Best of the Adriatic in 14 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful experience with our tour from beginning to end. We've traveled independently for many years and have made liberal use of Rick Steves books and walking tours which always made our travel more interesting, but we feel like we got much more out of this trip because of our exceptional guides and truly enjoyable group of friendly travel companions. The food, hotels, and comfort of our bus were excellent as well. There was a good balance of time on our own as well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several "wow" moments, but the natural beauty of Plitvice Lakes National Park was right up there at the top. We were also wowed by Ljubljana and Slovenia. The varied natural beauty of the country and the beauty and accessibility of the city were notable. We'd been in Croatia previously, but had never been to Slovenia."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour was informative and Barbara our guide was excellent!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As travelers, group tours are not the norm for us and this was a stretch--and a perfect choice for these countries with a super group of people, a very fine tour leader, and exceptionally informed local guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sorry, I can't say just say one moment was the best as there were certainly many. We were introduced to wine makers, historians, farmers raising donkeys, war survivors, beautiful nature, architectural delights, some great people moments, and as a vegetarian I was touched by the accommodations made on my behalf. The Rick Steves' philosophy of community building and just the right amount of on your own time made the trip--plus this is a very interesting part of the world and worth every minute."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As per the other Rick Steves tours I've taken, this one did not disappoint. Saso was an excellent guide and everyone on the tour was a joy to travel with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Actually there were two "wow" moments. The first was Plitvice National Park and the second was walking the walls of Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding guides who were able to communicate the history of the countries we visited. Pacing of tour was perfect as well. Bus driver outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Dobrovnik and walking the castle walls."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

very well done

Favorite "WOW" moment

"plitvice waterfalls and seeing Julian Alps"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our fourth Rick Steves tour (previously did Turkey, Greece, and Sicily). And I have to say this either ties with our favorite tour — Turkey — or is a very close second.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was a three to walk the entire loop around the fortress walls of Old Town Dubrovnik, following a masterful orientation by the local guide — Roberto. I am a retired professional Historian and appreciate the importance of someone providing the historical context before doing the walkabout. I learned things from Roberto that made me think to myself: “Wow, why didn’t I know that already?”"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was a great tour. Perhaps not as emotionally relaxing as some, as we toured the WWI museum, and the areas affected by the senseless and difficult to understand war of the 90s. The Plitvice Lakea were beautiful. We would have paid a little more for more convenient hotels in Dubrovnik and Spit. The emphasis on local cuisine is not always our favorite food choices. Saso was outstanding. Edo’s tour and life story was quite moving

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes; Mostar bridge"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves' Tour and I didn't know what to expect. Outstanding is an understatement. The itinerary was meticulously planned so that just when I needed down time, we got it! And when I was ready for a nice long walk, the itinerary provided. Our main tour guide had just the right personality to make my husband and I feel like we were in good hands. The people who did tours in their hometowns were amazing. I learned more in two weeks than I thought I could.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My first wow moment of the trip and probably my favorite was upon visiting Pula and seeing the almost intact amphitheater. Walking in and underneath it with our guide, I was transported back to Roman times. To learn that it was still in use for events today was heartwarming."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The overall tour was terrific. There was a great mix of natural beauty, historical sites and information and activities surrounding the region’s food and wine. Our guide Sašo, was fantastic. He was personable, approachable, knowledgeable and entertaining. Just what I want from a guide. The local guides were also great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have several wow moments for different reasons. My favorite natural beauty spot was Plitvice National Park. The waterfalls were stunning and each time you turned a corner another incredibly beautiful spot presented itself. My other wow moments were in Bosnia. Edo’s personal story in Stolac was very impactful. I learned so much from both of the guides in Bosnia. It was an area I knew little about but am glad I was able to learn from them."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I thought the tour was wonderful. Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina were all beautiful. Our guide Saso was excellent, knowledgeable, and entertaining. The accommodations were comfortable and well situated.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Slovenia was surprisingly beautiful. I knew very little about the country, but it was the highlight of the trip."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every aspect of our tour was wonderful - we had a great guide (Saso), great traveling companions, excellent local guides who taught us so much about the local culture and history of each location, beautiful scenery, delicious food….

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park…it was surreal."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is my 4th RS tour, and like the others, it did not disappoint. Ljubljana, Slovenia is beautiful and friendly. Plitvice Lakes National Park is a natural beauty everyone should see! Mostar was very interesting. I enjoyed exploring Korcula on the full free day. Dubrovnik's beauty is breathtaking! As always, the hotels were well located. Many thanks to our excellent, knowledgeable guide Sašo, and our really skilled driver Tomaž!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park, Korcula, and walking the walls of Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Saso did a fantastic job of keeping us informed. The bus and driver was top notch. The restaurants and hotels were all superior. Great food!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole tour. Not enough time in Plitvica Selo"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Best of Adriatic tour exceeded my expectations! Our guide gave us a fantastic experience of life in Slovenia. Croatia was breathtakingly beautiful and Bosnia was sobering but interesting to see the country’s comeback from their recent war.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Korcula was a real treat! We rented bikes for our free day and had such fun exploring the countryside."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the old city in Dubrovnik"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sanel (guide) was excellent, the choice of locations was thoughtful and interesting, hotels were good, local guides superb.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Very tough choice, but perhaps Dubrovnik’s Old Town."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was an excellent tour that I would highly recommend. We saw different cultural, geographical and historical places almost daily and learned about the interesting and compelling history from an open minded perspective. I can’t imagine a better guide than Sanel, with his sense of humour and insight. The hotels were good and the food/wine was always generous and delicious. The tour members were a great group to share memories with. The pace was good as saw a lot and had good stops.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favourite wow moment was seeing Bosnia Herzegovina, because of the emotional impact of visiting our guides home town of Stolac and incredible Mostar. I would not have gone “off the beaten track” on my own so it was very special to go there. I loved Ljubljana, such a relaxed place, I could imagine living there. The Kremsnita cream cake at Lake Bled was almost as good as the beautiful views. The old towns of Split and Dubrovnik were breathtaking. The Julian Alps and WWI museum were incredible."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We found the tour to meet or exceed all of our expectations. The sites and activities were carefully selected to provide a variety of experiences for all the participants. Our primary guide, Sanel, was outstanding, knowledgeable about all the sites, personable and engaging, patient and responsive to all of the tour members and just a lot of fun to be around. All of the local guides were exceptional as well, giving us a detailed understanding of the various sites we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Lake Bled and the surrounding Julian Alps. This was an area I had read about but it turned out to be so much better than I expected. The people of Slovenia are so gracious and welcoming including the docent at the museum at the Lake Bled castle."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 14th R.S. tour and perhaps our favorite. Every day held a surprise. We were continually amazed by the beauty and history of the countries that we visited, as well as the professionalism, knowledge, and good cheer of our guide Sanel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My first glimpse of Lake Bled took my breath away. Also so much fun to attend a soccer match in Split with a fellow tour member."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour of the Adriatic exceeded my expectations. I came with anticipation that each day would be an adventure of learning the history, culture, and natural beauty of the Adriatic countries. Our guide was a key factor in making this tour very enjoyable from Day 1.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would say the first "wow" moment was on the second day when we traveled to Lake Bled, visited the castle atop the hill above the lake, and then had an opportunity to walk around the lake and get a magical view of the same castle from lakeside. I kept pinching myself at the beauty of the Julian Alps."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

tour guide Sanel Maric and bus driver Endus both outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have taken the COVID leap and I am finally back in Europe to experience more countries and their people."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Sanel was excellent~ informative, charismatic & adaptable. I chose this tour because it went to 2/3 of the places I wanted to see in Croatia. I owned a tour company as a group leader & have used RS guidebooks in the past. Have traveled w/Collette, Trafalgar & Globus, etc. & read up on all things RS. The stand out negative for us was the rooms. Basic, small & never got a suite or balcony like others in our group did. Felt like a college dorm or worse, a room we could have afforded in our 20's. :(

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park!!!! Truly an amazing wonder, fabulous scenic hike & spectacular day! Other highlights were Lake Bled, Istria (Hotel la Grisa was our nicest hotel & room though wish we'd had truffles to sample while in this region), Rovinj (more time here please!), Korcula (LOVE), Split, Dubronik and loved our wine tasting in Karst (great get to know you time & wonderful wine!). Also greatly appreciated the included wine w/most meals, nice surprise!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I liked out tour guide, Sanel. He was knowledgeable, personable, etc…..I also loved the local tour guides in each city.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mostar was cool! I’d never heard the Muslim call to prayer before & it was beautiful hearing it for the first time.However, just like Christina churches, it started to lose its beauty when it happened at 5am.??"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall pacing and time on our own versus guided was pretty balanced.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mostar bridge and photo fro our room at Hotel Almira of a Mosque, RC Church and EA Church all in one picture"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Visited interesting, beautiful and historic places. Tourmates were friendly, guides were knowledgeable and helpful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled, Plitvice National Park, walk the walls of Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I got to see part of the world I knew very title about and was very impressed with the tour schedule and places to travel and see. All places we visited had something for everyone on the tour, for me it was seen and feeling the amazing places and cultures the old world had to offer. Ben, our tour guide exceptionally knowledgeable about the region and the rest of the world made my journey a learning experience. Peter, the regions tour guide apprentice complemented Ben very nicely.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to say there was one "wow" moment because there were several like; walking the old town's waterfront of Ljubljana, the "old towns of Kurcula and Dubrovnik, the walk on the trails of Plitvice waterfalls, the beautiful panoramic bus ride from beginning to the end. But, Stolac and Mostar and the local guide Edo in Bosnia experience was my most solemn moment."

