From captivating Lake Bled in the Slovenian Alps to the sun-gilt towns of the Dalmatian Coast, immerse yourself in the history, culture, and natural beauty of Slovenia and Croatia.

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Starting at: $6,784 * Price includes special offer * Includes airfare, taxes & all fees Make a Reservation Ask Us A Question or Call 855-330-1542

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic

Main Square, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Roman amphitheater in Pula

Roman temple in Pula

Walkway through Plitvice National Park

The Pakleni Islands near Hvar

The captivating setting of Hvar

Aerial view of Split, with the remains of Diocletian's Palace

Section of Diocletian's extensive palace in Split

Architectural details, Split

The harbor in Split

Fort and Old City of Dubrovnik

Old street at dusk, Dubrovnik

Lively street in Dubrovnik

Iconic harbor of Dubrovnik

Pearls of Croatia and Slovenia

15 days from $6,784 | includes airfare, taxes and all fees

From captivating Lake Bled in the Slovenian Alps to the sun-gilt towns of the Dalmatian Coast, immerse yourself in the history, culture, and natural beauty of Slovenia and Croatia.

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TOUR BROCHURE

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JOURNEYS DISPATCHES

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Accommodations

* Click on hotel name to visit hotel web-site.

The Amadria Park Hotel Capital sits in the center of Zagreb, in a former bank building designed by famed Viennese architects Ernst Gotthilf and Alexander Neumann. The hotel boasts Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences, a beautiful cream-colored stone façade, and elegant interior furnishings. Hotel facilities include a restaurant and bar, fitness center (for a fee), shopping boutique, laundry and dry cleaning services (for a fee), and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Air-conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, minibar, TV, and phone.

Eurostars uHotel Ljubljana

Ljubljana, Slovenia

The Eurostars uHotel Ljubljana stands in the heart of Slovenia’s capital, perfectly positioned to allow guests to explore this eminently walkable city. Amenities of the hotel include a restaurant, bar, and café; fitness center with indoor swimming pool; spa with sauna and massage treatments (for a fee); beauty salon; jeweler; gift shop; laundry and dry-cleaning services (for a fee); and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Air-conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, minibar, in-room safe, TV, and phone.

Hotel Milenij

Opatija, Croatia

The Hotel Milenij is located alongside the beautiful Park and Church of St. James on one side, and the famous Lungomare seafront promenade and Slatina beach on the other. The 96-room luxury hotel offers a restaurant, bar, and café with an outdoor terrace, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa, and laundry and dry cleaning services. Air-conditioned guestrooms have private bath with hairdryer, mini-bar, in-room safe, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, TV, and phone.

Hotel Trogir Palace

Trogir, Croatia

This charming, boutique hotel is located in the heart of beautiful Trogir. Every guest room features a balcony that overlooks the sparkling Adriatic Sea. Taste Croatian seafood and specialties, and choose from a rich assortment of regional wines at Restaurant Antonio.

Adriana Hotel Hvar

Hvar, Croatia

The 59-room Adriana enjoys a prime location: it sits on the main Promenade, facing the old city center and within sight of the yacht harbor and bay, the Cathedral, Arsenal, and Venetian piazza. Hotel amenities include a restaurant and bar, rooftop terrace with heated indoor and outdoor seawater pools, fitness center with spa, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, and laundry service. Air-conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hairdryer, minibar, TV, and phone. Please note that the rooms here are less spacious than elsewhere on your tour as the hotel is in the center of the historic waterfront district.

Dubrovnik Palace Hotel

Dubrovnik, Croatia

The 308-room resort is located on the western shores of the Lapad peninsula, within easy reach of the historic Old Town and near one of Dubrovnik’s newest residential districts and Mala Pekta Forest Park. The resort offers attractive, contemporary rooms with private balconies and panoramic sea views, as well as indoor and outdoor pool areas, and an award-winning spa. A variety of bars and restaurants, including a pool bar and a sunset lounge, offer views of the sea and the Elaphite Islands.

