Private tour in 3 countries: 14 days through Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Step through the gates of Dubrovnik’s old city walls and get the essence of Dubrovnik, whose legacy dates back to the 9th century and don't miss the 1418 Orlando’s Column standing tall in front of the Church of Saint Blaise.

The historic centre of Split, built entirely from white stone, is a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as the magical beauty of Plitvice Lakes National Park.

The trip takes you to the most breathtaking locations on the Montenegrin coastline and shows you the best of the Bay of Kotor, Perast and Kotor towns. Climb up Lovćen Mountain to see the tomb of Montenegro’s greatest leader and stroll the cobblestone streets of the Budva Old Town, one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Coast.

Visit the world-known pilgrimage of Međugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, see the iconic Old Bridge in Mostar and admire the slender minarets of the Middle Mosque. Be amazed by a Muslim dervish Sufi monastery in Blagaj, visit Tito's Cold War-era nuclear bunker in Konjic and buy some souvenirs in Baščaršija, old Sarajevo merchant streets from the 15th century. 

You are about to discover the handpicked highlights and cities of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Here you can learn a few interesting facts about some of them.

CROATIA

With approximately 1,200 islands, azure waters and colourful villages rich in history, Croatia is drawing more and more travellers to its shores. Croatia is the Mediterranean’s fastest-growing destination, luring travellers with its pristine national parks, adventure sports and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the medieval Old Town of Dubrovnik. Croatia entered the European Union in the summer of 2013 as the 28th member state.

The mere mention of Croatia conjures up images of colourful landscapes, sparkling waters and fortified towns furnished with quaint outdoor cafés. Many of Europe's greatest empires including the Romans, Venetians, Ottoman Turks and Habsburgs, left their mark on Croatia in the form of architecture, language, art and food. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Central Europe and the Balkans, Croatia has it all, from beautifully preserved medieval cities to stunning natural wonders.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is known as one of the world’s finest and most perfectly preserved medieval cities in the world. The neatly contained Dubrovnik centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the result of meticulous reconstruction after the earthquake of 1667. But its allure lies also in the fact that it is a lived-in city, vibrant and bustling with locals whose homes line the narrow streets and sunlit squares.

This historic city-state used to be a maritime powerhouse that gained clout through diplomatic prowess. Dubrovnik was the first country in Europe to abolish slavery and it also introduced sewage and fire safety systems, a retirement home, double-entry bookkeeping, maritime and insurance laws as early as the Middle Ages.

Also, the city government was not allowed to make any important decisions during the period of the “jugo“, a wind that blows from the south that is usually blamed for ill moods by the inhabitants of the Adriatic Region.

Stradun is the main street in the Old Town of Dubrovnik and it connects the Gate of Pile and Gate of Ploče. Its name comes from the old Venetian word for “big street”, but not many know that locals also like to call the street Placa. Stradun is 300 metres long and there are many monuments you can see while walking along the street, such as Large and Small Onofrio Fountain, St. Saviour Church, Sponza Palace and St. Blaise’s Church (the patron saint of Dubrovnik).

Korčula Island

Korčula is one of the largest islands in southern Dalmatia and is surrounded by approximately some 50 islets. The town of Korčula, an ancient trading hub, is surrounded by walls that offer a view of the myriad islets and the steep slopes of the Pelješac peninsula on the other side of the strait. Two popular sandy beaches are located on the very south of the island, while somewhat more intimate areas by the sea can be reached by bicycle or on foot.

Two popular theories are circulating on the island of Korčula: that this is the birthplace of Marco Polo and that Odysseus stumbled upon Circe here on this very island some 2000 years ago.

The easiest way to reach Korčula is by taking a 20-minute ferry ride from the town of Orebić on the Pelješac peninsula.

Pelješac Peninsula

The large Pelješac peninsula in the south of Croatia is one of the foremost wine-producing regions in the country, so once you start exploring the mainland you will discover small secluded wineries growing grapevines on slopes bathed in the Mediterranean sun. The most popular grape variety is Zinfandel's first cousin Plavac Mali, while the most famous vineyards are located in the Dingač area. Besides wine, Pelješac also boasts some gorgeous beaches, ancient walls that used to protect the northern border of the Republic of Ragusa Dubrovnik city-state, and delectable locally grown oysters.

