YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE®

Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece 2021

Small Groups: 20-25 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 22)

Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler,

At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these:

In my mind, nothing is more idyllic than the rural villages of the Croatian countryside. To immerse myself in their traditions and everyday life, I love to explore communities like Varazdin, a small city nestled on the Drava River—often referred to as “Little Vienna.” You’ll see what I mean when you visit a local farmhouse here, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet the owner and witness the inner workings of the property. You’ll also get to help the farm’s chef prepare klipici, a doughy baguette, and taste wine made on site in the farm’s wine cellar. You’ll finish your discoveries on the farm over a traditional, farm-fresh meal.

I believe the most moving stories you’ll hear are from the locals who live and work in the regions you travel to around the world, and that is what I found to be true in Dubrovnik when I spoke with Aida Cvjetkovic, a local woman who defied gender expectations during the seige of Dubrovnik. You’ll hear her harrowing story as well when you sit down with her to hear how she and 2,000 other brave women stayed to help their city survive the war—despite the strict gender norms of the time.

The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 20-25 travelers (average 22) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can.

To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests.

So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925.

Love and peace,

Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel

P.S. For more inspiration, you can watch videos and slideshows from travelers like you at www.oattravel. com/traveler-moments. You can also share some of your own favorite moments by uploading your travel videos and slideshows directly onto the trip-specific pages of our website.

USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler

2 CONTENTS

A Letter from Harriet Lewis ...... 2 The O.A.T. Difference...... 4 The Grand Circle Foundation...... 6 The Leader in Solo Travel ...... 7

HIDDEN GEMS OF THE DALMATIAN ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: COAST & GREECE CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Your Adventure at a Glance: Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Shipping & More ...... 75 and What’s Included ...... 8 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ...... 9 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Pre-Trip Extension ...... 27 Croatia ...... 78 Post-Trip Extension ...... 32 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 78 Deck Plans ...... 38 Croatia: A Brief History ...... 79 Dates & Prices ...... 41 Montenegro...... 80 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 80 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Montenegro: A Brief History ...... 81 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. . . 41 Albania ...... 82 No Visas Required ...... 41 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 82 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ...... 43 Albania: A Brief History ...... 83 Vaccines Required ...... 44 Greece...... 84 Money Matters: Local Currency & Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 84 Tipping Guidelines...... 46 Greece: A Brief History ...... 85 Tipping Guidelines...... 49 Slovenia ...... 86 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 51 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ...... 86 Optional Tours ...... 52 Slovenia: A Brief History ...... 87 Communicating with Home from Abroad . . 53 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . 54 RESOURCES Suggested Packing Lists ...... 56 Suggested Reading ...... 89 Electricity Abroad ...... 58 The Balkans ...... 89 Climate & Average Temperatures ...... 60 Suggested Film & Video ...... 92 Aboard Your Ship: Cabin Features, Dining & Services on Board ...... 63 M/V Athena, M/V Artemis & M/V Arethusa ... 63 Ship Specifications ...... 66

O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures...... 95 Notes...... 96 Map ...... 99

3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in the Adriatic

This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled.

SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are hospitality. visiting, so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES stories, food, customs, hidden treasures With 36 regional offices around the world, and more. we are perfectly poised to leverage our local relationships to deliver an excellent experience AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported Engage with local people through visits to by our team in Croatia. farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more.

Toast to new discoveries during your Home-Hosted Dinner Discover the historic treasures of Dubrovnik's Old Town in Gromaca

4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY En riching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece adventure.

GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT A DAY IN THE LIFE GCF was established in 1992 to help change Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like people’s lives in the world where we live, to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an donated $200 million worldwide. exclusive, immersive experience that places you in the heart of a community where you’ll By investing in the places we explore— meet various people where they live, work, including local schools, cooperatives, or arts and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a centers—we hope to give locals the skills and hand with daily chores; and break bread with confidence they need to become leaders of our hosts. their generation and preserve their heritage for many years to come. We’re proud to play Perhaps you’ll join a local resident or a part in preserving precious locales like the community leader for a guided walk through Bryggen waterfront district of Bergen, a living the town, visit a market, or enjoy a unique example of the glory days of the Hanseatic opportunity to meet teachers and students at League, and supporting villages like Harmi in a local school if school is in session. Estonia, whose once-struggling school is now a center of community life. HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the Every culture has its joys and achievements, things that can happen across a kitchen table, and we celebrate them all. But every place so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local also has its challenges, and to gloss over them family in their home for a snack or a meal. would not do justice to those whose stories This is a rare opportunity to witness family need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who life, learn local customs, and taste some deserves more than a sugar-coated version of home-cooked fare. things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will On this adventure, we’ll learn more about lead frank discussions on controversial issues, the rich culture of Croatia’s remote gems like and introduce you to people whose stories will the countryside village of Gromaca, where expand your understanding. you’ll meet village residents and learn more For example, we’ll speak to an investigative about their way of life during a Home-Hosted journalist about the influence of the Albanian Dinner with a local family. mafia over the country’s government, and the violent measures they’re willing to deploy against those who would try to stand up to them.

5 GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION Changing people’s lives, one village, one school, one person at a time

ON THIS ADVENTURE … Dear Traveler, Since our inception in 1992, the Grand Circle In 1992 we established Grand Circle Foundation has pledged or donated more Foundation, an entity of the Lewis Family than $200 million to projects around the Foundation, as a means to give back to world. Here are just a few of the ways we have the world that had already given us so partnered with the communities on this trip.. much. We’ve pledged or donated more than $200 million worldwide to support Albania Earthquake Relief the education of young people and the Total Donations: $20,000 preservation of international treasures In 2019, Albania was rocked by a 6.4 magnitude earth- and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and quake, killing 51 people, and leaving thousands with the conservation of natural resources for homes destroyed and uninhabitable. GCF decided future generations. that the best way to help was providing wood stoves, as the winter had arrived and these families had no Of course, none of this would be possible heat in their tents, and no means to cook. 35 wood without your help. A portion of the stoves were purchased, including the accessories proceeds of every adventure is donated to that come with them, and delivered to these people Grand Circle Foundation—so just as your in their tents. In total, 35 families (almost 175 people) life will be enriched by the discoveries were provided heat for the winter. The next project you’ll make on your journey, you’ll also will be to rebuild one of the buildings that will be help to enrich the lives of the people needed the most by the local community. you’ll meet along the way. Thank you Kivotos Ark of the World for traveling with us, and for helping to Total Donations: $7500 change people’s lives. Kivotos is a youth center, soup kitchen, and shelter Love and peace, that cares for 150 children, 7 days per week. Kivotos is dedicated to providing a safe place for children from hundreds of ethnic backgrounds, religions, languages, and cultures. GCF's support was used to provide Harriet R. Lewis necessities for the shelter including clothes, shoes, Chair, Grand Circle Foundation pencils, notebooks, books, and other essentials.

Rebuild Dubrovnik Fund Total Donations: $55,850 To help in the reconstruction efforts by the inter- national community, GCF donated to the Rebuild Dubrovnik Fund. Donations were used to make repairs to the war-damaged medieval walled city in Croatia, restoring schools, palaces and church roofs to help save building interiors.

www.grandcirclefoundation.org

6 THE LEADER IN SOLO TRAVEL in the Adriatic—and Around the World

ON THIS ADVENTURE … FREE Single Supplements: We don’t The leader in solo-friendly charge a single supplement on this travel for Americans—by adventure and optional trip extensions— the numbers a savings of $4000-$4150 per person compared to other travel companies. But single spaces fill quickly, so early More than 50,000 solo travelers reservations are advised. joined us in the past two years—on their own or with a friend or relative One of our most popular trips for solo travelers. More than 410 solo travelers joined us on this adventure in the past two 15,000 single spaces with a years—either independently or sharing FREE or low-cost Single Supplement a room with a mother, daughter, sister, in 2021—a 76% increase from 2019 or friend.

High ratings: More than 85% of these solo More than 90% of solo women travelers rated their adventure excellent. travelers rated their adventure excellent On average, half of your group will also be traveling independently, so it’s easy to forge special bonds as you experience 51 exclusive women’s departures unforgettable moments together. featured on 25 of our most popular adventures—10 of which are single- You’ll be in good hands, thanks to your only departures dedicated local Trip Experience Leader (a resident of the Adriatic), and the expertise of our regional office team in Croatia.

Increased Single Space: In 2021, we have 87% more single spaces than in 2019, with up to 8 single spaces per departure. See available FREE single space at www.oattravel.com/das2021.

Solo doesn't mean "alone." Three out of eight O.A.T. travelers join our small groups as solos, so you will be in good company.

7 Travel at the lowest prices and per diems in the industry—guaranteed Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece Small Ship Adventure CroatiăÑÖėũāð̇ÁÖũÖơùĢł̇”ķĢŶƑĢóādÖĴāŭ̇œťķĢŶ̇NƑÖũ̇bŋũóŽķÖ̇'ŽðũŋƑłĢĴ̇FũŋĿÖóÖ̳Ά̳MontenegrŏbŋŶŋũ̳Ά̳ AlbaniăŽŶũĢłŶ̇œÖũÖłùÖ̳Ά̳Greece: Corfu, Delphi, Corinth Canal Crossing, Athens

Countries: 4Ά!ĢŶĢāŭ̆13Ά11 Nights Aboard Our Privately Owned 50-Passenger M/V Athena

Small Groups: 20-25 travelers—guaranteed! It’s Included (average of 22) • International airfare, airport transfers, • 22 guided tours (with personal $ government taxes, fees, and airline fuel headsets) and cultural experiences 16 days from surcharges, unless you choose to make 6595 Services of our local Trip Experience your own air arrangements • Includes international airfare Leader with your group of 20-25 Travel from only $413 a day • Accommodations for 3 nights in Zagreb (average of 22) throughout and 11 nights aboard our privately your adventure owned small ship with wireless $ Gratuities for local guides and 15 days from 5695 Internet access • motorcoach drivers Without international airfare 38 meals: 14 breakfasts, 12 lunches, • All port charges 12 dinners—including 1 Home-Hosted • FREE Single Supplement available Dinner—plus all onboard house beer, • Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage wine, and soft drinks per person, including tips • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward Maximize Your your next trip Discoveries & Value To get a richer view of the Included Features on this adventure, Optional extension s : watch our Trip Itinerary video at www.oattravel.com/das2021 Alpine Wonders of Slovenia: Lake Bled & Ljubliana 3 nights pre-trip from $945 Travel from only $315 per night Ancient Glories: Olympia, Nafplion & Athens 5 nights post-trip from $1295 Travel from only $259 per night

Korcula, Croatia

Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece

8 Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece

YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY

BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION 3 nights in Alpine Wonders of Slovenia: Lake Bled & Ljubljana

Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 4 Bled • Optional Postojna Cave & Predjama Castle tour Day 2 Ljubljana, Slovenia • Arrive Bled Day 5 Bled • Explore Ljubljana • Zagreb, Day 3 Explore Bled Croatia • Join main trip

Day 1 Depart U.S. pool and laundry facilities. Typically, each air-conditioned room features a TV, telephone, Fly from the U.S. to Zagreb, Croatia. minibar, and a private bathroom.

Day 2 Arrive Zagreb, Croatia Lunch: On your own—you’ll find numerous restaurants and cafés within walking distance. • Destination: Zagreb You may choose to seek out a restaurant that • Accommodations: Hotel Dubrovnik serves regional classics like Punjene paprika or similar (stuffed peppers). Activity Note: Depending on your arrival Afternoon: After you settle into your room, you time and hotel check-in policy, you may not might take a stroll to the nearby central square, be able to check into your room immediately markets, boutiques, and cafés. upon arrival. Your Trip Experience Leader will advise you of your check-in status and activity Dinner: On your own this evening. Your Trip schedule for the day when you arrive. Experience Leader would be happy to provide suggestions for a taste of home. Perhaps you’ll Morning: Arrive in Zagreb late morning or look to find a restaurant that serves typical early afternoon, depending on your point Croatian dishes, such as Kotlovina—a fried meat of departure. An O.A.T. representative will and vegetables dish that is popular in Zagreb. meet you at the airport and assist with your half-hour transfer to your hotel, where Evening: The rest of the evening is free. This you’ll join travelers arriving from the Alpine might be a good time to adjust to the time Wonders of Slovenia: Lake Bled & Ljubliana difference by relaxing in the hotel’s public areas pre-trip extension. Depending on where you or in your comfortable room. stay, amenities may include a swimming

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

9 Freedom To Explore: During your three days hospital, the artifacts in this museum paint in Zagreb, you have the freedom to explore a sobering picture of war’s affects on every- this historic city on your own during your free day people. time. Below are a few recommended options for • How to get there: Around a 15-minute independent explorations: walk from hotel, about a $10 USD taxi ride. • See the works of one of Croatia’s greatest • Hours: 10am-7pm, Tuesday-Saturday; artists at the Ivan Mestrovic Atelier: Witness 10am-2pm, Sunday. the sculptures of Mestrovic, exhibited in • Cost: Free. the intimacy of his former apartment, and • Delve into Croatia’s food and wine history discover the legacy he built in Croatia and when you tour the Puntijar Gastronomy beyond. As you walk through the house Collection: This private collection of cook- and in the garden, you’ll find Mestrovic’s books and menus, curated by the Puntijar sculptures at nearly every turn. Mestrovic is family, is one of the largest in Europe. You’ll perhaps best known for the exquisite detail find over 2,000 gastronomical relics here, he uses in shaping his figures—as you view including the first Croatian-language cook- the sculpture of his wife in the children’s book published in the early 1800s. Start off play room, for example, you’ll see how daily your visit with a sparkling wine tasting before life unfolding around him inspired his best making your way through the museum with work. And because the house is located off the a local guide. Plus, visit the adjoining wine beaten path, you’ll be able to walk through at cellar dating back to 1925. your own pace in the peaceful quiet. • How to get there: Around a 15-minute taxi • How to get there: Around a 10-minute taxi ride from the hotel, about $10 USD one ride from hotel, about $10 USD one way. way. • Hours: 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday; • Hours: The collection is viewable by 10am-2pm, Sunday. reservation only. • Cost: About $5 USD per person. • Cost: Around $13 USD per person. • Step back into the city’s past at the Zagreb Shelling Memorial Center: It’s easy enough Day 3 Explore Zagreb to learn the story of the Croatian fight for • Destination: Zagreb independence at face value. But what about • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner civilians caught in the crossfires of conflict? • Accommodations: Hotel Dubrovnik Learn about the Homeland War of the 1990s or similar and how the attacks impacted Zagreb through Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel newspaper clippings, films, rare photos, beginning at 7am, with Croatian and American and much more. What led to the Homeland options available. War, and, ultimately, to the rocket attack on Zagreb by Serbian forcess? What was life like Morning: Around 8:30am, you’ll gather for for civilians after the attack? From a single a Welcome Briefing in the hotel. During this ballet shoe representing the bombing of briefing, you will introduce yourself and review Zagreb’s National Theater, to a stuffed bear the itinerary in more detail (including any that was found in the rubble of the children’s changes that may need to occur). Your Trip Experience Leader will also discuss logistics, safety and emergency procedures, and answer

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

10 questions you may have. Afterward around Afternoon: The afternoon is free for you 9am, your Trip Experience Leader will guide to make your own discoveries. The Mimara you on a short orientation walk around the Museum is a short 5-minute walk from your vicinity of your hotel where they’ll point out hotel; you might seize the opportunity to view restaurants they recommend you dine at during its artistic masterpieces and archaeological meals on your own and sites that you can visit treasures. At around 4:30pm, gather in the during your free time. hotel with your fellow travelers and set off for Zagreb’s school of art and design. Here, you’ll Then, at around 9:30am, you and your fellow get a local perspective on a controversial topic: travelers step out on a 2.5-hour city tour of the “brain drain” phenomenon. A professor Zagreb. Begin with a stroll through the Lower from this school will explain why young Town, whose well-designed street grid was people started leaving Croatia in droves upon laid out in the 19th century. Here, you’ll be the country’s decision to join the European introduced to many of the city’s civic and Union. Learn about the educational and job historic monuments, including the fortified opportunities in other countries that enticed Lotrščak Tower and the sprawling Ban locals to leave their home country, as well Jelačić Square. as how this change personally impacted the Then, take the funicular to the older Upper professor you’ll meet today. Town, where you’ll pay a visit to the Croatian Dinner: At around 7pm, you and your fellow Museum of Naive Art, dedicated to the travelers proceed to a local restaurant, untrained European artists of the 20th century. where you’ll dine on local cuisine as you get Many of the colorful artworks are done with acquainted with a Welcome Drink and Dinner. a childlike simplicity, and the bulk of the intriguing collection is rooted in Croatia. Evening: On your own to explore at your Next, discover Zagreb’s medieval landmarks, own pace. Tkalciceva Street is a good place to such as St. Mark’s Church and the neo-Gothic enjoy the city’s nightlife. Or, if you prefer the Cathedral of the Assumption, which you will Lower Town, you might check out the bars and have the opportunity to admire from the nightclubs set between Trg Petra Preradovića inside as well. and Bogovićeva.

