Two faces of one country – Croatia

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, has a population of over 1.7 million. It became a unique city in 1873 when Buda and Old Buda on the right bank of the Danube were united with Pest on the left (east) bank. It was the second center of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, which disintegrated in 1918. This one of the most beautiful cities in Europe has many sights to offer. Lunch break (individual) Transfer: Budapest – Osijek 3 h., 166 mi. Osijek is located in the east of Croatia. It lies in the plain on the right bank of the river Drava. Osijek is the greenest city of Croatia. The most important monument of the city is the fortress, the baroque historical core of the city from the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Accommodation in the hotel, dinner, overnight

“Kopčki Rit Nature Park” is located 10 minutes away by car from Osijek. The nature park is located in a triangle between the Danube and the Drava. Depending on the water level, the waters of these two rivers constantly shape and change the appearance of the Rit, creating a beautiful mosaic of lakes, canals, ponds and riparian forests, reeds and wet meadows. All of Rit is widely known as a habitat for many wetland birds, deer populations and in particular the bald eagle which is a symbol of the park. Then a short walk, boat trip, and visit to the Tikveš hunting lodge. Continue to the ethno village of Karanac to the restaurant “Baranjska kuća”. In the “Ulica zaboravljenog vremena” ( open air museum with an ethnic collection of Slavonian handcrafts) there will be a tasting of local brandies and liqueurs. For lunch we visit a special location “Pointers Goldberg” where traditional delicacies await us. Return to Osijek and visit the “Tvrđa (Fortress)” in the afternoon, a baroque city-fortress from the 18th century. Return to the hotel, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast, Osijek – Vukovar 40 min, 22 mi Vukovar, “where the Danube kisses the sky”. A city with a turbulent history from prehistory to the Homeland War. Let’s get to know the most important parts of this city with a little walk. After the walk, we will visit the Water Tower, a symbol of the 1991 war events, which offers a magnificent view of the Danube and the surrounding area. Vukovar – Ilok 40 min, 22 mi Ilok, the easternmost town in Croatia. Let’s briefly get acquainted with the turbulent history of the city, the centuries-old crossroads of many civilizations. The Danube was the border of European civilizations, East and West. Take a guided tour through one of the oldest wine cellars in Europe, followed by wine tasting and lunch. In the immediate vicinity is the Principovac viewpoint, where we can have afternoon coffee with a fantastic panorama. Return to Osijek, dinner, overnight stay.

Breakfast, Osijek – Đakovo 45 min, 24 mi The Stud Farm in Đakovo was established in 1506 which qualifies it to be among the oldest stud farms in Europe and proves a long tradition of horse breeding in this area. Horses of the Lipizzaner breed have been bred at the Stud Farm since the beginning of the 19th century. Đakovo is located in the heart of the geographical region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia. Đakovo is an episcopal town that attracts attention with its monumental cathedral. Pope John XXIII, walking through Đakovo, proclaimed Đakovo Cathedral “the most beautiful church between Venice and Constantinople”. Lunch in town and continuation of the journey. Transfer: Đakovo – “Lonjsko polje” Nature Park, Čigoč, 2 h 10 min, 118 mi In 1994, the village of Čigoč was declared the first European stork village. In summer, the stork population is larger than the human population of the village. “Lonjsko Polje” Nature Park: Get to know the largest Croatian floodplain of the Danube basin and the traditional architecture of this area. Dinner in “Tradicije Čigoč”, autochthonous ambiance with traditional Croatian delicacies. Accommodation in the same building and overnight stay.

Breakfast, Čigoč – Zagreb 40 min, 22 mi The Croatian capital Zagreb. Today’s Zagreb arose from two medieval settlements that developed over the centuries on two neighboring hills, the diocese founded by Kaptol and Gradec, a free royal town. Both settlements were surrounded by solid walls and towers, the remains of which have survived to this day. Let’s take a walk and get to know these two parts of the city and let’s visit the Zagreb Cathedral. Followed by lunch in the city center (Individual) Transfer: Zagreb – Split 4 h, 254 mi Split. Diocletian’s Palace is one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman architecture in the world. The name “Palace” can be confusing because when you really come to Split you will not feel like you are in the palace but in a fortified part of the old town. It is interesting to note that during the reign of Emperor Diocletian there was nothing around the palace. At that time Split did not even exist – only the palace and its inhabitants. In 1979 it was included in the UNESCO list. Port of Split: boarding, dinner, the start of the sailing The boat is anchored in the port of Split where you can board all day. Join the welcome meeting at 7 p.m.

Home port of Split – final port of Dubrovnik (Sailing always begins on Saturday and ends on Saturday.)

Saturday: Morning disembarkation from the ship in Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik’s Old Town is the reason why the famous English poet Lord Byron gave this city the nickname “Pearl of the Adriatic”. The old town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 and since then it has attracted more than a million visitors every year. The historic city center is actually a fortress thanks to the 2 km long city walls, which served as protection against invaders in the past. The main street in the old town is called Stradun and it is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists. At the end of Stradun you can see the beautiful Gothic-Renaissance Sponza Palace and the Rector’s Palace, featured in the world-famous TV series Game of Thrones. Transfer to airport, Flight (back to the USA)