Orebić is famous for its sea captains, who used to build magnificent villas in the town and its long shingle pebble beaches. The stunning historic town of Korčula, which is located on the eponymous island, is easily accessible from Orebić. The nearby village of Viganj holds the reputation of being the best windsurfing location on the Adriatic coast, while hikers who decide to climb Mount St. Elijah will be rewarded with one of the most awe-inspiring views of the Adriatic Sea.

Ston is known for its old saltworks and Mali Ston is famous for its oysters. These two towns are connected by walls spanning several kilometres, which once protected the northern border of the Republic of Ragusa.

Split

Split is the largest city on the Croatian coast, and yet it has preserved the relaxed lifestyle of the Mediterranean. You are expected to take it easy here since some call it “The craziest city in the world”. The city grew around the palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian which had been built almost two millennia ago.

The historic centre of Split, built entirely from white stone, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but the ancient landmarks are a normal backdrop of everyday life - they are not enclosed or set up as an archaeological site. So Split has many sides: a rich history, exquisite food and wine, endless fun.

Prokurative, known as the Republic Square, is a big square west of Riva (waterfront), it resembles the Venetian St. Marcus Square and it is surrounded on three sides by Neo-Renaissance buildings with arches the square was named after. It has a wonderful view overlooking the harbour and Riva.

Dalmatian cuisine mostly contains slowly cooked and easily digested food with a lot of fish, olive oil, vegetables and herbs. The little culinary secrets with the scent of bay leaves, rosemary or basil also include capers and olives, bura-dried Dalmatian prosciutto and sheep milk cheese.

Some of the most well-known Dalmatian restaurants, as well as numerous indigenous taverns, can be found in Split.

Try poljički soparnik – a meal made from chard and dough baked on coal under the bell. But the specialities of Dalmatian Hinterland are also interesting, such as sinjski arambašići – meat wrapped in small leaves of sour cabbage, fried frog legs and trout from the river Cetina.

Zagreb

Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, boasts typical Central European architecture: cobbled streets, impressive public buildings and well laid out greenery. It is a top sight for its wealth of museums, restaurants and nightlife. The Upper Town has delightful hilly narrow streets with cafes, shops and bars filling the 18th-century buildings. Here you'll find the towering Zagreb cathedral, the Dolac market with a panoply of fresh, local produce and the City Museum for a glimpse of Zagreb's history.

Zagreb grew out of two fortified towns on adjacent hills in the Middle Ages: Kaptol, which was the centre of the bishopric, and Gradec, also known as Upper Town, which was granted the status of a free royal town in the 13th century. Zagreb began expanding rapidly in the 19th century, which led to the careful planning of the Lower Town, the centre of city life today.

Nowhere is coffee culture so strong, so obvious, so important as it is in Zagreb.

To have a coffee on Saturday morning in Zagreb is a custom of locals and a “must-do” thing. On the so-called Špica (the rush hour), the locals come to the centre of the city to drink coffee in one of the bars in Bogovićeva or Tkalčićeva Street.

You can walk the entire city of Zagreb without ever needing a car, but if you get tired, you can take a tram: they are very functional and of beautiful blue. The cabs are pretty cheap, too. You will love walking everywhere, and in the Zagreb centre, you will never miss driving, not for a minute.

MONTENEGRO

Montenegro is a Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. The Bay of Kotor, resembling a fjord, is dotted with coastal churches and fortified towns such as Kotor and Herceg Novi. Durmitor National Park, home to bears and wolves, encompasses limestone peaks, glacial lakes and 1,300m-deep Tara River Canyon. The country boasts 2 UNESCO sites: Kotor and Durmitor National Park.

Montenegro or the „Black Mountain“ is a small and beautiful country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea and it is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the southeast. The official name of the country is Crna Gora, with the largest city which is also the administrative and economic centre, Podgorica that counts 173 000 inhabitants.