At around 11:30am, you’ll visit Dolac, Zagreb’s most vibrant open-air market. Here, you’ll Day 4 Zagreb • Explore Varazdin • find vendor stalls of colorful produce and Farm visit a variety of local ingredients. Peruse the • Destination: Varazdin lively stalls as you stroll beneath a canopy of • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch bright red umbrellas. Your tour ends here at • Accommodations: Hotel Dubrovnik around 12:15pm. or similar

Lunch: On your own. Perhaps you’ll sample Activity Note: Today’s itinerary includes a some fresh, local produce you picked up at walking tour of about two hours. Those who are Dolac. Or you may seek out a popular local dish unable to participate are welcome to remain in like strukli, which is cottage cheese- and sour Zagreb and explore independently. cream-stuffed pastry.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

11 Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel Afternoon: At about 3pm, you’ll board a coach beginning at 7am, with Croatian and American for the hour-long return trip to Zagreb. The options available. rest of the afternoon is free. You might get a bird’s-eye view of the city at the Zagreb 360° Morning: Today, you’ll venture into the observation deck on Ban Jelacic Square. Croatian countryside to Varazdin, a beautifully preserved Baroque city that’s often compared Dinner: On your own—there’s always to Vienna. For centuries, this was the home someplace new to try within walking distance of several aristocratic families, who built of the hotel, with choices ranging from cozy to magnificent palaces and churches that continue elegant and from burgers to French, Eastern to grace the city today. You’ll set out on a bus at European, African, and Japanese. around 9am, arriving at around 10am. You will Evening: You may wish to retire after dinner then take a short, 15-minute walk to the city’s tonight. Or enjoy a nightcap at the hotel or at a centerpiece: its castle. Surrounded by a moat nearby bar. and entered via drawbridge, it is now a museum featuring antique furniture from different eras. Begun in the twelfth century, the castle Day 5 Zagreb • Explore Plitvice Lakes • was still used as a seat of local government Split • Embark ship until 1925, and is set in a park with striking • Destination: Plitvice Lakes landscaping. Enjoy an hour-long tour with a • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner museum curator in this historical setting. • Accommodations: M/V Athena

At around 11:15am, you’ll embark on a Activity Note: This morning’s activities include 45-minute walking tour of Varazdin with two motorcoach transfers: the first of about a local guide. You’ll then have another 45 2.5 hours to the Plitvice Lakes region, and the minutes or so on your own to roam the streets second of about three hours to Split. There will and admire the Baroque architecture of this be stops as needed en route. Your three-hour “Little Vienna.” Then at around 12:45pm, your walking tour of the Plitvice Lakes region small group drives for about 15 minutes to a includes uneven ground and several sets of local farmhouse. Your two-hour visit gives you stairs (up to 300 stairs, uphill and downhill). a unique perspective on rural life in Croatia. Also, please note that agility will be required to You’ll meet with the owner of the farm who board the M/V Athena. When embarking your will share insight into the inner workings of small ship, keep in mind that the gangplank the property before you help the farm’s chef may be steep, and elevators are not available prepare traditional klipici, a doughy baguette. onboard. This Small Ship Adventure includes Then, you’ll continue to savor the flavors of long stretches of sailing, where rough sea the farm when your hosts lead you to their conditions are possible. wine cellar for a tasting of the varieties that are cultivated here. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel beginning at 6:30am, with Croatian and Lunch: At the farm around 1pm. Savor a American options available. farm-fresh lunch with ingredients that were cultivated on the property. Morning: Departing at around 8am, you will travel overland to the Plitvice Lakes National Park, arriving around 10am. This 114-square-mile national park has at its heart

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

12 16 vibrant turquoise lakes linked by a multitude appetizer, soup, entrée, and dessert—including of crashing waterfalls and dramatic cascades. regional options—and complimentary The magnificent natural wonder has been house beer, house wine, and soft drinks. recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Half-portions are available upon request.) since 1979. Enjoy a three-hour exploration of Evening: The rest of the evening is free. Your this beautiful region’s lakes, during which you ship remains moored at Split overnight. You can choose to follow less or more strenuous might take advantage of the opportunity paths depending on your preference. Around to stroll along the lovely and well-lit Riva 1pm, we cap off our discoveries and drive for 30 seaside promenade, just a ten-minute walk minutes to a local restaurant. from the ship. Lunch: Around 1:30pm at a local restaurant, Freedom To Explore: During your two days featuring traditional cuisine. in Split, you have the freedom to explore this Afternoon: At around 2:30pm, you’ll set off on coastal town on your own during your free a transfer of about three hours to Split, which time. Below are a few recommended options for is on the Adriatic seacoast in the Croatian independent explorations: province of Dalmatia. When you arrive in • Delve deep into the culture of Split on a Split, you’ll embark your small ship. For Jewish Tour: Discover some of the most the next eleven nights, our privately owned important sites of Split’s Jewish history and 50-passenger vessel will be your home. The culture on an approximate 2-hour tour. As ship is staffed by a friendly, English-speaking you walk through some of Split’s important crew who will be eager to welcome you aboard Jewish sites, you’ll learn from a local guide and show you to your room. Each of the ship’s about the history of the Jewish ghetto, outside-facing cabins features a porthole or Rodrigos Street, the city synagogue, and balcony, flat-screen TV, air-conditioning, and much more. Learn about how this small but its own private bath. influential community in Split came to be, Around 6:45pm, your Captain will conduct a and discover the legacy of Jewish heritage safety briefing. At the conclusion, you’ll have throughout Croatia. time to get acquainted with the ship’s inviting • How to get there: Around an 11-minute common areas. The lounge is equipped with taxi ride from Split harbor, about $10 USD couches and chairs and a coffee-maker, and the one way. adjacent bar serves complimentary house beer, • Hours: Schedule upon request. house wine, and soft drinks throughout the day. • Cost: $85 USD per person for 2-hour tour; A topside Sun Deck features ample wooden deck price can be negotiated for groups. chairs for admiring the scenery. Complimentary • Taste your way around Split at a Dalmatian wireless Internet is available in all cabins and Food and Wine Tasting: With legendary common areas—the front desk staff will be Diocletian’s Palace as your backdrop, follow happy to provide you with an access code. a local guide through the city center. Along Dinner: At around 7:30pm in the ship’s dining the way, stop at local stands and shops to room. As with all the dinners during your sample some of Croatia’s finest, from fresh cruise, the dress code is relaxed and smart bread, to golden olive oil, to aromatic wines casual, and you are free to sit at whichever and beyond. You’ll learn about how Croatia’s table you please. You’ll be offered a choice of

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

13 wines and olive oils are produced, and cap Morning: At around 7:45am, your Captain off your discoveries with a traditional lunch will introduce you to your ship’s crew. Then, and dessert. at around 8am, embark on a roughly 2.5-hour • How to get there: Around a 10-minute walking tour of Split’s Old Town with a local walk from Split harbor, about an $8 USD guide. Here, you’ll discover the Imperial Palace taxi ride one way. of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. This UNESCO • Hours: Every morning starting at 9am. World Heritage Site is the greatest Roman • Cost: About $95 USD per person. ruin in Southeastern Europe. As modern Split grew, it built around the site—incorporating • Visit the Ivan Mestrovic Gallery for an their ancient heritage with the new. Built like impressive array of famous works: See a fortress with walls 590 feet by 705 feet, the renowned artist Ivan Mestrovic’s drawings, palace was occupied by the Emperor Diocletian sculptures, furniture, and architecture in an from AD 300-313. impressive building based on the original blueprints designed by Mestrovic himself. The medieval town of Split took shape within The design included living and working areas, the palace walls; Diocletian’s Temple of Jupiter as well as exhibition spaces. The collection was converted into a Christian baptistery housed here showcases a variety of his work and his mausoleum became a cathedral. The from the 1920s. The building features large entire old section of Split, with the palace as its windows that let in natural light and offer centerpiece, is a virtual open-air museum with a view of the Adriatic that the artist himself the city’s contemporary life bustling through may have enjoyed gazing upon a century ago. it. At the end of your tour, you’ll have about • How to get there: Around a 15-minute 1.5 hours to enter this timeless spirit as you walk from Split harbor, about a $10 USD explore the shops and alleyways on your own. taxi ride one way. Lunch: Lunch will be served buffet style • Hours: 9am-4pm, Tuesday-Saturday; onboard at around 11:30am. Enjoy a choice of 10am-3pm, Sunday. regional and international options that include • Cost: About $6.50 USD per person. soups, entrées, and desserts, as well as a salad bar with condiments. Complimentary house Day 6 Explore Split beer, house wine, and soft drinks are always • Destination: Split available. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Afternoon: Explore more of Split at your • Accommodations: M/V Athena own pace. You might climb the bell tower for Breakfast: All breakfasts onboard are served sweeping views of the city and the Adriatic buffet-style in the ship’s dining room. You beyond. Browse the stone carvings, jewelry, may choose from an assortment of familiar armor, and other exhibits of the Museum of options—including hot and cold cereals, eggs, Croatian Archaeological Monuments, or admire sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, and toast. Breakfast the sculptures and other artwork by a famous service is from 7am-8am today, and you are Croatian native son at the Ivan Mestrovic welcome to dine at your convenience. Early Gallery. Or join the locals on a stroll through risers can enjoy coffee and pastries beginning at Strossmayer’s Garden, a public park whose 6:30am in the lounge. centerpiece is a beautiful fountain.

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14 At around 5:45pm, join your small group in the time. Then, enjoy time to explore the town lounge for the first in a series of nightly Port on your own. One popular activity is climbing Talks. These informative conversations, led by the hillside to the city’s ancient fortress. your Trip Experience Leader, will give you an Experience the Venetian flavor that reflects overview of the following day’s itinerary and Hvar’s long history of rule by that city-state as prepare you for the destination ahead. you stroll its picturesque streets. Or watch the world go by from a sidewalk café. Dinner: At around 6pm, you and your fellow travelers will be invited to the dining room Next, at about 10:30am, drive for about for your Captain’s Welcome Dinner. While the 30 minutes to the quaint seaside village of dress code remains relaxed and smart casual, Vrboska, which lies in a cove surrounded by some travelers opt to wear a day dress or slacks pinewood forests and lovely beaches. Here, to this event. you’ll visit a winery and meet with the owner who will explain the history of her family Evening: Perhaps you’ll relax in the lounge or business and what her typical routine entails gaze at the night sky from the Sun Deck. throughout the year. After, enjoy a tasting of some of the varieties that are cultivated here. Day 7 Explore Hvar • Vineyard visit • Croatia Today conversation • Korcula Your roughly four-hour tour ends with a ride through the island, known for its aromatic • Destination: Hvar patches of lavender, rosemary, and heather at • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner certain times of the year. • Accommodations: M/V Athena Lunch: Return to the ship for lunch onboard at Breakfast: Your ship approaches Hvar, a small around 1pm. Enjoy the view as your ship lifts port that larger ships are unable to reach. Take anchor and sets its compass toward Korcula, in the view as you enjoy a buffet breakfast, the largest island in the archipelago and home available onboard from 7am-8am. Early risers to a medieval town. can enjoy coffee and pastries beginning at 6am in the lounge. Afternoon: Relax onboard this afternoon, perhaps catching up on your travel journal or Morning: At around 8:15am, you’ll go ashore to emailing stories of your discoveries to family stroll around the island of Hvar, known as one and friends. Or you might get a more sweeping of Europe’s most beautiful islands. Occupied view of the passing scenery from the Sun Deck. since at least 3500 BC, beautiful Hvar has been ruled variously by the Greeks, Romans, At around 4pm, regroup for an informative Ottomans, Austrians, and French, without conversation with your Trip Experience Leader ever losing its character as a place of fresh about daily life and politics in contemporary fish, wild herbs, and verdant vineyards. With Croatia. After this hour-long talk, you will have warm summers, mild winters, and more than a little time to relax before a 6:45pm Port Talk. 2,715 hours of sunlight in an average year, it is Dinner: Dinner is served onboard at arguably the sunniest spot in Europe. around 7pm. On arrival in Hvar town, enjoy a brief Evening: Perhaps you’ll relax in the lounge or orientation walk. Your Trip Experience gaze at the night sky from the Sun Deck. Leader will point out ATMs, restaurants they recommend, and sites you can visit during free

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15 Day 8 Explore Korcula • Island Life the 14th-century All Saints’ Church. Or view conversation • Dubrovnik the exhibits at the Memorial Collection of Maksimilijan Vanka on the waterfront nearby. • Destination: Dubrovnik • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner At around 10am, a resident of the island • Accommodations: M/V Athena comes aboard the ship to describe what life is like in Korcula. Gain a firsthand perspective Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard of everyday life here during this hour-long from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee conversation. Or continue your independent and pastries beginning at 6am in the lounge. discoveries ashore. Morning: Around 8am, you’ll step off your ship Lunch: Revel in sunlight and seabreezes over and into the heart of historic Korcula which, lunch on the Sun Deck, beginning around among other things, has been the center of 11:45am (weather permitting). Or remain in proud music and dance traditions such as the Korcula and find a café for lunch on your own. warrior-like Moreska sword dance. Afternoon: Following lunch around 1pm, you You’ll visit the spot believed by many historians will have the remainder of the afternoon to to have been Marco Polo’s birthplace (only relax. Your ship casts off for Dubrovnik around one stone wall of the house remains). You 3:30pm. You might head up to the Sun Deck will also get acquainted with Korcula town’s to enjoy the open air and scrolling sea views, history, which included centuries of rule by take a nap in your cabin, or head to the lounge Venice, with a visit to its local museum, set in a for conversation with new friends you’ve 16th-century palace. made on your cruise. Today’s Port Talk occurs The next highlight of your tour is St. Mark’s around 6:15pm. Cathedral on the main square. Here, a local Dinner: Dinner is served onboard around guide will share the historical importance of 6:30pm tonight. the Roman Catholic Church in Korcula. Admire the church’s detailed Romanesque portal by Evening: Your ship arrives in Dubrovnik around Bonino of Milano depicting Adam and Eve on 8pm. Behold a sea of red roofs, illuminated by either side and St. Mark perched at the top. the city lights, reflecting in the shimmering Inside the cathedral, you’ll see a 16th-century waters that surround Dubrovnik. A courtesy painting by the master Tintoretto above the bus will be available around 8:45pm to take you main altar. Even more treasures await as you into the city, if you wish. Your Trip Experience visit the Bishop’s Treasury—a sketch by Da Leader can offer suggestions for enjoying the Vinci, drawings by Raphael, and paintings by nightlife here. Italian masters like Carpaccio are standouts. Freedom To Explore: During your two days in Your explorations also includes the treasury of Dubrovnik, you have the freedom to explore the 14th-century Abbey Palace. the “Pearl of the Adriatic” on your own during Cap off your discoveries around 10:45am. your free time. Below are a few recommended You may then return to the ship or remain in options for independent explorations: Korcula and explore on your own. You might • Discover Dubrovnik’s culture—past and admire the baroque palaces that line the town present—at Desa Dubrovnik: Observe the square. Visit the Icon Museum, located near community’s progress in improving the local

