Active Travel in Croatia – Best Hiking

Dubrovnik is a medieval city on the Croatian side of the Adriatic coastline and a treasure trove of cultural and historical monuments that were created throughout its thousand-year existence.   In the past, it was a City-Republic, and alongside Venice one of the most famous cultural-economic centers on the Mediterranean. In more recent times, it has become the center of modern cultural and tourist events. This is a city of summer festivals, an international parade of top musical and theatrical achievements, and a city of museums and galleries. These events have turned Dubrovnik into a place that offers a rich selection of various experiences and excitements. You will also be able to find quiet and calm in the mild Mediterranean ambiance and wonderful seaside landscapes.

Itinerary

• Meeting with your driver upon arrival and a private transfer from Dubrovnik Airport to Dubrovnik hotel
• Time at leisure and an overnight in Dubrovnik

Explore scenic Dubrovnik countryside and mountain region of the highest peak in southern Croatia. Mount Snježnica is a beautiful mountain above the Adriatic coast and Konavle valley, just a 45 minutes drive from Dubrovnik. Depart from the small village Kuna, deep in the hillside, and after 2.5 hours hiking, you will enjoy the spectacular views of the Croatian coast, islands, and the countries of Montenegro & Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Itinerary

• Join your guide and chauffeur after breakfast for a private walking tour of Konavle region and climb on the Snježnica Mountain (Duration of this trip is approx. 5-6 hours without transfers)
• Stop along the way for a private picnic lunch
• Return to your hotel in the early afternoon
• Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure

Lopud is a beautiful island known for its sandy beaches, calm seas and pristine scenery. The island is without roads and cars. Lopud town, the only settlement on the island, is a charming town of just 200 inhabitants. Through the centuries, Lopud has acquired an interesting combination of old stone houses, palm tree parks, and old mansions surrounded by orchards of colorful lemon, orange, kiwi, and palm trees. A walking trail, between the island’s two prominent hilltops, bisects the island, connecting Lopud town with Šunj Beach, one of Croatia’s best sandy beaches. A Spanish fort sits on top of one of Lopud’s two hilltops and a 10th-century church on top of the other. It’s hard to be in a hurry on Lopud; the island moves at the gentle pace of nature. It slowly awakens in the late spring; the island shifts to its relaxed Dalmatian summer mode as the days grow longer and again settles back into off-season slow gear in mid-September.

Itinerary

• Join your guide and chauffeur after breakfast and depart for Gruž Port for ferry transfer to the island of Lopud
• In approx 45 minutes, you’ll arrive on the island of Lopud and the settlement of the same name
• This hiking and walking tour will reveal hidden natural beauty of the entire island walking through macadam roads and stopping at the most beautiful stops like the old fortress, old churches and places with panoramic views
• Duration of this trip is 6  hours with transfers and ferry ride (total walking distance 8 km) , hiking time approx. 4 hours

Optional

• Private round trip motorboat transfer to the island of Lopud
• Lunch in a local restaurant on the island of Lopud
• Return to Dubrovnik, time at leisure and an overnight

Trpanj is a small littoral village on the Peninsula of Peljesac, which can be reached by ferry from Ploce or by car, via Ston, down the tourist road along the Peninsula. A peaceful atmosphere, picturesque countryside, rocky and pebbly beaches, transparent sea together with the unique hospitality of the villagers will undoubtedly make your holiday unforgettable. When looking at Trpanj from the sea, it is hiding between a Milosevica hill from the south and seven hills named Glavice on the northern side. Always so green and fresh, it seems the land just came up from the blue sea with all of its olive trees and lavender bushes.

Itinerary

• Check out after breakfast and join your guide and chauffeur for a private transfer to Trpanj on the Pelješac Peninsula
• En route stop in Ston and a visit to Ston walls, famous for its magnificent city walls fortification complex dating back to the 14th century, and of course its oyster beds
• After walls tour (0,9 km), head to the small bay just a few kilometers away for an oyster tasting and light seafood lunch (mussels)
• After lunch , return to Ston and head on a hiking tour to the village of Ponikve (approx. 7 km distance)
• Upon arrival to Ponikve, meet your chauffeur and take another 30 minutes drive before you reach the small seaside village Trpanj
• Check into the charming hotel, and overnight

Pelješac Peninsula is known as one of the best wine-producing regions in Croatia. This tour allows you to sample the best local wines and enjoy the magnificent peninsula scenery and picturesque vineyards.

