Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to the hotel for check-in. This evening, join your fellow travelers for our first taste of Croatian cuisine during a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Dobrodošli u Hrvatsku!—Welcome to Croatia!

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Note: if you wish to spend more time in Zagreb, ask your Personal Vacation Manager about the optional hotel extension – which will add one night to your Zagreb hotel stay.

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Today, you’ll explore Zagreb, Croatia’s beguiling capital and cultural heart. Tucked into the foothills of the Dinaric Alps and surrounded by nature, Zagreb is known for its leafy green spaces, thriving café culture and wealth of museums and art galleries. Our walking tour of Zagreb begins in the cobbled streets of Upper Town (Gornji Grad), where gas lamps that are hand-lit each evening bring to life its medieval past. Passing through the district’s Stone Gate—the only remaining medieval entrance to Zagreb’s Upper Town—will bring us past the Croatian Parliament to the 13th-century St. Mark’s Church, an architectural masterpiece whose red-tiled roof depicts the coat of arms of Zagreb and the historic Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Other highlights include the scenic Strossmayer Promenade, the vibrant Dolac Market, Zagreb’s iconic funicular and historic Lotrščak Tower.

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Later, immerse yourself in Croatian tradition during a hands-on Licitar heart workshop where we’ll have an opportunity to create and decorate our own Licitar hearts, a beloved Croatian symbol recognized by UNESCO, followed by a festive dinner with a live folklore performance.

Today we’ll strike out into the idyllic Croatian countryside outside of Zagreb. Our scenic drive will take us past quaint villages and rolling hills to reach our first destination, Trakoscan Castle. As we’ll see upon our approach, the soaring white-and-yellow stone walls and red turrets of the hilltop fortress rise out of the surrounding forest like out of a fairy tale. Originally constructed in the 13th century as part of a fortification system to defend against invading Ottoman Turks, Trakoscan has been renovated many times over the centuries. Its original owners are lost to the mists of time, but the estate was passed down to a series of Croatian nobles including the Drašković family from the late 16th until the end of World War II, when the Croatian government took it over and opened it to the public in 1953.

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After the tour of the Castle, we’ll head to one of the many family-run vineyards and farms that dot this bucolic region of Croatia. We’ll visit the estate’s wine and apple production facilities for a tour and tasting, followed by a true “farm-to-table” lunch featuring freshly harvested produce grown here. With a full belly and tipsy merriment, we will head back to Zagreb for the remainder of the day at your leisure.

We’ll rise early today for a special excursion to Plitvice Lakes National Park, a captivating region of woodlands, streams and terraced lakes strung together by countless cascading waterfalls. This magnificent natural wonder has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. We’ll spend the morning walking along some of the myriad footpaths that take us through the lush woods to various lakes and viewpoints—and before our legs start to tire, we’ll enjoy a different perspective of the park’s beauty during a relaxing boat ride along the crystalline waters of one of the lakes. After the tour, we’ll return to our hotel in Zagreb.

After breakfast, we’ll have to say doviđenja (goodbye) to Croatia and cross the border to Slovenia, one of the most enchanting corners of Europe. Close to two thirds of the tiny nation is carpeted in wildflowers and verdant forests, and we’ll glimpse some of this pristine natural beauty on our drive to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana (“Loo-blee-ah-nuh”), with a stop for lunch along the way. After checking in to our hotel, we’ll set off on a walking tour of Ljubljana, one of Europe’s smallest capitals.

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As we stroll through the cobbled streets of Old Town, you’ll notice that few cities are as inviting and pedestrian friendly as Ljubljana—that’s exactly how architect and native son Jože Plečnik helped shape it in the early 20th century following the devastating 1895 earthquake. Beloved by the locals, Plečnik’s designs grace many of the city’s buildings and bridges, including the iconic Triple Bridge over the Ljubljana River, which runs through the heart of the city. We’ll conclude our walking tour with a visit to Ljubljana Castle, a medieval fortress perched high above Old Town.

Slovenia’s natural beauty takes center stage today, as you’ll discover during a visit to the lakeside town of Bled, a romantic alpine retreat nestled against the rugged Julian Alps. We’ll enjoy a tour of the town during our visit and stop by Bled Castle, an 11th-century medieval fortress perched atop a rocky cliff. From the castle’s terrace, we’ll take in sweeping views of the glacial lake, its tiny island church and the surrounding Alps. We’ll enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Bled before returning to our hotel in Ljubljana for a relaxing boat ride along the gently flowing waters of the Ljubljanica River.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel transfer to the cruise port in Trieste, where you will embark the Oceania Allura.

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Ports of call include Koper, Slovenia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Igoumenitsa, Gythion, Athens and Argostoli, Greece; Catania, Italy; Valletta, Malta; and Barcelona, Spain.

Enjoy breakfast onboard, then disembark the Oceania Allura and transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

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Note: if you wish to spend more time in Barcelona, ask your Personal Vacation Manager about the optional extension – which will add two nights in Barcelona upon disembarkation.