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16 economic, social, and cultural environment. food from local specialists as you treat your This passionate group works to strengthen palate to fine wine. During your tour, you’ll the place they call home by actively respond- experience a variety of Croatian flavors as ing to citizens needs, elevating women and you visit some of the oldest favorite spots in minority groups, and raising awareness of Dubrovnik, known for their cozy and hospi- lifelong education and learning. During your table atmospheres. Tour groups are small, visit, participate in a one-hour workshop on ensuring an intimate experience and allowing preparing holiday sweets, weaving, embroi- you to ask any questions you may have. dery making, and other traditional skills that • How to get there: About a $10 USD taxi ride preserve the local culture. from hotel. • How to get there: About a $10 taxi ride, one • Hours: Schedule upon request. way from Dubrovnik harbor. • Cost: About $92 USD per person. • Hours: Open year-round; 9am-4pm; call to schedule tours on specific days and Day 9 Explore Dubrovnik • Controversial times. Topic: Aida Cvjetkovic on defying gender • Cost: About $12 USD entrance fee for roles during the siege of Dubrovnik • groups of 10 or more, about $17 USD for Gromaca village • Home-Hosted Dinner groups of less than 10, and about $23 USD • Destination: Dubrovnik for workshops. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Experience Dubrovnik’s traditional jewelry • • Accommodations: M/V Athena designs at Clara Stone Jewelers: Witness how experts create beautiful jewelry out Exclusive O.A.T. Activities: During today’s of coral and natural materials. This inde- discoveries we will learn about a Controversial pendent brand is dedicated to innovative Topic when we meet Aida Cvjetkovic, a design using resources from the Adriatic, local woman who defied gender norms and such as sought-after red coral. During your organized 2,000 fellow women to risk their visit, perhaps you’ll engage the artisans in lives and stay behind to help render aid to a conversation about their inspiration for soldiers and civilians during the 7-month siege these unique pieces and learn more about of Dubrovnik that began in 1991. Later, we’ll the history and evolution of their business. immerse ourselves further in Croatian culture To secure your spot at a presentation, talk to when we join a local family in the village of your Trip Experience Leader about making a Gromaca for a Home-Hosted Dinner—read reservation. more about these experiences below. • How to get there: About a $12 USD taxi Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard ride, one way from Dubrovnik harbor. from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee • Hours: Open year-round; 9:30am-8pm and pastries beginning at 6am. (summer season); 9:30am-7pm (winter Morning: With its old section, the Stari Grad, season); call to schedule tours on specific surrounded entirely by white stone walls, days and times. Dubrovnik gleams like the proverbial City on a • Cost: Free. Hill. Regarded today as one of the world’s most Try the best local restaurants on the • exquisite walled cities, Dubrovnik’s character Dubrovnik Gastronomy Wine and Food reflects its storied past as an independent Tour: Let an expert guide take you to sample city-state that rivaled Venice. Also known by

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17 its Latin name, Ragusa, this was a fortress two teenage sons, she was torn between her city that served as the base for a fleet of ships love of her homeland, and her instinct to flee that carried trade between much of Europe with her children and bring her family to safety. and the Middle East. The city-state’s period of In the end, it was her boys who appealed to autonomy extended from 1358 to 1808. In the her sense of duty and convinced her to stay in early 1990s, some of Dubrovnik’s historic sites this moment of truth. With the city falling to sustained damage during the Balkan conflicts, ruin around them, they took advantage of their but the city has been peaceful for more than good health to render whatever aid they could 20 years and largely restored under UNESCO and help their fellow citizens make it through supervision. This restoration work has been the siege. supported with a donation from Grand Circle We’ll hear how Aida led the charge and within Foundation. two days organized around 2,000 other Departing around 8am, you’ll discover the women to join her and sign a pledge to stay highlights of this historic gem on a walking and help. This act, which earned the ire of the tour, which will last a little over 1.5 hours. city’s male-dominated old guard, formed a Dubrovnik Women’s Forum which would play At around 10am, we will walk to Art Radionica a pivotal role in helping the city survive the Lazareti, a local artisan center. Here, we’ll war. On November 1, the Libertas Convoy—a meet a local woman, Aida Cvjetkovic, for a grassroots humanitarian fleet of 29 civilian conversation about a Controversial Topic: the vessels—braved the Yugoslav blockade to role of women during the siege of Dubrovnik, deliver supplies and prominent politicians and how courageous women like her defied and celebrities to draw international attention gendered expectations to help their city to Dubrovnik’s plight. Although Aida had survive the war. the opportunity to join the refugees that the When the Yugoslav People’s Army began its fleet would carry back with it, she held to bombardment of Dubrovnik on October 1, her principles and stayed behind to continue 1991, local and foreign leaders reacted with an her work. old-fashioned instinct: Get the women and Although she never carried a weapon, she children out first. Women like Aida, however, was never far from the frontlines as she refused to be treated as helpless victims, carried supplies to soldiers and civilians, knowing they had as much to offer their and worked with local and international beloved homeland as their male compatriots. authorities—including Bernard Kouchner, Together, they made the hard choice to defy the co-founder of Doctors Without Borders, the chorus of voices pressuring them to leave and then European Union envoy to the and stayed behind, putting their lives at risk to city—to help deliver aid and draw attention render aid and support, and starting a rebellion to the beleaguered city. She and other Forum against Croatian gender norms whose effects members even negotiated with Yugoslav can still be felt today. politicians and military leaders to fight for the During our hour-long conversation with Aida, release and fair treatment of Croatian prisoners we’ll hear about why she decided to stay, and of war. While her fierce advocacy made her few listen to her harrowing perspective of what she friends, she never shied away from doing what endured as a consequence of this decision. The was right. choice wasn’t made lightly—as the mother of

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18 Aida’s work to assist Dubrovnik’s defenders Lunch: Lunch is served onboard, beginning painted a target on her back, and she spent the around 1pm, or you may stay in Dubrovnik war in constant danger. In mid-November, her and enjoy one of the city’s many cafés at your home was obliterated by Yugoslav artillery, own expense. and she experienced many more close calls Afternoon: Relax onboard this afternoon, or throughout the siege—including an incident continue your exploration of Dubrovnik. You in which the force of an exploding mortar shell might take in a bird’s-eye view of the city on knocked her to the ground, shattering a glass a cable car ride. Or visit some of Dubrovnik’s bottle of water she was carrying back to her hidden museums, such as the state archives at family. Later, she would learn that these near Sponza Palace, a 16th-century former customs misses were no coincidence—intelligence house and mint. gathered from retreating Yugoslav forces revealed her name on a list of targets to be Dinner: Beginning around 5:45pm, drive by silenced. motorcoach to Gromaca, a village of around 150 people near Dubrovnik where we’ll split into When the siege was lifted on May 31, 1992, 194 smaller groups of no more than 6, and join a soldiers and 88 civilians lay dead, and around local family for a Home-Hosted Dinner. 15,000 people were made refugees. The attack on Dubrovnik was an act of aggression that We’ll begin our experience at around 6:30pm shocked the world—but, if not for the actions when we arrive in Gromaca and take a of Aida and the brave women she helped to 15-minute stroll through the village with our inspire, the toll would have been much worse. hosts to meet the residents and catch a glimpse The work they started continues today in the of daily life here. Then, at around 6:45pm, we’ll form of Deša, an organization that aids women sit down at the table and share a meal with our and families affected by war around the world. host family.

Aida will spend around 20 minutes sharing her By separating into smaller groups, we’ll story, and we’ll then have the remainder of have an exclusive opportunity to enter the the hour to ask questions and take advantage homes of Gromaca’s residents and connect of her firsthand perspective of this deadly intimately with them to learn about what life period of Dubrovnik history, and how its impact is like here. Our hosts hail from a variety of ripples into the modern day. You may want to working- or middle-class backgrounds, and inquire into how Aida has seen the treatment of multiple generations of the family might be women in Croatia change since she organized present during our meal, offering a broad view the pledge 30 years ago; did women prove of village life in Croatia. Long-term residents their worth during the siege of the city, or may also be able to offer their perspective of do old-fashioned attitudes about the role of what life here was like during wartime in the women still abound? 1990s—Gromaca was pillaged by the Yugoslav People’s Army during that conflict. The rest of the morning is free. Perhaps you’ll stroll the Stradun, the pedestrian-only main We’ll also enjoy a taste of authentic street through the heart of the Old Town, home-cooked Croatian cuisine as we share a and admire the ornate Onofrio’s Fountain. At typical meal that our host family would enjoy around 12pm, you can catch a shuttle back to in their day-to-day lives. We might enjoy the ship. vegetable soup, prepared with locally grown

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19 garden-fresh crops, followed by a traditional In the Middle Ages, Kotor was a walled city dish like sporki makaruli (colloquially known and an important artistic and commercial as “dirty macaroni”), a meat and pasta center, with well-known schools of masonry dish historically enjoyed by the servants of and iconography. Upon arrival at about Dubrovnik’s aristocracy, who would prepare 11:45am, we’ll discover the well-preserved it with the leftovers of feast day meats. For historic center of this ancient Montenegrin dessert, we might get a taste of rozata, a cold city on a 45-minute walking tour. Admire the custard crème dessert flavored with rozulin, an architectural splendor that surrounds us as we aromatic liqueur made from roses. explore the Stari Grad (Old Town), and visit the Maritime Museum, which highlights the long At around 8:15pm, we’ll bid our hosts farewell and proud sailing traditions of Kotor, including and return by private motorcoach to our ship, navigational tools and maps dating to 1168. arriving at around 9pm. After our tour, we’ll stop for lunch. Evening: Return to your ship around 9pm. The Lunch: At a local restaurant in Kotor at rest of the evening is free to enjoy the ship’s around 12:30pm. amenities. Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll board our Day 10 Dubrovnik • Explore Kotor, motorcoach for the return drive to Dubrovnik, Montenegro arriving at our small ship by about 4pm. • Destination: Dubrovnik Dinner: Dinner is served onboard at • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner around 7pm. • Accommodations: M/V Athena

Activity Note: Today’s walking tour includes Evening: Your ship docks in Dubrovnik tonight. several sets of stairs (up to 50 stairs, uphill and This might be a good time to turn a few pages in downhill). that book you brought with you, or catch up on your travel journal. Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee Day 11 Dubrovnik • A Day in the Life of a and pastries beginning at 6:30am in the lounge. Konavle village Morning: At around 8:45am, we’ll depart by • Destination: Dubrovnik private motorcoach for a 2.5-hour drive to • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Montenegro, a small Mediterranean country • Accommodations: M/V Athena at the foot of the Balkan mountain range. Our destination is Kotor, a picturesque walled city O.A.T. Exclusive Activity: Today’s discoveries nestled at the head of Kotor Bay, Europe’s include our NEW A Day in the Life experience. deepest fjord. Along the way, we’ll also enjoy We’ll split into two groups to enjoy one of two a brief conversation with our Trip Experience different, but equally rewarding, experiences Leader that reveals Kotor’s turbulent history in the rural Konavle region of Croatia. Whether as a strategic port that has been variously you visit with the Butjer family at their winery ruled over the centuries by Bulgaria, in the village of Drvenik, or meet the Brautovic Serbia, the Ottoman Empire, the Venetian family at their agricultural estate, you’re sure Republic, Napoleon’s French Empire, and Austria-Hungary.

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20 to get an intimate, personal view of daily village Marijana lives here on the farm with the rest of life in Croatia. Read more about one of these her family—in addition to her husband, we’ll experiences below. meet her daughter Matea and her son Antonio, both university students in their 20s who are Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard happy to spend their time at home with their from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee family, helping to run the farm and winery. and pastries beginning at 6am. Matea in particular has an interest in following Morning: We will depart by private motorcoach her mother’s footsteps in the wine trade, and at 9am to being our NEW A Day in the Life is working hard to perfect her own vintage of experience in the rural region of Konavle. rosé. Marijana’s mother, Ane, also lives on the To allow for a more personal experience, estate, sharing her culinary wisdom with her we will split up into two smaller groups of children and grandchildren. no more than 25 to enjoy two different, but After about a half hour of introductions, we’ll equally-enriching cultural encounters. break up into smaller groups at around 11am The first group will meet the Butjer family to enjoy some hands-on activities as we help at the village of Drvenik—read about this out with chores around the farm. You might experience in detail below. The second group choose to help Antonio at the chicken coop will visit an agricultural estate owned by the to gather eggs, or join Matea in the garden to Brautovic family, which has lived on this pluck vegetables, which will be prepared later property for more than 500 years. for our shared lunch. You can also choose to join Marijana in the kitchen to help bake bread and For those meeting the Butjer family, you’ll learn to make paradizot, a traditional Croatian arrive at the village of Drvenik—a small cold layered dessert made of biscuits, egg white community of around 500 people—at around dumplings, cream, and liqueur. Others can join 10:30am. You’ll step off the motorcoach and Ivo at the vineyard to learn more about the local walk to the family-owned Botaro winery where vintages made at the winery, or help feed the you’ll meet your hosts and share introductions farm’s two donkeys, Toso and Cupko. over some light refreshments of homemade grappa and arancini (candied orange peel). Lunch: At around 12:30pm, we’ll gather back together to enjoy lunch with the whole family. The head of the family is Marijana, an energetic Our meal might consist of meat and potatoes woman in her 50s who left behind a career cooked “under the bell” in typical Croatian in retail management to work on the family style, along with grilled vegetables and a fresh winery here in Drvenik with her husband, Ivo. salad. For dessert, we’ll savor the paradizot that In many ways, Marijana’s story is atypical some of us helped prepare in the kitchen earlier. of this region—it is rare for women to be the All of the ingredients for our meal will be farm heads of their household in Konavle, especially fresh and locally-sourced, and created from one who originally hails from Bosnia and recipes passed down and perfected by Ane. Herzegovina like Marijana. Nonetheless, she has quickly taken to her lifestyle and Afternoon: At around 1:30pm, we’ll help ingratiated herself with her community, which Matea and Antonio clear the table and wash we’ll see for ourselves later in the day as we the dishes—a task that traditionally falls to explore the village. the youth of the family in Konavle—and then join the Butjers for post-meal coffee and

