Zagreb to Istria - a week of private premium gourmet explorations

The journey begins in the Croatian capital of Zagreb by tasting the best the city has to offer in addition to a Michelin star restaurant experience. After a private sightseeing walking tour of the Plitvice National Park, you head to the region of Istria on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. You will stroll through Rovinj and Motovun, the town of artists. Follow trained truffle hunting dogs while they are tirelessly seeking “The Gold of Istria” in the forests. Visit the immersive fresco art workshop in Roč and eat at the finest restaurants, both in Roč, Rovinj and their surroundings.

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia, best known for its strolling culture and a mix of a vibrant yet relaxed vibe, with a myriad of cafés at every corner. 

The city offers its guests the baroque atmosphere of the Upper Town, the colourful open market Dolac, which is buzzing with life in the morning and early afternoon hours, green parks and promenades, but also superb culinary delights and exciting nightlife. Downtown area or Lower Town is a perfect mix of secessionist, neo-baroque and art deco buildings which tell a lot of stories from its vast history, centuries-old yet not forgotten.

Plitvice National Park is a protected natural wonder, listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Site. The park is a magical world of lakes, waterfalls, moss and forests. Nestled in the embrace of the surrounding wooded mountains are sixteen smaller and larger crystal turquoise lakes, interconnected by foaming cascades and deep falls. The park includes the headwaters of the Korana River in an area surrounded by dense forests and is additionally ornamented by several caves, springs and flower-filled meadows, which show the vast diversity of flora and fauna in the park.

Istria is the western littoral region of Croatia with many hidden treasures, some of them literally covered with dirt. The forests along the Mirna River in central and northern Istria are home to truffles, aromatic and pricey underground mushrooms. They grow in the soil and are considered as the pinnacle of the regional cuisine. Istria is famous for its top-quality white truffles which are often compared to those from the Italian regions of Alba and Piedmont.

Istria is also known as the best olive oil region in the world, according to the Flos Olei, the first international and the most relevant European olive oil guide.

The endless list of Istrian treasures and hotspots would not be complete without the drink of the gods i.e. wine. Local wines won many international awards, grabbing the attention of world-acclaimed sommeliers and wine aficionados throughout the last decade or two.

At Kabola wine cellar you will be a part of a professionally guided wine tasting, and get recommendations from the sommelier. You will taste several wine varieties among the famous Kabola wine collection: Istrian Malvasia, Amfora Malvasia, Momjan Muscat, Sparkling Wine RE, Teran, Merlot or Cabernet. Cheese, bread, dessert and olive oil will be tasted too. The winery Kabola won the Luxury Lifestyle Award by Luxury Travel Guide as the best in the category of Traditional Winemaker of the Year 2017 along with other accolades.