Adriatic to the Alps: Gourmet Tour of Croatia, Slovenia & Italy

All five of us agree that Zicasso’s tour operator provided us with one of the best and well-curated tours we have had. From the start in Ljubljana to the awe-inspiring finale at Dubrovnik, we could not have asked for more.

The cooking class in Trsteno was a highlight, as well as the truffle-tasting menu in Motovun and the food-and-wine pairings menu in Goriška Brda.

All the local guides were very knowledgeable and informative, providing us with not just information on the sights, but also the complicated historical background (especially in the Balkans!). They were also very interactive.

The accommodations were stellar.

Especially, our guide/driver was the best; very accommodating, friendly, and personable.

We can't wait to use them again in the future.

Before our trip, Zicasso's travel specialist assured us we would have an amazing, worry-free trip through Slovenia and Croatia. We most certainly did!!

She had us in beautiful, centrally located hotels, on exciting daily excursions with knowledgeable tour guides, and even on a private speedboat ride!! Our journey included historic sites, wonderful museums, and hikes through caverns, waterfalls, and fortresses!!

Any questions we had were answered in the moment, completely and respectfully! Thank you so much to our travel specialist for her caring attention to detail and for making our trip truly memorable!!

The entire nine days of travel from Slovenia to Montenegro were seamless as far as being picked up at the arrival airport and departure as planned. Transportaion was on schedule, which was important to me in a foreign country and eliminated any stress. Each private guide and/or driver throughout our trip was courteous and spoke English, which avoided any misunderstanding about all the wonderful sites we saw.

Lake Bled was absolutely wonderful. The guide parked the van at this family home four blocks from the lake and introduced us to his mother and sister, who welcomed us, and we saw how they lived in this beautiful village. The walk of four blocks to the lake also gave us the opportunity to see more of this quaint place to live. Since the lake does not allow power boats, we and about 20 other people were rowed to the island, where an ancient church was located. We found out that this family, in the past, were the caretakers of the island and our tour guide had to row himself to the shore to go to school and, in the winter, skate to school every day.

Next, we were driven to the castle on top of a small mountain, which had a perfect, 360-degree view of the area. Beautiful!

The next day we went to Plitvice Lakes National Park, with too many waterfalls to count and water that looked as crystal clear as any natural water I have ever seen. The four-kilometer walk upstream was nothing like I've ever seen in the USA.

We spent the night in a wonderful mountain lodge, with individual lodges and an upper-end-style bed and breakfast theme.

Split was a city with parts dating back to the third century, with many Roman influences in its many buildings.

Mostar in Bosnia was very interesting and had a central arch-style bridge which seemed to be a central point for all to see. There was so much we saw that it is too much to describe here.

We also stopped at a wine tasting at the most modern winery I've ever been to. It even had 12 guest rooms, with a pool.

On our way to Dubrovnik, we stopped at Ston to have an unbelievable lunch. At the restaurant, we had an oyster tasting of fresh oysters being farmed several hundred yards from the restaurant. We were served oysters three ways, from raw to fried and baked, and they were the best I will ever eat in my life.

We next went to Dubrovnik, which was particularly interesting to me because it is where Game of Thrones was filmed. Our guide was excellent, as he worked as a "roadie" for the film company, helping set the scenes by taking down modern signs or anything modern, and putting them back after filming. He had large screen shots in a spiral binder and would take us to a cove and hold up the screen shot of the actual scene from the movie to show us the similarity. His behind-the-scenes knowledge of the actors and the reaction from the town and church was beyond expectations. My wife and I were fans of GOT and so excited that we are going to watch if all again one day.

Our last day was in Montenegro, which again was beautiful, and we spent the day next to the water there. We were ferried to a man-made island with an old church on it.

Overall, the Adriatic Sea along the coast of these countries was one of the most beautiful stretches of water you could imagine.

Our expectations of this tour were met and exceeded.

Hello there.

This was our fourth trip with Zicasso. We would consider this trip more of a tour not a curated travel experience. Felt more like tourists than travelers.

Not sure if we received great value working with an extra layer of operators.

Although we would rate logistics and client interaction 10/10 (staff of the travel company were very lovely and professional) not sure there were any great special "treasures" other tourists wouldn't have seen.

Additionally, the descriptions of expectations were way off on a few occasions and totally touristy when local staff suggested alternatives that were what we expected in the first place.

Examples of this were firstly in Bled, Slovenia.