Overall rating: rating 2 of 5

It was very short. Only 36 hours! I was shocked that after 2 vaxes and 3 boosters and mask wearing even when we were the only ones, one of us tested positive for covid!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not much opportunity for WOW. But I was impressed with the tour guides' credentials and was looking forward to hearing more."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour has it all; mountains, lakes, the sea, cities small enough to enjoy the unique wonders of each one and warm and passionate people moving forward from a troubled past. Ben shared his knowledge of the social & political history in easily digestible servings. Great tour for anyone. My very good rating reflects sadness at the lose of so many fellow travelers due to positive covid tests not the quality of the tour itself.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sitting on a bench on Korcula, watching people and boats go by, forgetting what time it was, and not caring! There was no space above to cover this but Ben, our guide, is worthy of a wow. Faced with the loss of 2/3rds of the group and the resulting turmoil he remained calm and professional to the end. Kudos!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The Best of the Adriatic tour was everything I expected and so much more - from Ljubljana to beautiful Lake Bled, through the Julian Alps to Istria, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Mostar and coastal towns along the Adriatic to the old walled town of Dubrovnik. Our tour guides and the local guides were very knowledgeable, I learned so much about the history of the area along the way. And the food was amazing. The only disappointment was losing 18 of 27 of our 'merry band of travelers' to Covid.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Eye-opening Bosnia-Herzegovina. Walking through the little town of Stolac with Edo, our local guide and learning about the war and destruction of the 1990's was very emotional. Edo, an amazing person, also led us on a walking tour of Mostar, where I learned so much about the history of the former Yugoslavia and the mingling of cultures. The cobbled Old Town and the Old Bridge were a sight well worth seeing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the guides Tina and Anna. They made us feel welcome, informed and safe. Also, they shared a lot about themselves and their experiences growing up in the city and the region.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park, Croatia. The waterfalls were strong the morning after the evening rains and the upper park was closed because of that. Spectacular torrents underfoot and lavish drops from above at every turn. Also very much enjoyed the Dalmatian seafood cuisine. Black risotto and black tagliatelle from cuttlefish ink are traditional dishes we sampled on our own."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking the wall in Dubrovnik was amazing but there were so many!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Adriatic tour exceeded any and all expectations we might have had. It is an amazingly beautiful part of the world, with friendly locals, wonderful food, and great beer and wine.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking the pathways of Plitvice National Park after heavy rains. There was water rushing everywhere, and gorgeous scenes with every turn of the walk."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Not only was the scenery beautiful, it was interesting to hear history of the region from the perspective of those places living there. The tour flexibility to weather and illness was seamless to a wonderful Experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour. Very educational/informative and great fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many choices. The alpine beauty of Lake Bled is high on the list along with the Croatian coast line."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was SO much more than I expected. The places traveled, the outstanding guide, the local guides, were all remarkably superior to anything I had imagined.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Really hard to choose, there were so many. Plitvice National Park certainly, but the countryside in Slovenia was so beautiful to me, I felt it looked like a fairytale."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was well organized, with wonderful guides and ideal travel partners. We made great friendships and shared many laughs. We saw many aspects of the landscape in this beautiful part of the world I previously knew little about. We experienced rain, snow, and sunshine; traversed mountains, valleys, lakes and the sea.The locals treated us well and we felt welcomed and safe everywhere. (Special thanks to our driver!) The history we learned was interesting, inspiring and thought-provoking.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "Wow" moments on previous tours centered around the man-made beauty seen in the cathedrals and museums. However, the exquisite beauty of God's creation witnessed on this tour became my "Wow" moments. The waterfalls at Plitvice, the beautiful Soca river valley, the Adriatic coastline with it's blue/green water and amazing sunsets! Wow! I also have to say "Wow" to our good fortune in being a part of this group, with Saso and Katka taking such good care of us."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Beautiful Mostar!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Overall, this was a good trip with exceptional guides, well planned days and adequate hotels. More attention could have been given to participants' comfort throughout the tour. We had an early in the season tour, so there were weather challenges. Consideration should be given to shortening parts of the tour, doing part indoors or outside out of the wind/rain where the participants can be seated rather than standing for 20-30 minutes in the cold wind. Some guides were better at this than others.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Bosnia/ Herzegovinian. Our guide was exceptional, and it was fascinating to learn about this area and the conflict."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Timing of the trip was fantastic from the crowd perspective, we were able to visit places in a relaxed manner. The risk & downside was the weather did not cooperate visiting Lake Bled or Plitvice. Bled was a washout. Pltivice was still worthwhile, it was occasionally raining, but not a washout, so still enjoyable. The weather was very good before Bled and Plitvice, and fantastic after, so made up for it. Drove through the Julian Alps in a snowstorm. The tour group was the best of all the trips.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice with the tour group close behind, the group socialized very well."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guides, great variety of experiences

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had fabulous guides, Saso and Katrina; wonderful tour mates, superb group meals, fun experiences every day, almost enough free time, and lots of opportunity to learn about the area.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The quality of life of the Slovinian people. What a gorgeous country! Also all the Roman ruins i got to see."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

great guides, great driver and great people

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That is impossible. If pressed, the forest with all the waterfalls."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great guides, beautful views, charming old cities, good food and wine. A lot of time on the bus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the city of Mostar"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a wonderful trip. Beautiful cities and scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to narrow down to one. Lake Bled, Motovun, and Dubrovnik were very special."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour is to be commended for the breadth of what we were shown and able to discover in the three countries we visited. The sites were carefully chosen I feel with that in mind. The activities were varied, well planned, and the itinerary and schedule done with care.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the most memorable experience was the visit to the tekke at Blagaj built in 1522. Its setting high up in rock on the Buna River is one of the most spiritual settings I have ever visited. The very warm day did not detract from my experience of this holy place or the commerce lining the road to it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The cities and countries were charming and interesting with great people all around. The tour guide was great in the way he went out of his way to help my wife who had certain restrictions and special accomodations requested.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting my home village in Croatia (grandfather immigrated from Dalmatia in the early 20th Century to the USA) and seeing my name on a street sign on the main road through the village."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall the tour was exceptional

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved the island of Korcula. The sunsets were glorious"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

i appreciated the tour guide and host restaurants working with my diet restrictions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Plitvice Lake National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have been curious about the area for quite awhile. The tour not only showed my wife and I the sights but provided local guides to explain the history and geography as well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park was outstanding."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everyday was a new experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The castle town of Motovun. It was a truly interesting town."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Not only are these countries beautiful but there is so much history surrounding them. I loved the people and all that I saw and learned. I would highly recommend this tour and our guide Saso.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park was a totally wow experience of nature and waterfalls. i could have spent the entire day there."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a well organized tour that gave us the taste of 3 countries, and the desire to return!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was listening to Edo, our local guide in Stolac, talk about the Bosnian war of the early 90’s. He talked about the effect on his town and, more personally, on himself and his family. He spoke very passionately and made us see that incredibly sad time in their history, through his eyes. Very impactful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The sights we saw on our tour were amazing. We had perfect weather and daytime temperatures were warm and pleasant. Our guide, Marijan, was extremely organized and he was always available whenever we required assistance or we had specific questions. Our group of fellow travelers were friendly and easy to talk to you. Overall, a perfect vacation

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is going to be difficult as each site of interest on the tour exceeded my expectations. If I had to narrow it down to two, I would say the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzgovinia and Lake Bled, Slovenia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Attention to details at every stop along the tour were wonderful.The hotels, guides, group meals were all outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were 5: Slovenia’s Julian Alps/Soca River Valley, Plitvice Lakes National Park, on the way to the Istrian Peninsula, (just outside Kobarid) where a family invited us into their home to sample wines/food for lunch, the Island of Korcula, and lastly the 800-year-old “stone city” in Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Educational and enjoyable