Itinerary

• Meet your guide and renowned winemaker after breakfast and seize the day with a hiking tour throughout the Pelješac Peninsula
• Visit a local winery for a wine tasting followed by a Dalmatian lunch at the celebrated winemaker’s estate
• Return to Trpanj in the early afternoon, time at leisure and an overnight in Trpanj

Itinerary

• Meet your chauffeur after breakfast for a private transfer from Trpanj to Split via Ploče ferry harbor
• Upon arrival in Ploče, head toward Imotski in the Dalmatian hinterland where you will experience Dalmatia from a completely different perspective
• Your personal guide will wait for you in Imotski and show you some of the most amazing megalithic sites in Europe such as sacred temples, wells, cairns, burial sites, and landscapes dotted with astronomical markers
• Take a walking tour to the Blue Lake and nearby Red Lake which boasts the reputation as the deepest karst lake in Europe
• The highlight of the day will be a traditional lunch served at your host’s property in Imotski
• After lunch continue toward Split where you’ll arrive in the late afternoon
• Check-in the hotel and overnight in Split

Olives, indigenous aromatic plants, the brilliancy of white stone against the verdant vegetation and the towering mountain massif of Biokovo, whose spurs reach all the way to the sea, this is indeed an exceptional part of the country, and its beauty is made all the more enchanting by numerous historic events, monuments, and cultural manifestations. When, in the year 305, the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruled the entire world at that time, decided to build his leisure time abode, in which he intended to spend the rest of his life, he had no doubt as to exactly where build to it. In the very heart of Dalmatia, in the bay of Aspalathos (Split), well protected from the sea by the islands of the Split archipelago, and defended on its landward side by high mountains, Diocletian created a special point on the map of the Adriatic, the future city of Split. Trogir, a harmonious stone town on a small island that is connected to the mainland and the island of Čiovo by bridges. The old town, under UNESCO protection, is a treasure trove for lovers of art, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, and Romanesque churches. Trogir, known as the “town-museum” is where you will find the famous portal of Trogir Cathedral, built by Radovan in 1240, a Renaissance city lodge, and the thousand-year-old monastery of sv. Nikola [St. Nicholas] which has the 4th century BC relief of Kairos.

Itinerary

• Breakfast at the hotel and a meeting with your guide for a private tour of Split and the nearby town of Trogir
• Continue to Trogir with en-route stop in Kaštela for wine and delicacies in one of the local family’s place
• After a guided walking tour of Trogir, an exclusive lunch with wine in a private 13th-century palace will follow. Your host is one of the most amazing and creative chefs in the region
• Return to Split, time at leisure, and an overnight

Although Solta is the closest island to Split, just 45 minutes by ferry, it remained a place of pristine natural beauty. With only 1,500 year-round residents, 24 bays, and natural beauty, Solta is a place where you can find peace and tranquility wherever you wander. But the island is more than just a collection of sleepy villages. First mentioned by the Greeks as Olinta, for most of its history, Solta was a wealthy “province” playing host to the Roman Emperor Diocletian who had a “summer” home here as well as a private fish farm (!) and the wealthy Cindro and Cipiko families. The island is still famed for its olives, honey, and wine. Remains of Solta’s Roman, Gothic, and other historical periods are everywhere, but you need to take the time to see behind the picturesque and charming to find them. Even the simplest stone house and winding village road can be a surprising treat.  Stop and look closely at that graceful archway over a konoba, the ground floor room used for storage, wine-making, and olive oil. Maybe even look at a pair of gorgeous weather-washed blue wood window shutters or a hand-made iron door latch. Inspect the way the stone has been laid on the roof of a small outbuilding that was once used for donkeys and other livestock. Even when restored, the charming original details of these timeless homes never cease to give pleasure. It’s the perfect day trip from Split or Trogir to enjoy the olive groves and mill and then go for a swim before returning back to your hotel.

