21 Days | Eat your way from Ljubljana to Skopje, and every delectable bite in between.
If it's a gourmet feast you want, a gourmet feast you shall get! This food inspired journey through the Balkans includes visits to salt pans, a truffle farm, wineries, waterfalls, national parks, fishing villages and so much more. Discover why Istria is considered one of the world's leading producers of quality olive oil, eat Dalmatian-style under a metal bell, raise a glass of Slovenian wine or plum brandy with your small group, and shout 'zivjeli!' to the simple, home-style cuisine this region is famous for. Indulge in a traditional barbeque in Kosovo, dine on home-grown produce in the private garden of a Dihovo family and visit a centuries-old olive press outside of Kotor. Experience next level hospitality on this unforgettable epicurean odyssey.
Trip overview
- Start
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Finish
- Skopje, North Macedonia (Macedonia)
- Theme
- Food
- Destinations
- Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia (Macedonia), Kosovo, Montenegro
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- ZMZMC
- Experience an authentic taste of this region and a look at local life when you dine in family homes in Rakovica, Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dihovo.
- See behind the scenes of local produce when you visit local farms, a centuries-old smokehouse, an olive mill, a Benedictine nunnery and meet a local beekeeper for a honey tasting.
- Take a day trip to the island of Brac and indulge in the finest organic olive oils from the largest olive grove in Croatia, followed by a sugared walnut cake that has become ‘a protected item of intangible heritage’!
- Try the most iconic foods of Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo, including smoked and barbecued meats, cheese, honey, apples and locally produced wine.
- Learn how to make a hand-formed pasta shape in a Croatian konoba, the greens-filled soparnik with experts in Split, and brightly coloured and flavoured ajvar in Dolno Dupeni.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Humana Zagreb. Donations help provide job opportunities and education programs in sustainable fashion and textiles for people with disabilities.
- The cuisine in this region includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to this region which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.
- The Croatian coast is very hilly and mountainous and stairs are commonplace. You will have to be able to easily lift your luggage and carry it up and down stairs and inclines, so packing light is recommended. The cobblestone streets become very slippery when wet. Some people may find Croatia's topography very demanding.
- Summer temperatures can reach 40C/105F or higher in some areas, so it's important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Itinerary
Inclusions
12 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 4 dinners
Private Vehicle, Public Bus, Ferry
Hotel (16 nights), Apartment (3 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)
- Bled - Kremsnita Tasting
- Smartno - Wine tasting
- Trebese – Organic farm visit & lunch
- Motovun - Truffle Hunt and Brunch
- Rovinj – Day Trip
- Motovun - City walls
- Rakovica - Home-cooked meal
- Plitvice Lakes - National Park Visit
- Zadar - Nunnery & farm visit
- Zadar - Local market visit
- Split - Village cooking demonstration
- Brac - Olive oil museum
- Brac - Hrapoćuša cake tasting
- Split - Old Town markets & culture tour
- Zrnovo - Cooking Class
- Peljesac - Wine tasting
- Ston - Oyster tasting
- Lustica - Olive oil farm visit
- Njegusi - Smokehouse visit & tasting
- Shkoder - Rozafa Fortress visit
- Prizren - Leader-led city tour
- Pristina - Serbian barbecue lunch
- Pristina - Gracanica Monastery visit
- Debar - St Jovan Bigorski Monastery visit
- Kuratica - Home-cooked dinner
- Prespa - Agriturismo visit & tasting
- Prespa - Home-cooking demonstration
- Dihovo - Home-cooked lunch
- Dihovo - Beekeeper farm visit
- Tikves - Wine tasting
- Stobi - Stobi archaeological site
- Skopje - Leader-led walking tour with traditional sweets
- Ljubljana - Sights & Bites Urban Adventure - EUR130
- Ljubljana - Castle visit & funicular - EUR16
- Bled - Castle - EUR15
- Bled - Pletna Boat Trip - EUR14
- Split - Gallery of Fine Arts - EUR5
- Split – Highlights of Split Urban Adventure - EUR64
- Split - Marjan Hill Hike - Free
- Korcula – City Museum - EUR6
- Korcula Island - Marco Polo Museum - HRK60
- Ohrid - St Naum Monastery & Trpejca - EUR80
- Ohrid - City tour and cruise - Minimum 2 passengers - EUR50
- Bitola - Heraclea Lyncestis - EUR25
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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