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the donkeys."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed the tour overall. It was great not having to worry about booking hotels and transportation to all of the different places that we were able to see. Our tour guide and driver were both incredible. It was great to have local tour guides at most places to tell us about the history/significance of the attractions. The only negative was not having enough time in Mostar and Bosnia in general.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The scenery of the alps in Slovenia and Plitvice Lakes National Park."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 6th RS tour and it did not disappoint. Great guide, great group of tour members. Nice hotels, good food. 8 dropped out do to COVID.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"National Park in Croatia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sanel was very good and enthusiastic, the accommodations were nice and the group meals were excellent. The walking tours of the various destinations were also very informative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The walk through Plitvick National Park! The tour through Bosnia was a close second, especially the meals!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an amazing tour, with amazing leadership, amazing itinerary, and a great group. Sanel is so knowledgeable, presents history from past through current, provides lots of information, and delvers it all so clearly!! I cannot say too much about Sanel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many!!! Arrival at Korcula was incredible, the Monestary was beautiful, Moster was amazing - and Sanel's telling of the history every inch of the way was mind attending the best college class ever!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was different from my expectation. While we did everything as described in the tour itinerary, there was so much more. Sanel was an excellent guide, and all of our local guides were expert and engaging.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Dubrovnik. We had traveled independently for three weeks prior to our 15 day Adriatic tour, so by the end we were tired and ready to go home and sleep in our own beds. When we neared Dubrovnik, after a long day on the bus and found out we were sleeping outside of the city, I was initially disappointed. But walking into the old town that evening for our orientation walk was WOW. And then we found the waterfront promenade near our hotel that was also a wow. Overall surprise that energized us!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Perfect mix of education, beautiful sites and free time to tour as a local.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice national park, Mostar bridge."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The hotels were comfy, breakfast buffets great way to start the day, the bus was definitely traveling in style, the itinerary was so inclusive yet broad, and then at the very top, Sanel. He’s a gem. Local guides were good, too, even though they talk fast, especially the gal in Pula.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several, but the one that stands out was walking into the old city in Dubrovnik and venturing out the other side of the main thorofare to see the port side of the city. What a magnificent view. Also, our last night there included a stroll along Sunset Beach at sunset. That was glorious too."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We saw, experienced, and learned so many things in a part of the world that had been unfamiliar to us

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One evening after a waterfront dinner in Korcula, I heard singing, and then came upon a group of 7 men and a woman singing in Croatian a cappella. They continued for almost an hour. It was magical!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Local guides were very good. I was not aware that I had to keep up with a 6-foot tall guide who always walked at his own pace - nothing in your literature about this. I have an arthritic left knee that slows me down. I often arrived late and missed the boat at the waterfall park. He also would turn off the "whisperer" broadcast when he felt we could find our way on our own, even though I could not. Bus left at 8 am often, even if "on our own" that afternoon. 9 am would be preferred..

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was amazing to see the varieties of cultures and geography so close to each other. The local guides were well-chosen, each bringing different perspectives from their lived history with them.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice, but just barely - there were so many beautiful moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is a beautiful tour - It covered a lot of territory, but every place was interesting. Slovenia was probably our favorite country, but Croatia is amazing and beautiful too. Mariam was a fabulous tour guide - one of the best. She exudes enthusiasm for her country and shares so much personal experience to make the trip really come alive and meaningful. Also, loved the food and wine of the regions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How do you pick with so many beautiful and unusual places?! Plitvice Lakes, Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Diocletan's Palace, and Dubrovnik city wall. I guess my "WOW" moment was dancing under the stars in Diocletian's palace forum to the music at the Luxor. I didn't know that was on my bucket list!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An enjoyable and educational tour! I am fairly familiar with Austria, but had never traveled to the eastern side of the Adriatic. The similarities and differences were so interesting. Mariam was a terrific guide; knowledgeable, passionate, and entertaining. The local guides were top-notch and their personal stories of the areas issues illuminating.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment came after the tour when I realized that I couldn't choose just one because there were so many great days."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The Adriatic tour was the best way to see SE Europe. There was a lot of variety and interesting sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The "Old Bridge" in Mostar, at night."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely exceptional in every facet. Could not have been better planned plus it did not rain during the entire trip. Miriam is absolutely one of the best guides in the business.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day was another WOW moment. I was so impressed that each new day was as exciting as the previous day. The historic places we visited we all exceptional & tour guides for each were outstanding ."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Mariam was an outstanding guide who led our group with compassion and deep understanding of the history and culture of Slovenia, Bosnia, and Croatia. She was highly organized and always willing to help you with questions and or concerns. All our local guides were also excellent. I also enjoyed all the thoughtful and considerate travelers I travelled with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had many wow moments that included the beautiful town of Ljubljana, Lake Bled and the Julian Alps, Roman amphitheater in Pula, hiking in Plitvice Lakes National Park, special lunches in small villages, the Mestrovic gallery in Split, relaxing on Korcula island and walking the wall In Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding guides, outstanding itinerary, outstanding meals, outstanding lodgings, and an outstanding group of travel companions on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having a glass of wine overlooking the sea in Rovinj."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was everything i exepected and more. I got to experience so much in such a short period of time. That is what i want out of my vacation to Europe, a full schedule so i can see everything. I met wonderful, fun people who always add to the experiences. The food was great, the unique experiences were forever memories. Our tour guide, Barbara was wonderful. The nine hotels were a little hard, not being able to unpack, but i always try my best to go with the flow, and not complain.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really wanted to walk over the Mostar Bridge. It is so iconic, and it has been on my bucket list for years, so i am really glad i got to do this. i like the unusual experiences, the farm with a home cooked meal, the wine and cheese, in Slovenia, at a local home, eating grapes off the vine, walking around Lake Bled, with an umbrella, going to Plitvitc National park for the 2nd time in my life- How lucky am I. Korcula was a fairy tell experience, eating chese and wine on a boat ride - sunset!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The entire experience was great. Our guide was excellent, very informative and we enjoyed very much getting to know more about these very interesting places in the Adriatic

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of Mostar, Bosnia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Barbara was an excellent and very knowledgeable guide, and the guides at other locations were also excellent. I learned so much about the area. The countryside was beautiful. I also enjoyed having time on my own. Learning about the atrocities in WW I, WW II, and separation from Yugoslavia 1993-1995 was enlightening and sobering.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The incredible beauty of the countryside, and being on the Adriatic seeing all the islands out thee"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I found the trip to be so well planned and organized. The local guides and our own Daria were just excellent at sharing information and their love of the places. Somehow, even though I know they’ve done this many times before, their interactions with us were genuine and heartfelt. It never felt that they were just reading from a script. The only reason I didn’t choose “outstanding” was because of the Covid. Half our group got sick. It was handled well, I’m not complaining, it was just sad.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved Plitvice Lakes the best for its natural beauty. The day there was my favorite. Our guide got us up early and headed the right way to avoid crowds, so our experience of the place was optimal!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very very good,

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Your your guide Dorian is supper nice and professional, love to be in her team"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our tour was a good experience overall. It was unfortunate that we lost almost half of the original participants as the tour went on due to Covid positive testing. fortunately most of the people were able to get home with little additional health complications but the tour changed based on losing so many interesting people as we went along. Really enjoyed the pace, the activities in various locations and the free time provided in Korcula. Tour guide, Darija Gotic was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have 3. The Korcula sunset from the top of the Tower, The breathtaking views of the Adriatic and the city of Dubrovnik from the top of the city walls and the very interesting museum visit in the Solvenian Soca valley at Kobarid. Your local guides in Lublijana, Kobarid, Pula, Split, Mostar and Dubrovnik were all interesting and informative providing a local perspective we never could have gotten without digging through one of your guidebooks as reference."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was impressed by the professionalism and commitment to providing high quality services of both our tour guide (Darija) and our driver (Sejad) throughout the trip. The itinerary (Best of the Adriatic in 14 Days) was extraordinary. Each day was packed with interesting excursions and detailed historical and cultural insights. I learned a great deal about the socio-political and cultural history of the region. I enjoyed the special experiences -- off the beat and path -- engaging with locals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is difficult to highlight just one. Definitely Plitvice Lakes National Park! It was stunning and invigorating to hike through the park. I also was grateful for the extremely informative and engaging "city tours" provided in a few key sites provided by local, knowledgable tour guides. Lastly, I appreciated the "off the beaten path" stops like visiting a donkey farm and enjoying a home cooked meal outside of Korcula; and experiencing an intimate farm to table meal at small winery in Goce."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent itinerary and very educational.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Slovenia and Croatia are beautiful and the tour stops included a lot of variety - cities, mountains, a national park, and coastal towns. Ben is a wonderful guide and shepherded our group through our two weeks together with expert care and enthusiasm for the areas we visited. He handled the COVID issues calmly and capably. Our driver Edis was great. He was always upbeat and friendly and we enjoyed getting to know him.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several "wow" moments on the trip, but the view of Lake Bled from the castle and the views while walking the walls of Dubrovnik truly stand out"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was unbelievably great. I learned so much of the culture and history as well as experiencing beautiful cities, towns, and countryside. Loved it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to select just one. I’d say a powerful learning was about the Yugoslav war and it’s still challenging existence. The biggest surprise was Slovenia. I had no idea what to expect and it was lovely. The Adriatic coast and calm waters of Korcula was spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour, wonderful area to visit with fantastic scenery and historic sights as well as more recent history.. I always wondered why Yugoslavia broke up into so many countries, and was able to learn why from the perspective of people from several of the countries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking inside and on top of the Dobrovnik walls (after seeing it in game of thrones)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations. Our tour guide was exceptional, the fellow travelers wonderful, the itinerary well planned and the special experiences delightful. I never could have researched, planned and executed such an event filled itinerary and could not have discovered the out of the ordinary destinations and restaurants that Mariam treated us to.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The unexpected birthday cake, with candles, fashioned from watermelon and cantaloupe! Because it was such an unexpected personal presentation, it won out over the delicious Holy Burek in Dubrovnik, the magical evening concert in Diocletian's Palace, and the breezy cocktail cruise around Korçula."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"beauty of countryside"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tremendous experience(s). Mariam was just amazing with organization, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the cities and people she calls home. What a great guide. She cares so much about what she is doing. I’m now a big fan of Croatia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The lunch and wine tasting in the Vipavski Križ cellars after the little monastery tour"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were exposed to so much new information and so many new experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking through the National Park. Just like a fairly-land."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary, excellent guide, delicious food, impactful cultural learnings, and more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Adriatic Sea"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was well-organized and included both major sights (Lake Bled, Plitvice, Dubrovnik) and less touristy ones. Our guide, Anya, was outstanding. Excellent language skills, easy to listen to. Good balance of scheduled, active time and time to relax on one's own. Food was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the old town in Mostar and the bridge. Powerful sense of East meeting West, and peace after tragic wars of the 1990s."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The was my first and hopefully the first of many Rick Steves' tour. It definitely exceeded expectations. Everything ran like clockwork, and it was obvious the entire tour had been thoroughly researched and executed before. If all of Rick Steves' guides are as great as Anya, it will be a pleasure to sign up for other tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Looking down on the city of Dubrovnik from atop the cable car."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was very thoughtfully laid out, with a good balance between guided tours, group activities and independent time. Our tour guide Anja & the various local city guides were excellent and beyond all expectations!! This was a part of Europe I had never seen before and I feel I now have a much better understanding and appreciation of the people, culture, history, and natural beauty of this area!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When our guide, Anja, paid the local diver to jump off the Mostar bridge!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The scenery was stunning. There was variety and we learned much about the culture and history

