Croatia Tour for Seniors: Sophistication and Adventure

What to expect on this itinerary
If you have the travel bug and love to travel all over the world, then, for your next destination, Croatia is a perfect choice. The best part is that all of the tedious planning and navigating logistics have already been taken care of for you. Now, armed with this luxuriously handcrafted, 12-day tour, which has been carefully curated with your specific needs and desires in mind, you will have the vacation of a lifetime. As you are whisked away on this epic adventure, you will stay in the most luxurious accommodations, enjoy only the most elite experiences, and witness some of the most awe-inspiring scenery and stunning, natural beauty that this Eastern Europe gem has to offer.
Customizable Itinerary
Dubrovnik – Arrive in Dubrovnik and Discover Its Old City
The minute your flight touches down at Dubrovnik airport, every detail of your upcoming vacation of a lifetime has already been meticulously planned. So, once you make it through customs and grab your luggage, you will be whisked away to your luxurious accommodations in Dubrovnik via private transfer.
Upon your arrival, you can have a brief reprieve to rest and recuperate from your journey before your private driver whisks you away once more. You will spend your first Croatian evening on a private, walking tour of Dubrovnik’s storied Old City. As the saying goes, “If these walls could talk,” then these walls that line this ancient fortress would whisper rich tales of history, sweet nothings of romance, and tell of whimsical hopes and dreams. As you walk around the maze-like labyrinth of narrow streets, you will be swept away in actual Game of Thrones scenes that were shot here, including the Red Keep, the House of the Undying’s dungeon, the Battle of Blackwater Bay, and more. After your tour, your private driver will return you to your hotel.
What's Included:
Dubrovnik – Sip Your Way through a Peljesac Peninsula Wine Tour
Split – Find Your Bliss on a Blue Lagoon Sail and Explore Split
Split – Wander through Wondrous Krka National Park
Zadar – See the City Highlights and Enjoy a Relaxing Evening Sail
Zadar – Hop Aboard a Private Yacht for a Zadar Archipelago Tour
Plitvice National Park – Roam among Waterfalls at Plitvice National Park
Zagreb – Stroll in Zagreb’s Upper Town and Whip up a Gourmet Meal
Zagreb – Marvel over the Istria Region on a Full-Day Tour
Zagreb – Be Dazzled by Varazdin and Two Croatian Castles
Zagreb – Photograph Mount Medvednica on a 4x4 Tour and Join an Exciting Truffle Hunt
Zagreb – Enjoy a Delicious Brunch Before Saying Goodbye
Trip Highlights
- Gaze in wonder at Dubrovnik’s ancient walled city
- Savor the various nuances of Croatian wine in the Peljesac Peninsula
- Immerse yourself in the romantic Rastoke Village and its working watermills
- Snap photos at Plitvice National Park that will make your friends back home swoon
- Become a chef extraordinaire during a private Croatian cooking class
- Marvel at Zagreb’s magical Upper Town and visit famous Dolac Market
- Float on a cloud as you visit Varazdin and two of the country’s beloved fairytale castles
- Roam around the enigmatic Istria region
- Wonder at Croatian wildlife and its waterfalls at Krka National Park
- Embark on an exciting evening truffle hunt
- Indulge in a full day’s private yacht sail around Zadar Archipelago
Detailed Description
Nestled modestly among more garish neighbors that clamor for travelers’ attention with gimmicks, glitz, and glamor, Croatia is an elite destination that stands out among the rest by relying upon its simple charms of stunning, natural scenery, old-world history, and limitless character. From its quaint cobblestone streets and sky-high cathedral spires to its sparkling seashores and stunning wine country, Croatia’s magical locales will leave you breathless and yearning for more. As you embark on this luxuriously handcrafted, 12-day tour, you will first find yourself in Dubrovnik, where its completely walled Old City and fortress will amaze you with its winding, pedestrian-only streets and numerous historical sights. You will even have the chance to see where a few Game of Thrones scenes were filmed, which is always a favorite stop. Then, after sipping through some of the Peljesac Peninsula’s finest wines on a private day tour, you will transfer to the gorgeous, seaside city of Split.
