Split to Skopje Real Food Adventure



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Embark on a tasting adventure 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.
Start: Split, Croatia
End: Skopje, North Macedonia
- Duration
- 14 days
- Group size
- 1 to 12
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
Basix: Simple accommodation, local transport and lots of free time
Original: Tourist-class hotels, some meals included and a great mix of included activities and free time
Comfort: Comfortable accommodation, with a relaxed pace of travel and many included meals and activities
Premium: Our best accommodation, exclusive inclusions and our most experienced leaders
- Original
- Theme
Our themes categorise trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Food
- 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
Why you'll love this trip
- Take a daytrip 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’!
- Dine in family homes in Ohrid, Lake Prespa, and Dihovo to experience an authentic taste of the Balkans and a look at local life.
- See behind the scenes of local produce when you visit a centuries-old smokehouse, an olive mill, and 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.
Itinerary
Zdravo! Welcome to Croatia. Your adventure begins in Split, with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight, followed by an optional dinner. If you arrive early, make sure you take the opportunity to explore this beautiful city on foot. Sitting on a peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, Split is a jewel on the Dalmatian coast. Why not take a stroll along the Riva Promenade – a waterfront walkway that stretches between Split Harbour and the Marjan Forest Park. Spend some time in the park and take the walk to the top of the hill for some of the best views along the coastline and across the city. Maybe wander the streets of the Old City and learn the history of the city that once was the residence of a Roman Emperor. For lunch, maybe grab some fresh octopus salad or find a serving of soparnik (a savoury pie with layers of silverbeet, garlic, parsley and olive oil).
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Split - Gallery of Fine Arts - EUR5
- Split – Highlights of Split Urban Adventure - EUR64
- Split - Marjan Hill Hike - Free
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Today, you’ll be hopping on a short ferry to take you to the Adriatic Island of Brac, just off the Split coast. Known for being the largest olive grove in Croatia (with over one million olive trees), this small island is home to a range of delicious regional dishes. Spend some time strolling the streets and beach of the coastal town of Bol, before making your way to the small town of Skrip. Visit the olive oil museum, where you’ll learn about this extraordinary crop and be treated to an olive-themed selection of tapenade, cheeses, onion marmalade, anchovies, cured meats, salad, bread and wine. After lunch, enjoy a slice of hrapocusa – a layered cake of sponge and sticky sugared walnuts. This cake is so iconic to the island town of Dol that the Croatian Ministry of Culture has listed it as a protected item of intangible heritage. Sail back to Split for an evening at leisure.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Brac - Olive oil museum
- Brac - Hrapoćuša cake tasting
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
Wake up bright and early to explore Split’s Old City and the fish, fruit and vegetable markets. Wandering the historic city centre with your local leader, enjoy your last morning in this beautiful city before jumping on a ferry to the island of Korcula. Steeped in a long history of Greek, Slav and Roman settlers, Korcula’s Old Town is a tightly packed homage to the Renaissance architecture of Venice with plenty of narrow streets and squares for you to explore. What's more, the town boasts plenty of beaches to relax on if that's more your speed. Following an orientation walk with your leader, you might like to take a swim, walk around the bays and villages near Korcula town, pay a visit to the Marco Polo Tower, go shopping, or just soak up the ambience. Later, you’ll have the option to visit the tiny village of Pupnat in the interior of the island. Maybe have dinner in the village and enjoy a meal made entirely from local produce.
- Apartment (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Split - Old Town markets & culture tour
- Korcula – City Museum - EUR6
- Korcula Island - Marco Polo Museum - HRK60
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
The morning in Korcula is yours to enjoy. For a sweet start to the day, why not see if you can find some amareta (a local dessert with a crunchy outside and soft inside made of whipped egg whites, almonds and citrus zest) or some kalsuni (a crescent-shaped cookie made of buttery dough and traditionally filled with a nut-based stuffing). Relax into island life in the morning before heading to Zrnovo village for a hands-on cooking class in a local konoba – traditionally a tavern or wine cellar, konobas are now often popular restaurants where you can find the best of local Croatian cuisine. Today you’ll learn how to make zrnovo makaruni (a local hand-rolled pasta), before enjoying the fruits of your labour over lunch, paired with local wines. In the afternoon, return to Korcula town for some free time – beach, anyone?
