Day 1 (Saturday): Recharge the batteries
Venice
Private transfer from Venice Airport to Venice.
Check in the hotel and time to get some rest after a long travel day.
Overnight: Venice
Day 2 (Sunday): Special guided – explore Venice
Venice
Explore Venice from different point of view with our special guide. Besides all major attractions, such as St. Mark’s Square, Dodge’s Palace, Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge and Bridge of Sighs, our guides’ speciality are Venice museums and private galleries. By walking or driving with vaporetos or romantic gondolas we will pass numerous palaces, old houses and canals, museums and galleries.
Rest of the day free time for your own exploring. See tip of the day below for our suggestions.
NOTE: You can extend one day more in Venice if you want to explore Murano and Burano – 2 famous artisan islands of the Venetian Lagoon on a half-day motorboat trip from central Venice. Soak up fantastic views of the city’s waterside highlights as you cruise to Murano, known for its centuries-old glassmaking industry. Continue on to the pretty island of Burano, home to brightly hued buildings and traditional lacemaking workshops.
Overnight: Venice
Tip of the day – optionally:
Day 3 (Monday): Scenic train ride to Florence
Venice – Florence
Direct train transfer from Venice to Florence (2h5min driving). Privat transfer to the hotel in Florence. Check-in at the hotel.
Guided tour of Florence: You will start your visit of the city from Michelangelo Square, a panoramic terrace with the best view of Florence. From up there the driver will show you the main sites of the city.
Drive down to the centre with the Cathedral, the Baptistery, Signoria Square, Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce
Church and the Pitti Palace.
Visit Museum Uffizi: The Gallery entirely occupies the first and second floors of the large building constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is famous worldwide for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the Modern period). The collections of paintings from the 14th-century and Renaissance period include some absolute masterpieces: Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo, Raffaello, Michelangelo and Caravaggio, in addition to many precious works by European painters (mainly German, Dutch and Flemish).
Overnight: Florence
Tip of the day:
Day 4 (Tuesday): From nature to gourmet actvities
Florence
Day at leisure.
OPTION 1 – Enjoy relaxed day travelling a bit south to a lovely town of Siena: Your guide will show you main attractions during a nice 2 hour city guiding. Afterwards some free time to enjoy a nice cafe and return to Florence.
OPTION 2 – San Gimignano: tiny medieval town that has remained intact through the centuries. Sitting upon a hilltop, it is famous for its numerous towers, frescoes and other art treasures. Enjoy more free time to discover this fascinating city on your own. Do you really want to fell medieval times? If you dare, visit one of the torture museums and chambers in San Gimignano.
OPTION 3 – On the route make a stop at village Vinci, birthplace of famous artist Leonardo da Vinci. Take a walk through this amazing old village and enter the museum which offers an insight to his many famous works which will leave your speachless.
OPTION 4 – Chianti Half-Day Wine Tour from Florence: Experience the true flavor of the Tuscan countryside on this 6-hour, Chianti wine tour from Florence. Led by a professional tour escort, the tour includes visits to two wineries, each set in scenic villages in the Chianti Fiorentino and Chianti Senese regions. Sample the most revered Tuscan wines, learn the characteristics of each blend and hear the winemakers’ secrets. Later, stop for a look at the fortress of Castellina before your return to Florence.
OPTION 5 – Private half-day tour to Pisa: See the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa from Florence. Admire
Cathedral Square, Campo Santo and the Pisa Baptistery. After some free time and return to Florence.
Overnight: Florence
Day 5 (Wednesday): Capital of Italy
Florence – Rome
Take a speed train from Florence to Rome (1h32min).
Upon arrival, private transfer to the hotel. Leave luggage at the reception desk, where our guide will meet you and take you to the city to see all the main attractions of Rome.
Colosseum underground and third tier tour + Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
See the secrets of the Colosseum tour that takes you into the amphitheater’s underground chambers, which are off-limits to most of the public each day. With a knowledgeable guide, you’ll skip the Colosseum’s long entrance line with priority admission, heading straight inside to see where wild animals were once held and stand where gladiators once stood. Then explore Palatine Hill and see where Rome’s wealthiest inhabitants once lived. At the end admire the ruins of the Roman Forum, including the Arch of Titus.