No guide was necessary and we spent a lot of money unnecessarily. It was touristy and should have been a suggested quick stop. The much better choice was a lovely 20-minute drive away (we had our own car at this point) to Lake Bohinj.

Our very sweet bellman in Ljubljana suggested we visit here. It wasn't crowded and spectacular. We would have had a picnic packed for the day and enjoyed the hike here.

Another example is Capri. It was described by the travel company as beginning with an easy motorboat ride with a group (which was fine) a leisurely half-day on the island with shopping and lunch in a romantic cafe.

This was life in Capri maybe 30 years ago. Today it is a shoulder-to-shoulder nightmare.

We were greeted by a guide who informed us that this day was like Formula One. Every second counts! Don't be late for anything!

What anything we thought? Isn't today about just a romantic lunch and leisurely shopping?

We were loaded onto a ferry with 400 people (everyone seemingly much more informed about what lay ahead), then shown cue cards for where to meet and when.

Confused, we were then loaded onto a bus and off to the Grotto. What is the Grotto?

Thankfully my husband and I are good sports and went with the flow. We were ushered into yet another line and lay down flat in a rowboat and ventured through the cave. Although an adventure, the point is we were not informed of this. Next was the chairlift up the mountain. Beautiful. Yes, but more unexpected lines and waiting.

Group lunch next.

Crowded funicular ride down and another 398 people on the ferry home.

No romantic lunch and leisurely shopping for us.

It was all fine in the end. Our guide was excellent. But, you see my point. The travel company needed to explain this. I do believe I suggested Capri as part of our itinerary, but the expectation was as to how it was presented by the travel company. We would have either skipped this and chosen a different way to spend a beautiful day on the Amalfi Coast or been better prepared.

Our hotel in the in Vienna was lovely in an excellent location. The restaurant however was only open for breakfast. Very disappointing. When traveling we like to have the option of having dinner in the hotel and a nice drink in the bar after a day of discovering or a nightcap before bed. All said, in Vienna it felt like we had only a partial home base. Not a great beginning to the trip.

We had an absolutely incredible European adventure! 

If you are dreaming of a seamless and spectacular European getaway like we were, look no further than Zicasso's travel company! Our recent trip for seven siblings across Vienna, Slovenia, Croatia, and Venice was nothing short of magical, all thanks to the incredible expertise of our travel specialist.

From the get-go, our travel specialist listened intently as I described our group's preferences, travel styles, and bucket-list wishes. He didn't just meet our expectations, he soared right past them, crafting an itinerary that felt tailor-made for pure joy and connection. This trip wasn't just a vacation; it was a precious opportunity for us grown-up siblings to laugh, explore, and feel like carefree kids again–truly amazing!

Our phenomenal main guide was the glue that held our adventure together. From our Vienna airport pickup all the way through to our Venice water-taxi send-off, he was a superstar! Always punctual, incredibly knowledgeable about each destination, and a fantastic organizer, he made every day flow effortlessly.

What truly set this experience apart was our guide's amazing flexibility. Whether it was one of many last-minute comfort breaks (much appreciated!), a tweak to the schedule, or an impromptu adventure like an exhilarating toboggan run down Straza hill in Slovenia (epic memories!), he handled it all with a smile. Exploring the breathtaking Postojna Cave and soaring above Lake Bohinj on the Vogel Cable Car were just a couple of the many highlights he helped make happen.

The local city guides were also fantastic, bringing each location to life with engaging stories and a perfect blend of fun activities and fascinating insights. From stunning wineries and delicious culinary tastings to chocolate making, truffle hunting, ancient arenas, and breathtaking historical sites, every day was a delightful discovery.

Thank you! You turned our European dream into a vibrant, unforgettable reality. If anyone is looking for a tour company that truly listens, expertly plans, and delivers an exceptional travel experience, this is the answer. Don't just dream it – book it!

We were very pleased with all the arrangements that Zicasso's travel specialist made for us. Everything went smoothly and her recommendations as we planned the trip were right on. We might have cut our time in Ljubljana short if she hadn't suggested we stay two nights, and what a mistake that might have been! She knows the area and was extremely helpful in helping us form our itinerary, and she kept in touch electronically during the week in case we needed anything or had any questions. We were impressed with her service!

All the drivers were prompt, pleasant, and careful drivers. The local guides were good. I must mention we especially appreciated our guide in Pula, a mine of information on the history! And our guide at Lake Bled; she was informative and personable, thinking even to bring snacks and hot tea for a cool morning hike!