You will begin your time in Split with a lovely stroll around the city and an exhilarating sail to the Blue Lagoon. You will even embark on an epic side excursion to explore Krka National Park. Zadar will welcome you next with a private highlight tour and a full day on your very own private yacht, exploring Zadar Archipelago. You will continue to the captivating Plitvice National Park, where near endless waterfalls and idyllic lakes will steal your heart. You will then fall in love with nearby Rastoke Village’s quaint main street and working watermills before venturing onward to the capital city of Zagreb.
Discover Zagreb’s most darling area as you tour the Upper Town, which is complete with postcard-worthy buildings, cafes, churches, and other various nooks and crannies. You should keep your eyes open for favorites like Zagreb Cathedral, Dolac Market, St. Mark’s Church, and more, but if you do not spot them right away, you will have a private guide who will make sure you do not miss anything. Afterward, a whirlwind tour of the romantic Istria region awaits you. A spectacular stop by beloved Varazdin will be on the itinerary in addition to a visit to two gorgeous, fairytale-inspired Croatian castles. After culminating your European vacation with an off-the-beaten-path, 4x4 photo safari tour, you will spend the night on the hunt, as you join a master truffle hunter in search for one of Croatia’s most sought-after delicacies under a moonlit sky and sparkling stars.
Each night, you will stay in luxury accommodations, be absolutely cared for with private transfers to and from specified destinations and airports, and will have every detail of this deluxe tour catered with you in mind. Learn more about the Croatia travel agents you could be working with, whom we have personally vetted to be one of the best in the industry.
Starting Price
$3,900 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
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 190 reviews
We are a couple in our upper seventies who recently returned from a fabulous 10-day private tour of Croatia. Of the many places we have visited around the globe, Croatia is among our favorites. The country offers extraordinary national parks, a gorgeous, dramatic coastline, warm, friendly people, great food, and a cosmopolitan culture with a rich history. The weather was splendid in late May.
Zicasso's travel specialist worked closely with us to put together an itinerary that was truly perfect in terms of the pace and the types of activities we like to do. She is a great listener and truly understood our concerns as senior travelers. We were very pleased to meet her for breakfast at the end of our trip. Although we had not been directly in touch earlier during the tour, we had the sense that she was checking in with our guides along the way, just to make sure every detail was attended to. When the Meštrović Museum in Split was closed while we were there, she arranged for us to have a private tour, just one example of her thoughtfulness.
At every phase of the tour, we had wonderful drivers and guides. All were extraordinarily interesting individuals, willing to share their personal experiences and opinions about the complicated and painful history of recent decades. We feel we learned a great deal and came to admire the resilience of these remarkable people. Despite great hardship, they remain positive and optimistic, and are very proud to introduce their culture to visitors.
We visited Zagreb, Zadar, Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik, and Mostar, and had walking tours of each. Truly every place we visited offered highlights. Among our favorites: Plitvice Lakes and Krka National Parks (the two are quite different and both are worth seeing); the Meštrović Museum in Split; walking the walls of Dubrovnik; an incredible Middle Eastern lunch following a trek to the historic bridge in Mostar; the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun in Zadar; lunch featuring prawns buzara at a harborside restaurant on a glistening day in the Elaphiti Islands. Indeed, too many fine restaurants to mention!
In sum, Zicasso's travel company created a superlative tour for us, for which we thank our travel specialist and her marvelous team.
See more
We just returned home from a very memorable trip to Croatia. Thanks to Zicasso's travel expert and her company for the terrific itinerary. Dubrovnik, Hvar, Split, Rovinj, and Zagreb were all toured with knowledgeable guides and experienced drivers to get us there!
There were many highlights, including the beautiful Adriatic countryside, Plitvice Lakes National Park, and a dinner with wine pairing. Of course, there were many more delightful experiences, but too many to include all of them!
We received top-shelf transportation, well thought out itineraries, and first-rate services. I would highly recommend this travel company!
See more
This is a summary of our thoughts on our recent trip to Croatia that was created by Zicasso's travel specialist. Overall, we had a really great time.