Rest of the day free time for your own exploring.
Overnight: Rome
Day 6 (Thursday): Rome most famous attractions – custom tailored for you
Rome
At leisure. Check tip of the day below to see what you can do on this day.
We suggest Vatican museums & Sistine Chapel: Visit one of reachest art collection in the world.
Discover the Vatican on your own with St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums tour. Navigate the vast complex of rooms, artwork and history with a audioguides, which will bring the ancient collection to life. Explore halls such as the Gallery of the Maps and Raphael’s Rooms; step inside the Sistine Chapel to admire ‘The Creation of Adam’ by Michelangelo’; and hear little-known tales about sacred St Peter’s Basilica.
Overnight: Rome
Tip of the day – optionally:
Day 7 (Friday): from land to the gorgeous sea
Rome – Dubrovnik
Private transfer to Rome Airport and direct flight to Dubrovnik. Private transfer to Dubrovnik hotel, check-in.
Dubrovnik Old city tour: Enjoy real Pearl of Adriatic – the old town of Dubrovnik.
The great George Bernard Shaw wrote: „Those who seek paradise on Earth must come to Dubrovnik” and he was as many others overjoyed by the beauty and rich history of this old town under the UNESCO protection. Its glorious walls, with their fortresses and bastions, offer a unique walk with view of the magical Elafiti islands. Guided walking tour through historical streets and sightseeing of city’s most renowned historic monuments.
Each part of Dubrovnik can surprise you with some overwhelming experience. From the Onofrio fountain to the City bell tower, along its main street, Stradun, Dubrovnik’s famous street of limestone, polished by years of footfall and in many other small and quiet cobblestone streets, every step in this town will be an experience par excellence.
Game of Thrones Dubrovnik City tour: Game of Thrones shooting sights (climb to the city wall and walk the full 1.24-mile (2-kilometer) circuit, offering breathtaking views across a sea and see where Game of thrones was shot).
Overnight: Dubrovnik
Day 8 (Saturday): Dubrovnik top sights
Dubrovnik
Great day trips options from Dubrovnik – take a look at tips of the day.
Overnight: Dubrovnik
Tips of the day – options around Dubrovnik:
Day 9 (Sunday): discover special island in Adriatic sea
Dubrovnik – Hvar
Catamaran/ ferry from Dubrovnik to Hvar Island.
On your own: Hvar is best known for its medieval buildings which are the legacy of four centuries of Venetian rule. The town is the site of the oldest municipal theatre in Europe which opened in 1612. Perched high on a hill overlooking the town, the gleaming white limestone walls of the medieval Spanjol Fortress afford breath-taking views for those that climb to their summit. (optional) You will also visit the Cathedral and the Arsenal followed by time at leisure to lunch and enjoy Hvar Town’s stone-paved harbour front, the Venetian piazza and yacht harbour with views across the sparkling Adriatic Sea.
Overnight: Hvar
Day 10 (Monday): Visiting filming location of Mama Mia 2
Hvar Island – Vis Island – Hvar Island
Day trip from Hvar to Vis island: Of all the Croatian islands, Vis is the most mysterious – even to locals. The furthest of the main Central Dalmatian islands from the coast, Vis serving as a military base for the Yugoslav army, cut off from foreign visitors for 40 years. The isolation preserved the island from development and drove much of the population to move elsewhere in search of work. Vis’ lack of development has become its drawcard as a tourist destination. International and local travellers alike now flock to Vis, seeking authenticity, nature, gourmet delights and peace and quiet.
Stop by first cave – Green Cave and jump into the water and swim directly to the cave. Pay attention while swimming back out of the cave – you can observe fantastic almost fluorescently intensive blue color of the water while splashing the water. Continue to Blue Cave – stop at the cashier where you need to buy a ticket for a cave. When waiting for small boat which will take you to the Blue Cave, take some picture in the vicinity of boarding.
Continue to Komiža town, authentic place preserved as a real Mediterranean town from the past. After free time return back to Hvar.
