruits and herbs which island Hvar abound with and they are willing to share some of their secrets with you. Return to Maslina Resort. Overnight.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Cornaro Hotel Split or Similar.

ِDay 7: Back to the Mainland – Stopping on Pelješac & in Trsteno on the Way to Dubrovnik

Breakfast and check-out. A one-hour drive across the island along a winding island road is a true Mediterranean experience that will take you to Drivenik, where you will board the ferry. Once on land, the drive starts to the southeast and your final destination – Dubrovnik.
En route, you’ll stop at the edge of the Pelješac peninsula to spend a little time in the small medieval town of Ston. Upon arrival, you will notice one of Ston’s trademarks – Ston city walls, the longest fortified system in Europe. If you are in the mood, you can walk the walls.
Apart from the walls, two other things that the area is known for are oysters and mussels, and the salt plant. Oysters and mussels have been grown here since Roman times. In the same period, Romans were producing the salt, and after the area was taken over by the Dubrovnik Republic, they built the oldest active salt plant on the whole Mediterranean.
You’ll embark on an oyster tasting experience, a unique gastronomic attraction. Sailing in a boat you will enjoy the untouched natural beauty of the protected ecosystem of Mali Ston bay. The entire experience also has an educational character, since the guides will gladly share their knowledge about the process of cultivating oysters. You will enjoy tasting world-famous oysters, just taken out of the sea, on a floating dock in the middle of the oyster farm.
You can have lunch at the Bota Šare restaurant. The restaurant offers and nurtures original indigenous Dalmatian cuisine and draws inspiration for its dishes from two old cookbooks found in the dusty corners of this medieval salt warehouse. Almost everything you eat and drink here is farmed, caught, or produced within 100 m of your table.
When you’re ready, continue your journey down the coast and after a 30-minute drive, make a short stop in a beautiful green oasis of Trsteno Arboretum. This oldest arboretum in this part of the world was used as the setting and filming location for the world-famous series Game of Thrones.
Proceed further to your final destination, where you will return your car and check into an iconic landmark hotel. A historic villa built in 1913 and taking full advantage of gorgeous west-facing views of the glorious Old Town, Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik enjoys the most enviable location of any hotel in the city – just a five-minute walk from the medieval fortress walls.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Royal Blue Hotel or Similar.

ِDay 8: Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Dubrovnik Private Sightseeing Tour

Dubrovnik is known as one of the world’s finest and most perfectly preserved medieval cities in the world. Its long and storied history is told in its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains all found within its imposing fortress walls.
After breakfast, meet your guide and walk with him to the nearby entrance to Dubrovnik Old Town. Once in the “Old Port”, your guide will relate the intriguing stories of the famous Quarantine and the nearby fortresses of St. Luke and St. John as well as fascinating legends about the Church of St Blaise, the Cathedral, the Rector’s Palace, Sponza Palace, and Orlando’s Column.
If you are a Game of Thrones fan, please note that we can also organize a GOT sightseeing tour. You will be taken through the parts of Dubrovnik Old Town where some of the most memorable scenes from the cultural phenomenon were filmed, including The Pile Gate where King Joffrey was faced with a citizens’ riot and pelted with dung, the Lovrijenac fort (menacing Red Keep), and the place where the unsuccessful attack on King’s Landing – the Battle of Blackwater – took place.
The rest of the day explore Dubrovnik and its surroundings on your own. Take a walk along the 2 km long Dubrovnik’s city walls and enjoy the views of the fortresses, lively squares, and the hidden narrow streets below. Come early evening, you can get stunning panoramic views over the city and the Adriatic by taking the cable car up to Srđ Mountain.
Have dinner in one of the famous restaurants in the Old Town, and taste local dishes such as pašticada with gnocchi, cheese in oil, and the traditional dessert of Dubrovnik – “rožata”. Overnight Excelsior.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Royal Blue Hotel or Similar.

ِDay 9: Departure Dubrovnik

Breakfast at the hotel and free time until departure for Dubrovnik airport. If you have some spare time, buy some unique souvenirs or gifts: arancini (candied orange peel), sugared almonds, or Konavle-style embroidered tablecloth.