The old Royal Capital is Cetinje and in the present day, this is the historical and the cultural centre. Up to the middle of the year 2006, the country had been a part of the Confederate State Union of Serbia and Montenegro but on 3 June of the same year, it declared its independence.

The country of Montenegro has a huge array of both natural and man-made wonders. This land of fairytales will take your breath away with its gorgeous mountains, beautiful beaches, clear sea and remains of its long history.

You will find the basic European cuisine in restaurants, but what you should try by all means is lamb or goat roast meat under sac, pivski kajmak (a special milk cream from Piva), kačamak, cicvara, pie, clear fish soup and boiled fish, fried carp and smoked bleak. Then pour wine Vranac or Krstac for on it all, have something sweet like cheesecake, peach or watermelon; then relax in the afternoon with Nikšicko beer, and in the early evening invigorate yourself with grape brandy, along with smoked ham, goat cheese and tomatoes. If you opt for a slap up dinner you can add some surmuletts in the frying pan or grilled greater amberjack.

Herceg Novi

This town may be small, but it is also very old. Even though it was inhabited long before, it was officially founded in 1382 by the first King of Bosnia, Stefan Tvrtko I Kotromanić. Thanks to its fortress, palaces, churches and beaches, Herceg Novi became a major Montenegrin tourist destination. This lovely picturesque coastal town offers its visitors an insight into the country’s past with its Old Town, Savina Monastery, Archangel Michael’s Church, Forte Mare Fortress and the Regional Museum of Herceg Novi. If you get tired of sightseeing there are plenty of beaches near the town.

Cetinje

Cetinje, ‘The heart and soul of Montenegro’, is the Old Royal Capital of Montenegro and a cradle of Montenegrin culture. The city was founded in the 15th century when Ivan Crnojevic had to move to the capital of Zeta because of the Turkish conquests. Because of this Cetinje represents a treasure trove of the national heritage of Montenegro. The urban area of the city started to grow in the 20th century, and so historic Cetinje is very much preserved. Cetinje hosts seven museums; some of those are the National Museum of Montenegro, Montenegro Art Gallery (both located in the former parliament building), the History Museum and the Njegos Museum. Cetinje Monastery considered the main attraction of the city, contains several relics: remains of St. Peter of Cetinje, right hand of John the Baptist, a shard of the True Cross and even the royal crown of Serbian king Stephen Uroš III Dečanski. Near Cetinje is Lovcen National Park where you can also see the Njegos Mausoleum.

Kotor

Kotor is a fortified town on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, in a bay near the limestone cliffs of Mt. Lovćen.

Arms Square (Main town square) is at the same time the largest town’s square. This name was given to it because in the Venetian period it was the place where arms were repaired and stored. It is ringed with the beautiful Prince’s (Duke’s) Palace, Napoleon Theatre, the Clock Tower, the Arsenal building and the Tower of the town guard.

The focal point of the town is the Clock Tower. To the far left of the Clock Tower, you will find the Citadel Bastion. The passage along the fortification walls lead to the South Gate, built in the 12th century. From here, the views of the town and the harbour are both breathtaking and ideal for photography.

Tryphon’s Cathedral is certainly the most beautiful and the most significant church monument in the town. It was built and consecrated in 1166. The earthquakes considerably changed the original looks of the cathedral. The Romanesque bell towers were replaced with the new ones made in Baroque style, as well as the dome, and pilasters were covered in Korcula stone tiles. What attracts special attention are the rosettes on the facade which used to be of Romanesque style, but today they are profiled with Gothic‐Renaissance motifs. Inside the Cathedral are relics brought to Kotor from Constantinople by Venetian traders in 809, along with a 15th-century altarpiece made by Kotor’s goldsmiths.

The Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor has grown out of the collection founded by the “Boka Marine” Fraternity, around the year 1880 and opened to the public in 1900. It was only after the end of World War II that the whole building, the Baroque palace of the noble Grgurina family from the beginning of the 18th century, was completely restored and adapted to meet the needs of the Museum.

