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Highlights Include:
- Discovering Slovenia & Croatia wine & culinary traditions
- Sampling amazing Slovenian and Istrian wines, local spirits and burgeoning foodie scene
- Travelling with a knowledgeable local guide who is very passionate about the culinary delights of these regions
- Soaking in the charms of historic Venetian-era towns along the Adriatic coast
- Learning processes from local artisans – cheese, olive oil, prosciutto, honey
- Eating traditional foods of the regions
- Visiting charming towns, rich in history
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Itinerary” tab_id=”1449208778879-fcec8e78-e9ba”][vc_column_text]Day 1: Arrival to Slovenia
Welcome to beautiful Ljubljana, Slovenia!
Transfer from airport. Visit to the castle of Predjama, tucked away in a honeycomb of limestone caves and filled with legends of a Slovenian Robin Hood. Then it is on to Goriska Brda, packed with vineyards, orchards, winding country roads and small medieval villages.
Home-cooked multi-course dinner at Stekar farmhouse. Introduction to Slovenian wines and natural wines with Janko, the wine maker, as we sample their catalogue of wine along with dinner.
*We recommend arriving a day or two early to Ljubljana in order to adjust to the different time zone.
Overnight: Brda, Slovenia
Day 2: Hands-on Wine Making & 5-course Dinner
After breakfast, join in on the harvest as we’ll learn first hand about wine making with Janko in his vineyards and cellar. Lunch at the farmhouse.
Evening visit to Bjana, one of the finest sparkling wine producers in Slovenia. We’ll tour the wine maker’s cellar (the oldest in Brda), learn about the traditional method of sparkling wine, taste four sparklings at Bjana Winery, situated in a chateau built by the counts of Gorizia in the 13th century. Five-course dinner paired with wines at Kabaj Winery
which continually ranks on the list of 100 best wineries in the world by Wine and Spirits Magazine.
Overnight: Brda, Slovenia
Day 3: A Taste of Italy in Collio and Friuli Wine Regions
Wine tasting across the border in Italy’s Collio region. Comfort food lunch at a Slovenian-run osteria in the Collio as well. Visit with D’Osvaldo family’s house as they explain the art of prosciutto making (air dried with a slight smoke from cherry wood).
Visit to Cividale, a great little Italian town founded by Julius Ceasar in 50 BC.
Dinner and wine back in Slovenia at one of Brda’s best natural wine makers.
Overnight: Brda, Slovenia
Day 4: Truffles and Istrian Hill Towns
Depart Brda and head down to Croatia. Arrive into Croatia’s delicious Istria region to its forests with a local family and their dogs to sniff out and dig up truffles. Regardless of what we find, there will be a special truffle-themed lunch in the countryside and a visit to the family’s olive orchard. Then browse the charming hill town of Motovun with glorious views all around.
Try a Croatian doughnut hole and find some art and Istrian brandies in the artisans’ hill town of Groznjan.
Enjoy a dinner of succulent lamb and veal cooked under a metal lid covered in embers known as ispod peka by locals.
Overnight: Istria, Croatia
Day 5: Wine & Honey Makers in Istria
A day of tastings through the back roads of the Istrian countryside and hidden villages. Taste four versions of Istria’s flagship white wine, Malvazija, that is grown across 4 soils (red, black, white and grey). We’ll also visit a family that are bee keepers and wine makers to try some out-of-this world pairings of honey, cheese and wine. Discover unique Istrian brandies (such as mistletoe and absinth) at a family run distillery followed by dinner at their agroturismo.
Overnight: Istria, Croatia
Day 6: Gourmet Goat Cheeses & Venetian Seaside Towns
Morning visit to historic Pula to see the largest Roman arena outside of Italy and to learn more about Istria’s olive oils, ranked #1 olive oil producing region in the world now 3 years running, at musuem of Istrian olive oil. Epic goat cheese feast/lunch at a goat farm far off the tourist grid with home cooked stews, sausages, tasty surprises and a dozen types of soft and semi-hard goat cheeses. Consistently one of our guests’ favourite experiences on any of tours!
Early evening to enjoy romantic Rovinj, Croatia’s most beautiful seaside town.
Dinner on your own.
Overnight: Istria, Croatia
Day 7: Farm Fresh – Organic Olives, Prosciutto & Teran wines
Overnight: Karst, Slovenia
Visit to salt flats along the Adriatic tha have produced the ‘white gold’ for over 600 years. Lunch and tour at an organic olive farm with all local and bio-products including olives, oil, olive salts, cheese and even bio certified wines.
Lunch is outside with view to nearby salt flats where they still collect salt from the Adriatic Sea.
Dinner is served at our agroturismo, all local ingredients. House speciality is beefsteak & prosciutto in red Teran wine sauce with garden fresh vegetables and local wines.
Overnight: Karst, Slovenia
Day 8: Underground World of the Karst & White Wines of Vipava Valley
Morning visit to the amazing underground world of Skocjan caves featuring the largest subterranean cavern in Europe. It’s like a movie set straight out of The Lord of the Rings. Then we’ll head off to the Vipava Valley, where the burja wind can blow at 200km/hr and make wine growing a bit challenging to say the least. Sample Pinela, Zelen and Malvasia white wines with a young couple who loves to feed their guests wonderful frtalja (Slovenian omlete), spiced sausages and jota soup.
Overnight: Karst, Slovenia
Day 9: Tour Ends
Thank you for the tasting your way around Croatia & Slovenia with us!
Transfer to airport or stay extra nights in Ljubljana or Lake Bled. Contact us and we can help you book extra nights.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Inclusion & Exclusion” tab_id=”1449208780765-5fd2d40a-5e8d”][vc_column_text]Tour Inclusions:
- • 8 nights in charming accommodations based on double/twin occupancy
- • Meals as per itinerary (8 breakfasts, 7 dinners, 7 lunches)
- • 6 wine tastings as well as cheese and olive oil tastings
- • Local transportation (private vehicles)
- • Excursions and entrance fees (as per itinerary)
- • Host throughout the trip
Tour Exclusions:
• International Flights (can be arranged through us nicola@finisterra.ca)
• Mandatory travel medical insurance and optional cancellation insurance (can be arranged through us nicola@finisterra.ca)
• Meals and beverages not mentioned in itinerary
• Items of personal nature
• Services and entrances not mentioned above
• Passport, vaccination and visa fees
• Tips/Gratuities for tour guides, drivers, etc.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Pricing & Dates” tab_id=”1449223591510-29ce0fb2-4171″][vc_column_text]DATES: SEP 12-20th, 2019
Costs and Fee Schedule
Price $2450 USD is based on double occupancy. Single supplement fee applies. Please note that this is a SMALL GROUP TOUR and is GUARANTEED.
A 20% non-refundable deposit is due at time of registration and can be paid by cheque or credit card. Please contact info@finisterra.ca for more information.
Final Payment: Full payment is due 60 prior to departure.
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Air Travel
Flights are not included in the tour price. DO NOT purchase any airline tickets until the trip is confirmed to take place. Pre and post tours can be arranged through us available at an additional charge. Please contact Finisterra Travel for further details info@finisterra.ca
Important Information
Travel Visa requirements and passports are the responsibility of the participants. Cancellation, Travel, Flight and Health insurances are STRONGLY recommended and are the responsibility of the participant to research and secure the appropriate coverage.
Passport Information
Please note that most countries require passports to be valid for 6 months from the date of your return flight. We are not responsible if you are refused entry to a country because you lack the correct passport, visa or other travel documentation.
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