The best of the Adriatic in 14 days Italy – Slovenia – Croatia – Montenegro!

1st Day: Venice/Italy
Venice is one of Italy’s most sought after travel destination. Venice is the jewel of the Adriatic, and it floats on the bluest lagoon in the world, connected by about 400 bridges and more than 150 winding canals. Also known as the city of bridges, Venice is a myriad of waterways, traffic-free streets that are marked by piazzas and numerous catholic churches and cobblestone paths. The city has been fabled as a travel destination for centuries mainly because of the following; the Rialto and the Bridge of Sighs, golden barges singing gondoliers in striped jerseys, masked balls, crumbling palaces facing streets made of water, and courtesans in gondolas.

2nd Day: Koper/ Slovenia
Koper is a carved Istrian limestone grey in color with eight squares, located on the outer edge of the town that is covered with a perfect carpet of white stone. There are eleven other squares that depict the remnants of an ancient city wall that boast of having the largest cathedral in Slovenia. Both the interiors and the facades of the buildings seek to reveal the millennial history that Koper holds. There is also the valley of the castles which was a fortified border that once separated the Austrian region from the Venetian territory. The stud farm Lipica that was founded in 1580 is not far off and offers the visitors moments of relaxation in its recreation centers.

3rd Day: Umag/Croatia
Umag is a small town and port that is located on a small peninsula the North-Western coast of Istria and presents “Croatia’s gateway to Europe.” Built on the foundations of Roman archeological ruins, Umag has retained its network of narrow streets similar to a medieval urban structure. The Romans claimed Umag to be a seaside resort and made sure that it was connected to the mainland. The magnificence of the olden times is highly reflected in the various Venetian houses built in the older part of Umag.

4th Day: Brijuni
Brijuni consists of twelve smaller islets an a group of other larger islets located near Pula, on the west coast of Istria. Both the surrounding sea and the archipelago are protected as a National Park but are open to visitors. This part of the world was visited by the elite of the Hungarian, German and Austrian aristocracy during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy rule. This only goes forward to speak of its charm and beauty. More recently, most of the major statesmen visited Brijuni as this was home the late president Tito of Yugoslavia. These islands are rich in natural beauties, among them being 680 local and exotic plant species, 150 bird species brought from all over the globe. When it comes to history and culture, Brijuni is famous for the following; an archeological site (the Byzantine castoreum), a collection of frescoes, a natural history exhibit, a luxurious roman villa, an archeological museum, and various Ethnographic collections.

5th Day: Mali Losinj
Mali Losinj is commonly known by its sea tradition. Annunziata is a church of Mary’s announcement located at the cape of the Cikat bay. Women used to wait here and pray that their husbands to return home safely. In the year 1892, Veli and Mali Losinj were declared climatic spas, which in turn, opened economic realms primarily, tourism. The bridge that is placed at the entrance of Mali Losinj just above the channel was ditched through the narrowest section of the island. The two pieces of land became connected by a movable bridge in order to make it possible for the entrance of smaller boats and yachts into the harbor.

6th Day: Telascica
Telascica – Thanks to its exceptionally valuable plant and animal life, geological and geomorpho-logical phenomena, valuable colonies of the sea bottom and interesting archaeological heritage this area became protected in 1980 as a Nature Park. Three basic phenomena are certainly the main characteristics of the Nature Park: the unique bay of Telascica as one of the safest, the most beautiful and the largest havens on the Adriatic that includes 25 small bays and 69 km of the well-indented coastline, the cliffs of the island of Dugi otok or so-called “Stene”, rising up to 200 m above the sea level and falling down vertically up to 90 m below the sea level, and finally the salt lake called “Mir” with its curative characteristics.

7th Day: Primosten
Sailors used to call it “Dry Point” because of the prolonged dry spell that the region experiences. It is set up on an island that was used five centuries ago by its inhabitants as a causeway as they went to the fields. Primosten is surrounded by seven little islands and in this case, is it stands out from the rest of the islands without doubt. What nature did not give, the industrious inhabitants created; making Primosten one of the most beautiful locations in the entire Adriatic experience. The stone houses, churches and narrow lanes are in perfect harmony of the past and the present state of life.

