Dubrovnik & Beyond: From the Adriatic to the Alps (2012)

Keep the “old towns” to a minimum. All are alike. You see one, you’ve seen them all.
The optional tours should have been included in the price.

Traveler: Robert Rogers from La Jolla, CA traveled on April 12, 2012

We have taken this GCT trip twice and would take it again. The Lake Bled region is truly beautiful. We felt safe everywhere and our driver and representative were always caring. While there were activities scheduled, you could explore on your own.
Wow moments daily.

Traveler: Robert Dinaburg from Dover, NH traveled on September 24, 2009

This was a great trip - wonderful weather, great guide and bus driver, fascinating history, and beautiful cities and countryside. I especially enjoyed visiting the primary school in Rijeka where the children had some dances for us. Then we got to visit their classrooms where they demonstrated their excellent English.
I was also interested to see the beautiful capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, where six unique collection bins were lined up for recycling in the downtown. And no cars.
Our guide, Inga, was especially helpful for any problems we had. And she and Nikki, the driver, kept us entertained on all of our bus trips. If you go, be sure to bring a camera. Many great photo opportunities!

Traveler: Ann Brandon from Delmar, NY traveled on September 06, 2011

The plane lands in Croatia, we begin making memories, when we leave Zagreb for home, we begin reliving those memories. The first evening, meeting our guide Veronica, to the welcome party, meeting our fellow travellers going to dinner together, we felt this was going to be a great trip! Spending so much time together we became Family! Looking out for each other and sharing moments of each tour taken.

Veronica gave us History, Songs, Experiences, and what all of us wanted to know...the war of the 90's and it's effect on Croatia and it'a people. My husband and I came away with a better understanding and knowledge.

Every City and Sight gave it's own special gift to us. The People, Churches, Markets, Shops, Palaces, Coastline (with it's fishermen) Promenades to walk or stop for a coffee and dessert or a glass of the local wine.

A little time every 4-5 days would be nice to shop, relax discuss what we had seen and what we will be seeing. The pace was a little hectic. Need some "Me Time".

2 of our special memories: Our Home Hosted Dinner was an extra Special Treat! To be able to experince this time of sharing and talking (even though this is a struggle sometimes) we walked away with a Heart full of Joy! Food is GREAT too!!

Lake Bled in Slovenia is just like the pictures. To walk around the lake and see a man & wife holding hands walking, young mothers pushing babies and talking to them, teens enjoying a walk laughing...makes us feel everything is alright with the world. Have a piece of Strudle, Cream Cake & coffee...nothing better.

We took the post trip to Zagreb & would say to anyone...Do It! A fascinating city with much to see and do. Very easy to get around much English spoken here too.

Hotels were generally good and centrally located. If there is a problem it is taken care of by Veronica and the hotel quickly.

Advise to new travellers ( this was our 1st big land tour in yrs and 1st with GCT we usually cruise) & it was Wonderful!!
Take clothes that are strictly for travel..Lightweight and can be washed and dried quickly. Walking on the cobblestones up down stairs - steep streets in either Sun, or Rain can be hard on anyone. Good shoes and something for the dinners in the evenings,not fancy mix and match are a good choice. Buy a pack of washcloths (cheap) they do not use them, just throw them away. Umbrella, little packs of kleenix, wash & wipes need!

\Our Bus Driver: Luksa was a terrific driver..
always helping on off the bus and a smile on his face. Never were any of us worried on the road. Thanks Luksa and GCT.

Best for last...Our Guide Veronica, is by far the best we have ever had .Her Knowledge and Love not only her job but: for her Country and her passengers is Excellent. She was always on top of everything, and gave us lots of tips along the way. Thanks GCT and Veronica.

A DREAM OF A LIFETIME COME TRUE!

Terrie & Bill Morrissey

Traveler: Theresa Morrissey from Sun City West, AZ traveled on September 22, 2011

So many places to describe, so many precious memories and activities to remember. Dubrovnik is charming and picturesque with gorgeous harbor views.Mostar and Bosnia were sobering but unique, not to be missed.The Istrian Peninsula tour was excellent with Robinj, the Venice style, harbor town, idyllic and magic. Gorgeous! The Roman amphitheatre was awesome in the darling town of Pula, home of our outstanding tour director, Jasmina. Opatija was reminiscent of the French Riviera with the Lungomare promenade the length of the waterside, a breathtaking sight by day and night. Lake Bled in the Julian Alps, our last location was a "jewel" to behold. Appreciated the down time to sun, swim, take walks the perimeter of the water. Especially exceptional were the awesome views riding all along the
Adriatic, each turn in the road, a new surprise.
GCT again did a great job with Jasmina's direction and charm, and a well organized tour. The people there are just getting used to tourists but we were well received everywhere. I highly recommend this trip --and this area, undiscovered as it is.

Traveler: Marianne from Rochester, NY traveled on August 11, 2011

I think it would totally inappropriate and insensitive to comment on this trip when my roommate, Maureen Arcesi's mother was lying on her deathbed and indeed died while we were only 5 days into our trip. My roommate was in constant contact with her family during this awful time and under a great deal of stress. We had considered postponing the trip but the doctors assured Maureen that her mother would be fine.