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is hard to choose because there were several. The waterfalls in the Plitvika national park was outstanding despite the rain. I would have liked to stay here longer."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the tour -- our third with Rick Steves' -- very much. It was well-organized, unfolded according to the itinerary, and included an interesting assortment of activities and sights in a beautiful part of Europe. We appreciated learning more about the history of the area and, especially, about the destructive and tragic war in the 1990s and its aftermath. The tour guide, Anja, was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In terms of scenery, the stunningly dramatic and beautiful waterfalls at the end of our (very rainy) walk through Plitvice Lakes National Park was my favorite "wow" moment. In terms of buildings, the 1950s-era Plitvice Hotel, where we were lucky enough to stay, was a delightful surprise. It's regarded as a national cultural treasure -- the furnishings alone were worth a stop."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Anja our tour guide was exceptional. She was extremely knowledgeable, organized, had a great sense of humour and she took good care of us while pushing us to have new experiences. She was truly amazing. I enjoyed learning so much about the history of the region of which I had no previous knowledge. And I was blown away by the beauty of the region.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our hike through Plitvice was a wow moment. Even though it was raining and we were wet the beauty of that park took my breathe away."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was wonderful. Our principal guide was exceptional. She was well organized, professional, extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. All the local guides were also excellent. The tour was very educational in terms of history and culture. It also included many amazing stops in remote villages with delicious meals. The "guided time" was well balanced with our "free time". I would highly recommend this tour for seasoned travelers who enjoying maximizing their travel experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Watching the local diver jump off the Old Bridge in Mostar and walking the city walls in Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very happy with the tour guide Anja and the driver. I also liked that we had several wonderful local guides, especially the 2 in Bosnia. Great people on the tour - everyone paid attention to the rules and we all seemed to get along well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Korcula was drop dead gorgeous!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was excellent -- informative, scenic,well-paced, good exposure to local cultures and histories. I've been around Europe a bit, but hadn't been to this part before -- it's unique.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sorry, gotta name two. For scenery, it was the Plitvice National Park in Croatia. Stunning views and a good hike. For people and culture, it was Bosnia and the local folks our guide had chosen to talk about their experience during the war in the 90s."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent in every respect, very informative, outstanding guides, good companions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mostar, and the first-hand experiences of our local guide during the Yugoslav war. Also, the beautiful city of Ljubljana and the Julian Alps."

Overall rating: rating 2 of 5

The tour was a great mix of sightseeing, history, and human interaction. The tour guide and each of the local guides enhanced the experience with their intimate knowledge of the region. Every stop was well planned. We felt as though the arrangements were made with thought and care.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We were constantly surprised by how the region has been shaped by conquest and conflict. We were impressed by the resilience of each of the people we met along the way."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was amazing. Trip of a lifetime. I enjoyed it all...even the difficult things.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many wow moments. Lake Bled, Split, Mostar, Korcula, Dubrovnik. For me it was the combination of beautiful vistas, learning more about former Yugoslavia (even the hard stuff) and experiencing Roman and Medieval architecture. Our guide Tina and driver Edis made it all come to life."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding guide, great group, wonderful sights and fascinating local tours were the highlights of our 14 day Best of the Adriatic tour. The hotels and meals were great and the pace of the tour was nonstop especially the first week. We loved the stops at local wineries and restaurants and felt the close bond that Tina, our guide, had with the proprietors. Bosnia was fascinating, Slovenia was beautiful but Croatia was the best. Can't say enough about Tina. We were so lucky to be on her tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Staying in the Istrian hilltop town of Motovun and the island of Korcula in Croatia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had to go home - medical emergency - and are REALLY dissappointed as we loved the first few days of Slovenia and Croatia (that we were able to participate in). We WILL do this tour when all is well on our end.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"see above"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Had to leave the early in Pila and 4.5 days and fly home; other than that we were enjoying Tina and the group

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Dealing with the hospital in Pula"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a wonderful and informative tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many "wow" moments, one was the view from Dubrovnik Old Town toward the sea."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Thoroughly enjoyed this tour. A good mix of history, beautiful scenery, cites and villages. Length of stay at each location was adequate. Our guide Ben was very knowledgeable and we had a wonderful group of fellow travellers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Some of my favourite WOW’s were relaxing at a cafe on the banks of the river in Ljubljana. Lake Bled and Plitvice Lakes for their beauty. Motovun for its hilltop uniqueness. Mostar for its culture and history. Walking the Old Town wall in Dubrovnik on a gorgeous day. Our vacation away from our vacation in Korcula was timely and a nice place to spend our free time with a swim in the Adriatic, dining at restaurants in a narrow side street or overlooking the water. So many wonderful memories."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an excellent guide who had great knowledge of the region as well as the various languages spoken there. He taught us an amazing amount, including both history, customs, and regional issues/ challenges. He worked hard to meld us as a group instead of just travelling companions. We also loved some of our surprise stops, like a ski jumping facility in the Julian Alps!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is hard to choose. It's a draw between Plitvice Lakes and Dubrovnik. One was pure undiluted natural beauty, the other an ancient walled city/ state set on the Adriatic. The weather was amazing til the end of the tour, which made it even more enjoyable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour of a new part of the world for me. All that I expected and much more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes--the reason I went. Also, Ljubljana and Mostar were delightful surprises."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were travelers, not tourists. We learned so much, great outdoor school!! Had fabulous tours at each new destination. Our guide (Ben) is so…. knowledgeable!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How clean the countries are. No homeless. Beautiful highways. The people in our group were also WOW!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Despite my hesitations about "group" tours, I had a wonderful time. Our fellow travelers were interesting and diverse, our guide incredibly knowledgable and the accommodations decent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ski jumping on the fly and Mostar in general"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding guide, amazing sights, fun and interesting tour members. We had been looking forward to this tour for 3 years and it didn’t disappoint!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"As always, there were too many to try to pick out just one. I loved the drives through the mountains and along the Adriatic coastline. Swimming off the rocks at Rovinj was very memorable!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Split, Croatia first evening."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding tour with mix of cities, seaside and mountains. But with the expert leadership of Ben we were treated to an unforgettable education into the history of the region from ancient times to the current challenges.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Bosnia stood out as an incredibly complex region and our time there was both beautiful and stimulating."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized, great information, respectfully delivered for all people and expectations addressed in advance was perfect.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No one thing was a wow moment. Every day was a new and informative day with great info from our guide, Ben or the guest guide. The order in which this tour was organized made every day a great day!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized with a great guide and fun group of travelers

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several- Amphitheater in Pula, Motovun, Plitivice stand out"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time on the tour. Our guide was fantastic and was happy to help with anything we needed. Our driver was such a good driver ( those mountain passes and switchbacks were handled flawlessly) and kept the bus in great shape. This was our first Rick Steves tour and we weren’t sure what to expect but we had so much fun it will not be our last!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several but the winery we had lunch at and toured the wine cellar was amazing. The lunch was beautiful and tasted so good with the wines. They had the best red wine I have ever tasted."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well planned out and executed by our tour guide Barbara.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park was amazing! Wow!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour to the Adriatic was amazing. The guides were so knowledgeable and coordinated everything to a "T". We loved meeting and hanging out with our tour group. We have made forever friends!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice lakes National Park was spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

