Best of Budapest to Dubrovnik Highlights Tour

Sunset view of the parliament building and Danube River in Budapest, Hungary.

What to expect on this itinerary

Discover history and heritage during your 9-day Croatia highlights tour that takes you from Budapest to Dubrovnik. Experience a rich diversity of cultures by sampling Hungarian recipes and Croatian cuisine. The Zagreb Hinterlands will reveal prestigious castles while Dubrovnik brings medieval grandeur to life. From natural beauty at the Plitvice Lakes to treasured oysters from a family farm, experience the best of Budapest and Croatia.

Countries Visited

Croatia, Hungary

Places Visited

Budapest, Zagreb, Plitvice National Park, Split, Dubrovnik, Hodilje, Trogir

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Customizable Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1

Budapest - Arrive and Explore Budapest

The grandeur of Budapest shines along the banks of the Danube River. The architecture reflects the dramatic history as streets pulse with vibrant life. Your private transfer will meet you at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport upon your arrival. After settling into the pace of the city, your guide will meet you in the lobby eager to introduce you to the fascinating mixture of glamour, history, and culture beginning at Castle Hill. The district encompasses over a half-mile of a limestone plateau. Medieval monuments loom over a network of caves possessing soothing thermal springs.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Day 2

Budapest - Enjoy a Culinary Tour of Budapest

Day 3

Zagreb - Discover the Zagreb Hinterlands

Day 4

Zagreb - Delight in the Cuisine of Zagreb

Day 5

Plitvice - Traverse the Plitvice Region

Day 6

Split - Wander Plitvice National Park and Transfer to Split

Day 7

Split - Revel in the Tastes of Split and Trogir

Day 8

Dubrovnik - Uncover the Charm of Hodilje

Day 9

Dubrovnik - Embrace Dubrovnik and Depart for Home

Trip Highlights

  • Indulge in the luscious flavors of oysters when visiting a family-owned oyster farm in a quiet Croatian village
  • Experience treasured architecture in Budapest on a private tour revealing the depth of history from Ancient Rome to Austro-Hungary and World War II to the Soviet Era
  • Sample the remarkable flavors of Hungarian cuisine on a private tour of Budapest to discover the rich ingredients and diverse spices including the prominent use of paprika
  • Embrace the natural beauty of Croatia when touring the 16 glassy lakes and thundering waterfalls of Plitvice National Park
  • Discover the charm and thrill of viewing bears in their natural habitat when visiting the bear sanctuary in Kuterevo
  • Witness the mixture of dramatic fortresses and enchanting castles when traveling the Zagreb Hinterlands at Trakoscan Castle and Varazdin
  • Delight in lively contemporary culture surrounded by ancient architecture in the city of Split embodied in the preserved design of Diocletian’s Palace
  • Revel in the gorgeous views of the water and preserved historic architecture of Trogir, a small town with marble walkways leading to the seaside promenade

Starting Price

$4,900 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

5.0

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 169 reviews

Croatia Vacation Review: Dubrovnik, Zadar, Split, Trojir, Istria Peninsula, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Oyster & Mussel Farm Tour

My husband and I are very experienced travelers, and recently did to our first trip in Croatia. We had a time restriction for our travels, therefore, we decided to find a personalized tour service, so we could do the most in our seven day trip. We were very fortunate to have worked our travel plans with this travel company. Our agent totally nailed what we were looking for- he made great recommendations, found great hotels, made the perfect itinerary and made sure he had a great team working for us.  My husband had some walking issues, so I was somewhat concerned on our limitations, but we had the best driver who went beyond expectations, plus every guide we met, was very knowledgeable, friendly and extremely helpful with my husband's situation. They all worked very well synchronized relieving us from any stress. One day, due to rain, mid October, plan A had to change, but plan B was not any less great!

The agent also gave us a cell phone for the duration of the trip, so we could reach him at any time and not incur international fees. And during leisure time, he made great recommendations on what to do, and made sure all our restaurants' reservations and extra activities were set for us. And if last minute we needed to make any changes, he would be in charge of those too. In Split, our agent took us to dinner in the old town, we had a lot of fun, and enjoyed a great dinner with great Croatian wines; it just one more way of how he personalizes your trip.

Croatia is a wonderful country, we had great tours of Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir, ibenik, Zadar and the Istria Peninsula; we visited special places like Plitvice National Park, Motovun, Gronzjan; did great activities like Bedalov wine tasting- a small family winery where we tasted great Zins and the owner cooked a feast lunch for us two. Also had a wonderful experience at the private oyster/mussels farm in Malostonski Bay, where in a beautiful setting in the family island, the owner prepared fresh oysters/mussels & buzara and shared with us his family’s homemade grappa, wine & rakija. 

I can't say enough of this trip, I really would like to recommend this company, our experience in Croatia exceeded our expectations and can't wait to come back!

See more

Travel Review: Family Trip to Europe, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Berlin, Venice, Zagreb, Split, Ston, Plitvice & Krka National Parks

Our family did an 8 night trip to Croatia. Our travel agent and her company did an excellent job. Our tour guides, drivers, and accommodations were all terrific. The guides and drivers spoke excellent English, were knowledgeable, and provided good service. Most importantly, our travel agent touched base with us before, every day of our trip and afterward to make sure everything was to our taste. As a small example of their care, my daughter and I ate bad hamburgers at Zagreb national park and became sick. I emailed our agent early in the morning and she had a doctor to our room by 9 a.m. 

