Day 01 OPATIJA
Check in at the hotel. Day at leisure. Overnight. Opatija and the Opatija Riveira owe their names to the Benedictine abbey built between 1400 and 1440 close to the sea shore. (Opatija happens to be the Croatian word for ‘abbey’). From then to the present day, history has been an important companion and infl uence to this multicultural region. This was the summer resort of the Austro Hungarian empire right up to the outbreak of WW1 and popularised by the likes of Wilhelm II, Franz Joseph, Empress Sissy, Gustav Mahler, Isadora Duncan and Chekov to name but a few. This ‘grand old lady’ of a town also boasts magnifi cent luxury villas, dazzling neoclassic and art nouveau hotels located in luxuriously trimmed gardens and parks, which helps gives you a brief glimpse into its glamourous past.
Breakfast. Full day tour of Istria, including lunch. Overnight.
Istria, Croatia’s largest peninsula will attract you not only by its coast, but also by the lovely and varied inland area. This is an opportunity to explore a romantic, mystical and simply beautiful region. The lovely old hilltop towns of Groznjan and Motovun invite you to explore their steep, narrow streets. The other villages that we pass on our journey make you feel as if time has stood still in this part of the country. We visit Hum (the smallest town in the world), and enjoy an Istrian lunch at a traditional restaurant. After lunch we drive south and make a short stop at the village of Draguc. Our day ends at the vantage point overlooking the magnifi cent Lim Fjord. This is a full day trip, returning just after 5pm. Ensure that you have your camera with you, to be able to capture this unique experience.
Day 03 OPATIJA (PULA AND BRIJUINI NP TOUR)Breakfast. Half day sightseeing of Pula and Brijuni Islands. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Overnight.
Drive to Pula to visit the Roman amphitheatre from the 1st century AD. Continue the drive to Fazana to take a ferry across the channel towards the largest of the Brijuni islands. Brijuni Islands National Park off ers an experience of cultural, historical and natural attractions in a very unique way. Guided tour of the island includes safari park, numerous exhibitions, remains of Roman and Byzantine archaeological sites as well as an insight into the rich plant and animal life. Return in the late afternoon hours.
Breakfast. Check out. End of services.