Croatia and Slovenia – Winter Fairy Tale

Day 1 : Zagreb

Welcoming at Zagreb Airport and private transfer to your hotel to check-in. Free day in Zagreb without a guide to plunge into the magical atmosphere of its Christmas market. The capital of Croatia can be visited, tasted and experienced at any time of the year and at any time of the day. Its parks, small shops, lively cafés and monuments will undoubtedly charm you. During the festive season (from 26/11 to 08/01), Zagreb dons its gigantic white coat. Enter the most beautiful Christmas market in Europe. From the main square to the central railway station, through the medieval suburb and the upper town, you will be taken on a journey to the heart of the most incredible Croatian Christmas traditions. Stroll through the Zrinjevac Park with its avenue lined with 220 plane trees shining with thousands of lights and resounding with Christmas carols and then join the giant ice rink in King Tomislav Square. Children and adults alike are warmly invited to this event, which combines good music with culinary specialties, not to mention a host of cultural activities. Put on your skates and immerse yourself in the magic of an enchanting idyll on the ice!

– [Official site of the Christmas market](https://www.adventzagreb.hr/?lang=en)
– [Video 1 of the Christmas market](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niS-nHanO0c) – [Video 2 of the Christmas market](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wFbxu6XncY) Overnight in a Boutique Hotel near the historical centre of Zagreb. Standard room.

Day 2 : Zagreb

Meeting with your guide for a private 3-hour discovery tour of Zagreb. The capital of Croatia can be visited, tasted and experienced at any time of the year and at any time of the day. You will walk through it on foot, or by tram, and believe us, it is full of interests and surprises. Its parks, its medieval side, its lively little shops and cafés and all its monuments and museums will charm you.

Highlights of the visit:

Zagreb’s main square (Governor Jelačić’s Square), Old Town, Cathedral, Dolac Open Market, St. Mark’s Church, funicular.

-> Is there something else you want to see? This city tour is tailor-made, we can adapt it:

* to your desires of discovery by opting for such and such a museum;

* to your wish of activity: on foot, by bike, by segway, gastronomic, wine tasting, treasure hunt, etc… Zagreb has many facets and our city tours are very varied.

[To discover Zagreb in video, click here. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qIMHBRRiHE) 2nd free day, without a guide, to enjoy the local festivities and customs. This second day allows you to walk around quietly, taste a mulled wine or take shelter in a typical konoba tavern to eat the specialities of the north of the country. Overnight in a Boutique Hotel near the historical centre of Zagreb. Standard room.

Day 3 : Zagreb

Collection of your vehicle at the airport. On the way to the Plitvice Lakes, a paradise of water. Road from your hotel to the Plitvice Lakes National Park. On your way, several stops are offered to you. Kerlovac is a small village where an aquarium has just opened. Visit the War Museum in Turanj. Then head towards Rastoke, the village of watermills, located at the confluence of the rivers Slunjčica and Korana, where a multitude of waterfalls, lakes and bodies of water reveal the natural beauty of this place. Or head towards Kuterevo to stop at a small bear refuge for convalescing bears run by a volunteer association fighting for the preservation of the species.

Check-in at your hotel near the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Exceptional day’s walk in the heart of the Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Road to reach the park’s surroundings. You have several choices of visit and we recommend a full exploration. Departure by panoramic train to reach the upper end of the park. The visit begins with a ride along the Upper Lakes, the wildest part of the park, where the lakes merge, the platforms on which you walk pass over bodies of water and waterfalls. The water flows from all sides, it’s magical. Electric boat crossing on Lake Kozjak. Let’s go for a walk on the lower part of the park, through the gorges of the Lower Lakes, which will take you to the Great Waterfall. Continue to the top of the gorge with a panoramic view. Return on foot or by train. This circular program allows you to enjoy the beauty of the lake area of the park as a whole.

-> 8.9 kilometres walk on wooden footbridge. Little elevation gain. About 5 to 6-hour walk. Rental of a compact C-Class vehicle, type Opel Astra or similar , including:

– Unlimited mileage
– VAT tax
– Manual gearbox
– One driver insurance
– Basic third party insurance: CDW and TP.

Terra Balka can offer other options. On the spot the renter will be able to propose you additional insurances if necessary. – Option included: Snow tires. – Option included: Delivery of your vehicle at your hotel (according to disponibilities). – Option included: Cross Border(s) fee. Overnight in a charming small hotel in the middle of nature. Comfort room. Entry ticket to the park included.