Activity Level

Expectations: One of our Classic Land Journeys, this tour features two countries and stays in six carefully selected hotels. Although comprehensive, the itinerary is not rushed, but well paced and finely tuned. Expectations include longer touring days with excursions lasting from four to six hours, as well as seven afternoons at leisure. Standing and walking for long periods of time during city tours, museum visits, and outdoor activities. Daily walks of two to three miles; sometimes over difficult terrain (e.g. cobblestones, city hills, steep stairs without handrails, absence of elevators); some longer walks to get to city centers where coaches are prohibited. There are four coach rides of approximately two to two and a half hours and one longer drive of approximately five hours duration.

Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit and comfortable with longer days of touring (both walking tours and coach time).

Tour Extension

Montenegro Post-Tour Extension — 4 Days, 3 Nights

Discover this tiny nation with a stunning coastline, imposing mountains, ancient towns, and a rich culture formed from its perch straddling East and West.

Your extension includes:

Round-trip private motorcoach transportation Dubrovnik/Tivat, Montenegro
3 nights’ accommodations: 2 nights in Tivat at Regent Porto Montenegro (Deluxe); 1 night in Cavtat, Croatia, at Hotel Croatia (Superior First Class)
5 meals: 3 breakfasts, 2 dinners
Extensive included sightseeing: Kotor town and bay, Our Lady of the Rocks church, walled city of Budva, the historic capital of Cetinje, Roman mosaics of Risan
Services of a Tour Director
Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, hotel porters, and all drivers

Reading List

Explore Croatia's Istrian Peninsula with Smithsonian Magazine.

Highly Recommended

A Traveller's History of Croatia

By: Benjamin Curtis

Anyone who has glimpsed the long, mountainous, island-studded Dalmatian coast would surely agree that its beauty is little short of divine. Croatia, quite simply, is blessed with some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, and its history is equally captivating. A Traveller's History of Croatia offers tourists and travellers an inside look at how the country's cultural fusion of Mediterranean, Central European and Balkan influences has given it a tumultuous past. The book's narrative begins with Croatia's astounding Greek and Roman legacy, and then explains how the early blooming of the Croatian state in the 9th century was thwarted by the ambitions of its powerful neighbour, Hungary. In the Middle Ages much of the coast came under the control of Venice, which over centuries left its indelible stamp on many charming, historic towns. Croatia became a battlefield as the Ottoman Turks invaded during the 1500s, until they were finally repulsed by the Habsburgs, who ruled the country right up until the First World War. The twentieth century brought new solutions in the founding of Yugoslavia, problems with Croatian nationalism and the horrors of invasion in World War II. Under Tito a stability came to the region until the battles of the 1990s, which were finally resolved with the international recognition of an independent state in 1992. Croatia today is independent, peaceful, and as beautiful as ever: it has taken its place as one of the world's most coveted travel destinations.

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Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History

By: Robert D. Kaplan

From the assassination that triggered World War I to the ethnic warfare in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia, the Balkans have been the crucible of the twentieth century, the place where terrorism and genocide first became tools of policy. Chosen as one of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, and greeted with critical acclaim as "the most insightful and timely work on the Balkans to date" (The Boston Globe), Kaplan's prescient, enthralling, and often chilling political travelogue is already a modern classic.This new edition of the Balkan Ghosts includes six opinion pieces written by Robert Kaplan about the Balkans between 1996 and 2000 beginning just after the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and ending after the conclusion of the Kosovo war, with the removal of Slobodan Milosevic from power.

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DK Eyewitness Croatia (Travel Guide)

By: DK Eyewitness

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Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation

By: Laura Silber, Allan Little

"The most authoritative account in English or any other language about how the war began."—The Washington Post Book World. "An essential resource for anyone of the conflict."—The New York Times Book Review.