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21 conversation on the veranda at around 2pm. a floor entirely covered in Old Testament We’ll also spend about an hour taking an easy mosaics—and glass cases that display the stroll through the village and talking to the skulls and bones of 800 Otranto locals who were locals that we meet along the way to learn more killed by invading Turks when they wouldn’t about what life is like in Drvenik. We’ll bid our convert to Islam in 1480. The martyrs of hosts farewell at around 3pm and then return Otranto are still celebrated in Italy. by private motorcoach to our ship, arriving After our walking tour concludes at around at around 4pm, when our ship sets sail for 10:45am, we’ll board a private motorcoach for Otranto, Italy. about a 35-minute drive to a local masseria, or Dinner: Share your day’s discoveries with your farm. During our visit, we’ll get an intimate travel mates as you sit down to dinner onboard look into everyday life on the masseria and around 7pm. learn what it’s like to live in the Italian countryside. Upon arrival, we’ll meet the Evening: You can relax on deck or retire to your owners of the farm, who will take us on a stroll cabin as we cruise all night across the Adriatic through their property, including their small to reach Otranto, Italy. petting zoo—where cows, horses, and other animals graze freely. We’ll then get a chance Day 12 Otranto, Italy • Farm visit with to witness the entire process of how cheese is lunch and pizzica performance produced from farm to table. First, we’ll help • Destination: Otranto out with milking the cows, one of the main • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner farm chores. This is a great opportunity to experience life here firsthand as we learn about • Accommodations: M/V Athena their farming practices and techniques. Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee Afterwards, we’ll enjoy the fruits of our labor and pastries beginning at 6am. as we witness a cheesemaking demonstration. We’ll see the area where cheese is processed Morning: Our ship arrives in the picturesque and aged, and see how classic cheeses of the port city of Otranto around 8am. Located region, like the mozzarella braid, burrata, along the Salento Peninsula in Puglia (the cacioricotta, and caciocavallo, are processed. “heel” of the Italian boot) at the intersection We’ll end our discoveries with a cheese tasting of the Ionian and Adriatic seas, Otranto was an before we delve into the art of another Apulian important Greek and then Roman port. Later, speciality, homemade pasta. Puglia is home to it was ruled by the Byzantines, Normans, and many unique pasta shapes, many of which are the Aragonese. At about 9am, we’ll meet a still made completely by hand, like orecchiette, local guide and begin a 1.5-hour walking tour sagne, macaroni, and ncannulate. We’ll learn of Otranto and see the 15th-century castle the intricate art of how to create these pastas built by the Aragonese and other highlights of before sitting down for lunch. Old Town. Lunch: Around 12:30pm, we’ll enjoy lunch on Surrounded by imposing stone walls, Old Town the farm featuring orecchiette and macaroni with sits high above the sea and is home to the meatballs in tomato sauce and peasant-style castle, a Norman cathedral, and lovely cobbled trofie, as well as grilled ribeye and sausage. Side streets lined with picturesque white-washed dishes will include salad, potatoes, and fruit. shops. The 11th-century cathedral includes

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22 Afternoon: After lunch around 1:30pm, Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard we’ll enjoy a 1-hour pizzica performance, a from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee popular Italian folk dance that originated in and pastries beginning at 6am in the lounge. Apulia. Pizzica is a close relative to the more Morning: Today, enjoy an excursion to well-known tarantella dance, but it is faster and Achilleion Palace, the 19th-century villa of danced by stamping your feet on the ground Elizabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen and jumping. For locals, the dance represents of Hungary. In her time, she was known by fury and passion and is a way to free the the nickname “Sisi” and was as popular as body of pain and torment. We’ll witness this England’s late Princess Diana. Uncomfortable distinctive dance firsthand before we board our with the constraints of court life in Vienna, motorcoach to drive back to Otranto, where Sisi retreated to Corfu in her later years you have a few hours of free time to explore and immersed herself in the world of the this true Italian hidden gem on your own. ancient Greeks. Many of the shops here feature good quality hand-crafted ceramics, which is a cherished Around 8am, you’ll drive for about 30 minutes local tradition here. You might want to sample to the palatial villa she had built in Corfu some of the unique flavors of gelato this area of between the years 1890-1892, which she named Italy is known for, like fig, wild mint, or lemon the Achillion. The large Neo-classical building ginger. Or you could just go for a stroll with and the vast gardens surrounding it are lavishly the locals along the seaside promenade and decorated with artwork, including two notable look out over the azure waters of the pristine statues of Sisi’s favorite Greek hero, Achilles. natural harbor. On clear days, you can see all Enjoy a guided tour of about 1-1.5 hours with the way across to Albania, about 50 miles away. a local guide, followed by time to explore the A lighthouse just a couple miles outside of villa and its gardens at leisure. Your tour ends Otranto is the most easterly point of the Italian around 12:30pm. mainland. Our Port Talk will start at around 7pm today. Lunch: You’ll venture to a local restaurant around 1pm for lunch accompanied by Dinner: Onboard around 8pm while we remain traditional live music and views of ships docked in Otranto. bobbing on the bay.

Evening: Say arrivederci to Otranto as our ship Afternoon: Return to the ship around 2:30pm begins an overnight cruise to the Greek island and have the rest of the afternoon to relax in of Corfu later this evening. the lounge or your cabin. During today’s Port Talk around 6:45pm, you’ll get a preview of our Day 13 Explore Corfu next port-of-call, the idyllic Greek island of Kefalonia. • Destination: Corfu • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Dinner: Enjoy dinner onboard beginning at • Accommodations: M/V Athena around 7pm.

Activity Note: Today’s walking tour includes Evening: Relax onboard tonight. Or you might several sets of stairs (up to 90 stairs, uphill and go up on deck for a while as we cruise south downhill). along the Ioinian Sea to Kefalonia.

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23 Day 14 Kefalonia, Greece • Explore capital. Or you might want to go for a stroll Argostoli • Winery tour over the 3,000-foot-long De Bosset Bridge. The beautiful stone bridge was built in 1813 • Destination: Delphi to connect the capital with the surrounding • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner villages and is officially certified as “the • Accommodations: M/V Athena world’s longest stone bridge on a sea water Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard body.” The natural lagoon that was formed by from 7am-8am. Early risers can enjoy coffee the bridge has become a breeding ground for and pastries beginning at 6am. loggerhead sea turtles, and you may be able to spot some during your stroll. Morning: The largest island in the Ionian Sea, Kefalonia is renowned for its idyllic beaches, After our Port Talk at about 5:30pm, we’ll enjoy crystal-clear waters, forested mountains, a Farewell Cocktail to celebrate our final night unique biodiversity, and picture-postcard aboard ship. villages—perhaps the reason it was selected Dinner: Gather for your Captain’s Farewell as the film location for Captain Corelli’s Dinner at around 6:15pm this evening, Mandolin. Around 8:15am, we’ll begin our featuring a special menu and many memories exploration of Kefalonia with a two-hour to share with your small group. While the dress walking tour of its capital, the small seaside code remains relaxed and smart casual, some town of Argostoli. Like many other towns and travelers opt to wear a day dress or slacks to villages of the Ionian Islands, Argostoli was this event. rebuilt after a 1953 earthquake destroyed just about every man-made structure on Kefalonia. After experiencing the charms of Argostoli’s Day 15 Patras • Disembark ship • laid-back traditional Greek lifestyle, we’ll Transfer to Athens board a private coach at about 10:30am for a • Destination: Athens 20-minute drive to a local winery. • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Accommodations: Cypria Hotel or similar Grape cultivation in this region goes back to Neolithic times, and Kefalonia is renowned Breakfast: Buffet breakfast is available onboard for island’s Rombola wine, made using a from 6-am-7am. Early risers can enjoy coffee local grape variety. We’ll learn what makes it and pastries beginning at 5am. so special during a two-hour visit to a local Morning: At about 8am, we’ll disembark our winery, where we’ll gain insight into the ship and board a private motorcoach for a production methods of the rare Rombola wine 3-hour drive to Athens, with a photo stop along made from a local species of white grape. the way at the Corinth Canal. We’ll arrive in the Lunch: We’ll enjoy a simple lunch at the winery Greek capital around 11am. Then, we’ll enjoy a with items that will pair well with tastings of tour of this storied city, riding past the historic the varieties of Rombola wines produced here. Panathenean Stadium, originally constructed in 330 BC and restored for the first “modern” Afternoon: We’ll depart the winery by about Olympic Games in 1896; the Greek Parliament 2pm for the 20-minute drive back to our ship building, where the ceremonial guards in in Argostoli. Then, you’ll have a couple of traditional Greek dress watch over the Tomb hours of free time in to relax or check out the of the Unknown Soldier; and the Neo-Classical traditional shops and tavernas that dot the

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24 Presidential Palace. You’ll also stroll through paths for a unique taste of Athens’ natural the historic Plaka district, which is closed off to beauty. This 52-acre park features a sus- traffic, where we’ll stop for lunch. tainable design, with plantings of lavender, olive trees, and other endemic Mediterranean Lunch: Around 1pm, your tour concludes at a flora. Nearby, you’ll find the National Library local restaurant, where you’ll savor traditional of Greece and the Greek National Opera. The Greek dishes like moussaka. park is also family-friendly and contains a Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll take a short walk playground for children to enjoy. Mingle with to our hotel, checking in at about 2:30pm. locals as you stroll this vast, seaside escape Depending on where you stay, our hotel will be from the hustle and bustle of Greece’s capital. in the heart of Athens, featuring rooms with • How to get there: Around a 7-minute taxi air-conditioning, satellite TV, complimentary ride from Piraeus, about $8 USD one way. wireless Internet, minibar, and a private bath • Hours: 6am-8pm, Monday-Friday; 6am- with hair dryer. Then, you’ll have about three 10pm, Saturday-Sunday. hours to explore Athens independently. You • Cost: Free. may just want to continue strolling through the • Experience Athens’ highest point on ancient streets of the Plaka or visit the nearby Likavittos or Lycabettus Hill: Enjoy rare Acropolis to see the Parthenon, the Temple panoramas of central landmarks and the of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion up close. surrounding mountains where locals consider Admire still more classical architecture at the one of the best views of the city. Once you ancient Agora. Or you could ride the funicular reach the top—almost 1,000 feet above sea up Mount Lycabettus for sweeping views of level, you’ll find a restaurant, theater, and the the city. quaint Chapel of St. George. Athenians and At about 6:30pm, we’ll meet in the lobby of our visitors alike walk or take a funicular ride up hotel and walk to a local restaurant to celebrate to the top of the hill just in time to view the our final night together. sunset to wash over the city. • How to get there: Around a 30-minute taxi Dinner: At about 7pm, we’ll enjoy a Farewell ride from Piraeus port, about $8 USD one Dinner at a local restaurant in Athens way. Evening: The evening is free. Many departures • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. occur very early in the morning, so it might be • Cost: Free. a good night to turn in early. Or take advantage • Relax in the stunning National Gardens: of this extra time in Athens to dance the View the sunrise or sunset, and explore the night away. plant life on this oasis of tranquility amid the high-energy city that encompasses it. Freedom To Explore: During your two days in Located next to the Greek Parliament and Athens, you have the freedom to explore the Syntagma Square, this 40-acre garden heart of Ancient Greece on your own during was designed by Queen Amalia in 1838. But your free time. Below are a few recommended it’s much more than a garden—in fact, options for independent explorations: throughout the grounds visitors can view • Discover Stavros Niarchos Park—the city’s ancient ruins, Corinthian columns, colorful urban oasis: Relax amid lush gardens or mosaics, and cast representations of various explore the intricate labyrinth and winding historical figures, such as the first governor

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25 of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias. On site, you’ll Day 16 Return to U.S. or begin your also find a number of turtle and duck ponds, a post-trip extension playground, as well as a café. • Included Meals: Breakfast • How to get there: Around a 20-minute taxi ride from Piraeus port, about $8 USD one Breakfast: At the hotel from 6am-9am, with way. Greek and American options available. Coffee • Hours: Open 6am-8pm, daily. and pastries will be available for those whose • Cost: Free. flights depart earlier. Morning: Depending on your flight time, you will transfer to the airport for your return to the U.S. Or transfer to Olympia to begin your Athens & the Peloponnese: From Homer to the First Olympics post-trip extension.

Please note: Due to current COVID-19 restrictions that do not allow ships coming from non-European Union countries into ports in Greece and the closing of the Corinth Canal through the end of 2022, we have replaced the ports of Itea and Piraeus with the Greek Island of Kefalonia and the port of Patras (for Athens); and replaced Saranda, Albania with Otranto, Italy. If restrictions are lifted by the Greek government, our original itinerary will be followed.

END YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION 5 nights in Athens & the Peloponnese: From Homer to the First Olympics

Day 1 Athens, Greece • Explore Corinth Day 4 Explore Mycenae • Athens Canal • Olympia Day 5 Explore Athens • Optional Cape Day 2 Explore Olympia Sounion tour Day 3 Olympia • Explore Epidauros Day 6 Athens • Return to U.S. • Nafplion

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26 PRE-TRIP Alpine Wonders of Slovenia: Lake Bled & Ljubljana

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 3 nights at the Best » Services of our local Trip Experience Leader Western Premier Hotel Lovec or similar » Gratuities for local guides and » 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner motorcoach drivers » Guided tours (with personal headsets): Lake » All transfers Bled • Ljubljana

PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

With spectacular mountain scenery and idyllic medieval towns, Slovenia is an amazing corner of the world. Explore Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, situated in an area with infinite unspoiled natural treasures, including stunning cliffs and majestic mountains. You’ll also enjoy visits to a handful of stunning landmarks.

Day 1 Depart U.S. day when you arrive. Depending on where you stay, amenities may include a swimming pool, Activity Note: Depending on your flight restaurant, bar, spa and a gym. Typical rooms arrangements, you may depart to Slovenia via features wireless Internet access, a safe, TV, Trieste, Zagreb or Venice. and a private bathroom. Fly overnight from the U.S. to Around 6:30pm, enjoy a guided walk around the Ljubljana, Slovenia. vicinity of the hotel with your Trip Experience Leader to get acquainted with this scenic part Day 2 Ljubljana, Slovenia • Arrive Bled of Slovenia. The peaks of the Julian Alps rise • Destination: Bled above the waters of Lake Bled, while a clifftop • Accommodations: Best Western Premier castle and an island church give the scene a Hotel Lovec or similar fairy-tale aura.

Morning/Afternoon: You land in Slovenia’s Dinner: On your own. Slovenian cuisine capital, Ljubljana, today. An O.A.T. has Slavic, Mediterranean, and Germanic representative will meet you at the airport and influences. You might give it a try at one of assist with your roughly one-hour transfer Bled’s traditional restaurants. to Bled, where you’ll check into your hotel. Evening: You are free to return to your room to Depending on your arrival time and hotel rest after your flight, or you may venture out to check-in policy, you may not be able to check experience Bled at night. into your room immediately upon arrival. Your Trip Experience Leader will advise you of your check-in status and activity schedule for the

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27 Freedom To Explore: During your four days about the different wines that are produced in Bled, you have the freedom to explore this in the region. Wine plays an important scenic city on your own during your free time. role in local culture—in fact, it’s believed Below are a few recommended options for that Slovenia is home to the oldest vine in independent explorations: the world. When the Autumn harvests are complete, Slovenians even have a national • Explore the Lake Bled region by bike: Hop holiday, St. Martin’s day, for the patron saint aboard an electric bike to gain a unique responsible for turning water into wine. perspective of Lake Bled’s spectacular setting on a 4-hour, self-guided tour. Along the way, • How to get there: A 15- to 20-minute walk. enjoy the flavors of Slovenia with included • Hours: 8pm-10pm, daily. food and drink samples, such as honey liquor, • Cost: About $40 USD. local beer, or schnapps. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit a local farmstead and Day 3 Explore Bled several rustic villages. Stop at your leisure to • Destination: Bled take photos or simply enjoy the picturesque • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner views of the island and medieval castle nes- • Accommodations: Best Western Premier tled in the center of this tranquil lake. Hotel Lovec or similar

• How to get there: A 5-minute walk. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel • Hours: Starting times are 9am and 3pm; beginning at 7am, with Slovenian and American days of operation vary. options available. • Cost: About $56 USD. Morning: Around 8:30am, you’ll gather for • Enjoy the cultural and natural treasures of a Welcome Briefing in the hotel. During this Idrija: Descend into Idrija’s mercury mine, a briefing, you will introduce yourself and review UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learn about the itinerary in more detail (including any this area’s rich mining history that can be changes that may need to occur). Your Trip traced back to the 15th century. As local men Experience Leader will also discuss logistics, went off to work in the mines, their wives safety and emergency procedures, and answer looked for ways to earn additional income— questions you may have. It will help prepare one way being that they crafted and sold you for today’s tour of Lake Bled and the beautiful lace designs. Discover some of these surrounding region. lace creations during your visit. This tour also features visits to the Wild Lake, Idrija River, You’ll head out at about 9:30am. Bled is and the pyramids of Slovenia. blessed with natural hot springs regarded as • How to get there: A 1.5- to 2-hour taxi having healing powers, and has been a popular ride, about $135 USD one way. fresh-air retreat since the mid-19th century. • Hours: 8:30am-6:30pm, daily; operates Two prominent features in Bled’s vistas date April-October. from earlier in its history: Bled Castle, which • Cost: About $150 USD. for 800 years was the seat of the bishops of Brixen (now South Tyrol); and a 17th-century • Sample Slovenian wines at a wine cellar: church located on an island in the lake. You’ll Enjoy the flavors of Slovenia as you taste 7 probably hear the pealing of this church’s varieties that were cultivated here. As you sip, “wishing bell,” which dates from 1534, since an expert sommelier will share information