- Apartment (1 night)
- Lunch
- Zrnovo - Cooking Class
Leaving Korcula behind, you’ll travel to Peljesac, a peninsula off southern mainland Croatia. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to sample what is considered some of the country’s finest local wines. Vineyards are scattered all along the peninsula, with the fertile soil in the region making for ideal growing environments. Here, you can find a wide range of wine varieties to tingle your tastebuds. Continue to the southern town of Ston and indulge in an oyster tasting and seafood lunch. This region is known to have the best seafood in Croatia and produces some of the best oysters in the world, so get ready for something special. Leaving Ston full and satisfied, make your way to Dubrovnik – the country’s iconic walled city. You’ll have the evening to explore the city at your leisure (maybe see how many Game of Thrones filming locations you can find!), before having the option to catch up with your group for a farewell dinner.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Lunch
- Peljesac - Wine tasting
- Ston - Oyster tasting
Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.
Enjoy a free day in Dubrovnik. With the sparkling water of the Adriatic in the background, Dubrovnik is picturesque, full of character and easily covered on foot. The next stage of your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6.30 pm today. After, you could head out for a dinner to get to know your fellow travellers. Croatian cuisine varies between regions, but an unwavering favourite is the charcuterie. Traditionally created with pork, charcuterie involves using a lot of specially prepared meats, all of which showcase flavours specific to their preservation process.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
As this is a combination trip, the travellers in your group and your group leader are likely to change today.
After breakfast, you will visit an olive farm in the village of Tici, located in the Lustica Bay area near Kotor. Discover the art of olive pressing as your hosts share their second-generation organic olive oil production techniques. Wander through the beautiful olive groves before arriving at an ancient stone olive mill, where olives were once milled by hand. A guided tasting will give you an insight into what makes for good oil. It will be accompanied by local ham, cheese and grape brandy. Back in Kotor, consider getting lost in the town’s crooked walkways, or maybe climb the hills behind the city to see Kotor’s ruined fortification walls. With a free night, you could have dinner at a local wine bar.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Lustica - Olive oil farm visit
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
Say goodbye to Montenegro and head to Kosovo. The first stop on the journey is Rozafa Fortress, Albania – one of the last strongholds of the allied Christian forces against invading Ottomans in the 15th century. In the afternoon, arrive in Prizren – the second largest city in Kosovo. This city remains the most culturally and ethnically diverse in all of Kosovo. The rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace. The abundance of orange rooftops makes for an interesting sight, as do the impressive mosques and churches in the city. For dinner, perhaps ask your leader for some local restaurant suggestions.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Shkoder - Rozafa Fortress visit
Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours.
Start the day with a guided tour of Prizren. Pass by the sights, smells and sounds of the bazaar, with a whole range of specialties on offer, including stuffed peppers. After visiting the bazaar, continue to Pristina – Kosovo’s capital and largest city. Your leader will take you on another guided tour, exploring the city centre, then tuck into a Kosovo-Serb barbecue prepared by the local hosts who serve sausages and other pork delicacies from their personal smokehouse. Take some time to explore the surrounding Gracanica settlement and monastery. The area serves as the home of one of the few dominantly Serbian populations in Kosovo. After, leave Kosovo behind and travel into North Macedonia. Your first stop will be the St Jovan Bigorski Monastery (St John the Baptist), which is widely renowned as the most spiritual monastery in North Macedonia. Then drive on to Ohrid where you’ll spend the night.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Prizren - Leader-led city tour
- Pristina - Serbian barbecue lunch
- Pristina - Gracanica Monastery visit
- Debar - St Jovan Bigorski Monastery visit
Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours.
Ohrid is Europe’s oldest lake and, as one of the oldest human settlements in the world, it’s got a wealth of historic sites and religious monuments. The town is said to have once been home to 365 churches, one for each day of the year, earning it the nickname ‘the Macedonian Jerusalem’. Today is free for you to explore, maybe picking up a bargain or two in the vibrant Old Bazaar. Alternatively, consider joining your leader for an optional daytrip to Ohrid Lake and the Sveti Naum Monastery – one of the most important places of pilgrimage in North Macedonia. Take in the ancient Tzar Samoil’s Fortress, which stands on the top of Ohrid Hill and looks across the town, along with a 2000-year-old Roman theatre that was uncovered near its upper gate. The Sveti Jovana Kaneo church, which sits on a rocky outcrop overlooking the lake, is one of the most popular in North Macedonia. This evening, head to Kuratica – a village on the outskirts of Ohrid. Here, you’ll experience local hospitality and enjoy a home-cooked meal. Your host also brews his own rakija, which you’re welcome to sample for a quick warm up of your insides!