The hotels that the travel specialist chose for us were terrific. The rooms in our hotels in Split and Dubrovnik were spacious and very comfortable. In fact, the location for all three hotels was excellent. In Split, our hotel was right where the action was. It was a great location. The hotel rooms at our hotel in Hvar were small, but otherwise very comfortable, and the location was fantastic. The travel specialist correctly chose our hotel in Dubrovnik outside of the Old Town. It was not within walking distance of the Old Town, but travel by cab or Uber was very easy and our hotel was beautiful. The breakfast spots in each hotel were beautiful, which was a lovely way to start each day.
At each point in the trip, the arranged rides were right on time and very helpful. The vehicles were all excellent. We had a variety of excursions and the quality was variable. Our first full day in Split we had a food tour mid-morning after we had had a full breakfast. That kind of tour would have been much better in the afternoon. Our guide did not give us very much history of Diocletian's Palace, which we would have enjoyed, but touring the palace was still a delight.
The trip to Krka National Park was beautiful, as well as the brief walk in Šibenik on the way back to Split. Our guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant.
The ferry rides from Split to Hvar and then Hvar to Dubrovnik were uneventful. Transfers to and from the hotels also were smooth.
The tour of Hvar was interesting, although it seemed to be stretched out to get us to our dinner destination at a set time. That particular meal was mediocre and the subsequent trip to a small winery was also not a highlight. That trip could have been done in a shorter period of time and we would have been happy to pick our own dining location. The itinerary read, "Enjoy your authentic Mediterranean meal," but it really was not special.
We were disappointed that we could not see the Blue Cave or the island of Vis, but the weather really did not permit it. The itinerary was clear that weather conditions might affect the itinerary, which they did, but the skipper did his best to keep us relatively close to shore. We were still able to go swimming at a protected cove and had a nice stop at a beautiful winery, which made up for not getting to the cave and Vis. Unfortunately, at one point two of us got seasick and after lunch those two went home to Hvar by taxi. The other two of us had a great afternoon boat ride back to Hvar.
In Dubrovnik we had an excellent guide who showed us the Old Town and guided us to the cable car ride to Mount Srđ. We had a one-day Dubrovnik Pass, which, frankly, was a waste of money. We had toured with our guide and then did the cable car, so there really was not any time to avail ourselves of the things that the Dubrovnik Pass would have given us. If it helps for future planning, we really did not need the pass.
We, as a group, had different feelings about the trip to Montenegro. We did not realize how long the trip actually took. It's a long drive there and back. One of us thought it was worth the effort; the others did not. Our guide was very good. If we had understood what was involved in traveling back and forth, I suspect we would not have pursued the trip. It was relatively late in our tour and a day of rest or a trip back to Dubrovnik would have been a better use of time (and then we would have used the Dubrovnik Pass!)
The last day touring the Elaphiti Islands was also affected by rough seas. Again, it was no one's fault, but we did not get to see everything we had hoped for. That said, our skipper was excellent. We learned quite a bit about Croatia and Croatian life from him, and we had a nice lunch on a beautiful island.
One recommendation that we would like to make relates to tipping. We were very happy to tip everyone along the way, but we had not planned for this, so we were a bit short on the euros that we had brought with us. We would recommend that the travel company include an approximate total of the tips for the trip. That would have been very valuable.
All told, it was an excellent trip, our second Zicasso trip in two years. Thanks!
See more
Overall, our trip was well planned and brought different views to Croatia with each destination we visited. The 3 destinations (Dubrovnik, Hvar, Split) provided us with a different view that allowed us to truly experience the country's culture and highlights.
Zicasso's travel agency had wonderful activities that allowed for a more personable experience. We particularly enjoyed the Karaka boat tour, Hvar wine tasting and island tour and Krka park tour. The tour guides were experienced, interactive, and knowledgeable.
Overall, it was easy to communicate our needs and questions. Would be easier to just use email instead of the portal.
See more
Overall, we had an absolutely amazing trip to Greece and Croatia to celebrate our postponed honeymoon. Zicasso’s travel specialist was a joy to work with. Her communication was excellent from start to finish, and she really tried to get to know us as a couple to better plan the perfect trip!
Once we arrived in Europe, she checked in with us via WhatsApp every day, making sure our travels were going to plan and we were enjoying our time. We traveled to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini in Greece, and Dubrovnik, Split, and Krka National Park in Croatia. Our trip was filled with history, nature, crystal-clear waters, private tours, and lots of adventure.
See more
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.
See more