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28 legend has it that a wish made by someone who Day 4 Bled • Optional Postojna Cave & rings it will come true. You may wish to visit Predjama Castle tour both these sites during time on your own. • Destination: Bled Higher in the mountains and larger than • Included Meals: Breakfast Lake Bled, deep blue Lake Bohinj is located • Accommodations: Best Western Premier in the Julian Alps about 16 miles southwest Hotel Lovec or similar of Bled. Steep mountain slopes rise directly Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel from parts of the shore of Lake Bohinj, and the beginning at 7am, with Slovenian and American 15th-century Gothic Church of St. John graces options available. its eastern end. The valley that contains the lake also cradles a rural landscape dotted with farm Morning: Spend the day exploring on your villages. own. Perhaps you’ll venture farther afield on a day trip. You might visit the medieval town You’ll conclude your discoveries around 12pm of Radovljica. View beautifully preserved and return to the hotel. architecture dating to the 15th and 16th Lunch: On your own. Your Trip Experience centuries, stop in at the Gothic Church of St. Leader might guide you to a hidden gem Peter, and visit any of the many museums favored by locals. Or, you may want to seek out here—including the Museum of Apiculture, a restaurant that serves classics like Štruklji, a dedicated to the art of beekeeping, and the traditional rolled dumpling. Live Gingerbread Museum, a living museum that preserves the traditional art of decorated Afternoon: The afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps pastry. Nearby, the village of Kropa keeps alive you’ll rent a rowboat or take a ride on a pletna, a 700-year history of blacksmithing. a traditional, flat-bottomed boat. Go for a swim in Lake Bled, if the weather’s warm. Admire the Another possibility is to head to the coast to view as you take a walk on the boardwalk, or visit the well-preserved Venetian town of Piran. take one of the marked trails up lush green hills Surrounded on three sides by the sparkling to a spectacular viewpoint. Enjoy a slice of Bled Adriatic, the city is crowned with a hilltop cream cake, a local specialty, at a café. Around cathedral and fringed with beaches. Start your 6:30pm, we’ll regroup and board our bus for a discoveries in Tartini Square and branch out 30-minute drive to a local restaurant. through a warren of medieval streets, enjoying he bustle of markets and cafés. Dinner: At a local restaurant around 7pm. Gather with your fellow travelers for a Welcome Or, you might join our Optional Tour to visit Dinner, featuring traditional cuisine. the Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. You’ll explore Slovenia’s Karst region, where the Evening: The rest of the evening is free for eroded limestone landscapes gave rise to exotic you to relax in your room, enjoy the hotel’s landscapes and magnificent caves. On this amenities, or venture out to experience the Optional Tour, you’ll head out around 7:30am nightlife of Bled. Your central location makes it on a 1.5-hour transfer to Predjama Castle, a easy to find a pub or nightclub. remarkable cliffside fortress complete with a labyrinth of secret underground passages and tunnels carved from solid bedrock. Originally built in the 13th century, the nearly

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29 impregnable fortress served as a stronghold for Day 5 Bled • Explore Ljubljana • Zagreb, many bandits and robber barons throughout its Croatia • Join main trip fascinating history. • Destination: Zagreb You’ll spend about an hour at Predjama Castle • Included Meals: Breakfast before continuing on to the country’s most Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel famous natural attraction, Postojna Caves. beginning at 7am, with Slovenian and American With names like Upturned Ship, Gothic Hall, options available. and Tiger Hall, these underground chambers enthrall with their singular rock formations, Morning: Around 9am, you’ll board a bus for including Brilliant, the most famous stalagmite an hour-long drive to Ljubljana, a city of about in the world. Arriving around 11am, view a 300,000 on the banks of the Ljubljanica River. seemingly endless display of stalagmites Because much of the city was rebuilt after an and stalactites, pools, and colorful limestone earthquake in 1895, Slovenia’s capital has a formations as you journey by foot and on the unique architectural style that has integrated only cave-system railway in the world. Discover surviving historic structures with more the cave for about 1.5 hours before you have modern designs. The work of Joze Plecnik, a some free time to explore at your own pace. 20th-century architect and Ljubljana native, is particularly remarkable for the way it Lunch: Travelers who chose to stay in Bled and incorporates Roman, medieval, Baroque, and travelers on the Optional Tour will enjoy lunch Habsburg elements. A number of buildings on your own today. Your Trip Experience Leader that survived the earthquake still stand in the will be happy to provide you with restaurant historic part of town, Old Ljubljana. Arriving recommendations. You may choose to seek out around 10am, you’ll enjoy a two-hour walking Žlikrofi, a traditional ravioli that is popular in tour with a local guide. Slovenia. Lunch: On your own. There are many cafés Afternoon: Travelers on the Optional Tour will in Old Ljubljana—you might want to try board the bus for Bled around 2pm, arriving one today. around 3:30pm. The remainder of the afternoon is free. All other travelers can continue their Afternoon: Around 1:30pm, you’ll continue day-long independent exploration. overland to Zagreb, Croatia. Upon arrival at around 3:30pm, you’ll check into your hotel and Dinner: On your own. Options near your hotel join travelers arriving for their Hidden Gems of range from typical Slovenian fare to pizza, the Dalmatian Coast & Greece adventure. steak, European, vegan, and more. Or enjoy authentic local cuisine at the hotel restaurant.

Evening: You have another evening to immerse yourself in the nightlife of Bled.

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30 OPTIONAL TOUR

Postojna Cave & Predjama Castle (Day 4 $100 per person) This optional tour takes us across Slovenia’s Karst region, where the eroded limestone landscapes gave rise to exotic landscapes and magnificent caves. At the country’s most famous natural attraction, Postojna Cave, we’ll journey by foot and underground train to view a seemingly endless display of stalagmites and stalactites, pools, and colorful limestone formations. After free time for lunch on your own, continue to Predjama Castle, a remarkable cliffside fortress complete with a labyrinth of secret underground passages and tunnels carved from solid bedrock. Originally built in the 13th century, the nearly impregnable fortress served as a stronghold for many bandits and robber barons through its fascinating history.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

31 POST-TRIP Athens & the Peloponnese: From Homer to the First Olympics

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

» Accommodations for 2 nights at Hotel » Guided tours (with personal headsets): Europa or similar, 1 night at Nafplia Palace Epidauros • Nafplion • Mycenae • Olympia & Hotel & Villas or similar, and 2 nights at the Archaeological Museum • Acropolis Cypria Hotel or similar » Services of our local Trip Experience Leader » 7 meals: 5 breakfasts and 2 dinners » Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers » All transfers

POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY

Discover a land steeped in ancient myths and enveloped in scenic beauty. Explore the splendor of Nafplion, the Bronze Age culture of Mycenae, and the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, home of the first Olympic Games. Conclude your exploration of the ancient Greek world with a two-night stay in Athens.

Day 1 Athens, Greece • Explore Corinth Around 10:30am, you’ll pause at the historic Canal • Olympia Corinth Canal, gateway to the Peloponnese. Construction on the Corinth Canal was • Destination: Olympia originally initiated by the Roman Emperor • Included Meals: Dinner Nero as a way to link the Aegean with the Gulf • Accommodations: Hotel Europa or similar of Corinth. But the four-mile-long ribbon cut Activity Note: Today’s transfer to Olympia will through solid rock proved too difficult and the take about 7.5 hours. There will be stops en project was quickly abandoned. Since digging route to visit the Corinth Canal, stretch your didn’t begin again until 1881, in ancient times legs, and enjoy lunch on your own. ships were simply dragged across the isthmus along a paved road. At one time, the great Please note that if you are embarking on our city-state of Corinth rivaled Athens in power 6/29/21 departure, you will visit Nafplion and prestige, but its reputation for bawdy living before Olympia. All included activities will caused St. Paul to criticize it mercilessly during remain the same. his stay here in AD 52. Morning: Disembark the ship with your Lunch: You’ll stop along the way near Olympia fellow travelers from your Hidden Gems of to enjoy lunch on your own at a café. You may the Dalmatian Coast & Greece Small Ship choose to seek out a restaurant that serves Adventure around 8am and board a coach classics like dolmadakia, or small grape leave bound for Olympia, a sanctuary of ancient rolls stuffed with lamb and rice. Greece dedicated to the worship of Zeus.

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32 Afternoon: Your transfer to Olympia continues Lunch: On your own beginning at after lunch. You’ll arrive around 3:30pm and 11:30am—your Trip Experience Leader can check into your hotel around 5pm. Depending recommend a nearby café or restaurant. You on where you stay, facilities at the hotel may may want to find a traditional, refreshing include a restaurant, swimming pool, and bar. Greek salad, made with feta, kalamata olives, Typically, each air-conditioned room features tomatoes, and cucumbers. a safe, wireless Internet, TV, and a private Afternoon: Your free to explore Olympia at bathroom. The rest of the afternoon is free for your own pace. You might delve deeper into you to settle into your room and get acquainted sports history at the Museum of the History of with your home for the next two nights. the Ancient Olympic Games, with antiquities Dinner: Included at the hotel, featuring ranging from the second millennium BC to traditional cuisine. the 5th century AD. Visit the Temple of Zeus, with its gold-and-ivory statue of the god, and Evening: The evening is free. Nights tend to be the Heraeum, a temple dedicated to his wife quiet in Olympia, though you might find a café Hera. Or return to the stadium grounds for a or two open late. closer look.

Day 2 Explore Olympia Around 4pm, you’ll return to the hotel, where the rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy its • Destination: Olympia amenities. • Included Meals: Breakfast • Accommodations: Hotel Europa or similar Dinner: On your own—you might sample a fusion of Greek, Mediterranean, and Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel international cuisine at the hotel restaurant, or beginning at 7am, with Greek and American venture out to a nearby taverna. options available. Evening: Enjoy another quiet evening on your Morning: Around 8:30am, you’ll set out own in Olympia. Perhaps you’ll sip a glass of on a roughly three-hour walking tour of ouzo by the pool at your hotel. An indoor bar is Olympia—the site that gave birth to the also available. Olympian Games, forerunner of our modern Olympic Games. The renowned athletic competition began here to honor Zeus in 776 Day 3 Olympia • Explore Epidauros BC and continued for the next thousand years. • Nafplion Plato, Socrates, Alexander the Great, and Nero • Destination: Nafplion are just a few of the historical figures that • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner watched or participated in the games. After a • Accommodations: Nafplia Palace Hotel & visit to the original site of the games, you’ll Villas or similar explore the vast holdings of the Archaeological Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel Museum, which features a wealth of exhibits beginning at 7am, with Greek and American spanning Greek prehistory up to the Roman era, options available. including the statue of Hermes and the infant Dionysus. Morning: Around 8:30am, you’ll check out of the hotel. Enjoy a free morning to make any last-minute discoveries on your own.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

33 Lunch: On your own—you’ll find a number Dinner: At about 8pm, you’ll enjoy Greek of tavernas to choose from during your and international fare prepared from fresh, explorations. You may want to find a place homemade ingredients over dinner with your where you can grab a traditional gyro, a plate of fellow travelers at your hotel in Nafplion. lamb, pita, and various vegetables that can be Evening: The evening is free. To experience consumed in a wrap. the nightlife of this charming city, head to Afternoon: At around 1pm, you’ll board your the waterfront, where you’ll find a number of private motorcoach and begin your transfer to options for relaxing and enjoying views of the Nafplion. We’ll stop en route around 4pm at city lights reflecting on the waves. You’ll also Epidaurus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and find bars along the streets of the Old Town. Or one of the most famous ancient sites in Greece. relax at the hotel. Since early Greeks recognized Epidaurus as the birthplace of Asklepios, the god of healing, Day 4 Explore Mycenae • Athens the entire site was renowned for its extensive • Destination: Athens medical facilities and healing treatments from • Included Meals: Breakfast the sixth century BC until about AD 200. Today, Epidaurus is perhaps more famous for its • Accommodations: Cypria Hotel or similar well preserved fourth-century theater, which Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel you’ll visit. It is renowned for its near-perfect beginning at 7am, with Greek and American acoustics: a coin dropped at the center of this options available. 14,000-seat structure can easily be heard from its farthest reaches. Morning: Around 8:30am you’ll depart the hotel and begin your journey to Athens. Around You’ll spend about 1.5 hours at Epidaurus, then 9am, stop in Mycenae, your next UNESCO depart on a 30-minute transfer to Nafplion. World Heritage Site. A destination linked to A lovely seaside town nestled between the Homer and his tales of glory and war, Mycenae mountains and Gulf of Argolis, Nafplion was a sophisticated Bronze Age culture that features charming Venetian homes and a occupied the region from about 1700 BC until picturesque harbor dominated by citadels. they mysteriously vanished after the Trojan While the fortresses attest to a checkered War in about 1180 BC. While Homer wrote military history, after independence from the about Mycenae in his ninth-century BC epic Ottomans early in the 19th century, Nafplion poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, its actual became the first capital of liberated Greece. location was thought to be lost to the mists of Upon arrival around 6pm, you’ll check into time until the amateur archaeologist Heinrich your hotel and settle into your room. Depending Schliemann found a treasure trove of gold on where we stay, hotel amenities may include masks, jewelry, and weapons here in 1874. a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, and a spa. Highlights of the ruins include a series of tholos, Typically, each room has a minibar, safe, TV, or beehive-shaped, tombs where Mycenaean and a private bathroom. At around 7:15pm, kings were buried with their weapons and you’ll join your Trip Experience Leader for enough food and drink for their journey to the a 30-minute orientation walk to acquaint underworld. You’ll enjoy a visit here of about yourself with the neighborhood. two hours.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

34 Around 11am, you’ll visit a pottery workshop, of Greece and the Greek National Opera. The to watch local artisans at work and admire their park is also family-friendly and contains a handwork. They’ll show you their craft and the playground for children to enjoy. Mingle with process of creating handmade designs, and they locals as you stroll this vast, seaside escape may even give you the opportunity to make from the hustle and bustle of Greece’s capital. something yourself. Your transfer to Athens • How to get there: Around a 7-minute taxi continues around 12:30pm. ride from Piraeus, about $8 USD one way. Lunch: Your coach will pause en route around • Hours: 6am-8pm, Monday-Friday; 6am- 1:30pm for you to enjoy lunch on your own. 10pm, Saturday-Sunday. Perhaps you’ll choose to try savory moussaka, a • Cost: Free. classic dish made with eggplant and beef, and • Experience Athens’ highest point on topped with tomato sauce. Likavittos or Lycabettus Hill: Enjoy rare panoramas of central landmarks and the Afternoon: Arrive at your Athens hotel around surrounding mountains where locals consider 3:30pm or 4pm, and check into your hotel. one of the best views of the city. Once you Depending on where you stay, hotel amenities reach the top—almost 1,000 feet above sea may include a swimming pool, gym, spa, level, you’ll find a restaurant, theater, and the restaurant and bar. Typically, the hotel’s rooms quaint Chapel of St. George. Athenians and are equipped with a TV, telephone, minibar, visitors alike walk or take a funicular ride up and private bathroom. The rest of the afternoon to the top of the hill just in time to view the is on your own. Perhaps you’ll ride the funicular sunset to wash over the city. up Mount Lycabettus for sweeping views. • How to get there: Around a 30-minute taxi Dinner: On your own. There are myriad options ride from Piraeus port, about $8 USD one in your hotel neighborhood—but nothing beats way. the view of the Acropolis you can admire over • Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. dinner at your hotel’s own dining room. • Cost: Free.