In the central exhibition hall are kept memories of the legendary period from the 16’h to the 18th centuries, when our seamen developed domestic shipping and maritime trade, took an active part in the building of the naval and merchant marines in foreign countries, established new routes of maritime trade and fought against pirates and Turks on the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas.

Lucas’s Church, built in 1195, has been up to the mid‐17th century a Catholic church when it was handed over to the Orthodox inhabitants of Kotor. However, the Catholics retained the right to have one altar for their use.

Nicholas’s Church is of a more recent date. The main facade is framed with two bell towers. It possesses a rich collection of icons and a beautiful iconostasis made by Cigler, a Czech artist.

Budva

The most popular summer resort in Montenegro, also called ‘Miami of Montenegro’, is well known for its many beaches, Old Town walls and long history. Budva is 2,500 years old and one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Coast. Stroll the cobblestone streets of the Old Town, take pictures of the Budva Citadel, visit the Churches of Saint Maria and Saint Ivan, all hidden behind the stone town walls built in the 15th century as reliable fortifications to protect the city from the troops of the Ottoman Empire. On the Mogren beach, located only 150m from the town walls, you can see the symbol of the city – the Dancer from Budva statue.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Bosnia and Herzegovina is an almost landlocked country – it has a narrow coast at the Adriatic Sea, about 20 kilometres long surrounding the town of Neum. It is bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south; Serbia to the east; and Montenegro to the southeast. In the central and eastern interior of the country, the geography is mountainous, in the northwest it is moderately hilly, and the northeast is predominantly flatlands. Approximately 50% of the land is forested.

The country's population is 3.84 million, most of whom are Bosnians, then Serbs and the least of all are Croats and all three languages are spoken in the country. Islam is the majority religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the remaining population identifies as Christians. There is a small Jewish community as well.

Međugorje

Medjugorje is a town located in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not far from the border of Croatia. Thanks to apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary which appeared to six children on 24 June 1981, Međugorje is visited by pilgrims from all around the world as a shrine and оne оf the biggest prayer centres іn the world, comparable tо Lourdes аnd Fatima with more than 1 million visitors every year.

Mostar

Situated on the Neretva River and surrounded by stunning mountains and valleys which flourish with greenery in the warm months, Mostar is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the river Neretva.

A city not only rich in beautiful nature but also a deep history of cultural influence to admire and learn from. Their iconic bridge was built by the Ottomans in the 16th century and is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina´s most recognizable landmarks, considered one of the most exemplary pieces of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.

The city was named after the guardians of the bridge ("mostari" in Croatian).

The Old Bridge is the city’s unique landmark and offers an impressive view of the city. It is also a member of the UNESCO World Heritage sites list for Bosnia and Herzegovina (one of three sites). It was built by the workers from Dubrovnik as ordered by Suleiman the Magnificent and following the project by Hajrudin, the pupil of Sinan, a great Turkish builder from the 16th century.

Sarajevo

The capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, is located near the centre of the country.

Sarajevo became known for its large marketplace and numerous mosques, which by the middle of the 16th century numbered more than 100. At the peak of the empire, Sarajevo was the biggest and most important Ottoman city in the Balkans after Istanbul.

Sarajevo occupies an area that has long been inhabited is testified to by the many remains left by the Butmir Civilization, Illyrians, Romans, the medieval Slavic state... And, from the very moment when the Ottoman military leader, Isa Bey Ishaković, laid Sarajevo's foundations around 1460, the town continued to grow, absorbing and ultimately reflecting the various influences it has been subjected to over the centuries.

Over the past 100 years, Sarajevo has found itself a member of six different states and has witnessed the Sarajevo Assassination, the First and Second World Wars, the XIV Winter Olympic Games, the longest-running siege of any town in modern history... And it is infamously remembered as a key battleground of the Bosnian War in the 1990s.

Sarajevo is one of those rare cities where, during a ten-minute walk, you can see places of worship for the world’s most important monotheistic religions: Orthodox and Catholic churches, synagogues and mosques. All of these traditions have given Sarajevo a specific aroma and a particular cultural mix.