Our tour director, Eva, could not have been more supportive and helpful.

Traveler: Marilyn Chandley from Greenvale, NY traveled on September 13, 2011

We just came back from this trip (28 May-17June 2011); it was one of the best escorted trips we have had. The weather was great; the tour guide, Jasmina, was one of the best, our group was small enough that we were able to see more. You go with mixed ideas about Croatia; but the country is so much more. Good food, nice people, interesting sites, always able to shop if we wanted to or not; a great trip.

Traveler: Jim & Beverly Rakowitz from Windcrest, TX traveled on May 28, 2011

The scenery was gorgeous throughout the trip, and we had perfect weather in mid-May. The optional tours were all worthwhile, although I found the 3 hour drive each way to Montenegro with an hour stop at the border to be rather grueling. The included meals were a mixture of outstanding as well as mediocre, with the home-hosted meal being the best of any of my previous 4 trips--the family lived on a farm where they served their own home-made wine, cheese, olive oil, vegetables, prosciutto, etc.

The included tour of Diocletian’s Palace in Split was extremely interesting with one of the best guides I have ever had. The optional tour of Istria included the beautiful, charming medieval town of Rovinj as well as the amphitheater from 30 B.C. in Pula with a guide who was wonderful.

While the Hotel Park in Opatija was lovely, on Friday night there was a loud rock concert in the local park which lasted until midnight, and the next night there was a wedding with even louder rock music which lasted until 3 AM—which made sleeping difficult both nights.

The tour of Ljubljana was very interesting with beautiful, unusual architecture. The scenery at Lake Bled is outstanding—our hotel faced Bled Castle situated on a cliff which reflected in the beautiful turquoise-colored lake in the morning. The walk around the 3.5 mile lake was easy and scenic.

Traveler: Dorothy from Oak Park, IL traveled on May 19, 2011

This was our first time traveling with Grand Circle although we have taken 3 OAT trips. The trip was very enjoyable. Dubrovnik was a treat to see with the Old Town and its wall that surrounded it. We totally enjoyed the home hosted dinner. The family went out of their way to give us a good meal and make us feel at home. The optional trip to Mostar in Bosnia was very interesting. It was very different from Croatia in that there is still quite a bit of damage from the war in the 1990's and in was interesting to see the Turkish and Muslum influence. Diocletian's Palace in the town of Split we found well worth the visit. These Roman ruins were described and explained by the best pick-up guide we had on the trip. The stay in Opatija was very relaxing. This area on the Croatian Riviera is beautiful with many old villas that have been made into hotels and restaurants. There is a lovely walk along the water that we enjoyed. The half day tour of Rijeka was actually not one of our favorites. Just a commercial city. The optional tour of the istrian peninsula was our favorite optional. The town of Rovinj is very photogenic with many little alleyways and very colorful buildings. And the town of Pula with the Roman amphitheater was spectacular! Postojna Caves were totally interesting. The resort town of Bled in Slovenia was such a beautiful and relaxing place to visit. We walked up to the castle on the hill which gives a nice view of the lake and has an interesting museum in it. We took the optional tour "Taste of Medieval Slovenia" and found that it was probably was not worth the money it cost. The tour of Ljubljana the next day was really nice. Very interesting and a pleasant city to visit. We decided to visit Vintgar Gorge on our own and had an enjoyable morning doing this. We took a cab to the Gorge, walked the path to the end and then followed the trail out of the gorge and walked back to Bled through villages and farmlands with cows with bells and little shrines. Very pleasant! The farewell dinner was outstanding. It was in a restaurant above a pastry shop that made gingerbread hearts and houses. Food was excellent. Soup in a bread bowl and apple ice cream served in an apple. Local music. Overall this was a wonderful trip. The only downside was that there were a full 45 people on this tour. And the bus had 3 broken seats. Some of the broken seats made it impossible to use the seat behind it. Every time we got on the bus there was a discussion on who was going to sit where and who would get the less desirable seats. On city tours if we happened to be in the back of the group we just couldn't hear. Too many people in the tour group. Bottom line was the group was just too LARGE! I know that Grand Circle says that the group size may be as many as 45 and that is just what ours was. In our opinion this is just too many to make for an enjoyable tour. For that reason we will stick with Overseas Adventure Travel from now on which has a maximum of 16 people. If anyone is interested in seeing a video that we put together of this trip it can be seen by clicking this link:


