14 Day Gems Of Croatia
This tour features a combination of escorted and independent travel. Part of your journey will be enjoyed as a group experience, led by expert tour leaders or local guides. The remainder is self-guided—whether by rail, cruise, or overland—allowing you the freedom to travel between destinations independently and explore at your own pace.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
Make the most of your cruise and travel independently, with everything organised for you. Your international flights, pre-cruise stay, and cruise are organised so all you have to do is relax and enjoy your time at sea. Of course, there is the option of extending your tour if you don’t want to head straight to the airport upon disembarkation.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
✓ Add Return International airfares for only $1499 per person
✓ Incredible sightseeing including guided tours of Zagreb, Split, Hvar, Korčula, Dubrovnik, UNESCO-listed Plitvice Lakes, Montenegro and island hopping along the Dalmatian Coast
✓ 6 nights in central 4-star accommodation in Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik
✓ Breakfast daily, 7 lunches
✓ 7-night premium, small ship cruise along Croatia's stunning Dalmatian Coast
✓ Fully escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guide (days 1–4 CHECK) until cruise
✓ Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
✓ In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary
✓ Airport transfers included on the last day of tour
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Croatia! Upon arrival into Zagreb International Airport, you will need to make your own way to your hotel.
Your evening is at leisure before you meet your tour guide and fellow travellers in the morning.
After breakfast this morning, enjoy a walking tour of the city.
You will see the historic lower and upper towns, visiting the main attractions including St Mark’s Church, the Lotrščak tower and Stone Gate.
The rest of the day is yours to explore the vibrant capital of Croatia.
We depart Zagreb this morning and drive south towards the stunning Dalmatian coast. On the way, we will be visiting one of Croatia’s most famous attractions, Plitvice Lakes, the oldest national park in the country. This UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of 16 beautifully-coloured lakes, connected by a series of waterfalls and cascades.
Enjoy a four-hour walking tour strolling the wooden paths and nature trails surrounded by lush greenery and the turquoise waters of the lakes themselves.
Our journey continues towards Split, a buzzing city on the Dalmatian coast. Around here the locals say pomalo for a greeting – it means take it easy.
After breakfast, we enjoy a guided tour of Split, the biggest city on the Dalmatian coast and with a rich history dating back to Roman times. At the core of the city is Diocletian’s Palace. Over time, the foundations and buildings of the palace have been incorporated into the city itself leaving some of the best preserved Roman architecture seen anywhere in the world.
Once our walking tour is complete, we drop you off at the port to board your cruise. With a 1pm departure, lunch will be served as you enjoy your views of the Dalmatian Coast from the water. We’ll stop at one of many secluded bays along the coastline for an afternoon swim before arriving in Makarska in the evening. A prominent resort and holiday destination, you will easily be able to explore the town on foot from the harbour to explore its many great restaurants and lively bars. Overnight onboard in harbour.
We sail towards the Island of Brač, to the town of Bol – famous for the Golden Horn beach. A natural phenomena occurs on the beach itself, when depending on the wind, it changes shape with the rising waters. After a swim break and lunch, we journey towards Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, the sunniest island on the Adriatic. Stari Grad itself is known for well-preserved ancient architecture and is heritage listed by UNESCO.
Today, we sail to Hvar town, sharing the namesake of the island. A favourite destination for jet-setters from all around the globe, the town is known for its lively nightlife. We arrive after lunch, where you will enjoy an included guided tour of the town before you enjoy the many restaurants and bars open late into the night.
We have an early morning departure towards Biševo Island, where we will visit the Blue Cave. The possibility of entering the cave itself is due to weather conditions, however, if permissible, it will be a sight to behold.
Cruise to the island of Vis, once a strategic navy harbour due to its unique geographical position. Tonight, we overnight in the town. Once known as the ancient town of Issa, you can visit the Roman thermal palace, the city museum, or simply take a walk to enjoy the beautiful views along the coast.
During breakfast we will depart for Korčula, the birthplace of the famous explorer, Marco Polo. Known as the ‘little Dubrovnik’ of the Dalmatian coast, the town has well preserved medieval architecture. Upon arrival, we enjoy a guided tour of the old town.
Afterwards, enjoy the many taverns, restaurants and bars located within and around the town walls. Overnight in port.
We depart for the island of Mljet, famous for its national park, which takes over the whole of the western side of the island. Get back to nature in this quiet, protected area – one of the greenest islands of the Adriatic, over two thirds of the island is covered by forest. Explore the national park on arrival (€20 entry) where you can discover its seawater lakes, St Mary’s Island (with its church and monastery) and one of the many walking or biking trails. Overnight in the port of Polača or Pomena.
Return to the boat for lunch where we will then depart for either Šipan or Slano, depending on weather. Both are small, quaint fishing villages.
It’s an early morning departure to our final destination, Dubrovnik – the pearl of the Adriatic. We will arrive after lunch and a swim stop.
Upon arrival, we enjoy a guided tour of the city, which has inspired generations of travellers, and now a cultural icon due to featuring in Game of Thrones and Star Wars. The city itself was capital to its own republic in the Middle Ages, becoming a dominant power along the Dalmatian Coast for centuries.
This afternoon you will have free time to explore all of its treasures.
After breakfast, you depart your ship and will be transferred to your hotel where you will have another full day to explore Dubrovnik.
You can catch the cable car up to Srđ mountain for spectacular views of the city, or explore the many shops and cafes that line Stradun, the main street, or walk the medieval walls that wrap around the entirety of the town itself.
Enjoy an excursion into the neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina today to the ancient town of Mostar – a place where east meets west and bears the remnants of its past under the Ottoman Empire. This is a town full of colours, tradition and stunning architecture. Be sure to walk across the Mostar bridge, which has seen a turbulent past.
Return to Dubrovnik for an evening at leisure.
The Balkans is made up of many countries, some are smaller than others but no less magical. Neighbouring Croatia, along the coast to the south, is the small nation of Montenegro. It shares the same amazing coastline, and boasts the beautiful Bay of Kotor, one of the most beautiful bays along Dalmatia. You will take it all in alongside a visit to Perast, with its beautiful old town.
Return to Dubrovnik for an evening at leisure.
After breakfast, your journey across Croatia ends. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight home.
We hope you’ve been inspired.
Secure your trip with a $99.00 deposit per person.
Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options.
Instalment Schedule:
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a”3”
Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry and is a welcome way to show your appreciation. If you feel that your guide/s and driver have done an impeccable job, you can choose to give a gratuity, but this is entirely your decision.
During the land section of your trip, we suggest tipping your leader and bus driver approximately 4-6 EUROS (AUD$7-10) per person per day. At local restaurants and cafes it is customary to tip 10%-15% of the bill.
For the cruise section of your trip, we recommend the following guidelines: Cruise Manager: EUR 5 (Kn 40) per person per day; Crew (all ship services and assistance with luggage): EUR 10 (KN 80) per person per day;
Local guide (offers in-depth information at specific locations) EUR 1-2 (10-15 KN per half day of sightseeing)
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $2,766.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
Visas may be required.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://www.safetravel.govt.nz for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Group Size
Independent travel on land in Croatia with a cruise of 50-70 passengers.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
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