Top Down Route Tour

Head straight out of Dubrovnik to Makarska, the centre of the region known as Makarska Riviera, a long line of small tourist towns spreading on the coast at the foot of Biokovo Mountain. Follow the traces of Fra. Jure Radic starting from his malacological collection in the city and the botanical garden to Natural Park Biokovo to the highest peak of Biokovo, the 1762 metre high Sv Jure (St. George). See the whole Makarska Riviera, the island and the hinterland at the back of the mountain, strain your eyes even further, some 210 km across the Adriatic and you may see Monte Gargano in Italy as well. Further down the road lies Omiš, the small town of long and glorious history in whose background the canyon of the Cetina River is cut into the picturesque mountainous massif. After the late afternoon ride, dine and enjoy the famous local wines and spend the night in  Split.

Spend the morning in Split centre, looking for Roman Emperor Diocletian or his guards in his famous palace that takes up nearly the whole historical nucleus of the city, checking whether the gates are really made of gold, silver, iron and brass, touching Grgur's toe for luck and much more. Head for National Park Krka, the natural and karst phenomenon. Skradinski Buk, the massive, clear, natural pool with high waterfalls at one end and cascades at the other, and Roški Slap, the cascades, as well as the Island of Visovac with the Franciscan Monastery are the most popular attractions. Pay a visit to Zadar, a fast developing city of vast historical and cultural heritage. Have a cuppa tea in Kalelarga, the high street, or visit more recent urban installations such as Sea Organs or the Greeting to the Sun. Next stop is National Park Plitvice, the series of 16 bigger and a few smaller lakes gradually lined up and separated by travertine barriers formed in the period of the last ten thousand years. Dine and enjoy the local cuisine at the hotel

Walk by the lakes, feed the birds, relax and get ready for the day ahead. At the foot of the Cincar Mountain, near the city of Livno stop to spot the wild horses, the unique herd in the Balkans. Drive by the Buško Lake and head for Tomislavgrad the ancient Daelminium – the centre of the Illyrian tribe Dalmatae, bearing the name after the Croatian king Tomislav crowned there in 925. Meet Mostar, the melting pot of cultures and religions, barter in the bazaar, walk over the UNESCO-listed Old Bridge, and try some local dishes. Dine and enjoy the famous local wines at the hotel

After the traditional cup of coffee made of freshly ground grains, head for Me?ugorje, one of the most frequented sanctuaries, a place of apparition, prayer and a Marian sanctuary, with St James Catholic Church. The road less taken brings you Stolac and numerous archaeological sites from Palaeolithic cave, to the oldest tombstones and ancient fort. The optional visit to Vjetrenica cave is a truly unique natural phenomenon not to be missed. Following the trail on the edge of Popovo Polje, at the foot of the hills bordering with Croatia, brings you to Trebinje, the city of sun, wine and plane trees in the very south of Herzegovina, on the banks of the Trebišnjica River, at the foot of Leotar Mountain. Hercegovacka Gracanica Monastery completed in 2000 is the exact copy of the monastery from Kosovo, and Tvrdoš Monastery is a 15th century complex with the remains of the 4th century Roman church. Farewell dine and the night in hotel 

Depart from Dubrovnik