Northern Dalmatia and the natural beauties of Croatia

Arrival in Varaždin in the afternoon, accommodation in the hotel, early dinner
Evening Tour of Varaždin, Croatian “Vienna”.

The city of Varaždin is located in the northwestern part of Croatia on the right bank of the Drava River.
Varaždin reveals itself to the guest as a rare urban pearl. To this day, Varaždin has retained some important features of Croatian “Vienna” as a city of baroque, music and flowers.
The biggest attraction of Varaždin is the fortress called “Stari grad” – Old Town.

As the operetta “Countess Mariza” by Emmerich Kálmán ​says”: “Come to Varaždin”

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the largest, oldest and most visited national park in Croatia. And on top of that, it’s the only one to have made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. Why? Mainly because of its rich flora and fauna and sixteen magical turquoise lakes with numerous cascades. The beauty of this national park is truly unique and that is why more than a million people from all over the world visit Plitvice.

Visit to the Plitvice Lakes National Park with a lunch break (individually).

Plitvice Lakes National Park – Biograd na Moru. 1 hour 50 minutes, 156 km

Hotel accommodation, dinner, overnight.

Biograd na Moru: the town is situated on a small peninsula and mainland. The economy is based on agriculture, fishing and tourism.
Thanks to its location on the most indented part of the Croatian Adriatic coast, this area offers excellent opportunities for nautical tourism and shipping like few parts of the Mediterranean.
Besides its cultural and historical heritage, Biograd is also known for its beautiful beaches and picturesque bays.

Free time and special agreement with the hotel (instead of dinner – lunch)

After lunch we drive to Zadar, which is only half an hour’s drive away.

Zadar: In May 1964, the famous director Alfred Hitchcock uttered a sentence that is still remembered today. “Zadar has the most beautiful sunsets in the world, more beautiful than the one in Key West, in Florida, applauded at every evening”
Today we have “two” suns in Zadar, let’s discover them…
The urbanized area of Zadar is two thousand years old, all eras have left visible traces on the old peninsula, let’s discover them.

The defence system (walls) of the city of Zadar and the Land Gate are protected by UNESCO. They are part of a group of six defensive walls built by the Republic of Venice between the 15th and 17th centuries along the Adriatic coast.
In the centre of the old town of Zadar we will visit the Archaeological Museum of Zadar and the Church of St Donatus.
After visiting the museum sights of Zadar from Roman times to today: Forum, Church of St Donatus, Cathedral of St Stošija and Bell Tower, Kalelarga, Sea Organ, Salutation to the Sun, Five Wells Square…

Late return to the hotel, overnight stay.

National Park Kornati – the stone pearls of the Mediterranean.
A stone labyrinth of eighty-nine islands, islets and cliffs in the sea – these are the Kornati. The Mediterranean’s most rugged archipelago is seen from the air like a string of stone beads. The dry stone walls on the islands are silent and constantly testify to the hardship of human labour on the barren land full of stones, but surrounded by the turquoise blue, crystal clear sea.

Lunch on board.

We anchor off the island of Dugi otok in the bay “Mir (Peace)” and head towards the Telaščica Nature Park.
The salt lake “Mir” is located in the south-western part of the Telašćica Nature Park. The lake is located in a narrow part of the mainland between Telašćica Bay and the open sea. Its length is about 900 m and its maximum width is about 300 m. The maximum depth is 6 m. The lake is salty because it is connected to the sea by underground channels. Its salinity is generally higher than that of the surrounding sea, due to the marked evaporation and closure of the lake.

Free time for individual exploration and swimming.

Return in the evening, dinner, overnight stay.

I. Short ferry ride to the island of Pašman, place Tkon. Only 5 minutes walk from the ferry port, swimming on the sandy beach.
II. Visit to Fun Park Biograd, distance 3.5 km, 45 min. on foot or 6 min. by car.

Biograd na Moru – Krka National Park 50 min, 31 mi
Seven magnificent waterfalls: Bilušića buk, Brljan, Manojlovac, Rošnjak, Miljacka slap, Roški slap and Skradinski buk. These are the Krka travertine waterfalls. For many, the most beautiful turquoise blue lines of the Dalmatian karst. The beauty of the cascade and the dense, rich sound of aquatic life.

First follows a boat trip from Skradin to the most famous waterfall Skradinski buk.

Free time for lunch.

The city of Šibenik is located in central Dalmatia, where the Krka River flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik was mentioned in 1066 (under its most important name) in a charter of Croatian king Petar Kresimir IV.
For this reason the city is also “Krešimirov grad” (Kresimir City).

Šibenik is the only city in Croatia with two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Cathedral of St. James and the Feast of St. Nicholas.
Cathedral of Saint James – an important combination of Gothic & Renaissance
It is the only church in Europe built in stone, without any material whatsoever. It is also fascinating for the series of 71 realistic sculptural portraits surrounding the apse.

Return to Biograd na Moru, free time, dinner, overnight.

Biograd na Moru – Munich 8 h 30 min, 758 km (non-stop)
Biograd na Moru – Stuttgart 10 h 30 min, 992 km (without a break)
Biograd na Moru – Nuernberg 10 h, 973 km (without a break)