http:video.yahoo.comwatch6331302?fr=yvmtf

Traveler: Jack and Michele from Spartanburg, SC traveled on October 08, 2009

We would HIGHLY recommend this trip to everyone, in fact we already have! We enjoyed every single day!! Dubrovnik was BEAUTIFUL. We loved the Old City with all it's history. Our guide was excellent. Walking the top of the wall is a must. The view is spectacular. The President Hotel with private balcony was inviting after a day of exploring. We sat out on our private balcony with a glass of wine and watched the sun set over the beautiful Adriatic. The optional tour to Montenegro you should not miss. The drive around Kotor Bay is beautiful and our tour of Budva was interesting. From Dubrovnik we visited the town of Cavtat, which we fell in love with - in fact we went back again on a free day - take the boat from Old Town across the Bay to Cavtat, it only takes 45 minutes. You will not be sorry!! Our home-hosted dinner was so much fun, much beyond our expectations. The Optional tour of Mostar is also a must. Our drive to Split was beautiful. Leaving the Adriatic Coast and climbing up in the mountains gave us a view that we will never forget. In Split we toured Diocletians Palace - very impressive. Opatija along the Adriatic is also a beautiful city. While we were there, we toured Rijeka. The optional tour to the Istrian Peninsula and seeing the Amphitheatre we were glad we did not miss!! Take an afternoon and walk around the promenade and the park, very relaxing. Lake Bled is like a fairyland. The view from our room at the Park hotel was of the lake and the island. It's so peaceful. We walked around the lake and watched the beautiful swans and ducks. They were the only ones making a wake on the water. Don't forget to have the Cream Cake, it's to die for! Our tour guide, Juge and our bus driver, Niki were THE BEST!!!! So much fun to spend our days with!!!! The little out of the way places we went to for lunch and dinner were OUTSTANDING!!! We thank Grand Circle for putting this wonderful tour together. Don't miss this one, put it on your "bucket list!!!"

Traveler: Joni from Hayden, ID traveled on September 14, 2009

Gorgeous scenery, good weather, good food, great fellow travelers, much history!!
What more could we ask for for our 8th Grand Circle trip? Best of all were our wonderful director, Juge, and our young, masterful driver, Niki. Loved all of the "discoveries" along the way-restaurants in off-road places, road-side stands in the middle of nowhere, gliding silently on beautiful Lake Bled, the home-host dinner with a lovely, energetic family, the history of Mostar and Montenegro, the medieval Skojia Loka, using the tram in Zagreb, the visit to the serene, lovely Kosljun monastery, and the Postojna Caves. Thanks, Grand Circle for putting together such a wonderful itinerary. We haven't stopped recommending this beautiful area of the world.

Traveler: John from Largo, FL traveled on September 17, 2009

This was a wonderful trip. The Adriatic coast is beautiful although there is not much in the way of beaches that we are used to in Southern California.

The trip centered around the three cities of Dubrovnik, Opatija, and Bled.

The old walled city of Dubrovnik was beautiful day and night. The side trip out of Dubrovnik to Mostar is worth doing. The home-hosted dinner outside Dubrovnik was great.

There was ample time to do things on our own and we took long walks in Opatija and, being runners, we ran around scenic Lake Bled several times.

I've posted slide shows on youtube.com. Search under NormaAndSteve.

Traveler: Steven from Los Angeles, CA traveled on July 23, 2009

Thie trio was wonderful. Each city and visit were wondeful.
The home hosted dinner was exeptional.
The cities are small enough that you see a great deal. The Adriatic is lovely. I enjoyed the Split visit to the Dioclitian (sp) palace and the Pula amphitheater wew great.
Lubiana and Lake Bled are beautiful as well.

Traveler: Julie from San Anselmo, CA traveled on July 02, 2009

This was a very enjoyable trip in many respects. First and foremost, Vasja, our Program Director, was absolutely terrific. Her knowledge was encyclopedic, she had a great sense of humor and spoke perfect English. She immediately gave me great confidence that this would be a memorable trip. She really made the trip something special.

Second, the itinerary was pretty much perfect, for my taste. The optional trips were a bit pricey, but the quality of the local guides was excellent and I think they are good value. I would especially recommend the trip to Mostar, Bosnia for a look at a multicultural city struggling to recover from the tragic war of the 90's.

Third, the home-hosted dinner surpassed my expectations. The family was charming, the food was delicious and we even got to meet the cow that gave us our dinner cheese! Great fun.

Finally, I have to say that I enjoyed seeing a part of the world about which I knew very little. From the rocky Adriatic coast of Croatia to the lush, Bavaria-like valleys of Slovenia, this excursion was a treat and an eye-opener. A bargain at the Grand Circle price, and in May we had perfect weather. Hard to beat!

Traveler: Ted from Illinois traveled on May 05, 2009

One of the best things about this trip surprisingly was the home hosted dinner. We have been on many trips before this one and often the home hosted dinners are strained affairs because of the language problem. But these families had at least one person who spoke good English, the life of these people was very interesting and the food was great.

We were surprised how hot it was in mid May in Dubrovnik (low 90s). Also do not believe what you may have heard about Croatia and Slovenia being inexpensive. Trip has lots of free time and expensive optionals. Look for doing the optionals with independent tour operators which is especially convenient in Dubrovnik-just walk to the promenade.

We had an excellent tour guide but overall I would not give this tour the highest rating.

Traveler: Joseph from Silver Spring, MD traveled on May 19, 2009