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DK Eyewitness Slovenia (Travel Guide)

By: DK Eyewitness

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Lonely Planet Croatian Phrasebook & Dictionary

By: Lonely Planet, Ivetac, Gordana, Ivetac, Ivan

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Dubrovnik: A History

By: Harris, Robin

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Zagreb: A Cultural History (Cityscapes)

By: Celia Hawkesworth

For most of its history, Zagreb was a small town to which big things happened. It has been ruled by Hungary and the Habsburg Monarchy, threatened by the Ottomans, and absorbed into Yugoslavia. Today it is the capital city of the newly independent Croatia. In Zagreb: A Cultural History, Celia Hawkesworth guides us through a modern city that reflects all the important trends in Central European culture, architecture, and fashion. We visit the city's center, a beautiful "green horseshoe," graced with trees and public gardens, and lined with imposing buildings. Hawkesworth explores this central core and the atmospheric old town on a rise above it, finding a mix of old and modern buildings, a rich cultural tradition, and a vibrant outdoor café life. She describes the many statues in the streets and squares, commemorating those who have contributed to the city's unique inner life. She also examines the legacy of outside invasion, fire, earthquakes, and political strife, pointing to the street names that reflect Zagreb's turbulent past. Zagreb illuminates the artistic side of the city, discussing the sculpture of Ivan Mestrovic, the unique collections of paintings in the Strossmayer and Modern Galleries, and the novels and plays of Miroslav Krleza. A perfect book for armchair travelers, Zagreb takes us on a captivating tour of one of Eastern Europe's leading cities.

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Croatian Cookbook: Get Your Taste Of Croatia With Easy and Delicious Recipes From Croatian Cuisine

By: Nikolic, Miroslav

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Slovenia 1945: Memories of Death and Survival After World War II

By: Corsellis, John, Ferrar, Marcus

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The Balkans: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles)

By: Mark Mazower

Throughout history, the Balkans have been a crossroads, a zone of endless military, cultural, and economic mixing and clashing between Europe and Asia, Christianity and Islam, Catholicism and Orthodoxy. In this highly acclaimed short history, Mark Mazower sheds light on what has been called the tinderbox of Europe, whose troubles have ignited wider wars for hundreds of years. Focusing on events from the emergence of the nation-state onward, The Balkans reveals with piercing clarity the historical roots of current conflicts and gives a landmark reassessment of the regionâ€™s history, from the world wars and the Cold War to the collapse of communism, the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and the continuing search for stability in southeastern Europe.

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Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (Penguin Classics)

By: Rebecca West

Written on the brink of World War II, Rebecca West's classic examination of the history, people, and politics of Yugoslavia illuminates a region that is still a focus of international concern. A magnificent blend of travel journal, cultural commentary, and historical insight, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon probes the troubled history of the Balkans and the uneasy relationships among its ethnic groups. The landscape and the people of Yugoslavia are brilliantly observed as West untangles the tensions that rule the country's history as well as its daily life.

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The Balkan Express: Fragments from the Other Side of the War

By: Slavenka Drakulic

Book by Drakulic, Slavenka

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Forbidden Bread: A Memoir

By: Erica Johnson Debeljak

Forbidden Bread is an unusual love story that covers great territory, both geographically and emotionally. The author leaves behind a successful career as an American financial analyst to pursue Ales Debeljak, a womanizing Slovenian poet who catches her attention at a cocktail party. The story begins in New York City, but quickly migrates, along with the author, to Slovenia. As she struggles to forge an identity in her new home, Slovenia itself undergoes the transformation from a communist to a capitalist society. A complicated language, politically incorrect ethnic jokes, and old-fashioned sexism are just a few of the challenges Debeljak faces on her journey. Happily, she marries her poet and comes to love her new husband's family as well as the fast-disappearing rural traditions of this beautiful country. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Slovenian Ten Day War and the much longer Yugoslav wars of succession, Forbidden Bread shows a worldly and courageous woman coming to grips with her new life and family situation in a rapidly changing European landscape.