Our itinerary was 1 night in Zagreb (with Private tour the next day), Plitvice Falls on the way to Split, 3 nights in Split (with private tours of the city, Togir, Krka national park, wine/food tour, etc.), 2 nights in Hvar (including an entire day on speedboat visiting Vis, Blue/Green Caves, other sights), stop in Ston and 2 nights in Dubrovnik (highlight of the trip). We were amazed that every single guide and driver were good. Highlight in terms of hotel was the hotel in Dubrovnik (5 star). The hotel in Zagreb was also nice. Split and Hvar only have 4 star hotels, but we were mainly out sightseeing.

For both the level of attention, the rate of the vacation was also quite reasonable. They can customize the trip anyway that you want. Net, I highly recommend this travel agent and her company. We will use them again on our next visit to Croatia.

See more

Travel Review: Luxury Honeymoon in Croatia, Dubrovnik, Ston, Split, Trojir, Zagreb, Elefiti Islands, Plitvice Lakes National Park

Words simply do not effectively describe our REMARKABLE 10-day honeymoon in Croatia or our EXCEPTIONAL experience with this agent and this travel company!  Our agent and his company “nailed it” in every aspect…from first rate & interesting accommodations to his personal attention & assurance of an amazing time!  Our agent took the time to learn about us, and provided an itinerary well-matched to our interests. With fantastic tours of Dubrovnik, the Elafiti Islands, Ston & the private oyster/mussel farm in Malostonski Bay (where our guide personally prepared fresh oysters/mussels & buzara and shared with us his family’s homemade wine & rakija) to Hvar where we peacefully relaxed by the sea, traveled by private boat to visit the Blue & Green Caves and “took a dip” in the crystal clear Adriatic waters.  We were privileged to explore Hvar’s countryside, learn of the Plavac grape and finally settle-in for a fabulous wine-tasting & a paired food experience that one may likely never encounter outside of Croatia.  We also had similarly incredible experiences in Split, Trogir, Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes National Park, where the water was near luminescent.  Croatia is truly a hidden gem of the Mediterranean…with a magnificent coast line boasting endless spectacular sights, phenomenal wine and local cuisine, and friendly people.  We’ll be back!

A special thanks to our agent, our chauffeur,  our agent's talented staff, the knowledgeable tour guides and to our travel company.

See more

Croatia& Slovenia Luxury Mother/Daughter Trip Review, Rovinj, Istira, Hvar History, Zagreb, Klis Fortress Tour, Truffle Hunting
My mom and I have done several private tours in Europe in the past and I have to say the planning and orchestration of logistics from this tour company has been the best. All of these 5 star reviews are accurate - the guides and drivers that they work with are all warm, professional & passionate people who are dedicated to creating a customized and memorable experience.  Our trip planner was fully reachable throughout the entire planning process (answering all emails within a couple of hours) and during the trip she was fully reachable as well, answering all of my App messages within minutes, from restaurant reservations to customer service at a hotel. She also planned the entire 10 day trip in under 2 months, so I will always remain impressed with her flexibility and pro-activeness. She also showed up in person to our hotel in Split with a bottle of wine - so I loved how she put the "human connection" to all of our communications and openly asked for feedback, that really added to the overall trip. Our main driver who drove us around for most of the trip was AMAZING. Having been on many private tours before, the driver and guides that are assigned will really make or break the trip. Our driver is awesome, always super punctual, informative, easy-going, a fascinating storyteller, and made my mom so comfortable that she preferred to sit in the passenger seat up front with him instead of sitting with me in the back, haha. We started the trip from Dubrovnik, then to Hvar, Split, Plitvice National Park, Rovinj and the Istria region, Zagreb, followed by a one day side trip to Slovenia before returning to Zagreb to depart from there. That's a lot of driving around but the driver made the experience very fun and we looked forward to seeing him every morning.  

See more

Croatia Tour Review: Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, Plitvice National Park, Cetina Canyon, ‘Game of Thrones’ Tour: 12 Nights

This was my second vacation within a year planned by a Zicasso travel specialist. The adventure met and exceeded our expectations. Our agent made certain to plan the trip based on our desired interests. We are adventure seekers in our 60s and wanted an active vacation, in addition to seeing the sights and learning the history of Croatia.

With her knowledge of the country, she placed us in local, historic boutique hotels that we never would have found on our own. She coordinated our travels and adventures to make for smooth transitions without any waste of time.

Croatia is a beautiful country steeped in fascinating history. Our tours included the sights of Split; a full-day speed boat excursion with stops at Hvar and other, more remote islands; a trip to Plitvice National Park; ziplining in the Cetina Canyon; a visit to an oyster farm for the best-tasting oysters worldwide; a walking Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik; and time on our own exploring.

Five stars plus to our travel agent and her company!!!

See more

Travel Review: Croatia & Slovenia Family Vacation, Ljubljana, Rovinj, Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik, Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia is a fantastic country with bit of everything. We booked 15 days tour with this Croatia travel agency for our trip from Ljubljana to Rovinj to Plitvice to Split to Hvar and then Dubrovnik. Our agent was extremely prompt and flexible in answering our queries and designing the trip. Extremely efficient as well. He is friendly and professional as well. All guides or drivers were always on time and nothing was stressful for us in the trip as everything was well arranged. They went out of their way to make our trip a memorable experience. All the drivers and guides were friendly and willing to give an insight into their beautiful country. Mishap was amazing so was the guide in Dubrovnik, Pula and everywhere else. Our agent was always in touch with us through our trip and also helping us with any restaurant recommendations or any other last minute changes. He also met us at Split for a wonderful dinner giving it a special friendly touch. I would highly recommend this company and also don't event think twice before travelling to Croatia or booking thru this company.

See more

Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

28,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews