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- Day 1 Welcome to Zagreb Arrive in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, capital of Croatia and a key Central European gateway to the Adriatic. After check-in, you’ll have time to settle and take in first impressions of the city or simply rest at the hotel. In the evening, you’ll meet your Travel Director and your Small Group for a welcome dinner in a local restaurant, where regional dishes will introduce your northern Adriatic journey. Locations Visited: Zagreb HR.
- Day 2 Zagreb Sightseeing and on to Ljubljana Explore Zagreb with your Local Expert, beginning in the Lower Town near the Art Pavilion and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. You’ll walk the formal paths of Zrinjevac Park before riding the funicular up to the Upper Town for St. Mark’s Church and a view of the Lotrščak Tower, once part of the city’s defensive walls. Later, continue across the border to Slovenia and arrive in Ljubljana. Join a walking tour that follows the riverbanks and main squares, crossing the bridges that link the historic center. In the afternoon, visit the Sonček association for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, meeting artists with cerebral palsy who craft distinctive Slovenian souvenirs. This evening, enjoy dinner of local specialties in a Ljubljana restaurant. Locations Visited: Zagreb HR, Ljubljana SI.
- Day 3 Lake Bled, Jewel of the Slovenian Alps Travel to Lake Bled, one of Slovenia’s best-known Alpine lakes, long recognized as a historic spa resort. With Insight Choice, choose to board a traditional wooden pletna boat to Bled Island, climbing to the 15th-century church to ring its bell, or visit Villa Bled, once a presidential residence, to sample Bled’s kremšnita cream cake with coffee on the terrace overlooking the water. Return to Ljubljana for an afternoon at leisure, perhaps taking the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle for city views, walking the avenues and gardens of Tivoli Park or exploring Jože Plečnik’s riverside Central Market, and perhaps join an Optional Experience to Pr’ Krač for a traditional dinner showcasing Slovenia’s rural heritage. Locations Visited: Ljubljana SI, Lake Bled SI, Ljubljana SI.
- Day 4 Postojna Caves and across the border to Croatia Leave Ljubljana and travel south to Postojna Cave, one of Europe’s best-known karst cave systems and a show cave visited since the 19th century. Inside, you’ll travel by underground train into the heart of the cave, then continue on foot through chambers marked by stalactites, stalagmites and limestone columns formed by water over millions of years. Continue across the border into Croatia towards Rijeka, a major Adriatic port once known as Fiume under Habsburg rule. After settling into the hotel, spend time along the waterfront or on the Korzo promenade, and perhaps join an Optional Experience to Opatija to follow its seafront promenade and try coastal specialties in a local restaurant. Locations Visited: Ljubljana SI, Postojna Cave SI, Rijeka HR.
- Day 5 Explore the island of Krk Enjoy a Relaxed Start before traveling from Rijeka across the bridge to Krk, one of the largest islands in the Adriatic and an early center of Croatian literacy and rule. In Krk Town, explore with a Local Expert, visiting St Mary’s Cathedral, whose origins trace back to an early Christian basilica, and viewing the Frankopan Castle, seat of a powerful medieval noble family. Continue to a family-owned winery for a farm-to-table lunch, with dishes prepared from seasonal island ingredients and paired with local wines such as Žlahtina. Return to Rijeka in the afternoon and spend the evening at leisure, perhaps walking the Korzo promenade, seeking out a seafood konoba along the waterfront or visiting Trsat Castle above the city for views over the port and Kvarner Bay. Locations Visited: Rijeka HR, Krk HR, Rijeka HR.
- Day 6 Rovinj and Pula, Jewels of Istria Leave Rijeka and travel south into Istria for a morning in Rovinj, a former island town later linked to the mainland. With time at leisure, perhaps walk the harbourfront and old fishing port, follow stone lanes that climb towards the Church of St. Euphemia or step into small galleries and workshops along Grisia Street. If you’re ready for an early lunch, take a table in a harbor-side konoba to try grilled Adriatic fish, mussels cooked buzara-style or pasta with local truffles with a glass of Malvazija. In the afternoon, continue to Pula, Istria’s largest city, known for its Roman amphitheater and Augustan temple, and settle into the hotel. Locations Visited: Rijeka HR, Rovinj HR, Pula HR.
- Day 7 Discover Roman Pula Join a Local Expert to uncover Pula’s layered history, beginning at the Pula Arena, one of the largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatres still standing. Built in the 1st century CE under Emperor Augustus, the arena could seat up to 20,000 spectators. From here, continue to the Temple of Augustus on the former Roman Forum and the Arch of the Sergii, a 1st-century BCE triumphal arch that marks one of the old approaches into town. The afternoon is at leisure in Pula; you might visit the local market, walk the waterfront around the marina or take a short trip to the Verudela peninsula for a coastal stroll. Locations Visited: Pula HR.
- Day 8 Piran, Jewel of the Istrian Coast, and on to Venice Leave Pula and travel north into Slovenia for a morning in Piran, a coastal town that spent centuries under Venetian rule. Spend the morning at leisure in Piran: walk around Tartini Square, follow narrow streets to the small harbor or climb towards St. George’s Church and the town walls for views over the bay. In the afternoon, cross into Italy and drive across the Venetian Plain to Venice, an island city built in a lagoon and long recognized for its role in Adriatic trade and politics. Locations Visited: Rovinj HR, Piran SI, Venice IT.
- Day 9 Through the Canals of Venice Start the day on Murano with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at a traditional glassblowing workshop. Watch artisans shape molten glass using techniques refined over centuries and hear how their work helps keep this local craft alive. Return to Venice for a gondola ride along the canals, gliding under small bridges and past historic facades. The afternoon is at leisure for final discoveries and souvenirs — perhaps visiting St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto area or stopping in a bacaro for cicchetti. In the evening, meet your Travel Director and your Small Group for dinner, marking the final night of your journey through the Adriatic. Locations Visited: Venice IT.
- Day 10 Arrivederci Venice Say goodbye to your Travel Director and your Small Group as your journey through the northern Adriatic – from Croatian ports and islands to Slovenian lakes and the Venetian lagoon – comes to an end. Locations Visited: Venice IT.
Name: Adriatic Escape - Small Group
Brand: Insight
Quality: Superior First Class
Tour Type: Escorted
Start City: Zagreb
End City: Venice
Location Summary: Zagreb, HR
Ljubljana, SI
Lake Bled, SI
Postojna Cave, SI
Rijeka, HR
Krk, HR
Rovinj, HR
Pula, HR
Piran, SI
Venice, IT
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Highlights
- Dining Summary - 4 Dinner (D). 9 Breakfast (B). 1 Lunch (L).
- Well-being - Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day..
- Additional Included Highlights - Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.. From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.. Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).. If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport..
- Summary - Travel by funicular in Zagreb • Enjoy a gondola serenade in Venice. Visit Postojna Caves • Pula Arena. City tours of Zagreb, Ljubljana, Krk, all with Local Experts.. Welcome Dinner in Zagreb • Farm-to-Table Lunch in Krk • Celebration Dinner in Venice .
- Insight Choice - Choose between two experiences at Lake Bled.. Lake Bled: Board a traditional wooden pletna boat and cross Lake Bled to its island. Climb the steps to the 15th-century Church of the Assumption and ring its “wishing bell”, linked to a local legend that those who sound it three times may have their wish granted.. Lake Bled: Visit Vila Bled, once a presidential residence set among lakeside gardens. Sit on the terrace overlooking Lake Bled and sample kremšnita, the local cream slice created here in the mid-20th century, served with coffee as you look across to the island and surrounding hills..
- Top Rated Highlights - Zagreb: Walk with your Local Expert from the 19th-century parks and facades of the Lower Town towards the older streets around the main square. Along the way, you’ll see key buildings such as the Art Pavilion and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, setting out the city’s main landmarks.. Zagreb: Ride Zagreb’s funicular, in operation since 1890 and often cited as one of the world’s shortest public-transport funiculars. The 66 m (217 ft) line links Ilica Street with the Upper Town in around a minute, giving an immediate sense of the change from the commercial Lower Town to the old fortified ridge.. Ljubljana: Join a walking tour with a Local Expert, following riverbanks and squares towards key landmarks. See Ljubljana Castle on its hilltop, City Hall on Mestni trg, the Baroque cathedral dedicated to St. Nicholas and Plečnik’s Triple Bridge spanning the Ljubljanica, setting out the main civic and religious centers of the city.. Postojna Cave: Explore Postojna Cave, a karst system with more than 20 kilometers of surveyed passages and one of the first caves in Europe to introduce an underground railway in the 19th century. Inside, discover the cave’s role in karst research and spot endemic species such as the proteus, or “olm”, that live in these underground waters.. Krk: Explore Krk with your Local Expert, tracing its development from Roman settlement to medieval stronghold. Walk through the walled old town, note traces of Venetian rule in the stone facades and lanes, and visit St. Mary’s Cathedral and Frankopan Castle, once the seat of a prominent Croatian noble family.. Pula: Visit one of the largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatres still standing, built in the 1st century CE under Emperor Augustus. You’ll stand inside a structure that once held around 20,000 spectators for gladiatorial games and public events, with the outer walls and tiers still clearly defined.. Venice: Travel by boat along the Giudecca Canal as your Travel Director gives an orientation to Venice. Pass 13th to 18th-century palazzi, the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square, an iconic introduction to the city from the water.. Venice: Glide through Venice’s canals on an iconic gondola ride, passing beneath historic bridges and past elegant palaces. Soak up the city’s romantic atmosphere as your gondolier navigates the tranquil waterways, offering a unique perspective of this timeless floating city..
- Make Travel Matter - Ljubljana: Meet inspiring individuals at Sonček – Cerebral Palsy Association of Slovenia, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering adults with disabilities through meaningful employment and community integration. Learn how their Care and Work Center provides guidance, care and adapted jobs, allowing members to create handcrafted souvenirs, artwork and other unique items. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.. Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's artisans teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. This workshop directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities..
- Authentic Dining - Krk: Savor a Farm-to-Table lunch at a family-owned winery, where locally sourced ingredients highlight the island’s culinary traditions, paired with Krk’s signature Žlahtina wine..
- Choice Highlights - Choose between two carefully selected activities. Lake Bled: Board a traditional wooden pletna boat and cross Lake Bled to its island. Climb the steps to the 15th-century Church of the Assumption and ring its “wishing bell”, linked to a local legend that those who sound it three times may have their wish granted.. Lake Bled: Visit Vila Bled, once a presidential residence set among lakeside gardens. Sit on the terrace overlooking Lake Bled and sample kremšnita, the local cream slice created here in the mid-20th century, served with coffee as you look across to the island and surrounding hills..