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The Bridge on the Drina (Phoenix Fiction)

By: Ivo Andríc

The Bridge on the Drina is a vivid depiction of the suffering history has imposed upon the people of Bosnia from the late 16th century to the beginning of World War I. As we seek to make sense of the current nightmare in this region, this remarkable, timely book serves as a reliable guide to its people and history."No better introduction to the study of Balkan and Ottoman history exists, nor do I know of any work of fiction that more persuasively introduces the reader to a civilization other than our own. It is an intellectual and emotional adventure to encounter the Ottoman world through Andric's pages in its grandiose beginning and at its tottering finale. It is, in short, a marvelous work, a masterpiece, and very much sui generis. . . . Andric's sensitive portrait of social change in distant Bosnia has revelatory force."—William H. McNeill, from the introduction"The dreadful events occurring in Sarajevo over the past several months turn my mind to a remarkable historical novel from the land we used to call Yugoslavia, Ivo Andric's The Bridge on the Drina."—John M. Mohan, Des Moines Sunday RegisterBorn in Bosnia, Ivo Andric (1892-1975) was a distinguished diplomat and novelist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961. His books include The Damned Yard: And Other Stories, and The Days of the Consuls.

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The Hired Man

By: Aminatta Forna

Forna is a born storyteller. . . . Not since Remains of the Day has an author so skillfully revealed the way history’s layers are often invisible to all but its participants. . . . Gorgeous.”John Freeman, The Boston GlobeHaunting . . . Detail builds upon detail until the dread and violence that have been barely restrained burst into the open.”Anthony Domestico, San Francisco ChronicleAn NPR, Boston Globe, and San Francisco Chronicle best book of the year, The Hired Mannow available in paperbackis an incisive, powerful novel of a small Croatian town and its dark wartime secrets, unwittingly brought into the light by a family of outsiders. Duro Kolak, a stoic lifelong resident of the Croatian village of Gost, is off on a morning’s hunt when he discovers that a British family has taken up residence in a house Duro knows well. He offers his assistance getting their water working again, and soon he is at the house every day, helping get it ready as their summer cottage, and serving as their trusted confidant. But the other residents of Gost are not as pleased to have the interlopers, and as the friendship deepens, the volatile truths about the town’s past and the house’s former occupants whisper ever louder. A masterpiece of storytelling haunted by lost love and a restrained menace, The Hired Man confirms Aminatta Forna as one of our most important writers.Forna modulates the growing suspense with exquisite skill. . . . Beautiful, reminiscent in its mesmerizing clarity of William Trevor’s fiction or Per Petterson’s.”Anna Mundow, The Christian Science MonitorAbsorbing . . . Forna’s unwavering gaze compels a close look at the complexities of our shared histories.”Ellah Allfrey, NPR (online)

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History of the World Map by Map (DK History Map by Map)

By: DK

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Travel Insurance

For the convenience of our travelers, Smithsonian Journeys includes a basic medical expense and evacuation plan through Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand, at no additional charge. This plan provides post-departure Medical and Dental coverage of $250,000 per person and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage of $1,000,000 per person (U.S. Residents Only). Note: For full details regarding these coverages please review the following Plan Documents here.

In addition, we recommend that travelers purchase a travel protection plan to help protect their travel investment from unforeseen events such as cancellation due to illness, flight delays due to adverse weather, baggage loss, and more. For your convenience, Smithsonian Journeys offers an optional Travel Protection Plan administered by Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand. For those interested, optional "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage is available for an additional charge. Note: Certain eligibility requirements apply and Cancel for Any Reason coverage is not available to New York residents. For full details regarding this coverage please review the following Plan Documents here.

To learn more about the Travel Protection Plan, you may visit https://www.generalipartner.com/smithsonianjourneys or call the administrator, Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand at (866) 501-3252.

Pearls of Croatia and Slovenia