So much history and such incredible scenery....Each country was individual and unique...all breathtakingly beauty in their own way!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park, when we got to the top lakes early morning, and it felt like we were the only ones in this majestic park.....then the crowds hit as we did the lower lakes....but it was OK, because Barbara had planned the day perfectly. I'll always remember that natural beauty, and sheer silence, as I took deep breaths and became one with nature!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Barbara was an extremely knowledgeable tour guide! She managed every day and all of the details so smoothly , making it all look so easy! We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the other tour members, sharing laughter together and creating wonderful memories. The Adriatic Sea is absolutely beautiful! I would highly recommend this tour to those looking for another great RS Tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each day contained incredible experiences! Gaining greater insight into the history of this part of the country was so interesting. One “ wow” moment was walking along the Old City walls in Dubrovnik, dating back to the 11-12th century!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An incredible tour! I love the fact that transportation and accommodations are taken care of. The tour is just the right mix of group touring and individual time. Our guide, Saso was awesome and the various other guides in specific cities were fantastic too. This is the second group tour I've done with Rick Steve's Tours and the attention to detail is second to none. Can't wait to go on the next one!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's impossible for me to pick one. It was the total package that made the entire trip a "Wow" moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have never been on a tour before. This experience was so good that I’m scared to go on my next because it can never measure up. The guide, the people on the tour, the food and the journey it self was an incredible experience. I truly appreciate the variety of the places we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The ancient ruins wowed me. The history and the fact they are still in such good condition. I also loved the national park. Very beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary was excellent: a good mix of historical sights, cultural sights, natural wonders, and connection with local wine producers and food growers. Our tour guide, Saso, was a strong and personable leader. The accommodation was comfortable and excellently located. The included food was ample and good and often times exceptional. Local city guides were much more informative and extensive than with other companies I have used.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is a tough question because diminishes quieter and reflective moments in favor of (sometimes) shorter lived adrenaline moments. I was impressed by the uniqueness of the Plivice National Park, how the boardwalk weaves around the lakes and rives to provide an immersive experience. I also loved floating in the water in Korcula, on the stony beach, on our vacation from our vacation."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my fifth tour with Rick Steve’s and I quite enjoyed the Adriatic tour! The group this time is was so wonderful; e.g. very friendly! And Saso was so awesome…did a great job keeping us informed and entertained!!! I would have preferred more “free” time during the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole Adriatic tour was WOW; e.g. great food, restaurants, local tours, etc. I especially enjoyed the time spent in Split!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary for this tour is outstanding. Our guide, Saso, was exceptional, as were every one of the local guides. I highly recommend this tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"At every turn was a new and wonderful Wow moment. At the top of my list is our magical walk through Plitvice Lakes National Park!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was great. The tour guide was patient, knowledgeable, with excellent people skills. The bus driver was excellent and resourceful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "WOW" moment was the falls in Croatia's Plitvice national park. Stunning and beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The group was great! Our guide was great, personable, and very knowledgeable about every place we visited. The local guides were the same. The bus driver, Tomas, was excellent. Our breaks from the bus were timed well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was Plitvice National Park. It was worth the two year wait! Beautiful!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was an excellent mix of city tours, nature and smaller village experiences. Ljubljana was an excellent start city. Beautiful but small and manageable. Also had great day trips available for early arrivers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes were stunningly beautiful. It seemed every step of the trail brought even better views of the waterfalls and crystal clear lake. Truly a natural wonder."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I signed up for this tour because it was available, not because it was a "bucket list" destination for me. It was very good, mask policy is stupid. I probably saw about a half dozen people with masks on the entire tour, other than our group. I did not feel "unsafe" at any point. This is coming from someone who hadn't wore a mask in the last year. Mariyan was great, he is truly a walking encyclopedia of information, which I loved. Dinners are too long and too late, finished up after 9 twice.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"not a single moment, Lake Bled, Plitvice lakes were nice. The old cities, Split and Dubrovnick were great also. Even Pula, Motovun, and Mostar were great."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

