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Grand Tour Slovenia & Balkans

GRAND TOUR

SLOVENIA & BALKANS

$4250 Double / $4900 Single

This classic tour from Ljubljana to Dubrovnik taking in four countries (Slovenia-Croatia-Bosnia-Montenegro) has been a staple with Andrew and Savor Tours for the past 17 years. It is our best of former Yugoslavia distilled into two weeks. From the art nouveau charm of Ljubljana to the Dalmatian island of Brac to the walled city of Montenegro’s Kotor to the bazaars of Sarajevo and Mostar, this is a great value journey into many of our favorite spots in this corner of Europe!

Tour Leader: Ben Curtis

Days One-Two

Overnight: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Welcome dinner and walking tour of what might be Europe’s most charming small city, Ljubljana. At leisure time the following morning to explore the riverside market and old town core before an excursion to gorgeous Lake Bled. Visit with bee-keeper to learn why Slovenia is the epicenter of apiculture. Lunch at a countryside farm where the owner makes her own beers, schnapps and cakes. Leisure time around the lake and visit to the castle with wonderful panorama views.

Days Three-Four

Overnight: Karst countryside, Slovenia

Two days at an Agriturismo in Slovenia’s Karst region. Visits to the Predjama castle (with its own myths of local Robin Hood), the jaw-dropping UNESCO protected Skocjan caves and some tucked away surprises. Wine tasting in the micro-wine region of Vipava and two delicious home-cooked meals at our host’s farm.

Days Five-Six

Overnight: Trogir, Croatia

Two days along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast in the small town of Trogir. Walking tour of Trogir and Northern Dalmatia’s main city, Zadar. Visit to beautiful Krka national park.

Days Seven-Eight

Overnight: Brac island, Croatia

Two days on the central Dalmatian island of Brac, just under an hour away from the mainland. Before we jump on the ferry we will explore the palace/retirement home of 3rd century AD Roman Emperor Diocletian. A full day tour of the island includes tour of old olive mill with lunch there, panoramic viewpoints, famous stone masons (Brac stone was used in Diocletian’s palace, Budapest parliament and even the White House) and a special dinner at a 16th century Venetian villa where the family serves up roasted lamb on the spit and octopus cooked under the metal bell (‘peka’).

Days Nine-Eleven

Overnight: Mostar, Bosnia

Three nights in Bosnia-Herzegovina where the food, vibe and architecture are quite different than everything that’s come before. We will base ourselves in Mostar, the history Ottoman trading town along the Neretva river that has the region’s most iconic single-arch stone bridge. Spend a day touring the historic capital, Sarajevo, which has a rich history from Turkish conquest, to Habsburg rule, the start of World War I and the terrible civil war of the 1990’s. We will also sneak in a wine tasting with biodynamic vintner, learn how to properly drink and enjoy a Bosnian coffee and enjoy dinner at a local guide’s home – a real treat!

Day Twelve-Thirteen

Overnight: Perast, Montenegro

Heading south to Montenegro we arrive into the most beautiful tiny spot, the town of Perast along the Bay of Kotor. Tour Perast and the larger nearby walled town of Kotor. Take a boat ride out to Our Lady of the Rocks island. Visit the largest lake in the Balkans, Skadar, and visit a cute hilltop town that was destroyed by earthquakes and Ottomans but now a great spot for shopping and good eating.

Day Fourteen

Overnight: Dubrovnik, Croatia

The ‘pearl of the Adriatic’ is our last stop – the magnificent walled city of Dubrovnik, wedged up against the sea. Walking tour of the old town and farewell dinner at a superb family-run restaurant in the center but away from the crowds.

I have been visiting friends and showing them my photos from the Piemonte tour. I was telling them how great it was to become immersed in this area and see things you would not normally have the opportunity to do or know about. Having a caring and inquisitive guide who delights in sharing where she lives brings so much to the experience. Go visit Piemonte with Lisa- you will have such an amazing time and fond memories to share and relish!

Patricia Eaganafter a tour in Piedmont, Italy with Lisa

I have had the joy of traveling with Adventures with Sarah many times, from Thailand, to Turkey, and many places in between. I choose to book with AWS because I can rely on a tour that is paced well, varied in activities, with great food and even greater guides. As a frequent traveler to Europe, I really enjoy AWS tours due to a small group size and the opportunity to go in depth into a region and really experience the culture of the area I’m visiting. And every time, with every group, I meet fellow travelers who are now friends. Adventures with Sarah is a tour company that I would recommend without hesitation. In fact, I have 3 tours booked for this year!

