CROATIA

WHATS INCLUDED

Departure dates throughout 2008 & 2009
From 5 day durations
Return flights from your preferred airport
Return transfers by coach from airport to hotel in Slovenia on arrival & departure
From 4 nights half board accommodation at the 3 star Hotel Prisank in Kranjska Gora or similar with private ensuite facilities
FREE Comprehensive Travel Insurance on selected datesInformation coming soon.

EXCURSION OPTIONS

BRIJUNI ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK & PULA

A full day excursion where you will visit the old town of Pula, which was built 3000 years ago and where you will have chance to see the world famous Amphitheatre before you go to have lunch in a local restaurant. (Additional fee for pre-bookable lunch starter, main meal, salad, dessert, mineral water, 1 beer or 1 juice £23,00 minimum 30 people). After lunch we then go to the island of Brijuni. Here you will have a sightseeing tour around the island, which lasts about 3 hours. You will take a special tourist train through the safari park and Zoo and onto the Roman settlement overlooking the sea. Your tour includes transport, a local English speaking guide, as well as the entrance fee for the Arena in Pula and the National park Brijuni.

ISTRIAN TOUR

A full day starting with a visit to the city of Porec, known for Eufrasias Basilica, which dates back to 6th century and is one of the best preserved examples of early Byzantine art, nowadays under UNESCO protection. You will continue on to the beautiful medieval hilltop town of Motovun. This ancient town has a history dating back many centuries and remains a walled fortification to this day. You will continue on to Livade, a small village in the Istrian countryside and famous as being "the best preserved truffles area" in the world. The white Istrian truffle is one of the most expensive mushrooms in the world and the secrets of truffles have an extensive tradition. A special programme has been arranged where you will go on a ‘Truffle search’ guided by an expert and a trained dog (in the past, pigs were also used for this purpose). After the truffle search and demonstration we will enjoy the exceptional cuisine of the Zigante Restaurant. It’s owner, Mr. Zigante, has earned his place in the Guinness Book of Records as having found the biggest white truffle in the world at 2.88lbs! The Zigante family will prepare a tasting as a refreshment lunch which consists of : Eggs with black truffle, home made hot bread with truffles, Istrian fritule (typical cake) a glass of white wine and a glass of red wine. This excursion includes transport, local English speaking guide, entrance fee for Eufrasias Basilica in Porec + Truffle farm visit.

PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK

Today we visit one of the most beautiful European national parks, the Plitvice Lakes. In a valley covered by dense wood, between two hilly chains there is a stretch of 16 large and numerous small lakes that are all linked by waterfalls. You will experience this wonderful world of lakes and waterfalls, flowers and birds in a permanent dance of light and colours for yourself during this full day tour. This day tour includes transport, an English speaking guide and entrance fee for the National park. There is an additional fee for pre-bookable lunch (starter, main meal, salad, dessert, mineral water, 1 beer or 1 juice £25.00pp (minimum 30 pax)

As an alternative to one of the above day tours a full day in Slovenia can be arranged and would include the following - this is on the proviso that the whole group accept this option.

SLOVENIA

Depart hotel after breakfast for the journey to Slovenia where you will visit the famous Postojna caves. The parts of the known today cover a total of 21 kilometres and a visit will last about one and a half hours. No special equipment is necessary and capes are available for hire. The trail begins at the cave railway station where the train first carries visitors through an artificial tunnel built during the renovation of the railway line 40 years ago and lasts ten minutes. The first natural passage, known as the Upturned Ship, is black and sooty - the result of a fuel dump explosion that occurred during the Second World War. Next comes the magnificent ‘Gothic Hall’, which is rich in wonderful stalactites and where the remains of Ice Age animals have been found. The ‘Conference Hall’ cave, previously known as the Ballroom, has been the venue for dances and concerts for 180 years. Many of the speleothems along the route have names that reflect their peculiar shapes. The most famous are: the Turtle, the Cone, the Palms, the Charcoal Heaps, the Curtain and the Dwarf. Whilst you admire these natural sculptures, the train continues onto the Great Mountain, where you alight and continue the visit on foot in groups led by guides. The trail takes you past characteristic cave formations to the ‘Russian Bridge’ and the ‘Beautiful Caves’, then into the ‘White Hall’, the ‘Red Hall’, the ‘Tiger Hall’ and the ‘Winter Hall’, all the way to the ‘Brilliant Passage’, the home of the brilliant and the most famous stalagmite of all and the symbol of Postojna Cave. You then re-board the train by the ‘Conference Hall’ and return to the surface. We also include a visit today to the Lipica Stud Farm established in 1580, where the famous white Lippizzaner Horses are bred (entrance payable locally) before returning to Rabac later today. Todays days excursion includes transport, an English speaking guide and entrance fee for Postojna cave. Additional fee for pre-bookable lunch, including a starter, main meal, salad, dessert, mineral water, 1 beer or 1 juice £24.00pp for a minimum 30 pax.

PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS

Price on application
Single supplements and minimum numbers apply
 

HOW TO BOOK

Choose your departure date
For your instant quote / more information:
Call Simply Groups on 01943 605999 or
click here to use our online enquiry form.

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