7th Day: Skradin
Skradin, the headquarters of Krka National Park and was declared to be Croatia’s seventh national park in 1985. The natural state has remained unchanged and boasts of vast spaces of multifaceted natural value. It is also home to one of the least altered ecosystems in the world. Skradin is one of Croatia’s oldest settlements that still retain the status of ‘town’ dating as far back as 2BC. Located only a short distance from Skradinski Buk, the Krka River flows with tranquility it represents the centre of life from ancient times. It is located between two wonderful waterfalls Skradinski Buk and Roski Slap where the Visovac Lake and the Franciscan monastery rest on the islet.

8th Day: Split
Split is a tourist destination, rife with road and sea connections to the numerous summer resorts offered by Dalmatia. It is an urban, cultural and also a traffic centre which is a favorable tourist and excursionist destination. It is a city with tradition that dates more than 1700 years with various historical, archaeological and cultural monuments to show for it. Among the monuments here is the Palace of Diocletian that is also inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. To this city, it occupies a unique place alongside the hospitality of a modern Mediterranean city.

9th Day: Hvar
This is a town that holds centuries-old traditions in tourism and rich cultural and historical heritage. The main attractions of this town are its pleasant weather (a lot of sunshine), gastronomic offers, sports and recreational facilities, and natural sceneries. Hvar is a destination that is frequented both in the summer and winter and offers the perfect climate for health tourism. Hvar has recently become a jet-set destination for the marvels that it offers for visitors.

10th Day: Korčula
The town of Korcula is the primary historical centre of the Korcula Island which has a decent location along the peljesac Channel. The town is well known for its outstanding historical as well as cultural heritage, not forgetting seafaring, stone-masonry and ship building. This is the birthplace of the well known traveler and adventurer Marco Polo, and today the town is a well known tourist centre.

11th Day: Mljet
Polace is a small village in a bay having the same name that is located on the western side of the north coast of the Mljet island. The primary source of basic income for the inhabitants is farming and fishing. The bay extends for 5.6km in length and is 3.9km wide and is surrounded by other small, almost unpopulated islands namely; tajnik, Ovrata, moracnik and Kobrava. However, due to the proximity to lakes Veliko and Malo, Polace is used as the harboring ground of the Mljet lakes.

12th Day: Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a city with a unique cultural and political history, mainly the Statute from 1272. It is also a city with world famous beauty and is one of the World Heritage Sites as listed by UNESCO. By right, it is among the most famous cities and attractive cities of the Mediterranean. Besides the natural beauties, cultural and historical heritage, Dubrovnik offers quality experiences and opportunities for visitors.

13th Day: Herceg Novi /Montenegro
Herceg Novi is mostly recognizable by its abundance of mimosa trees and the numerous flights of stairs. It is commonly referred to as ‘the city in the sun’ all thanks to the many days of sun that the city has all year round. Stari Gad is the centre of Herceg Novi, and it has buildings decorated dating back centuries ago from the times of Sahat- Kula (1667) and Kanli- Kula (1483). Fortresses Spanjola (1538) and Fort Mare (1687) are just a small bit of the cultural heritage of this well renowned town. Because of the thick greenery that engulfs the town, there are bound to be various kinds of tropical flowers growing in the wild here. The subtle fragrance of both the yellow and green mimosas fills the town towards the end of January and the Mimosa Festival was created and dedicated to this flower.

14th Day: Kotor
This is a city renowned for its trading activities and its famous sailors. The old city of Kotor has been properly preserved urbanization, much similar to the middle Ages and was built around the 12th and 14th centuries. Kotor has been listed as one of the “World Natural and Historical Heritage Sites” by UNESCO due to the Medieval architecture and numerous monuments with both historical and cultural value. Buildings are crisscrossed throughout the city and so the streets are narrow and so are the squares. One of the notable monuments in the city is the Cathedral of Sveti Tripun. Other monuments and treasures of Kotor include the Church of Sveti Luka (13th century), Church of Sveta Ana (12th Century), Church Sveta Marija (13th Century), Church Gospe od Zdravlja (15th Century), the Prince’s Palace (17th Century) and the napoleon Theatre (19th Century).