Tour – Mediterranean scents
10 days / 9 nights including: Split, Trogir, Salona, Hvar, Ston, Cavtat & Dubrovnik
Day 1 – Split
On arrival into Split airport, your driver will meet you and drive you along the stunning coastline to your hotel.
Day 2 – Explore Split, Trogir & Salona
Enjoy a full day visit to Split and the surrounding area with your private guide and vehicle. Your tour starts with a visit to the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian; this palace was first built in the 3rd century AD, and its outline still forms the heart of the old city today. Also, see Peristil Square where Diocletian made his speeches, and the imperial mausoleum that has now been converted into a Catholic church. Outside the palace you will see many charming piazzas. At the end of this tour, you may visit Riva, a coastal walk with palm trees where you can relax in the sun and enjoy a beautiful view of the port and islands nearby.
This afternoon, your guide will take you to visit ancient Roman Salona, the largest archaeological site of Roman and Early Christian ruins in Croatia. You will also see the seven ‘Kaštela’; these buildings were fortifications built for protection from Turkish attacks. Finally, you will visit Trogir. The city is renowned for the beauty of its buildings and fortifications, and is considered to be the best-preserved Romano-Gothic complex in Central Europe. Notable structures of Trogir are the City Hall, the Cipiko Palace, the Loggia and St. Lawrence’s Cathedral whose portal is a masterpiece of medieval sculpture.
Day 3 – Split
Spend the day at leisure at your hotel to enjoy the facilities on offer. Lounge on the beach, enjoy some of the water sports or relax at the spa.
Day 4 – Split to Hvar
This morning you will be met by English speaking driver to board a seaplane to reach the Hvar Island. Hvar is the longest of all the Croatian islands and is home to three towns. The island is fast becoming the most fashionable of Mediterranean resorts attracting the jet set with its upmarket bars, restaurants and pretty marina. During the summer Hvar is a must stop destination for the European glitterati on board their motor yachts – spend time over a lazy lunch people watching, admiring the views over the glistening bay and yachts.
Day 5 – Hvar
This morning enjoy a visit of the island. Considered to be the most beautiful of the islands of Dalmatia (and known to be the sunniest!), Hvar, with its wealth of wild flowers and bountiful fields of scented lavender and rosemary, is a nature-lover’s paradise. Hvar town served as an important harbor for Venice`s Adriatic fleet from the late 12th-century through most of the 18th-century. Situated in a picturesque natural setting, facing the south, the sun and the sea, after centuries of unforgettable and amazing history, Hvar is today main tourist center of the island and one of the best loved resorts on the Dalmatian Riviera.
The patron saint of the diocese of Hvar is Saint Stephen, pope and martyr. In Hvar Town, a combination of Renaissance palaces, ancient monasteries and an elegant marina has created the chicest resort on the Adriatic. On your tour, you will visit the old theatre built in 1612, the arsenal, and the old patrician palaces from 15th century. The town is best known for its medieval buildings which are the legacy of Venetian rule. Perched high on a hill overlooking the town, the gleaming white limestone walls of the Spanjol Fortress afford breath taking views for those that take the time to climb up to the top.
Day 6 – Day at leisure on Hvar
Enjoy today on the island to relax and use the Sensori Spa and indulge in the good food on offer.
Day 7 – Hvar to Dubrovnik via Ston
This morning depart the island of Hvar by public ferry as you travel south with your car and driver to Dubrovnik, nicknamed the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic.’ As you travel along the coast you stop en route in the fishing town of Ston on the Peljesac Peninsula. The historical town of Ston has beautiful examples of Dubrovnik architecture and fortified walls, as well as numerous cultural and historical monuments. Ston is also known for its oysters and salt works. You may choose to stop here and have lunch at leisure in a typical Dalmatian restaurant to taste oysters and good local wines.
Day 8 – Dubrovnik & Cavtat
Today enjoy a full day visit to Dubrovnik where you will enjoy a walking tour of the Old Harbor and city, proclaimed a city museum by UNESCO. The old city is surrounded by a circuit of city walls; over a mile in length, and with a tower in each corner, they are a masterpiece of medieval and renaissance architecture. You will also stroll along the centuries-old main city promenade called Stradun; at one end of this street you will visit 14th-century Franciscan Monastery whose cloister ranks among the most inspiring sites of the city. At the other end, see the church of St. Blaise and the Sponza Palace, and the Rector’s Palace. You will also visit the Dominican Church and Monastery, constructed during the 14th century at the same time as the city’s walls were being erected.
After lunch at leisure, drive south along the coast by private vehicle to the picturesque town of Cavtat. Your guide will take you to visit Mestrovic’s Mausoleum and Bogisic collection.
Day 9 – Day at leisure in Dubrovnik
Today enjoy the old town under your own arrangements.
Day 10 – Depart Dubrovnik
You will be met by your private driver and transferred for your flight home.