Important: because boat tour will be private, your tour can be adapted to your wishes any time through this tour, so you can add or change after you meet with your guide-boat driver which will suggest you other options, as well.
Overnight: Hvar
Tip of the day – optionally (instead of Vis Island):
Day 11 (Tuesday): Priceless monument included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage
Hvar – Split
Catamaran/ ferry from Hvar to Split. Check in at the hotel.
Guided tour of Split: Visit the Diocletian Palace in the heart of Split, built as a residential palace seventeen hundred years ago by the Roman Emperor Diocletian and also a priceless monument included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage.
After the city tour you will have the time to spend at leisure. Enjoy the heart of Split – the famous Split waterfront or Riva where you will feel the friendly and cozy atmosphere of this vibrant city.
Overnight: Split
Meals: Breakfast
Tip of the day – optionally for the afternoon:
Day 12 (Wednesday): Walk in the Renaissance city
Split – Trogir – Plitvice Lakes
Private transfer to Trogir.
Sightseeing in Trogir is a pure joy. It’s a small town and Trogir’s sights are conveniently clustered together, making it an easy walk and easy to understand why it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Start your walking tour from the Renaissance city, above the gate is a statue of the town’s protector, the Blessed Ivan Orsini. Nearby is the town museum which gives a good overview of Trogir’s history. Continue to the town centre with magnificent cathedral of St. Lovro, built from the 13th to the 15th centuries and considered one of the Adriatic’s most architecturally and artistically important monuments. Continue sightseeing to numerous other monuments, like The elegantbell tower, Chapel of Blessed John Orsini, a Renaissance masterpiece, numerous churches and Kamerlengo fortress. Plenty to explore and enjoy this historical Dalmatian town.
Afterwards, private transfer to NP Plitvice Lakes, check-in at the hotel. In the afternoon, time to visit the Village of Saborsko.
Overnight: Plitvice Lakes
Tip of the day – more options for this day:
Day 13 (Thursday): The oldest and the biggest national park of Croatia (UNESCO protection)
Plitvice Lakes – Zagreb
On your own: Sightseeing of Plitvice Lakes, the oldest and the biggest national park in Croatia, under the UNESCO protection since the 1979: You will stroll along beautiful and crystal clear lakes with numerous cascades and waterfalls.
Private transfer to Zagreb, check-in at the hotel.
Free time to explore Zagreb on your own: Visit the main square Trg bana Josipa Jelacica that lies at the city’s heart and divides the old town from the new. Take the funicular railway built in 1889 to connect the Upper and Lower towns. The Upper Town of Zagreb is a unique place for many reasons: the colorful rooftop of St. Marks Church, Lotršcak Tower, Stone Gate and gas street lamps that have to be lit by hand. Visit Kaptol, the ecclesiastical district that is largely dominated by the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Have a deserved treat in the oldest pastry shop of Zagreb – Vincek, or having coffee on the one of terraces in bustling Tkalciceva Street.
Overnight: Zagreb
Tip of the day – options on this day:
Day 14 ( Friday): Returning back home
Zagreb
Private transfer from hotel to Zagreb Airport for your flight back home.
Overnight: Zagreb
Price (per person)
Price per person in 4*/5* hotels with breakfast, private tours and private guides – from 4,220.00 EUR
* Exchange rate on 6 February 2020
** Please note: According to our policy, we can only provide package rates, and cannot give information about price breakdown.
Payments, conditions, insurance:
Notes:
Monstera Tours
Specialized LGBT Tour operator for Central Europe & Adriatic
U.S Telephone Number: +1 (650) 273 4771
EU Telephone Number: +386 40 170 876 or +386 59 90 07 31
We are proud members of USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association), Amcham (American Chamber of Commerce) & ECTAA (The European Travel agents’ and Tour Operators’ associations)
BASED in EUROPE – Our offices:
Office 1: Pilatusstrasse 28, 6052 Hergiswil, Switzerland
Office 2: Industriestrasse 266, 8321 St. Margarethen an der Raab, Austria
Office 3: Maistrova 2a, 123 Menges, Slovenia