Day 4 : Plitvice Lakes NP

Drive to Slovenia and the Karst region, via Opatija. You drive along the Adriatic coast this morning and the Kvarner golf course before reaching Opatija, a prestigious seaside resort. You will then drive through Slovenia with your vehicle. Arrival in Postojna. Check-in at the hotel. Enter a fairytale world for a few hours. The Postojna Cave, a few days a year, takes the form of a splendid living nativity scene with the largest Slovenian reconstruction of Bible scenes dedicated to the birth of God in the most beautiful sites of the karst subsoil. You can quietly admire the living nativity scenes as you walk through the Postojna subsoil. Choir concerts from all over Slovenia and abroad contribute in an original way to the festive atmosphere. The cave offers more than 5 kilometres of spectacular galleries, passages and halls. Audioguides in French.

-> Live nativity scenes from 25 to 30 December with 2 visits per day at 1 and 3 pm. Overnight in a beautiful 3-star renovated farm in a large village near Postojna. Standard room.

Day 5 : Postojna

From the Karst to the Julian Alps. Road northwards to the mountains, including the Triglav National Park. Arrival at the outskirts of the small town of Bled, which surprises you instantly by its landscape straight out of a fairy tale. Check-in at the hotel. The unusual Predjama Castle: 9 km from the Postojna Cave, the castle, hanging high on a cliff, reigns over the surroundings. The most famous inhabitant of the castle was undoubtedly the knight Erasmus of Predjama, who rebelled against the emperor’s obstinacy in the 15th century. Erasmus of Predjama is the subject of many legends, some magnify him by describing him as a passionate, handsome and noble knight, while others make him a brigand, a robber knight who found death in an unusual way (we let you discover the rest on the spot). Today you can retrace the history of the castle and its former owners. The visit is very interesting, and above all it offers the possibility to enter a bewitching place. Visit of Bled Castle , a real fortress perched on a 130-metre cliff. Symbol of Bled, it dominates the city and the lake. The terraces offer an exceptional panoramic view.

-> Option: Consult us to include thematic activities in addition to the visit (wine tasting and ancestral bottling, wood printing or forge work). Overnight in a typical charming guesthouse, close to Lake Bled. Standard room.

Day 6 : Bled

Half-day sled dog ride with an English-speaking guide. Transfer from Bled to the Pokljuka plateau where your professional musher is waiting for you to introduce you to his dogs. Discovery of the sleds, the techniques and then ride in nature with the dogs. This natural, human and animal experience is a must in the region. End of the day free in Bled, without a guide, to stroll around the town and along the lake to enjoy the Christmas market and local gastronomic specialties. Bled at this time of the year is even more beautiful, for young and old alike. Stroll among the small illuminated chalets, the outdoor skating rink, the life-size crèche and live music. The evening is magical.

– [ Website of the winter festivities ](https://www.slovenia.info/fr/histoires/la-slovenie-entre-dans-la-nouvelle-annee) Overnight in a typical charming guesthouse, close to Lake Bled. Standard room.

Day 7 : Bled

Drive from Bled to Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital. Passing through the remarkable medieval town of Skofja Loka, whose historic centre has been listed since 1987. Stroll through the city centre towards Mestni Square, and take the opportunity to visit the imposing Castle and its museum overlooking the city. Arrive in Ljubljana and check in at the hotel. Meeting with your guide for a private city tour to discover the Slovenian capital at your own pace and on foot for 2 hours. A walk through the pedestrian city centre and along the Ljubljanica to visit this beautiful city’s most famous spots. Throughout the walk, your guide will tell you anecdotes, legends and give you information concerning the city and the country.

-> Is there something else you want to see? This city tour is tailor-made, we can adapt it:

* to your desires of discovery by opting for such and such a museum;

* to your wish of activity: on foot, by bike, by segway, gastronomic, medieval, wine tasting, treasure hunt, etc… Ljubljana has many facets and our city tours are very varied.

[To discover Ljubljana in video, click here ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V41D7lsEruI) Free day in the Slovenian capital. Discover one of the greenest and most pleasant capitals in Europe and its festive atmosphere at Christmas time. Warm chestnuts, mulled wine, warm atmosphere but still fresh homemade beers, Ljubljana is to be enjoyed in winter. Stroll along the banks of the Ljubljanica River, stop at one of the many lively café terraces and explore the Old Town. And in the evening, admire the capital as it lights up with a thousand lights.

– [Website of the winter festivities](https://www.visitljubljana.com/en/visitors/plan-your-visit/december-in-ljubljana/)
– [Video 1 of the Christmas market](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HtCD0LGE4Y) Overnight in a modern and comfortable 3-star hotel, near the principal square of Ljubljana. Standard room.

Day 8 : Ljubljana

Drive to Ljubljana Airport. Check-in and boarding.