Itinerary

• Meet your chauffeur and guide in the morning for a private transfer to Zadar with an en-route stop and walking tour of Skradin and Krka National Park
• Leaving the splendor of Krka waterfalls behind, continue on to the historic city of Šibenik during a walking tour
• Afterward, a gourmet experience over a slow food lunch on the outside terrace of the Šibenik restaurant
• After lunch, continue toward Zadar, check-in the hotel, evening at leisure

Itinerary

• Meet your chauffeur and guide in the morning for a private transfer to Zadar with an en-route stop and walking tour of Skradin and Krka National Park
• Leaving the splendor of Krka waterfalls behind, continue on to the historic city of Šibenik during a walking tour
• Afterward, a gourmet experience over a slow food lunch on the outside terrace of the Šibenik restaurant
• After lunch, continue toward Zadar, check-in the hotel, evening at leisure

Zadar is a treasure trove of archaeological treasures and monuments to the ancient, medieval, and Renaissance periods. This is visible by a number of sacral and architectural monuments like the church of sv. Donat [St. Donatus], where every summer the sounds of Zadar’s musical evenings echo Here you will also find the Roman Forum near the main square, Kalelarga, the longest and widest street, the Cathedral of sv. Stošije [St. Anastasia], an archaeological museum with exceptional treasures and many other monuments of cultural and historical heritage (town gate, Arsenal, churches, museums…). Zadar is a city with the most beautiful sunset. It is protected from strong winds by the archipelago facing a multitude of islands and islets. Sit and enjoy the evocative sounds of the Sea Organ and magical urban light installation Pozdrav Suncu [Greeting the Sun], near the new harbor.

Itinerary

• Meet your guide after breakfast for a private guided walking tour of this magnificent town
• Time at leisure and overnight in Zadar

Paklenica is Croatian national park that covers the most attractive parts of southern Velebit, as well as its highest peaks, all located in Lika region. Paklenica is an area of unusual contact between the sea and the mountain, rich in natural forests of beech, black pine, and mountain pine. The main attraction of the Paklenica National Park is two impressive canyons named Velika and Mala Paklenica. They vertically cut into the mountain from the sea to Velebit’s highest peaks. Walking is the only true way to get to know the park. It has between 150 and 200 km of paths, from tourist ones, which lead from the canyon of Velika Paklenica to the Manita Pec cave, the forest lodge “Lugarnica” and the mountaineers’ refuge hut, to mountaineers’ paths leading to Velebit’s highest peaks. All paths in the park are marked with signs and tables. The walk from the canyon to the hut takes around two hours.

Itinerary

• Meet your chauffeur and guide in the morning and leave toward Paklenica National Park
• Return to Zadar for an overnight

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s best-known national park and the only one of eight that is listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. The main attractions of this park, are the 16 small lakes joined by waterfalls created by the sedimentation of travertine, a special type of limestone. This national park encompasses the source of the river Korana, located in the area surrounded by dense forests of beech, fir, and spruce. There are also several caves in the park, as well as springs and flowering meadows. The brown bear stands out as one of many protected animal species. The popularity of this park is also boosted by the special means of transport used to ferry visitors around: the panoramic electric trains and the noiseless electro-powered boats. By a network of paths, visitors can get around and access the numerous waterfalls and the rocky lake shores easily.

Itinerary

• Breakfast at the hotel and a checkout
• Meeting your chauffeur for a private transfer to Plitvice Lakes National Park
• Upon arrival, check-in your hotel
• In the early afternoon meet your guide for a private guided walking tour of Plitvice Lakes (approx 3-4 hours)
• Evening at your leisure

Bled has existed for thousands of years, sheltered by picturesque mountains, with an Alpine lake and the only Slovenian island that reigns in the middle. Bled Lake is truly the jewel of Slovenia with its legendary island in the middle of the lake, castle, and hot springs. Its beneficial climate has attracted numerous cosmopolitan visitors for centuries.

Itinerary

• Spend the morning at leisure before a private transfer to Bled (Slovenia) in the early afternoon
• Upon arrival, check into your hotel and the rest of the day at your leisure

Itinerary

• Meet your guide after breakfast  for a hiking tour of Bled surroundings
• The starting point will be Mount Blato (1147 m), continue toward Koča and the Pri Triglavskih Jezerih Hut and enjoy beautiful views of Julian Alps
• Walking distance is approx 3 hours one way
• Return to Bled and evening at leisure

Itinerary

• Day at leisure

Departure day!

Private transfer from your hotel to the Ljubljana airport.