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SLOVENIJA & CROATIA
Today Slovenija is one of the best new attractions in Europe,
almost qualifying itself with the jet set crowd as an "It" place
to be. (Toronto Star, April 3 2004.)
Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik. (George
Bernard Shaw)
Where do you go if you can’t decide whether to vacation in
the mountains or by the sea? You come with us to both! We begin
in the small country of Slovenija. With a population of around 2
million, it is a country of amazingly unspoiled beauty virtually
undiscovered by the tourist hordes. Our hotel will be the HOTEL
KOMPAS in the charming, lakeside town of Bled with its medieval
castle 300ft above the lake and fairy-tale baroque church in the
middle of it. The hotel has a pool, sauna and sun terrace overlooking
the majestic peaks of the Julian Alps. Hikes in this area will include
the trail around the north wall of 9500ft Mt. Triglav, the waterfall-filled
Vintgar gorge and glacier-fed Lake Bohinj. Then we cross the border
into Croatia, stopping first in Plitvice Lakes National Park (a
UNESCO World Heritage Site) on our way to the Makarska Riviera along
the Dalmatian Coast. Pristine pebble beaches, old fishing ports,
and unspoiled islands make central Dalmatia an irresistible pleasure
and Makarska is its centerpiece. The HOTEL MARITIMO is an attractive
boutique hotel right on the Adriatic Sea and minutes away from the
port and lively seafront cafes. From Makarska, we shall hike through
the Biokovo foothills, along the Cetina Gorge and to the top of
Vidova Gora on the sunny island of Brač. You cannot go to Croatia and not visit Dubrovnik, so we have included a full-day excursion complete with a guided tour and walk of the city walls.
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