With the exception of having to wear masks on the bus, the adventure was fabulous. Just seeing a new part of the world was eye opening.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful. I enjoyed all the varied things we saw and did.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved visiting Dubrovnik. It was like stepping back into the Middle Ages."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Best of Adriatic tour was the most varied in activities, sights and culture of any vacation I have ever taken. Our guide, Marijan, was the most professional tour guide I have had the pleasure of using. He had so much informtion to share about all the places we visited. My one complaint is that the stretch from Lake Bled to Motovun felt like we were driving around in circles and not taking time to enjoy some of the stops along the way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No one thing but most everyday had its own wow moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My first Rick Steve’s’ tour far exceeded my expectations. Great guide, great fellow travelers and gorgeous countries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably a tie between Plitvice Nat. Park and Kurcula"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed the tour, so much variety and time was well spent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many very interesting moments. The waterfalls at Plitvice National Park were amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour is very fast paced but absolutely wonderful. Everything was very organized and went off without a hitch. We were most impressed with the people who treated us like family.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Absolutely loved the Plitvice Lakes National Park. The 5 mile hike was not hard and we loved seeing all of the beautiful waterfalls. Truly a once in a lifetime experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was the perfect introduction to an unfamiliar and beautiful region. The engaging guides, undiscovered locations, and authentic group experiences helped me understand the area's complex history and culture. My world is definitely bigger and more nuanced after such a thoughtful and comprehensive tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Adriatic sunsets were stunning, but the best part of the tour for me was the day in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The local guides sharing their experiences with the war impacted me because it happened in their lifetime and is part of their life story. I gained a bigger perspective on dealing with controversial issues that will inform my mindset and worldview back home."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We saw and did incredible things. Wonderful co-travelers, careful and competent guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The incredible blues of the waters, and so pristine! The view from Motovan, like a scene from Tuscany. Roman ruins! Old old towns with narrow cobblestone streets."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall was an excellent tour. Was as advertised, meaning tour was demanding regarding walking, when needed to get up and load the bus, or meet with group and local guide. Was hot but not unbearable. Would go during cooler weather however.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was no one over others. Enjoyed Lake Bled, Plitvice Lakes, Korcula, Motovun, Kobarid and the Soca Valley, Split and Dubrovnik, Mostar, etc Learning more about the history, the dynamics of this area of the world and how it changed throughout history was very interesting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved every moment of this tour. It was very exciting to visit a part of the world I'd never been to before. The cities and towns and farms we stopped at were so varied and unique that you definitely got a sense of the whole region - it was not just beaches and not just hill towns - but a bit of everything.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The splendor of Plitvice National Park was amazing as it showcased the beauty and power of water."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We only did the first half because we got Covid and had to quarantine/drop out of the tour, but what we did was a fantastic experience. Great itinerary. Tour guide was professional, friendly, fun, and caring of us when we got sick. The tour stops and guest tour guides were wonderful. Great combination of time alone and time with the group. Meals at great restaurants. Learned a lot. Great to alternate between staying 1 night and 2 every other hotel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Castle Wall at Dubrovnik was amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Great sites, local guides and hotels. Because of the heat and frequent stops, the bus was very warm a large percentage of the time. Also, a couple of the hotels were not air conditioned. The food was good most of the time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view of Lake Bled from the hilltop was beautiful. It was our first view of the crystal clear water that we enjoyed everywhere we went. And the view of Dubrovnik and the Adriatic from the top of the wall was memorable. The patina of the clay roof tiles was as beautiful as it was diverse. No two were exactly the same."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very informational, and had a lot of fun sights. I liked the group time and the time to explore alone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hike"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Pleetvice National Park and ruin of roman amphitheater."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was outstanding. The sites were beautiful, the food delicious, the hotels were well situated and our guide, Sanel, did a wonderful job explaining things to us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Bosnia! It was like being in the Middle East but still being in Europe. I wish we could have spent more time here. Better yet, I wish RS would have a new tour that would focus on Bosnia. There is so much to see!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had done this tour in 2009 and returned because our grandson (17) chose this for his trip. It was great to revisit places we had seen before and experience them through his eyes.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mountain town of Lagkadia. It is amazing that people choose to live in a place so steep. It was almost like the Norwegian fjords."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the trip very much even though we had visited many of the sites on a previous Eastern Europe tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Soca Valley from the top of the Predel Pass. I am a history buff and to see the Soca front made a lot of other facts more clear. The presentation in the Kobarid WWI Museum was excellent and unexpected at such a small museum."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent experience, very informative and fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Split and Korchula"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Barbara was a wonderful guide! She made me feel at ease and in the know everywhere we went. I also appreciated her stories of growing up in Yugoslavia. Our driver, Edis, was also a delight - he made me feel safe with his excellent driving, and he had a great personality! The tour schedule was well-planned. I appreciated the balance between active days and restful/bus days. I took this trip because I would have had trouble doing this itinerary as a solo traveler, and this was well worth it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I feel like everyone and their mother says this, but Plitvice National Park in Croatia was gorgeous. We were lucky enough to catch the first shuttle out and got to enjoy walking the park 'backwards' - we got the more stunning parts of the park almost to ourselves. This trip really had gorgeous scenery and interesting locales, but I really was impressed with Plitvice. My only regret is that I didn't think to look at the stars the night we stayed in the park!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Tour Guide Barbara was amazing - knowledgeable, helpful and kind. We also loved our bus driver - Edis - He took the best care of us from a transportation standpoint and was also helpful in understanding the culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the island of Korcula!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really fun and informative tour. Learned a lot about the Balkans and experienced some truly spectacular places.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The palace in Split."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We got to see soooo much! We could not have planned our trip better than RS tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"See Croatia Islands, the sea, and landscapes!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I thought the tour was amazing. Our guide Mariam was the best part. She was informative, interesting, personable, and committed to making sure everyone was taken care of.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The park we went to with the waterfalls and blue water."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wonderful tour guide - very knowledgeable and high energy without being perky. More one-night stops than on other tours. High heat took away from some of the enjoyment.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having dinner on the hilltop in Motovun. Walking up the hill, Mariam took the time to greet the restaurant hosts and introduce us to them. When we went to dinner, all the best tables next to the wall overlooking the mountains were reserved but when the host recognized us as "with Mariam," she plucked off the Reserved sign and we had a great dinner with a priceless view."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice lakes national park. Dubrovnik wall and city:"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We really enjoyed Darija and Edis, and the excellent local guides. The guides, itinerary, unique experiences, and traditional meals gave us an understanding and appreciation for this beautiful part of Europe. We loved the old towns of each city, and were impressed with the number of UNESCO sites we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views from the castle at Lake Bled and the waterfalls and scenery at Plitvice Lakes National Park were amazing, but the ski jumping facility at Planica was a ‘wow’ because it was so unique and unexpected."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The locations were wonderful! It would have been very difficult to fit all the different experiences in if I were to plan this trip on my own. Slovenia and Croatia are gems!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting a better understanding of the history of these countries"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well run tour. Nice selection of sites to visit. Nice quality hotels.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plivitce"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our third Rick Steves' tour. As with the other two, this tour experience was outstanding. The towns we visited were beautiful, our tour Guide Darija was terrific as were each of the local city guides, and we had a wonderful time with all the people in our tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tie between Plitvice National Park and lights of Dubrovnik at night."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was great. Enjoyed our visits to the winery and the donkey farm. Darija was a terrific guide. Couldn't have asked for more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park is phenomenal! Really enjoyed the day there."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was great. We loved Ljubjiana and Slovenia in general, beautiful country. Everywhere we went the history was amazing with Roman ruins, Medieval towns and the history of Yugoslavia before independence. Our tour guide Daria was wonderful, very knowledgeable about history, great at keeping us all organized and an all around fun and nice person. Our only suggestion might be a shorter tour and lunch stop in Bosnia-Herzegovina to allow for more individual time to explore Mostar.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park is stunning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an exceptional experience in 3 Adriatic countries, led by a knowledgable and fun guide, Saso, and supported by local guides with informative and compelling stories from their personal experience. Food was great (too much, sometimes) and the comradary among the tour group was very good and a lot of fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our side trip to Mostar in Bosnia. The breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s was most evident and there were 2 superb local guides sharing history and personal stories."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, unexpected surprises, congenial group!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving through the Julian Alps and imagining WWI soldiers fighting in vain."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Best of the Adriatic tour was my 3rd Rick Steves' tour. After the first one, I was convinced that nothing could be as good as that one. I was wrong! Each one has included exceptional tour guides and local guides, and great balance of organized time and individual time, and daily highlights. Tour members add a lot of fun. Anyone and everyone that I talk with about traveling, I urge to join a RS tour. After two weeks at home, I'm starting to envision my next one! p.s. Sašo is FABULOUS!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"History. Learning about these Adriatic countries and the impact of everything from the Roman Empire to Tito in Yugoslavia to war in their lifetimes was humbling. I appreciate the knowledge of the guides and how they make history come to life. Crossing to Bosnia and Herzegovina and leaving the EU was interesting, and the visit to the Dervish tekke and a mosque gave me new perspective. It's next to impossible to choose one out of so many "wow" moments. I'm grateful for them all!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great tour guide. Over-all a very good to excellent tour, but a bit too much travel on bus. Perhaps eliminate an Istria town. Lake Bled was not as good as expected.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not sue I can single out one location, though Ljubjana was better than expected."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was blown away by the rich history of the regions we visited. I thoroughly enjoyed the educational tours and the stops we made.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ljubljana was a total surprise. There were lots of "wow" moments, but that city was unexpected."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall experience was very positive. This was my first Rick Steve's tour so not sure what to expect. Well organized and offered a variety of experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many: Split, National Park, Korchula, Slovenia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have been dreaming of visiting the Adriatic region for decades. I was so grateful for the opportunity to visit the 3 countries of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The mix of cultural and historic experiences was so diverse. If I had traveled this area independently, I would have never had the "back door' experiences I had on the RS tour. Our guide Saso Golub was excellent; patient, knowledgeable, funny, and responsive to the needs of the tour members.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many wows but I would have to say sunset from the bridge in Mostar. Mostar was a difficult beauty to get acquainted with. I was so grateful to have the opportunity to go there"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had such a great time. Our guide was knowledgeable and just a wonderful person. She gave us so much personal information about the area. Our tour group was great! We knew little of the area before we went, but were so impressed with the friendliness of the people, the beautiful countryside and their knowledge of english.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Slovenia! It is green and lush with friendly people. Lake Bled is someplace I could spend a week enjoying."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A wonderful combination of great locations and meaningful interactions with local guides, all expertly choreographed by our principal guide, Tina.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The history lesson presented by Zeljko Cimpric at the Kobarid Museum dedicated to the Isonzo campaign during WW I. In an easy going style he made clear that in this area of Europe, geography is destiny, and that above all, logistics win. So simple yet so deadly. Somehow, my grandfather survived this horrific mountain fighting."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

After many years of planning trips and traveling on our own we decided to compliment our own two weeks in Spain trip with a Rick Steves Tour to follow, and it certainly exceeded our expectations. What a joy to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride with everything planned out and no stressing about anything!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's difficult to pick just one favorite moment, but the hike through the beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park was certainly a highlight for me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As always, a Rick Steves tour comes with excellent guides, great tour members, memorable experiences and a great itinerary. There is a great mix of group activiites and time on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mostly because it was completely unexpected, the visit to the Planica winter sports facility."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great time

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great itinerary: good mix of touring, great food/wine stops and free time. Loved our bus driver.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Barbara made things easy, as most good guides do. Her concern for the enjoyment of everyone and love for the people in her country made the tour feel more like we were "temporarily visiting" rather than "vacationing". There is a difference and Barbara made that extra effort to connect us to what, and whom, we were seeing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We did think, "Wow, looks like we can't get a second glass of wine at some point during our opening night dinner...", but seriously, hiking in the Plitvice, walking the walls in Dubrovnik, listening to the WWI stories at the museum in Kobarid, pondering conflict in Bosnia, were all moments to cherish. Perhaps more important, this was one of the best groups we've traveled with on a Rick Steves tour. That might be the WOW if we had to pick just one. :)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful. Our tour guide, Barbara was very knowledgeable and the people on our tour were very friendly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice park with the beautiful waterfalls."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent. Barbara was wonderful, engaged and caring. Hotels were interesting and well located, eateries varied and accommodating. Good sampling of regional cuisine. Bus and driver excellent. Group members great, group size perfect. Local guides excellent except for in Dubrovnik our guide was a fill-in and was poor

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice park was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed the tour of Slovenia and Croatia. Barbara was an excellent guide, and provided a great deal of interesting background information/context for the places we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Finally seeing the Old Town in Dubrovnik was a highlight for me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized, offering a lot of variety, covering many sights

