Hi From Rick: Adriatic’s Never-Ending Wonders
In my mind Croatia is the cheerleader for the wonderful idea that you could spend a lifetime exploring Europe and never run out of new thrills. And, as so many travelers who take our tours (especially those who've been on 8, 9, 10…or more!) know, it's places like Croatia and Slovenia that keep Europe fresh, surprising, and exceeding expectations.
Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is a perfect example. After 20 years of hard travel, I remember thinking, "Yep, I must have seen all the mind-blowing natural wonders of the continent." Then I discovered this fantasy world I didn't even know existed: a European Grand Canyon — heavily forested and corralling a long series of terraced lakes — divided by limestone cliffs and connected by countless waterfalls. A storybook boardwalk invited me past maidens selling honey and goat cheese fresh from their farms and into a misty hike spritzed with unforgettable views.
My staff and I call our Best of the Adriatic tour "Slo-Cro" because it's the best of Slovenia and Croatia. I can't say "Slo-Cro" without my traveler's endorphins doing giddy flip-flops over that region's never-ending-yet-underappreciated wonders: with the capital city most can't pronounce (Ljubljana), decorated by an architect everyone should know but few do (Plečnik); a dreamy lake with a church-capped island surrounded by mighty Alps (Lake Bled); a peninsula (Istria) hosting dramatic vineyards, mysterious Roman ruins, and a mini Venice (Rovinj) that's one of the most romantic port towns in the entire Mediterranean. Further south, the Adriatic Sea's fabled Dalmatian coast offers the uniquely entertaining city of Split with a historic core that's literally a Roman emperor's ruined palace — inhabited since medieval times by a tide of squatters — fronting a harborfront passeggiata that rivals anything in Italy.
As if that's not enough, our Slo-Cro tour even stretches to Slo-Cro-Bo, as we dip into humble-yet-proud Bosnia-Herzegovina for a powerful peek at the complexity that comes when two cultural tectonic plates (Christendom and Islam) collide. You'll never forget visiting the city of Mostar, whose skyline is a tangle of crosses and minarets that together stand like exclamation marks, claiming we can live together, trade together, and vacation together in peace.
In this month's Tour News, we'll explore an inviting mix of Slavic, Mediterranean, Germanic, and Ottoman influences with a colorful, day-by-day slideshow of our Best of the Adriatic tour; meet guide Sanel Marić, who puts the Bo into our Slo-Cro tours; review a few "wow" moments from recent tour members; and experience the romance of Lake Bled on a short video tour.
This action-packed, 14-day journey is smartly designed to ensure you get the most out of the region's culture, history, and scenery. And with our Slo-Cro-Bo guides — so passionate about this tour — leading the way, you'll be in very good hands. So, if you're looking for new European travel thrills, we'd love to have you join us on what, for so many of our tour alums, has been the trip of a lifetime.
Keep on travelin'!
Rick