- Hotel (1 night)
- Dinner
- Kuratica - Home-cooked dinner
- Ohrid - St Naum Monastery & Trpejca - EUR80
- Ohrid - City tour and cruise - Minimum 2 passengers - EUR50
Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour.
After leaving your accommodation in Ohrid, head down to the green market for a traditional breakfast. You might like to try the best burek in town or enjoy a gjomleze pie (a traditional dish made from an old Ohrid recipe). Drive onward to Lake Prespa, popular with Macedonian holidaymakers. Here, you’ll visit a local apple farm and have the chance to taste some of the fresh produce yourself. Then, head to the little village of Dolno Dupeni on Lake Prespa, where you’ll be invited into a local home for a cooking demonstration and some lunch. Continue to Bitola and relax in one of the city’s many cafes or explore the stalls of the Old Bazaar.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Prespa - Agriturismo visit & tasting
- Prespa - Home-cooking demonstration
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
Today you’ll visit Dihovo – a small village sitting in the foothills of Mt Pelister. A local beekeeper will teach you about the honeybee and you’ll get hands-on with an open beehive demonstration. After, taste some honey extracted straight from the comb before having a home-cooked meal in a traditional villa. All the ingredients are organic and come from the family’s private gardens. Return to Bitola in the afternoon and maybe take a guided tour of the ancient town and archaeological site of Heraclea Lyncestis, located on the outskirts of Bitola. Heraclea was founded by Philip II of Macedonia in the fourth century BC after he had conquered the surrounding region of Lyncestis. The city was named in honour of the mythological hero Heracles, whom Philip considered his ancestor.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Lunch
- Dihovo - Home-cooked lunch
- Dihovo - Beekeeper farm visit
- Bitola - Heraclea Lyncestis - EUR25
Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour.
Start the day with a trip out to the Stobi archaeological site for a short walk. Stobi, once known as Paeonia, was conquered by the ancient kingdom of Macedon and became the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris. Continue to Tikves wine district – the production of grapes is prominent in North Macedonia, thanks to an abundance of sunshine and rich, rocky soil. Today’s adventure offers a taste of local varieties at two of the country’s finest wineries. Enjoy a pairing of delicious local cheeses and cured meats next to these wines this afternoon. Arrive in Skopje in the late afternoon and take a guided walking tour of the centre city, tasting traditional Macedonian sweets along the way. Head out with your fellow travellers for a final dinner in Debar Maalo, the bohemian heart of Skopje. Your leader will ensure all your favourite dishes are ordered for one last celebration.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Tikves - Wine tasting
- Stobi - Stobi archaeological site
- Skopje - Leader-led walking tour with traditional sweets
Your travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.
With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time. That doesn’t mean your adventure has to end! If you wish to spend more time in Skopje or want to explore the fascinating Matka Canyon, just speak to your booking agent.
There are no meals included on this day.
Inclusions and activities
6 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
- 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
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, learn more about our climate commitment.
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Before you book you should know
- 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.
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Art Hotel Annex
Slobode St. 41
Split
21000
CROATIA
Phone: +38 521302302
Instructions
Art Hotel in Split is located only a 15-minute walk from Diocletian’s palace and the rest of the famous old part of town. The Split International Airport (airport code SPU) is 30 minutes by taxi from the hotel. You can take airport shuttle bus that is around 8 EUR to the main bus station. From the ferry terminal, main bus and train station you can walk about 25 minutes or take a bus line to the hotel. Taxi is on average 10 EUR.
If you have pre booked an arrival transfer from Split Airport (SPU), your transfer driver will be waiting in the arrivals hall holding a board with the Intrepid Logo or your name. In case of flight cancellations, flight changes, severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please contact the transfer operator directly: +38 95 550 0014.
Dates and prices
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.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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