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Both, Plitvice and Split. Alos, the mountainous terrain was unexpected."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was informative and surprising at times. I've read different accounts of life before, during, and after Yugoslavia, but comments and lectures from various guides were enlightening. Daryia is an excellent guide, with numerous skills, especially adapting to changing conditions as they occurred. I really respect her broad and deep knowledge of her country. Timing was excellent, sleeping accommodations were adequate, a time on our own was much appreciated.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the oldest known musical instrument, a Neanderthal flute, dated 400,000 years older or older, in the Slovenian National Archaeological Museum was stunning, and listening to music from what seemed to be a 3-D printed copy of that flue as I walked through the museum will stay with me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed all the varied and wonderful experiences, very friendly tour members, conscientious and very helpful guide, beautifully countries, wonderful bus driver.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The first of many was visiting Lisjak Winery. What a fun tasting and lunch in a beautiful setting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing! Ljubljana, Slovenia started the whole tour off with a bang. Incredible architecture, charming river and bridges with people-friendly walking streets. Outgoing people. And they nearly all spoke fluent English. Then Croatia. Wow. Ultra-modern transportation infrastructure (highways, tunnels, bridges) coupled with old towns. I just was not expecting this level of civilization. Plitvice Lakes National Park was magical. Our tour guide, Darija Gotic, was super professional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice Lakes National Park. I have seen a lot of terrific National Parks in my life, but this park ranks as one of the best. An enchanting wood board trail. Sometimes there were waterfalls and gurgling streams flowing underneath the wood boards. Also, this park has an abundance of water (streams, waterfalls, mist, lakes) so it looked like a lush rain forest. It rained the morning of our hike, but even with a cloudy sky, the water in the streams and lakes was still a dreamy, beautiful blue."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved exploring the beauty and history of Slovenia, Croatia and BosniaH. Darija was an excellent guide and the group was filled with interesting people. Loved the mix of city and country and national parks. Loved that most cities felt like you were mixing with the locals - only Rovinj and Dubrovnik felt touristy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking the waterfalls of Lake Platvice was amazing - and fortunately it stopped raining while we hiked! Just so great to get into nature as part of the trip."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It met or exceeded all of my expectations, particularly in the area of the food that was provided as part of the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We enjoyed meeting every member of our group and our guide. The activities were all fun and interesting and provided knowledge about countries we generally didn't know much about.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We knew the Plitvice National Park would be a "wow" moment and it was, but one surprise was the city of Pula - so interesting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well-organized, with a good balance of scheduled time and free time. The guide was helpful and knowledgeable, and the other members of he group were friendly and interesting. Hotels were good and food was generally excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The waterfalls at Plitvice National Park - they are breathtaking. There are SO many waterfalls, and such a well laid out boardwalk to optimize the views and experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very organized, all details thought thru & I didn’t have to worry or think about planning, driving or safe places to see and stay. It was also very fun with all of the guides.co

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Coming into the beautiful city of Dubrovnik and walking in old town"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An absolutely wonderful experience. This was our first RS tour and we loved it -- we will be back for more RS tours. The tour was well planned and executed throughout. RS personnel (Edmonds staff, tour guide, and bus driver), local guides, and hotel staffs were all excellent. Special praise for our tour guide, Saso Golub; he set the tone for a wonderful experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice was certainly a "wow" moment (it ranks up there with Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon for its natural beauty) but I expected Plitvice to be a "wow." What I didn't expect to be a "wow" moment, as I am an extreme introvert, was the energy and excitement and energy of Split on a Saturday evening -- the restaurants, the Riva, the people waiting for the live music to start at Luxor on Peristyle Square -- it was magical."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organizedEngaging stories and experiences I would not have learned elsewhere.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Coffee in the Turkish house in Bosnia Herzegovina. The beauty of Mostar and its strong culture maintained through struggle were just amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized, educational and lots of fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our favorite areas were Slovenia and Croatia, but our 'wow' moment was the hike in the Lake National Park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip had been on my bucket list. Delayed for two years by Covid, we had some pretty high expectations, and they were fully realized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice National Park is spectacular - unsurpassable natural beauty."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Awesome guide, bus driver & fellow tour members.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Plitvice waterfalls."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was very well planned, guides were good, and itinerary was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The a capella group in Pula."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beautiful scenery, remarkable history, amazing experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Mostar"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Mariam was a wonderful guide. Croatian native who was extremely knowledgeable about every country we visited. She was engaging and passionate about leading these tours. We had a small group of 14 which enhanced our experience. Very nice mixture of group time and time on our own to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Amazing scenery at Lake Bled, numerous medieval walled cities along the Adriatic coast, and the Old Bridge in Mostar, Herzegovina."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized. Our guide, Mariam Abdelghani, was most enthusiastic, informed and exceeded at putting her whole heart into making this an outstanding tour for all. Europe was just reopening to tourists when we were there, so there weren’t huge tour crowds but services (restaurants, historic sites, etc.) we’re eager to see the return of the tourism business. And we had outstanding weather for the whole 2 weeks!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Challenging to narrow this to just one - there many great moments. Special birthday celebration for my wife, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, lunch at Lisjak Winery, Plitvice Lakes and dinner at the end of the tour in Dubrovnik we’re all most memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour far exceeded my expectations. It was a fun, exciting, wonderful learning experience. Our guide and driver were incredible.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Evening tour of Mostar with our Muslim guide who had been a refugee living in Mostar as a child. Sanel was incredible generous and open about his experience yet was able to provide a balanced view of the complex social dynamics of present day Bosnia. The tour passed minarets, orthodox churches and catholic churches with each turn of a corner, all while the sun was setting over a beautiful city."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Sanel our guide was great. Regional guides were also very good. Tour stops well planned and interesting. Nice blend of group and time on your own. Driver Tomas did a super job. Liked the smaller group size. Met some great people and Sanel did a good job managing everyone’s needs. Hotels were generally very good location and comfortable. Our first tour with Rick Steves and would definitely do another.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The trip to the winery and donkey farm and luncheswere interesting, delicious and informative. Lake Bled and Plitvice were highlights as well. So many great experiences hard to choose."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our overall tour experience was terrific, great group of adventurers, great local guides, great food, very interesting and sometime thought provoking destinations. There was nothing we did not enjoy. And Sanel upheld our high expectations for the RS guide based on our two previous tours. Some of the destinations were windy and the microphone did not have a wind shield so it was hard to hear or there were loud popping plosives when the mic was held inches from the lips.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had continual occurrence of "wow" moments in Plitvice Lakes National Park as we walked down the path, seeing serene lakes of beautiful still blue water ending in a wide variety of waterfalls as one body of water drained into the next. The strategy to start at the top and make our way downwards through the park to rather than start from the main entrance not only avoided a lot of foot traffic, but also was a better way to see the waterfalls, at the end each lake rather than at the beginning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful seeing and learning about a European region we knew so little about beforehand. Great guides, nice hotels, good food and drink, perfect weather, and an excellent group of travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment, surprisingly, has to be the small, nondescript Kobarid Museum. Learning so much about WWI from where it actually happened from an amazingly educated local expert who delivered his message in an emotional, yet factual, manner was an awesome experience. Our entire group was moved by this visit, even those who were not particularly interested in WWI. Picking this as my wow moment says a lot because there were so many other special times."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a fantastic tour with a wonderful mix of history, delicious food and beautiful scenery. Sanel was the best guide I could imagine, leading the tour with skill and humor, making sure we had the optimal experience with absolutely no worries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For my husband, it was the WW1 museum, which was absolutely fascinating. For me, it was learning about the Yugoslav Wars from a guide who was a refugee."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed this tour.It was well organized , small ( 17 people). We had a wonderful guide, a beautiful bus and a very competent, safe and trustworthy bus driver. The area was gorgeous and we learned much about the distant and not so distant past in this region, especially the history after the break up of Yugoslavia and the horrible war that followed whose impact is still very visible in Bosnia Herzegovina We enjoyed some special meals and great wine..

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hill town of Motovun was amazing, the walking up to our hotel, the incredible view and, of course, the truffles plus the beautiful voices of a men's acapella.group practicing at the church.Loved the old town on Korcula with it's many narrow streets and great food. Split and Dubrovnik with it's historic buildings but also it's very contemporary lively crowds along the Adriatic which by itself is a Wow factor because of the beautiful color of it's water"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The selection of sites, the explanation of history and events, and the cultural insights provided by the visits to country konobas and wineries made the trip memorable. But I think the people on the tour and the efforts of our guide, Barbara, made it the outstanding experience that Is was.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many Wow moments, but perhaps the best was the hike through the Plitvice Lakes with all the water falls and boardwalks and vegetation. We started early in the morning on the upper lakes trail which was good since others start on the lower trail so there were no crowds in the morning. By afternoon it was more crowded but no less spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a beautiful part of the world - that I really knew nothing about prior to this tour. Best of the Adriatic had charming towns, quaint villages, great wines, gorgeous islands, bittersweet (and sometimes confusing) history, delicious food, epic mountains, bustling city life, breathtaking nature, a wonderful guide (Barbara is amazing!!) and the best tour mates! We were full to the brim with goodness and gratitude.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I'm a sucker for quaint hilltop villages...so I loved Motovun! The bus could only could go so far, and while we walked up the hill, our luggage was taken up for us. I loved the Kastel Hotel and the views. We had my favorite dinner on the trip in Motovun, with the most amazing views overlooking the green valley below and enjoying the best sunset, delicious truffle pasta & wine. The evening finished with overhearing choir practice from the cathedral...it was blissful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Adriatic tour was great. Barbara was an outstanding guide, we had an interesting mix of fellow travelers, the weather was near perfect weather including a Bura wind and only one mishap when a female traveler tripped on an uneven plank at Plitvice Lakes. We had lots of good food and wonderful wines to taste> Roman architecture was surprising in terms of amount, successful preservation and well planned and performed reconstruction.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite things were the Amphitheatre at Pula, walk and all of the views at Plitvice, the Julian Alps, the giant Slovenian ski jump, a church choir practice(men's a capela) one evening while walking to the hotel after dinner, the water and cliffs at Rovinj, remaining war damage among the old bridge and other charm of Mostar, all of Korcula and the night scene and wall walk at Dubrovnik.. Our post trip visit to Mljet was also delightful. The National Park, lakes and monastery/church ...."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was well planned. I felt I saw many important and beautiful things and places. As always our guide, Barbara, made everything better.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking the walls in Dubrovnik or taking the cable car to see the most amazing view"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We have been on a Rick Steves tour 7 times now; and because of a combination of several things, this may have been the best tour of all. Our tour leader was terrific, and the areas visited were amazingly beautiful and interesting. The tour group was small, and all people in the group were engaging and considerate travelers. We went in May, which made for low tourist numbers in general; and the weather was perfect. Another fantastic RS experience! I recommend RS to all fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sorry, too many to consider only one."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary. Excellent guides. Perfect mix of structured and free time. Beautiful countries. Friendly and welcoming nationals. Plenty of wonderful food and drink.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hiking through Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. WOW! The lakes and waterfalls constantly dazzle and impress. Outstanding scenery with every step. Look up and down, and forwards and backwards."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really appreciated the overall itinerary and mixing one nite and two hotels stays. Nice not to be packing up and moving every day. I also really enjoyed mixing the natural beauty in with the cultural and city experiences. Comfortable bus and pace of tour. Never felt rushed or having a strict timeline made the overall experience terrific.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Bled, Kranjska Gora, Bovec, Kobarid (Boris), Pula amphitheater, Plitvice NP, Mostar, Korcula and Dubrovnik were the stand outs for me"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My confess my expectations were low; I had been to this part of the world (Slovenia) only once on business but I was incredibly pleased with every stop, every tour, everything.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I went specifically to show my husband Lake Bled, but Plitvice National Park was a stunner. My big wow, though, was the Promenade in Split, where we walked after dark and spent some time listening to a free concert; our fellow audience members were standing close as couples do, it was very romantic!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall everything was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visit to Mostar was certainly a highlight as was the vineyard visit at Boris's estate."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A great introduction to a part of the world that I had little knowledge about

