14 Days | Embark on a tasting tour through Croatia and the Balkans
Sample some of southern Europe’s finest cuisine on this 14-day adventure. Starting on the southern coast of Croatia, island hop your way from Split to Dubrovnik. Along the way taste hand-rolled pasta, sugary walnut cakes and plates of fresh seafood. Then, head inland and browse some of the Balkans’ best culinary offerings. Dine on homemade meals and share stories with your hosts in North Macedonia, meet the makers behind famous Njegusi smoked hams in Montenegro and sample the charcuterie of Croatia. With plenty of beautiful backdrops, these meals will be sure to stick in your memory.
Trip overview
- Start
- Split, Croatia
- Finish
- Skopje, North Macedonia (Macedonia)
- Theme
- Food
- Destinations
- Croatia, North Macedonia (Macedonia), Kosovo, Montenegro
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- ZMZSC
- Take a day trip to the island of Brac and indulge in the finest organic olive oils from the largest olive grove in Croatia, followed by a sugared walnut cake that has become ‘a protected item of intangible heritage’!
- Experience an authentic taste of the Balkans and a look at local life when you dine in family homes in Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dihovo.
- See behind the scenes of local produce when you visit a centuries-old smokehouse, an olive mill, an apple farm and meet a local beekeeper for a honey tasting.
- Learn how to make a hand-formed pasta shape in a local konoba, before cooking and eating your creation with lunch.
- Visit iconic Croatian cities Split and Dubrovnik and explore the stunning landscapes and charming cities of the Balkans, discovering the legendary Rozafa Fortress.
- The cuisine of Croatia and the Balkans includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans, we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Croatia and the Balkans which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.
- This region is very hilly and mountainous and stairs are commonplace. You will have to be able to easily lift your luggage and carry it up and down stairs and inclines, so packing light is recommended. The cobblestone streets become very slippery when wet. Some people may find the region's topography very demanding.
- Summer temperatures can reach 40C/105F or higher in some areas, so it's important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
7 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 2 dinners
Private Vehicle, Ferry
Hotel (11 nights), Apartment (2 nights)
- Brac - Olive oil museum
- Brac - Hrapoćuša cake tasting
- Split - Old Town markets & culture tour
- Zrnovo - Cooking Class
- Peljesac - Wine tasting
- Ston - Oyster tasting
- Lustica - Olive oil farm visit
- Njegusi - Smokehouse visit & tasting
- Shkoder - Rozafa Fortress visit
- Prizren - Leader-led city tour
- Pristina - Serbian barbecue lunch
- Pristina - Gracanica Monastery visit
- Debar - St Jovan Bigorski Monastery visit
- Kuratica - Home-cooked dinner
- Prespa - Agriturismo visit & tasting
- Prespa - Home-cooking demonstration
- Dihovo - Home-cooked lunch
- Dihovo - Beekeeper farm visit
- Tikves - Wine tasting
- Stobi - Stobi archaeological site
- Skopje - Leader-led walking tour with traditional sweets
- Split - Gallery of Fine Arts - EUR5
- Split – Highlights of Split Urban Adventure - EUR64
- Split - Marjan Hill Hike - Free
- Korcula – City Museum - EUR6
- Korcula Island - Marco Polo Museum - HRK60
- Ohrid - St Naum Monastery & Trpejca - EUR80
- Ohrid - City tour and cruise - Minimum 2 passengers - EUR50
- Bitola - Heraclea Lyncestis - EUR25
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
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