Evening: At leisure. Feel free to relax after • Relax in the stunning National Gardens: today’s long drive, or discover some of Athens’ View the sunrise or sunset, and explore the night life. plant life on this oasis of tranquility amid the high-energy city that encompasses it. Freedom To Explore: During your two days in Located next to the Greek Parliament and Athens, you have the freedom to explore the Syntagma Square, this 40-acre garden heart of Ancient Greece on your own during was designed by Queen Amalia in 1838. But your free time. Below are a few recommended it’s much more than a garden—in fact, options for independent explorations: throughout the grounds visitors can view ancient ruins, Corinthian columns, colorful • Discover Stavros Niarchos Park—the city’s mosaics, and cast representations of various urban oasis: Relax amid lush gardens or historical figures, such as the first governor explore the intricate labyrinth and winding paths for a unique taste of Athens’ natural beauty. This 52-acre park features a sus- tainable design, with plantings of lavender, olive trees, and other endemic Mediterranean flora. Nearby, you’ll find the National Library

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

35 of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias. On site, you’ll National Archaeological Museum. Enter the also find a number of turtle and duck ponds, a bustle of daily life at Syntagma Square. Or find a playground, as well as a café. serene oasis nearby at the National Gardens.

• How to get there: Around a 20-minute taxi If you wish, you may join an Optional Tour to ride from Piraeus port, about $8 USD one Cape Sounion, home of the Temple of Poseidon. way. Constructed by the Ancient Greeks around • Hours: Open 6am-8pm, daily. 400 BC, the temple has suffered damage from • Cost: Free. foreign invasions over the years, but the ruins remain an elegant and picturesque tribute Day 5 Explore Athens • Optional Cape to the mighty gods of the Greeks. This tour Sounion tour departs at around 3pm and returns about four • Destination: Athens hours later. • Included Meals: Breakfast Dinner: On your own—you might choose • Accommodations: Cypria Hotel or similar one of the many restaurants near your hotel Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel specializing in authentic Greek fare. Or see beginning at 7am, with Greek and American what appeals to you at the city’s lively Central options available. Market. Afterwards, you may seek out a café that serves revani, a traditional lemon cake. Morning: Around 9am, board a bus for a 15-minute drive to a UNESCO World Heritage Evening: The evening is free for you to gather Site—the Acropolis. You’ll explore it for around your belongings for tomorrow’s departure or 2 hours and expand your feel for what this have one last nighttime adventure in Athens’ birthplace of civilization was like in ancient many lively tavernas and clubs. times. The Acropolis is crowned by the majestic ruins of the Parthenon, perhaps the most Day 6 Athens • Return to U.S. architecturally perfect structure in the West. • Included Meals: Breakfast The rest of the morning is free in Athens. Breakfast: Served buffet-style at the hotel Perhaps you’ll browse the exhibits of the beginning at 7am, with Greek and American Acropolis Museum, view the Temple of Zeus options available. and Hadrian’s Arch, or admire still more classical architecture at the ancient Agora. Morning: You have some time to finish packing and enjoy the hotel’s amenities before catching Lunch: On your own—you might wander the 45-minute transfer to the airport and your to the ancient streets of the Plaka, a lively flight home. neighborhood set in the shadow of the Acropolis, where options abound. You may seek out traditional dishes like pastitsio, a savory dish made with pasta, beef, and béchamel sauce.

Afternoon: Continue exploring Athens on your own. Gain a greater appreciation for the city’s antiquity as you browse the exhibits of the

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

36 OPTIONAL TOUR

Cape Sounion (Day 5 $60 per person) Join our optional tour of Cape Sounion, home of the Temple of Poseidon. To get here, we drive along scenic roads, traveling along the coast through various resort towns to reach the promontory on which the temple stands, with thrilling panoramic views of the Aegean Sea. The Temple of Poseidon was built by the Ancient Greeks around 400 BC. When you consider the fact that Homer’s epic the Odyssey revolved entirely around the perils of the sea, it’s easy to understand why the people of this island nation would go to such trouble to please the god of the sea, winds, and earthquakes. The temple has suffered damage from foreign invasions over the years, but the ruins remain an elegant and picturesque tribute to the mighty gods of the Greeks.

Please note: The winds on Cape Sounion can be very strong, so it is recommended that you bring a jacket for the brief ascent to the temple. The motorcoach ride to Cape Sounion is approximately 90 minutes.

Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925

37 YOUR MEDITERRANEAN SMALL SHIP Small Ship Adventures aboard our privately owned, award-winning, 50-passenger small ships

During your travels in the Mediterranean—including the Aegean and Adriatic seas and French and Italian Rivieras—you’ll be cruising aboard one of our 50-passenger small ships, rated excellent by 96% of travelers. The M/V Athena, M/V Artemis, and M/V Arethusa were designed and built to carry just two groups of 20-25 (average of 22) travelers, each with its own local Trip Experience Leader. These ships are the perfect size to navigate the islands and shores of the Mediterranean—and then slip into the smaller ports and harbors for the night, well away from the larger cruise ships.

SHIPBOARD FEATURES • Restaurant with single, open seating: • Outdoor common areas: Relish coastal Savor regionally-inspired dishes or views from your seat on the Sun American favorites during all meals. Deck—perhaps with a cocktail from the • Comfortable lounge: Relax with old outdoor bar. friends and new, and participate in onboard • English-speaking crew: Enjoy dedicated discussions and lectures. attention from our international staff • Complimentary beverages: Enjoy house throughout your voyage. Plus, all shipboard beer and house wine—as well as soft announcements are made in English for drinks—at any time of day while onboard. your convenience. • Wireless Internet access: Connect online in cabins and common areas. Please note: Connectivity may be limited at certain points throughout your cruise.

38 MEDITERRANEAN SMALL SHIPS

CABIN CATEGORIES

Bar Cabin with private balcony – & A 150-170 sq. ft. Grill Cabin with private balcony – Wheelhouse B 150-170 sq. ft.

Cabin with portholes – Sun Deck C 160 sq. ft.

Cabin with portholes – D 160 sq. ft. 318 316 314 312 310 308 306 304 302 Single cabin with portholes – S 140 sq. ft.

319 317 315 311 309 307 305 303 301

Upper Deck Registry: Malta Length: 193 ft. Bar 206 204 202 Beam: 35 ft. Restaurant Lounge Reception Draft: 10 ft. 205 203 201 WC Cabin Size: 150-170 sq. ft., with 2 single cabins of 140 sq. ft. Main Deck Number of Cabins: 26

101 Passenger Capacity: 50

Crew Area Crew Area Built: 2007

102 International crew: 21 Passenger Decks: 3 Lower Deck Group Size: 25 travelers, maximum, with 1 Trip Experience Leader This ship complies with the latest international and U.S. Coast Guard safety regulations and is outfitted with the most current navigational and communications technology. It has retractable fin stabilizers to Stairs, no elevator help reduce discomfort during rough seas.

CABIN FEATURES

• 24 double-occupancy cabins from 150- 170 sq. ft.; 2 single-occupancy cabins at 140 sq. ft. • All outside-facing with either portholes or a balcony • Two single beds (convertible to one full); one single bed in single-occupancy cabins • Wireless Internet access, closet, bed-side tables with lamps, desk with mirror, flat-screen TV, telephone, safe, mini- Cabin on the Upper Deck of the M/V Athena refrigerator, individually controlled air- conditioning, and dual electrical outlets • Private bath with shower, hair dryer, and toiletries

39 RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian CONFIDENCE—NOW THROUGH 12/31/21 Coast & Greece We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure. See details at www.oattravel.com/riskfree-booking. 2021 Dates & Prices To calculate your trip price with airfare, add deck price to air add-ons below.

CABIN CATEGORY APRIL JUN 23 JULY AUG 18 AUG 26 SEPTEMBER OCT 16, 24 NOVEMBER

A Upper Deck $7695 $7995 $6795 $7395 $7795 $8495 $7895 $6495 B(Cabins with private balcony) $7495 $7795 $6595 $7195 $7595 $8295 $7695 $6295

C Main Deck $7095 $7395 $6195 $6795 $7195 $7895 $7295 $5895 D(Cabins with portholes) $6795 $7095 $5895 $6495 $6895 $7495 $6995 $5695

SEPTEMBER; Air Add-Ons APRIL JUN 23; JULY; AUGUST OCT 16, 24 NOVEMBER New York $1200 $1300 $1000 $900 Chicago, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, $1300 $1400 $1100 $1000 Orlando, Philadelphia, Washington, DC Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, $1400 $1500 $1200 $1100 Tampa Portland $1500 $1600 $1300 $1200

Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details. DAS2021

Ship & Cruise Direction Athens to Split Split to Athens Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. Standard DepartureShipDepartureShip Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: www.oattravel.com/tc. Every effort has been made to Arethusa Arethusa 9/8, 9/29 M/V 9/16 M/V produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors. 4/17; 6/23; 7/14; 4/25; 7/1, 7/22; M/V Athena M/V Athena 8/18; 10/16; 11/6 8/26; 10/24

For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.oattravel.com/das2021pricing

SAVE UP TO 10% WITH OUR FREE OR LOW-COST SHARE YOUR LOVE OF TRAVEL GOOD BUY PLAN SINGLE SUPPLEMENT New travelers you refer will instantly The earlier you reserve your departure Once single rooms are sold out, save $100, and you’ll earn increasing and pay in full, the more you’ll save—up double rooms at a low cost of $895 are rewards—up to a FREE trip! to 10%—plus, you’ll lock in your price. available. When filled, call us about our For details, visit www.oattravel.com/va For details, visit www.oattravel.com/gbd Roommate Matching Program.

Publication Date: 12/11/20

Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/das2021

40 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Your Passport • Must be in good condition

• Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S.

• Must have the required number of blank pages (details below)

• The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable

Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport

Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this adventure.

• Main trip only: If you are taking only the main trip, you will need 5 blank passport pages.

• Optional extension to Bled: You will need an additional passport page, for a total of 6.

• Optional extensions to Athens & Peloponnese: No additional passport pages needed.

• Both the pre- and post-trip extensions: You will need a total of 6 blank passport pages.

No Visas Required Travelers with a U.S. passport do not need any visas for this adventure, including the optional trip extensions.

Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www.pvsinternational.org.

Traveling With a Minor? Some governments may require certain documentation for minors to enter and depart the country or to obtain a visa (if applicable). For further detail on the required documentation, please contact your local embassy or consulate.

41 Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals.

If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip.

Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents.

42 RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH

Is This Adventure Right for You? Please review the information below prior to departing on this adventure. We reserve the right for our Trip Experience Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their condition would adversely affect the health, safety, or enjoyment of themselves or of other travelers.

GROUP SIZE • This adventure has a group size of 20-25 travelers (average of 22) with a local Trip Experience Leader exclusive to O.A.T.

PACING • Zagreb to Athens: 15 days, with 11 nights aboard M/V Athena, and one three-night hotel stay

• Athens to Zagreb: 15 days, with 10 nights aboard Athena, one three-night hotel stay, and one single-night hotel stay

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Walk 3 miles unassisted and participate in 6-8 hours of physical activities each day

• Day 5 (or Day 13 on the reverse itinerary) includes several sets of stairs (up to 300 stairs, uphill and downhill)

• Good agility, balance, and strength are required for possible rough seas

• Not accessible for travelers using wheelchairs or scooters

• Travelers using walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids must travel with a companion who can assist them

• We reserve the right for Trip Experience Leaders to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience

TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION • Uneven walking surfaces, including ruins and archaeological sites, unpaved paths, hills, and stairs

• Gangway incline can be steep when docked at a pier

• Travel by 50-passenger small ship, 45-seat coach, and funicular

• The Athena does not have elevators onboard

• You must be cleared by a country’s local port authorities before disembarking

• Weather conditions and tides may require adjustments to your itinerary

43 CLIMATE • Daytime temperatures range from 52-95°F during cruising season; June-August are warmest months

Steps to Take Before Your Trip Before you leave on this adventure, we recommend the following:

• Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting. You can contact them online at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel or by phone at 1-800-232-4636.

• Have a medical checkup with your doctor at least 6 weeks before your trip.

• Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.

• Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less urgent)

Vaccines Required

COVID-19 Overseas Adventure Travel requires that all travelers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are able provide proof of their vaccination upon arrival at their destination. A full vaccination is defined as having been inoculated at least 14 days prior to departure by an approved vaccine. This requirement is not contingent on the countries the tour visits, but a strict company policy due to the nature of the pandemic.

Medications for This Trip When you visit your doctor, we suggest that you get a prescription for an antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness. Our staff do not carry prescription medications of any kind, and getting an antibiotic can be difficult in Europe.

Traveling with Medications • Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy.

• Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas.

• Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications.

We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel- Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws & Special Circumstances”; if you don’t see any medications specifically mentioned, then you can presume major U.S. brands should be OK).

44 Staying Healthy on Your Trip Jet Lag Tips

• Start your trip well-rested.

• Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your destination time zone when you get on the plane.

• Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule.

• Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during– your flight.

• Drink plenty of water and/or fruit juice while flying

• Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane.

• After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap.

• Don’t push yourself to see a lot on your first day.

• Try to stay awake your first day until after dinner.

Allergies

If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814, and we will communicate them to our regional office. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.

Water • The tap water on this trip is safe to drink. Previous travelers have suggested packing a refillable water bottle for this purpose.

• If you prefer bottled water—or if you know your stomach is particularly sensitive to changes in diet/water—you can find it on sale in shops, hotels, and restaurants.

• Note that if you order water in a restaurant, you will probably get bottled water as a matter of course. This is common throughout Europe. If you want tap water, you should specify.

45 MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES

Top Three Tips • Carry a mix of different types of payments, such as local currency, an ATM card, and a credit card. Traveler’s checks are not recommended.

• You will not be able to pay with U.S. dollars on this trip; you will need euros instead.

• Previous travelers have suggested thinking ahead about where cash might be needed (tipping, taxis, cafes, open-air markets) so you can plan accordingly. Or you can rely on local ATMs to pull cash as needed.

Local Currency For current exchange rates, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com/ currencyconverter, your bank, or the financial section of your newspaper.

Euro Countries The euro is the official currency in many member countries of the European Union. Unless otherwise listed, the countries you will be visiting will use the euro. Euro banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros

• Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents; 1 and 2 euros

Croatia Though Croatia is a member of the European Union, it has not as yet switched over to the euro. The official basic unit of currency in Croatia is the kuna (Kn). Banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 Kuna

• Coins: 5, 10, 20, and 50 Lipa; 1, 2, 5, and 25 Kuna

U.S. dollars are not accepted for payment in Croatia; local currency is the only accepted currency.

Albania The Lek is the official currency of Albania. It is subdivided into 100 qindarka, although qindarka are no longer issued. The banknote and coin denominations are as follows:

• Banknotes: 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 lek

• Coins: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 lek

46 U.S. dollars are not accepted for payment in Albania; local currency is required. (Note: Leks are a restricted currency and cannot be exchanged outside of Albania.)

How to Exchange Money If you want to exchange money before your trip, you can usually do so through your bank or at an exchange office. Your departure airport in the U.S., a travel agent, or an AAA office are also possible outlets. Or you can wait and change money on the trip instead—but it might be helpful to arrive with some local currency in case you run into a bank holiday or an “out of order” ATM.

On your trip, the easiest way is to withdraw funds from a local ATM. The ATM will give you local money and your bank at home will convert that into U.S. dollars.

You can also exchange cash at some hotels, large post offices, and money exchange offices. To exchange cash, you’ll usually need your passport and bills in good condition (not worn, torn, or dirty). New bills (post 2004) are best.

Please note that many banks in Europe will only exchange money for their own customers. Never exchange money on the street. All exchange methods involve fees, which may be built into the conversion rate; ask beforehand.