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The plictvic (?) National park"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great places, great tour guide, great food, great people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No one “wow” moment."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We thoroughly enjoyed discovering the Adriatic region of Europe. Ljubljana is an attractive, lively city with splendid architecture and charming, friendly people. Local guides were highly informative, but often verbose (excess minute detail, show more sites & speak less). We learned much about regional history and culture from our regular guide, WW I museum founder, and Dubrovnik guide-a witty historian. The scenery, seaside towns, natural landscapes and parks were magnificent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Speaking with friendly people in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. Viewing architecture of stunning Ljubljana. Experiencing wonder of Plitvice Lakes countless waterfalls. Pula's well preserved Roman Empire monuments. Magnificent setting of Lake Bled & surroundings. Exploring narrow lanes of picturesque Rovinj. Elegant riviera look & feel of Opatija. Tasty Adriatic seafood & cuisine. Emperor's palace, hills & seaside of Split. Walking walls of Dubrovnik. Vital lessons of Balkan & WW1 history."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent as always. Itinerary is well planned. We have great, confident tour guide Mr. Sanel Maric and bus driver Mr. Tomashe leading and taking us from places to places safely. Food, wine and hotels are good. We wish we could stay in Mostar for at least two days.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In addition to beautiful scenery and architecture, my "wow" moment was seeing damage bridges, buildings being rebuilt, and houses built on top of a palace."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The whole trip was a “wow”. Interesting history from a wonderful guide, amazing colors in the natural beauty of the mountains, sea, and islands, the medieval towns and friendly people mad this one of my favorite trips.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The incredible beauty of Plitvice National Park was certainly a “Wow”. And Salen, our guide,was a highlight. His firsthand knowledge of current events and past history plus his kindness and honesty were a pleasure."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All aspects of this tour were exceptional: Sanel, our guide, the local tour guides, the hotels, and the restaurants chosen for the dinners.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It”s hard to choose one out of so many great experiences, but if pressed I would say the Roman amphitheater in Pula."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a great tour, full of beautiful scenery, a great guide (Sanel) and a great bunch of people. Just what we expect from a Rick Steves tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Adriatic! Everywhere we looked, there was another spectacular view of it. Even on the way to the Dubrovnik airport to go home. There is no way to describe it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beautiful part of the world. Safety protocols in place and clearly explained and implemented. It was great being able to travel with only 18 in the group. Sanel, our guide was exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many. Probably my favorite was having a delicious lunch and sipping a glass of Chardonnay at the restaurant at the top of the tram ride while gazing down at the wonders of the old town in Dubrovnik."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were given a good overview of Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia. The rooms were very nice, and Tina, our tour guide was exceptional. She gave the tour a very personal touch, and along with the local tour guides, left us with a better understanding of what growing up in this area was like with the trials and limitations that they have experienced. We had a good overview of the incredible countryside and the cultures of each place

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Plitvice lakes and waterfalls were amazing. Also, we were were very touched listening to the local guides in Bosnia speaking of their personal experiences during the war. Another thing that impressed us was how well everyone spoke English, and not just on a limited basis. Everyone we came in contact with was very fluent."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved Slovenia Julian Alps & Mostar Bosnian & would have liked more time in both places. The food in Slovenia & Bosnian would so much better than Croatia. Tina our guide was outstanding & Eddie our driver great. I would love to have both Tina & Eddie fie another tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Julian Alps & Mostar Bosnia"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour had a well thought out itinerary with a good pace and good organization. Our guide Tina was very knowledgeable and helpful. We loved having the smaller group and enjoyed our fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wow moment for me was Slovenia and especially the Julian Alps. I really enjoyed the WWI museum and would like to have spent more time in Kobarid. I would have liked to stop and have more time along the Soca River."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

absolutely beautiful region, every day was full of interesting discoveries, delicious food. Each place had something unique: nature, history, people...

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lake Blad, Split"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Adriatic is as beautiful as advertised. Tour Guide does not do justice to Tina our leader. Her knowledge is encyclopedic. Her enthusiasm unsurpassed. What could have been a visit to a lovely part of the world was transformed into an opportunity to learn and enjoy the land, the history, and the people of this region.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Dubrovnik, Split, or Plitvice Lakes? Why choose? They’re all a WOW."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had the best time on my first ever tour. I use Rick Steves books and watch his shows so I knew what to expect (a little). The group I was with were the best! We came together within the first couple of days, there were no cliques. We switched around our seats at every meal so got the chance to get to know everyone. We shared wine and conversations and laughs.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were too many to list: Plitvice Lakes, Alps baptism with schnapps, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, getting a phone call from Rick,meeting and being educated by all the tour guides, especially those in Bosnia. Raising money to plant pine trees in Bosnia was probably the best moment. Being Americans on vacation and being able to contribute to the needs of the country we were visiting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was my 9th R.S. tour, and while they have all been very different and difficult to rank, this Adriatic tour was among my favorites. The tour explored diverse geographic areas, historical periods and cultures while led by Tina, our guide, who was a combination of master teacher, proud Slovenian and Eastern European, incredibly enthusiastic and fun guide, and genuine friend to everyone on the tour. Also, what began as 21 individuals quickly grew to become a bonded fun-loving group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many “wow” moments: the drive through the Soca River Valley after the visit to the WW1 museum; Diocletian’s Palace in Split which felt more alive than ruins in Rome; Mostar and the moving experiences related by the local guides during the war; and walking the walls of Dubrovnik on a cloudless day."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The guides, the weather, the history, the tour members, the sites, the bus were all outstanding, comfortable and generally enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The days in Bosnia, getting a chance to wander into Muslim buildings, mosque, and also the Serbian Orthodox church."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great fun people. Tina, our leader was wonderful— friendly, passionate, knowledgeable, & organized. The destination was full of interesting & beautiful sites, tastes, & experiences. Though the guides I felt a connection to the people and their war experiences that were powerfully relevant to current events.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Beautiful & heart breaking stories of war experiences in Mostar."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Tina was outstanding. Knowledgable and friendly. Our bus driver was professional, skillful and personable. All the local guides were fantastic. I learned so much. Our group was easy to get along with but Tina facilitated that too! Hotels were clean and adequate . The food and wine was amazing. This was our first tour and it definitely exceeded expectations!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Just 1? Wow I couldn’t decide this when Tina asked it either. I was impressed with how much I learned in Herzegovina. The local guides were so good. And Mostar was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. (And then there was the Rick call at dinner. ??) But truly. The Adriatic. Wow. The views in Korcula and Dubrovnik. Wow!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Marijan was brilliant, informative beyond belief, fun and kind. He kept the tour going forward while being sure no one got too far behind. He explained so many aspects of geography, history, politics, agriculture and culture as well as religion throughout the towns and countries. Had surprised for us. Even was the Easter Bunny and also bought us gelato. Marijan Kriskovic made our trip informative, fun, cohesive and do special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many. Loved old towns, Lake Bled and the castle."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Marijan was an outstanding guide, the local guides were informative and enlightening, and all the places we went were interesting and memorable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Although there were many "wow" moments, I think the one that stands out most was the visit to Plitvice Lakes - it was stunning, and we were fortunate to be there without crowds."