Castles to Coast Self-Guided Walk

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8 Days from

CAD 2,945

Incl. taxes Excl. flights

Walking & Trekking

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Walking & Trekking

Activity Levels :

2 out of 7 - Leisurely / Moderate

Ages :

18+

Trip Code :

W07IS

Discover Venetian castles, Renaissance palaces and hilltop villages

This walking holiday opens up a timeless world that in the oldest towns takes you back 2000 years. The coastline sparkles with bays and inlets, while inland, castles and palaces in hilltop villages float in the early morning like stone battleships on a swirling sea of valley mist.

Highlights

Croatia's Istrian peninsula: Venetian castles, Renaissance palaces, hilltop villages, Adriatic Riviera
Diverse regional cuisine: local wines, homemade pasta, truffles and fresh fish
Panoramic walking paths, ghost villages, lush orchards
Natural bounty: bee and green-winged orchid, orange fire lily, amethyst sea holly, truffle-rich woods
Charming hotels: a converted palace, beautiful townhouse and a 19th century villa

Key Information

7 Nights, hotel-to-hotel
6 Days walking
Route directions and maps
Luggage transfers between hotels

Countries visited: Croatia

What's Included

All continental breakfasts
All accommodation
Route directions and maps
Luggage transfers

What's Not Included

Visas and vaccinations
Travel insurance
Single supplements

6 Days of Walking & Trekking

Day 2

17 km / 10.6 miles

Day 3

20 km / 12.4 miles

Day 4

14 km / 8.7 miles

Day 5

12 km / 7.5 miles

Day 6

10 km / 6.2 miles

Day 7

6 km / 3.7 miles

Itinerary

Arrive at your hotel in hilltop Motovun.

Comfortable Hotel

The Kaldir Valley below Motovun is well known locally for fruit, and your ascent through orchards of apples, peaches, cherries and plums passes country shrines and tiny hamlets. A high ridge affords excellent views east to Mt Vojak and west to the sea. Picnic amid olive groves; look out for honey buzzards and listen to lesser spotted woodpecker rattling the pines as you descend back into the valley. Stroll along the castle sentry's walkway around the ancient city walls before dining out in the village.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today's shorter option starts with a transfer (10 mins) to Livade; the longer option departs from the hotel with a steady descent through vines before reaching Livade from where a panoramic walking track (originally a railway abandoned in 1935) leads over aqueducts and bridges. Then it's on through apple orchards and smreka bushes - the berries are used to make local raki - to reach the artists' village of Groznjan. Time to relax, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the views as far as Slovenia's Julian Alps and Venice whilst waiting for your transfer back to Motovun (20 mins).

Walking distance either 20km/12.5mi/5hr or 25km/16mi/6hr

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

After a transfer (10 mins) to the ghost village of Bartolici, a winding ascent on a forest trail sprinkled with green-winged orchid leads you high above the clear Mirna River. Church bells chime across valleys of beech from pointed steeples that crown every hilltop. Blue rock thrush flit between branches as you ascend an amazing stone-slab trail used since the Middle Ages by traders and travellers, before descending to Buzet, a Roman settlement on a hilltop with intact 18th century Venetian fortifications.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

High above Buzet, a limestone escarpment runs east to west above shady oak woods peppered with smallholdings. Chickens scatter as you pass through villages leading up onto the ridge for uninterrupted views back to Motovun. You follow the escarpment edge across wind-scoured limestone as Buzet floats on a blanket of cloud below, and paragliders launch themselves into the sky. A descent past country churches and tumbledown villages leads back to the hotel.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Mt Vojak, Istria's highest peak, towers 1401m over the east coast in Ucka Nature Park, a haven for many protected flowers and plants. After a transfer (40 mins), you zigzag to the summit for 360° views of Croatia's islands and Alpine peaks in Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland. Look out for orange fire lily, amethyst sea holly and bee orchids on the descent. It's then a short transfer (20 mins) to Opatija, where your waterfront hotel in a converted 9th century villa awaits.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

The Adriatic Riviera was a playground for the social elite in the 19th century. Impressive villas with opulent gardens rich in local and exotic plants line the waterfront with views over to the Velebit mountains. A panoramic walkway leads along the sea between yachting marinas and swimming platforms, pretty coves, sea cliffs and azure bays for 6km into Lovran. Enjoy lunch (payable locally) on the waterside with a view over to Cres Island, then either catch the local bus back or stroll home above the waves.

Walking distance either 6km/4mi/2hr or 12km/7.5mi/4hr

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

The tour ends in Opatija

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

Croatia

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Croatia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/croatia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/croatia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/croatia/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Croatia.html

Vaccination

Croatia

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

All continental breakfasts.

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

Classification: Self-Guided

You begin in Motovun where walks follow high ridges and an abandoned railway offers panoramic views over truffle-rich valleys of oak and fruit orchards, and emerald ranks of vines. From Motovun you walk above the Mirna River valley to the fortified hill town of Buzet. You then head east to the bright lights of the Adriatic Riviera, summiting Istria's highest peak Mt Vojak (1401m) for incredible 360°; views as far as the Dolomites and Switzerland. Your final two nights are spent in Opatija, once the playground of the wealthy classes in the 19th century. Impressive villas line the shore, shops and cafes cluster around 17th century churches, and fishermen land their catch just outside bustling local restaurants on crowded marinas. there are swimming opportunities every day.

Covid-19 refund commitment

You will get a refund if you have to cancel your trip due to COVID-19.

Availability

This trip is available on request. Please proceed with your booking online or contact our Sales Team for assistance.

Castles to Coast Self-Guided Walk

Discover Venetian castles, Renaissance palaces and hilltop villages

6 Days of Walking & Trekking

Itinerary

Essential Info

Visa

Croatia

Vaccination

Croatia

Eating and Drinking

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

Hotels

Would you like to include flights with your booking?

Looking to set your own pace on your next adventure?

The Adventure Begins Here

Castles to Coast Self-Guided Walk