Tasting menu of Croatia

After a guided walking tour of Zagreb’s historic sites in the morning, a private driver will take you through dense forests and mountains on a three-hour trip to the Istrian Peninsula. You’ll stop in the small medieval hillside town of Bale where you’ll check in for three nights at the Meneghetti Wine Hotel. Spend the afternoon relaxing or sampling some of the hotel’s wines or set out on foot to explore the winding streets of the village.

Today you’ll sample some of Istria’s most highly regarded products, with stops for an olive oil tasting, truffle hunting and a winery tour where you’ll learn about Croatia’s indigenous grape varietals. You’ll also stop in the scenic hillside town of Grožnjan, a popular base for artists and musicians, and explore the small streets and many galleries.

In the morning you’ll visit the coastal town of Pula to see the 2,000-year-old Roman arena before continuing to the medieval fishing village of Rovinj for a walking tour of the old town’s steep, cobbled streets. The town is surrounded by water on three sides, and it’s easy to find a restaurant for a lunch of fresh seafood as you overlook the waterfront and the bay.

From the Istrian Peninsula you’ll travel south to the coastal town of Zadar, a journey of almost four hours, to enjoy a walking tour of the historic district, including stops at the old Roman forum and the unusual wave-powered Sea Organ designed by Nikola Bašić in 2005. The town has several highly regarded restaurants to choose from for dinner.

Your private driver will take you to Pag, a nearby island connected to the mainland by a bridge, a journey of about 50 minutes. Best known for its distinctive sheep-milk cheese, Pag is a limestone outcrop surrounded by azure seas. You’ll get to sample the local cheese and learn about its production, have lunch at a local konoba (tavern) for a taste of a traditional lamb roast, and visit a nearby 15th-century town renowned for its lacework, before returning to Zadar.

From Zadar you’ll head south by car with your private driver for an hour to Krka National Park for a tour of the walking trails and waterfalls. You’ll also take a boat ride to Visovac Island to see its 14th-century Franciscan monastery. From Krka, you’ll continue to the Vizzulin Winery, a family-run operation that offers wine tastings and a homemade meal in their rustic country house. You’ll then check into your hotel in Šibenik.

In the morning, you’ll be driven a half hour to Trogir to meet a local chef for a visit to the town’s market. After shopping for ingredients, you’ll head to his hillside studio for an interactive, five-course meal paired with a mix of Croatian wines, learning about Croatian produce and cooking techniques along the way. From Trogir, you’ll make the 40-minute drive south to Split, where you’ll stay for two nights.

Walking through Split’s historic core, you’ll be struck by the fusion of ancient and modern in Diocletian’s Palace, a whole city district dating to 400 AD. As you explore with your private guide, you’ll begin to pick out hidden architectural details, learn about the city’s past residents, its buildings’ former uses and the way in which this UNESCO-protected city still functions in modern times.

Leaving Split, your driver will take you along the coast to the Pelješac Peninsula, a journey of about three hours, where you’ll sample wines at two of the region’s most celebrated wineries overlooking the Adriatic and nearby Korčula and Mljet islands. You’ll then visit an oyster farmer in Ston, whose oysters and mussels receive international acclaim due to the rich mineral content of the nearby salt pans. You’ll end the day in Dubrovnik to check into your hotel.

On your final day you’ll enjoy one of Croatia’s most traditional dishes at a local home in the cultural hub of the Konavle Valley. Here, you’ll learn about the peka, a cast-iron dish with a dome-shaped lid which is immersed in burning charcoal to slowly cook the ingredients inside. You’ll see the meal being prepared, sit and eat with your hosts and finish off by tasting homemade rakija (brandy) infused with local herbs and fruits, before returning to Dubrovnik.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel by a private driver and taken to the airport in Dubrovnik to begin your journey back home. Your return flight will arrive the same day.