Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro

We meet at our Departure Office in London St Pancras and board
the Eurostar to Brussels. In the Belgian capital, we change trains
for Cologne and continue to Munich or Ulm for the night.

After a relaxed morning on Day 2, we continue
our journey across beautiful Bavaria, through Austria and the
mighty Austrian Alps into Slovenia. We arrive in Bled, an
enchanting town set on the shimmering, turquoise waters of the
glacial lake bearing the same name. Surrounded by forested slopes
and the jagged summits of the Julian Alps, the lake is crowned by
Bled Castle. On arrival, we check into our hotel for three
nights.

Day 3 is free for you to explore Bled and the
surrounding area. Perhaps take a boat to the delightful island near
the lake's centre or visit Bled Castle. This thousand-year-old
building looks like a fairytale castle and houses collections of
weaponry and ancient jewellery.

oday's excursion takes us to Ljubljana, Slovenia's thriving
capital city. We enjoy a guided tour around the Art Nouveau and
Baroque buildings of the historic centre before continuing by coach
to the fascinating Postojna Caves. Entering via a small electric
railway, we take a guided walk into the very heart of this
wonderful subterranean world.

On Day 5, we depart Bled by train, crossing the
Croatian border to reach vibrant Zagreb. Wonderfully compact, the
city's old centre is divided into the Lower Town, filled with
splendid architecture and pleasant parks, and the Upper Town, a
charming area of enticing streets. Zagreb's attractions are easily
explored on foot, and there are plenty of museums and galleries to
discover as well as lively pavement cafés and restaurants.

We enjoy a guided tour on Day 6, visiting
sights such as the 14th-century Gothic St Mark's Church and the
medieval quarter of the city. You have a free afternoon to continue
exploring. Perhaps stop by Dolac market and sample some traditional
fare, such as strukli, pastries filled with cottage cheese.

Travelling by coach to Plitvice Lakes, we check into our hotel.
This evening we discover the local area with a guide, visiting a
nearby Serbian village that saw major conflict in the Yugoslavia
and Bosnian wars. We return to the hotel for a cooking
demonstration of Balkan cuisine, which we enjoy for tonight's
delicious dinner.

On Day 8 we visit the famous Plitvice Lakes.
These sixteen lakes are part of a National Park and are connected
by cascading waterfalls, the largest of which, Veliki Slap, has a
drop of 200 feet. Plitvice Lakes boast UNESCO World Heritage status
thanks to the unusual karst formations and outstanding natural
beauty here. After lunch in a local restaurant, we take the train
to Split, spending two nights in this city built in honour of the
Roman Emperor, Diocletian.

We take to the water on Day 9, enjoying a
scenic cruise to the island of Brac. Your afternoon is free in
Split. Perhaps wander the narrow walkways of Diocletian's
Palace.

Our coach takes us along the Adriatic Coast to Dubrovnik,
stopping along the way at Makarska Old Town. Our home for the next
three nights, on Day 11 we set out on a guided
walking tour. A breathtaking Renaissance port and the 'Pearl of the
Adriatic', Dubrovnik's old city is UNESCO protected, and you may
recognise some of the terracotta streets and buildings from HBO's
Game of Thrones. Your afternoon is free. Perhaps take a walk along
the ancient walls which overlook the city, or step back in time
with a visit to the historic Franciscan Church and Monastery
complex.

Travelling along the beautiful Dalmatian coastline to Montenegro
and the Bay of Kotor, we board a boat to visit 'Our Lady of the
Rocks', a man-made islet crowned by a small church. According to
legend, this monument was created when the Virgin Mary appeared to
local fishermen who then dropped a stone on the spot every time
they sailed by for luck.

We fly to London Gatwick on Day 13 and our
holiday ends.

Your luggage will travel with you rather than via our
luggage transfer service.

While every departure of this tour will feature the same
excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.