ATMs When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$10 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

Croatia: ATMs are available throughout large cities and small towns in Croatia.

Montenegro: ATMs are widely available throughout large cities and small towns in Montenegro.

Albania: ATMs can be easily found in large cities and small towns but can be scarce in rural villages.

Greece: ATMs are very common in Greece and are readily available in large cities and small towns.

Slovenia: ATMs are available throughout large cities and small towns in Slovenia.

Credit & Debit Cards Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if

47 possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.

Croatia: Credit cards are widely accepted throughout Croatia, though you may need cash for small purchases or at markets.

Montenegro: Credit and debit cards are readily accepted throughout Montenegro.

Albania: Credit cards are becoming more common in Albania, but there are still some smaller businesses and local restaurants that may require cash. Cash only establishments are more common in the countryside than in cities. If you don’t see a credit card logo on the door or the cash register, then check with the cashier or server.

Greece: Credit cards are widely accepted in Greece. Some small shops and restaurants may still require cash so it always good to ask before making a purchase.

Slovenia: Credit and debit cards are widely accepted throughout Slovenia. You may still need cash for small purchases or at markets.

Chip Cards Many countries have adopted a new type of credit card that has an embedded computer chip. These cards are inserted into the reader instead of swiped. The card owner then authorizes the purchase using a PIN instead of signing.

This new technology is only now gaining traction in the U.S., so occasionally there are machines in other countries that can’t read U.S. cards. Or the machine can read the card, but asks for a PIN. This doesn’t happen often, and is nothing to worry about. You can usually resolve the situation by asking the cashier to let you sign. (If you don’t speak the language, just mime signing on your hand.) If you are not able to sign for a purchase, such as at an automated ticket booth, you can use another form of payment, such as a debit card that has a PIN.

Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online.

You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.!

48 On Board Ship: Two Separate Bills Will be Issued • Shipboard account: This bill is for any on board purchases (drinks, souvenirs, etc.) and is calculated in Euros. This bill is payable at the front desk by cash or credit/debit card only. For cash, we accept only Euros. For credit/debit cards, we accept MasterCard and Visa. Other forms of payment, such as checks, Discover, and American Express are not accepted.

• Optional tour account: This bill is for any optional tours taken during the trip and is calculated in U.S. dollars. This bill is paid with your Trip Experience Leader (they will have you fill out a form) by credit/debit card only; other forms of payments such as cash and checks are not accepted. For more information on optional tours—including which cards we accept for payment—see the “Preparing for Your Trip” chapter.

Please note: Payments made by credit card may take up to three months to process. We ask that you use a credit card that will not expire until three months after your trip ends. Because our headquarters are in Boston, the charges may appear to be from Boston or might be labeled as “OPT Boston” (depending on your credit card company).

Exchange Services Due to international banking laws, we are not able to exchange money onboard the ship. If you need to obtain local currency, please see the “How to Exchange Money” section for helpful tips and information.

Tipping Guidelines Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. But for those of you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines.

• O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your Trip Experience Leader at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $8-$12 USD (or equivalent in local currency) per person for each day their Trip Experience Leader is with them. Please note that these tips can only be in cash. If you are taking any of the optional extensions, your Trip Experience Leader during the extension(s) may not be the same as the one on your main trip.

• Shipboard Crew: We recommend a flat tip of $16-$18 U.S. per traveler, per day. You’ll give this tip once—at the end of your cruise—and it will be pooled among the entire crew. Policy Update: Due to international banking laws, we are no longer able to process crew tips on a credit card; crew tips can only be in the form of cash.

• Housekeeping at Hotels: We recommend $1 per traveler, per day. (This is for hotels only; on the ship Housekeeping are part of crew, so you don’t need to tip them separately.)

• Included in Your Trip Price: Gratuities are included for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your main trip, extensions, and all optional tours.

Time at Leisure

49 When you are exploring on your own, it’s useful to know when to tip and how much, because local customs often differ from the U.S. Here are a few helpful guidelines for the most common services a traveler might use:

• Taxis: Tipping is not customary, but many locals will round up the fare and let the driver keep the change. If the driver helps you with heavy luggage, then 10% is a nice gesture.

• Restaurants, cafes, and bars: Throughout Europe, the tip for the waiter or bartender is usually included in the prices or added on as a service fee. Look for a statement on the menu that service is included, or for a service charge on the bill. If you would like to leave a tip on top of the service fee (or in the cases when the service is not included) then 10% would be considered generous.

• Public Restrooms: Most public restrooms in Europe have attendants that take care of cleaning and supplies. It is customary to leave a small tip for them—so hold on to those coins! Some restrooms are pay-toilets; you pay the staff at the entrance to the restroom or drop the appropriate coin into the slot on the stall door. Many restaurants, cafes, and shops offer only pay-toilets or reserve their restrooms for patrons only.

50 AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH

Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air Quick Definitions

• Land Only: You will be booking your own international flights. Airport transfers are not included.

• Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet).

• Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way. If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your included hotels is available on your My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount under “My Reservations”.

Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased For eligible flights, airport transfers may be purchased separately as an optional add-on, subject to availability. To be eligible, your flight(s) must meet the following requirements:

• You must fly into or fly home from the same airport as O.A.T. travelers who purchased included airfare.

• Your flight(s) must arrive/depart on the same day that the group arrives or departs.

Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-221-0814.

If you don’t meet the requirements above, you’ll need to make your own transfer arrangements. We suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com.

Air Inclusive Travelers If you have purchased international air with us, there are some points that may be helpful for you to know.

• U.S. Departure: If you are among a group of ten or more travelers who depart the U.S. from your international gateway city, it is our goal to have an O.A.T. representative assist you at the U.S. airport with the check-in of your flight. Unless there are extenuating circumstances beyond our control, the representative will be at the check-in counter three hours before your departure time. If you are flying domestically before your international flight, the representative will be stationed at the check-in counter for your departing international flight, not at the domestic arrival gate.

51 • Arrival in Athens or Zagreb: Once you arrive overseas, you’ll need to collect your luggage and clear customs. An O.A.T. representative will meet you outside of customs and assist you with your transfer to the hotel or ship. Important note on porters: Airport porters are NOT allowed in the baggage claim area. On arrival, you must take your luggage off the baggage carousel and load it onto a cart, which you will then move through customs. When you exit customs, you’ll handle your cart until reaching your transfer vehicle. Your driver will load your luggage into the transfer vehicle.

• U.S. Return: If you are among a group of ten or more travelers who return to the same U.S. gateway city, an O.A.T. representative will meet you as you exit Customs and help you find taxis, buses, hotel accommodations, or connecting flights. Again, it is our goal to have our representative waiting to assist your group. In rare instances, unforeseen circumstances may prevent this service.

• Flying with a Travel Companion: If you’re traveling with a companion from a different household, and both of you are beginning and ending your trip at the same airport on the same dates, let us know you’d like to travel together and we’ll make every effort to arrange this (please note, however, that this is not always possible). If you request any changes to your flights, please be sure that both you and your companion tell us that you still want to fly together.

Optional Tours Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your adventure by tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations.

What You Need to Know • All optional tours are subject to change and availability.

• Optional tours that are reserved with your Trip Experience Leader can be paid for using credit/debit cards only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit cards; we can also take MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You won’t be able to enter a PIN.)

• To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S. headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”.

• Your Trip Experience Leader will give you details on the optional tours while you’re on the trip. But if you’d like to look over descriptions of them earlier, you can do so at any time by referring to your Day-to-Day Itinerary (available online by signing into My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount).

52 Communicating with Home from Abroad

Cell Phones If you want to use your cell phone on the trip, check with your phone provider to see if your phone and service will work outside of the U.S. It may turn out to be cheaper to rent an international phone or buy a SIM card onsite. If you want to use a local SIM, just make certain your phone can accept one.

Calling Apps Another option is to use a smartphone app like Skype or FaceTime. These services are usually less expensive than making a traditional call, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection and the calls may count towards your phone plan’s data allowance. Many smartphones—and some tablets or laptops—come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download them for free from the appropriate apps store.

Calling Cards and 1-800 Numbers When calling the U.S. from a foreign country, a prepaid calling card can be useful because it circumvents unexpected charges from the hotel. Calling cards purchased locally are typically the best (less expensive, more likely to work with the local phones, etc.).

One reminder: Do not call U.S. 1-800 numbers outside the continental United States. This can result in costly long distance fees, since 1-800 numbers do not work outside the country.

How to Call Overseas When calling overseas from the U.S., dial 011 for international exchange, then the country code (indicated by a plus sign: +), and then the number. Note that foreign phone numbers may not have the same number of digits as U.S. numbers; even within a country the number of digits can vary depending on the city and if the phone is a land line or cell phone.

Croatia: +385 Greece: +30

Montenegro: +382 Slovenia: +386

Albania: +355

53 PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS

Luggage Limits

MAIN TRIP LIMITS

Pieces per person One checked bag and one carry-on bag per person.

Weight restrictions Varies by airline. The current standard is 50 lbs for checked bags and 15 lbs for carry-on bags.

Size Restrictions Varies by airline. Measured in linear inches (length+width+depth). Generally, 62 linear inches is the checked bag limit; carry-on limit is 45 linear inches.

Luggage Type A sturdy, fabric-sided suitcase with built-in wheels and lockable zippers is recommended.

TRIP EXTENSION(S) LIMITS

Same as the main trip.

REMARKS/SUGGESTIONS

One suitcase and one carry-on bag per person: Due to the space limitations on bus transfers, you’ll be restricted to one suitcase and one carry-on bag per person. This is to ensure that we have room for everyone’s luggage. We ask that you abide by this limit to avoid inconveniencing your fellow travelers and prevent additional airlines luggage fees (which are your responsibility). Most airlines now charge to check more than one suitcase per person for flights to Europe and other international flights.

Luggage rules: Luggage rules and limits are set by governmental and airline policy. Enforcement of the rules may include spot checks or may be inconsistent. However one thing is the same across the board: If you are found to have oversized or overweight luggage, you will be subject to additional fees, to be assessed by—and paid to—the airline in question.

Don’t Forget: • These luggage limits may change. If the airline(s) notify us of any changes, we will include an update in your Final Documents booklet.

54 • It’s a good idea to reconfirm baggage restrictions and fees directly with the airline a week or so prior to departure. For your convenience, we maintain a list of the toll-free numbers for the most common airlines on our website in the FAQ section.

• Baggage fees are not included in your trip price; they are payable directly to the airlines.

Your Luggage • Checked Luggage: Consider a duffel bag or soft-sided suitcase. Look for one with heavy nylon fabric, wrap-around handles, built-in wheels, and a heavy duty lockable zipper. Due to space limitations on our motorcoaches, you are allowed one piece of checked luggage per person. Porterage at airports and hotels is provided for one bag per person. All bags should have luggage tags.

• Carry-on Bag: You are allowed one carry-on bag per person. We suggest a tote or small backpack that can be used as both a carry-on bag for your flight and to carry your daily necessities—water bottle, camera, etc—during your daily activities.

• Locks: For flights that originate in the U.S., you can either use a TSA-approved lock or leave your luggage unlocked. Outside of the U.S. we strongly recommend locking your luggage as a theft-prevention measure.

Clothing Suggestions: Functional Tips • Travel light: A good rule of thumb is to gather together everything you want to bring; then take half of that. To have a varied travel wardrobe, yet keep your luggage light, we recommend you select a color scheme and pack color-coordinated clothing items that can be mixed to create different outfits. For more packing and luggage tips, you might want to visit www.travelite.org.

• Consider clothing designed for travel, sports, or camping: With modern fabrics, lightweight packing for comfort and protection through a wide range of weather is easy.

• Plan to dress in layers on shore excursions. Be prepared for a variety of weather conditions: warm days with sun, chilly temperatures with showers, and evenings that could dip into the 40s or 50s, depending on your travel season.

• Bring rain gear: Regardless of your month of travel, rainfall is certainly a possibility. We suggest you bring a folding umbrella and waterproof shell. Water-resistant walking shoes are advantageous in case heavy downpours pass through.

• Good walking shoes are critical. This program features many included tours that follow steep, unpaved or cobbled routes; and even an average day of light sightseeing or shopping can put great demands on your feet. If you prefer more ankle support, take light hiking boots. In case you get caught in the rain, we suggest you bring an extra pair of walking shoes, and rain boots or galoshes. Aboard ship, you’ll want non-slip shoes with rubber soles.

55 Style Hints • Pack casual clothes: Comfortable, informal apparel is acceptable at each of your destinations. At dinner, you will not need to don “dressy” clothing; men do not need jackets or ties and women do not need fancy dresses. You may want one or two “smart casual” outfits for the Welcome Reception or Farewell Dinner, but it’s completely up to you.

• Dress modestly at religious sites in Greece, Croatia and Slovenia. Modestly dressed usually means covered from shoulders to below the knees—no shorts, no sleeveless shirts, and no low or revealing necklines. On days touring other sites in Greece, basic jeans, sleeveless shirts, everyday skirts or slacks, and shorts are perfectly acceptable.

Suggested Packing Lists We have included suggestions from Trip Experience Leaders and former travelers to help you pack. These lists are only jumping-off points—they offer recommendations based on experience, but not requirements. You may also want to consult the “Climate” chapter of this handbook.

And don’t forget a reusable water bottle—you’ll need it to take advantage of any refills we offer as we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bottles on all of our trips.

Recommended Clothing ‰Shirts: A mixture of short and long-sleeved shirts to layer ‰Trousers, jeans, or skirts ‰Comfortable walking shoes and/or water resistant shoes ‰Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood ‰Sleepwear ‰Socks and undergarments ‰A jacket or sweater, depending on the time of year

Essential Items ‰Daily essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush or comb, shaving items, deodorant, moisturizer, etc.

‰Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses and your prescription ‰Sunglasses with a neck strap ‰Sunscreen, SPF 15 or stronger

56 ‰Travel money bag or money belt ‰Wide-brim sun hat or visor ‰Pocket-size tissues ‰Moist towelettes and/or anti-bacterial hand lotion ‰Light folding umbrella ‰Photocopies of passport, air ticket, credit cards ‰Camera, spare batteries, and memory cards ‰Plug adapter–see the “Electricity” section ‰A refillable water bottle, as tap water is safe to drink

Medicines ‰Your own prescription medicines ‰Vitamins ‰Cold remedies: Sudafed/Dristan ‰Pain relievers: Ibuprofen/naproxen/aspirin ‰Laxatives: Senokot/Ex-Lax ‰Stomach upset: Pepto-Bismol/Mylanta ‰Anti-diarrheal: Imodium ‰Band-Aids, Moleskin foot pads ‰Antibiotics: Neosporin/Bacitracin

Optional Gear ‰Washcloth ‰Hand-wash laundry soap (Woolite), clothespins/travel clothesline/stopper ‰Reading materials ‰Travel journal/note pad

57 ‰Swimsuit, if your ship/hotel has a pool or whirlpool ‰Addresses for postcards ‰Photos, small gift for Home-Hosted visit ‰Phrase book ‰Pocket-size calculator for exchange rates ‰Insect repellent ‰For hotel stays: Many hotels will provide hair dryers, but not all. If a hair dryer is essential to you consider a travel-size version. Hair dryers are provided on your ship.

Home-Hosted Visits It is customary, though not necessary, to return your hosts’ generosity with a small gift. If you do bring a gift, we recommend that you bring something the whole family can enjoy, or something that represents your region, state, or hometown. Get creative and keep it small—peach jelly from Georgia, maple sugar candy from New England, orange blossom soap from California; something that can be used or used up is best. When choosing a gift, be certain to consider the local culture as well. For example, we do not recommend alcohol in Muslim countries because it is forbidden in Islam, and your hosts may be religious. Not all of our adventures include a home-hosted visit; please check your final itinerary before you depart.