Betsy McGregorafter multiple tours with Adventures with Sarah

Fantastic look at more "out of the way" spots and wonderful experiences of food and wine. No crowds, just the Sicilian countryside and lovely towns. Traveling in April was fantastic with all the wildflowers. And walking on Mama Etna's shoulders was a highlight!

Barbara B.Sicily Pleasures tour

It really was a wonderful trip. This was our first group trip, and the size was just right. We all got along well which was a bonus. Everything was smooth, and Sarah had picked out some really wonderful things for us to do. I felt like we were getting "sneak peeks" of special things regular tourists don't get to do. We were willing participants for her to try out new things on this trip. The hotels were lovely, and the wine lunches perfect! There was a good balance of planned activities and free time which I appreciated. I will definitely be looking for more trips to go on with Adventures with Sarah!

Leslie P.Sicily Pleasures tour

Good accommodations in the heart of all important areas. Food experience was excellent with incentive to try new foods. Sarah is very personable and has each tour member's concerns and needs in mind. Love the small groups.

Larry C.Sicily Highlights tour

We had a great time! Perfect mix of free time and planned group excursions/tours. The food was amazing! Our accommodation was comfortable and our views were unforgettable! I would book another trip with this company.

Jen R.Dalmatian Staycation tour

My husband and I had a great time touring Dalmatia with Sarah and the local guides that joined us. A favorite activity was sailing on a traditional sail boat from the island of Vis. Lovely group of travelers and many memories made!

Dawn R.Dalmatian Staycation tour

Food and wine blitz in beautiful areas of Slovenia and Croatia. You will appreciate it most if you are a true wine lover. Meetings with young enthusiastic, creative winemakers were the highlight.

Betsy W.Harvest tour

We had a wonderful trip with no issues at all. Gorgeous area, plenty of delicious food, perfect weather and knowledgeable guide!

John G.Harvest tour

What a perfect way to get back into European travel. It was obvious from the start that Trish had put her heart and soul into the planning of the Hidden Paris tour. It was a great mix of adventures and I throughly enjoyed my travel group, who became like family, and it was obvious to see why most had traveled with adventures with Sarah before, Our local guide, Julian, was excellent and it was fun finally getting to also meet Sarah and sons. Merci beaucoup, Trish for this great time and I hope to travel with you again in the future.

Leslie A.Paris Staycation tour

A thoroughly enjoyable trip. George, our leader, was super-knowledgeable, helpful, energetic, and fun. His knowledge of people and places gave us experiences we couldn't have duplicated on our own. The itinerary was great - I thought the pace was good and we had a variety of experiences. The only thing I didn't like was that the weather in late April was rather chilly and often wet, more so than I expected. However, traveling later in the spring would have meant missing Orthodox Easter, which was the highlight of the trip for me. We spent it in a rural village, and participating in the villagers' traditions was a rare privilege that I'll never forget. So take an umbrella and some warm clothes and prepare for a special experience. Maybe you'll get the sunshine that we mostly didn't get!

Melissa M.Romania tour

Our guide Susanna was both professional and thoughtful. She cared for our health and happiness! I had some health issues and was treated with kindness and help! Our accommodations were both comfortable and clean. The bus driver was fearless and professional. I will travel with Susanna again!

Melva O.Sicily Pleasures tour

This was a wonderful trip! Susanna was such a wonderful tour guide, thoughtful, funny, informative. I can’t imagine a better guide for this trip! Our accommodations were wonderful as were all the varied activities and dining experiences. I enjoyed the other travelers in our group and felt as if we were family. I have made new friends that I will keep in touch with. Thank you!

Anne B.Sicily Pleasures tour

We had a wonderful tour with our guide Susanna and fellow travelers. The tour was well planned out touching on most all the main destinations in Sicily. Susanna was super well organized, kind and considerate and a lot of fun to travel with. She was a great communicator before, during and after the tour and was helpful with day to day needs like finding laundry service, restaurants and transport to the airport. The local guides, meals, accommodations, etc were all top notch. We had a great small group of 7 travelers that all got on very well. The spacious van we used for traveling was very comfortable and the driver Giuseppe was highly skilled at driving the chaotic streets in Sicily’s cities and towns. We highly recommend booking a tour with Adventures with Sarah and especially with Susanna Perrucchini!!

Randal D.Sicily Highlights tour

In short, we will travel with AWS again and would highly recommend them! Oh!! We also felt that we received far more in value and experience than the price for the tour.

Veneto Slovenia tour