Electricity Abroad When traveling overseas, the voltage is usually different and the plugs might not be the same shape.

Voltage Electricity at hotels in this region is 220-240 volts. In the U.S. it is 110 volts. Most of the things a traveler will want to plug in—battery chargers, MP3 players, tablets or computers—can run off both 110 and 220-240. But you should check the item or the owner’s guide first to confirm this before you plug it in. Plugging a 110V U.S. appliance into 220/240V 50/60Hz service will ruin the motor. If you have something that needs 110 volts—like a shaver or a hairdryer—you can bring a transformer to change the current. (But transformers tend to burn out, so it might be better to leave whatever it is at home.)

Aboard the ship, cabins are equipped with both 110-volt and 220-volt outlets.

Plugs Aboard ship, there are both standard American plugs and Western European Type C plugs.

58 In hotels, the shape of plugs will vary from country to country, and sometimes even within a country depending on when that building was built. To plug something from the U.S. into a local socket you’ll need an adapter that fits between the plug and the socket. Because you’ll be visiting multiple countries on this trip, it may be easier to purchase an all-in-one, universal adapter/ converter combo. Versatile and lightweight, these can usually be found at your local electronics goods or hardware stores. Sometimes you can buy them at large retailers too, like Target or Walmart. If you forget to bring an adapter, you might also find them for sale at the airport when you arrive at your destination.

Different plug shapes are named by letters of the alphabet. Standard U.S. plugs are Type A and Type B. Here is the list of plugs for the countries on this trip:

Note that Type C plugs can fit in E and F sockets.

Croatia: C and/or F

Montenegro: C and/or F

Albania: C

Greece: C, D, E and F

Slovenia: C and/or F

Type C Type D Type E Type F

59 CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Zagreb, Croatia: Because it is located further north and inland, Zagreb has a continental climate. Winters can be cold, sometimes snowy, autumn can be rainy and changeable, and spring can be very unpredictable. In late fall, winter, and early spring, it will get noticeably cooler in Zagreb than it does along the Adriatic seacoast.

Split, Croatia: Located on the Adriatic seacoast, Split has a Mediterranean climate, with very hot, dry summers and very rainy, windy winters (November-March). Be prepared when the north wind, the bura, blows in during the winter it can be quite cold. Split is one of the sunniest places in Europe, receiving an average of seven hours of sunshine per day in winter and twelve hours in summer.

Dubrovnik, Croatia: Located in the southern region of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, where lush vegetation slopes down to the clear turquoise of the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik boasts a pleasant Mediterranean climate characterized by wet winters and hot, dry summers. A winter wind, the bura, is the strongest wind along the Adriatic coast. In Croatia, temperatures can hit peaks as high as 100 from June to October with July and August being the hottest months. Water temperatures are warm enough for swimming June-September, but are too cold the rest of the year.

Greece: The coastal regions of Greece have an almost ideal climate—plenty of sunshine and dry air most of the year. During spring and early fall, days are generally very comfortable. Although temperatures usually range from 60 to 80 degrees, occasionally they reach extremes of warm and cold. From May to July beaches are less crowded than during the heart of the summer and the water can be warm enough for swimming. In spring, Athens’ surrounding hills come to life with gentle hues of green and colorful wild flowers. Coastal breezes often moderate summer heat, but on calm summer days, Athens can be very hot.

Climate Averages & Online Forecast The following charts reflect the average climate as opposed to exact weather conditions. This means they serve only as general indicators of what can reasonably be expected. An extreme heat wave or cold snap could fall outside these ranges. As your departure approaches, we encourage you to go online to www.oattravel.com/myaccount for your 10-day forecast.

60 Average Daily High/Low Temperatures (°F), Humidity & Monthly Rainfall

MONTH ZAGREB, CROATIA SPLIT, CROATIA

Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) (inches) Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 37 to 27 -- 2.0 52 to 38 70 to 58 12 FEB 46 to 30 -- 1.9 53 to 39 67 to 54 12 MAR 56 to 36 -- 2.2 58 to 43 72 to 55 12 APR 58 to 39 -- 2.7 63 to 48 70 to 54 13 MAY 67 to 50 -- 3.2 71 to 56 69 to 54 12 JUN 73 to 56 -- 3.7 79 to 63 63 to 49 10 JUL 81 to 60 -- 3.1 85 to 67 58 to 42 5 AUG 81 to 59 -- 3.1 84 to 67 62 to 44 7 SEP 71 to 51 -- 3.1 78 to 61 73 to 51 8 OCT 59 to 44 -- 3.7 69 to 54 76 to 59 12 NOV 46 to 35 -- 3.4 60 to 46 73 to 60 13 DEC 39 to 30 -- 2.6 54 to 41 72 to 60 13

MONTH DUBROVNIK, CROATIA ATHENS, GREECE

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Temp. High-Low % Relative Monthly Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall Humidity (am-pm) (inches) JAN 52 to 41 66 to 62 14 57 to 45 75 to 63 1.9 FEB 53 to 41 66 to 62 13 57 to 45 75 to 62 1.6 MAR 57 to 45 68 to 60 14 60 to 47 76 to 60 1.6 APR 62 to 50 66 to 58 14 67 to 53 75 to 58 1.0 MAY 70 to 57 66 to 58 12 75 to 60 73 to 54 0.6 JUN 77 to 64 60 to 55 9 84 to 68 68 to 48 0.2 JUL 82 to 69 52 to 49 6 89 to 73 58 to 41 0.2 AUG 82 to 69 55 to 51 6 89 to 73 58 to 41 0.3 SEP 76 to 64 62 to 56 8 83 to 67 64 to 47 0.4 OCT 69 to 56 69 to 62 12 74 to 60 71 to 57 1.9 NOV 59 to 48 70 to 64 14 66 to 54 76 to 64 2.2 DEC 54 to 43 68 to 65 14 59 to 48 76 to 65 2.5

61 MONTH BLED, SLOVENIA

Temp. High-Low % Relative Average # of Days Humidity (am-pm) with Rainfall JAN 39 to 27 -- 15 FEB 48 to 27 -- 7 MAR 52 to 34 -- 17 APR 61 to 39 -- 18 MAY 70 to 46 -- 17 JUN 75 to 54 -- 14 JUL 79 to 55 -- 12 AUG 79 to 55 -- 13 SEP 68 to 48 -- 14 OCT 59 to 45 -- 14 NOV 46 to 34 -- 11 DEC 37 to 28 -- 14

62 ABOARD YOUR SHIP: CABIN FEATURES, DINING & SERVICES ON BOARD

M/V Athena, M/V Artemis & M/V Arethusa Owned, operated, and staffed by us, this ship was designed exclusively for our travelers. On the main deck, you’ll find our reception area and the ship’s library. For relaxation, the lounge/bar features inviting leather couches and soft chairs. Topside, a sun deck has classic wooden deck chairs for admiring the scenery. When it’s time for meals, our large dining area at the stern features a single seating policy. While cruising, we’ll enjoy daily breakfast and lunch buffets; sit-down dinners feature international and local specialties paired with regional wines.

Included features of your Small Ship The Ship:

• Restaurant with single open seating

• Open Sun Deck for prime viewing

• Shipboard activities

• Smoke-free environment

• All shipboard announcements made in English

• Ice machine in the lobby

All Cabins:

• All outside cabins

• Layout of 150-163 square feet (24 doubles) and 120-135 square feet (2 singles)

• Private bath with shower, hair dryer

• Color TV with movies, and a bow camera for ship-front views

• Ample closet and dresser space

• Direct-dial telephone

An important word: While our ship features larger-than-usual cabins, please keep in mind that this ship is a coastal vessel, not large ocean cruise ships. Coastal cabins, in comparison, are relatively small, and ship amenities, in general, are comfortable but not lavish.

63 Cabin Assignments You will receive confirmation of your deck and/or cabin category upfront in writing; it will be on your invoice and online in My Account at www.oattravel.com/myaccount. However, your cabin number may not be assigned until you arrive on board the ship. (This is normal procedure for ships in many parts of the world, including Europe.) If there’s no cabin number on your invoice or online, you can presume it will be assigned later and communicated to you when you board.

Dining You’ll enjoy fine cuisine and excellent views in your ship’s dining room, featuring a warm decor of dark woods, rich carpeting, and white-linen and china table settings. Your ship’s daily service includes breakfast and lunch buffets, and a more formal dinner. Our professional chefs will create unique menus for you that feature regional specialties. Included with both lunch and dinner are complimentary drinks; you’ll be able to choose from house wine, draft beer, or a selection of soft drinks. In addition, a selection of other fine wines and beer is available for purchase, starting at approximately $20-30 per wine bottle (prices vary according to vintage). Travelers may also bring a bottle of their own favorite wine to dinner to enjoy at their table. Should you care to avail yourself of this service, there will be a corkage fee of approximately $10 per bottle, charged to your cabin account.

Please note that if you bring your own alcohol aboard, it can only be consumed in the dining room as described above, or in your cabin. Consumption of alcohol purchased outside the ship is not permitted in the lounge or public areas. We also offer complimentary coffee and tea throughout the day, available in the lounge.

Open-table, single seating for all meals: Each meal is open seating—reservations of any kind are not accepted. Dinner has only one designated time for its open seating, announced each day aboard ship.

Dining times: Dining times for all meals may vary depending on the day’s sightseeing and sailing schedule, but in general, meal times are as follows:

• Early riser breakfast: 7:00 -7:30 am

• Breakfast: 7:30-8:30 am

• Lunch: 1:00-2:00 pm

• Dinner: 7:00 pm

Special diets & celebrations: Special diets, such as low-cholesterol or vegetarian, can be accommodated, as well as the recognition of an anniversary or birthday. Please call us to submit your request no later than 45 days prior to departure. Religious dietary regimens, such as kosher or halal meals, cannot be prepared aboard ship.

Dress code: The dining-room dress code is casual, though most travelers dress nicely for the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Farewell Dinner.

64 Non-smoking policy: The entire dining room is non-smoking at all times.

Embarkation/Disembarkation On the day of disembarkation, your cabin will no longer be available after breakfast. You may sit in the ship’s lounge or on the Sun Deck until disembarkation.

Headsets During your trip, complimentary headsets (often called “whisper receivers”) will be provided on all of your included and optional tours, so that you can hear better over ambient noise. If you use a hearing aid or have a strong preference for a particular type of headphones, we highly encourage you to bring your own headphones/ear buds with you. The plug size is usually the same as that used by iPods, computer jacks, etc. Headsets will also be available during the pre- and post-trip extensions, but not on the transfer day to/from the main trip.

Wireless Internet Access Limited complimentary Wireless Internet service is available on board the ship. If you want to use the Wireless Internet connection you’ll need to bring your own device (laptop/tablet/netbook) — ships do not rent or loan these devices. Shipboard access is subject to the challenges of travel: ship location, signal availability, and usage volume on board will affect connectivity and speed. The ship’s Internet connection demands a strong 3G-cell phone signal, which is unavailable in many of the areas we visit, and connectivity can be limited. You can expect disruptions of both long and short duration. You may be able to take advantage of available shoreside Internet cafes, or hotel access if available.

Laundry and Linen Service Laundry service is available for a fee. Please note that neither self-service laundry facilities nor dry cleaning services are available. Towels are changed daily, but only at your request. (We use the international signal that most green hotels have adopted—if you want a towel changed, leave it on the floor or in the shower. A towel on the rack or hung up indicates you’ll reuse it.) Bed linens are not changed daily. Fresh bed linens are supplied at the start of every cruise, and if the cruise is longer than two weeks they will be changed every 14 days. For cruises less than two weeks long, you’ll keep same the same bed linens for the duration.

Medical Care Our entire fleet adheres to stringent European safety standards. Ships feature fully staffed reception desks for most of the day (from 7:00 AM to 10 PM) and each cabin is equipped with an emergency call button available to alert the Captain.

On Board Activities During your cruise you’ll enjoy exclusive Discovery Series events, including group activities that relate to the region, theme dinners, organized discussions, and talks on upcoming ports of call.

65 Recreational Facilities These include a sun deck, lounge, library, bar and dance floor. The bar is open from 9:30 am to 11 pm, and features both complimentary drinks (soft drinks, house beer, house wine, and non- alcoholic cocktails/beer) and drinks for purchase (spirits, alcoholic cocktails, bottled beers, and a selection of wines). Prices are in Euros.

Bicycles We’re pleased to offer complimentary bicycle rentals onboard your ship for use during free time, including all of the necessary safety gear, such as a helmet, brightly-colored safety vest, and a lock. Because there is a limited supply of bicycles available, they will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. For more information or if you are interested in using one of the bicycles, please speak to the Front Desk staff or Hotel Manager onboard your ship.

Telephone Services To make telephone calls from the ship, you will be charged on your shipboard account on the last day of the cruise. Phone calls are directly from your cabin and through satellite, and are charged per minute without regard to whether or not it is a local, international or Calling Card based call. We advise you to use it only for an emergency, as this is a satellite connection and a very expensive service (for example, calls will cost about $10.00 per minute).

Smoking/Non-Smoking Policy All cabins are non-smoking. Smoking is permitted only outside on the sun deck. Smoking is not allowed anywhere else on the ship.

Shore Excursions Included during your cruise are many sightseeing tours. Other optional tours are available for purchase. We will provide information on these optional excursions on your arrival. Please note that optional tours can only be purchased with a credit card (and debit cards as noted under Optional Tour Payments previously)

Lost & Found Any lost or forgotten items found on board the ship will be held for 90 days from disembarkation. After 90 days, all unclaimed items will be discarded or donated.

Ship Specifications

M/V Artemis • History: Built in 2008

• Size: 193x35 ft

• Capacity: 50 passengers, 21 crew members

66 • Layout: 26 cabins, 3 decks; Elevator-no

M/V Athena • History: Built in 2007

• Size: 193x35 ft

• Capacity: 50 passengers, 21 crew members

• Layout: 26 cabins, 3 decks; Elevator-no

M/V Arethusa • History: Built in 2008

• Size: 193x35 ft

• Capacity: 50 passengers, 21 crew members

• Layout: 26 cabins, 3 decks; Elevator-no

67 ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE

O.A.T. Trip Experience Leaders: A World of Difference During your adventure you’ll be accompanied by one of our local, expert Trip Experience Leaders. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure. As locals of the regions you’ll explore with them, our Trip Experience Leaders provide the kind of firsthand knowledge and insight that make local history, culture, and wildlife come alive. Coupled with their unbridled enthusiasm, caring personalities, and ability to bring diverse groups of travelers together, our Trip Experience Leaders ensure that your experience with O.A.T. is one you’ll remember for a lifetime.

The Cultures of the Dalmatian Coast On this adventure, you’ll visit four fascinating countries—Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece—and explore each of their captivating cultures.

Located at the crossroads of Europe, with more than 1100 miles of prime Adriatic coastline, Croatia has long been a prize for ambitious kings and emperors: Roman, Venetian, Austro- Hungarian influences are all apparent in the country’s architecture and cuisine. But despite these outside influences, Croatia—which only gained independence in 1991—boasts an identity unlike any other. The jewel in its crown is the Dalmatian Coast, a sun-dappled stretch of pebbly beaches and clear, sapphire waters speckled with more than 1200 islands and alive with fishermen vying for the catch of the day. Further inland, dense forests teem with wildlife, alpine mountains cast long shadows over crystalline lakes, and pastoral farmlands roll across the countryside. But no matter where in Croatia you find yourself, you’re sure to experience the warm welcomes and deep national pride inherent to the local identity.

When invited into the homes of locals, you’ll be welcomed by a boisterous “Jedi! Jedi! Jedi!,” or “Eat! Eat! Eat!” Sharing food and drink is a cornerstone of Croatian culture, which demonstrates the country’s hearty hospitality and quality of their local produce. Simple, homestyle cooking is a feature of many family-run taverns. Additionally, Croatian wines and olive oils are becoming internationally distinguished and garnering top awards.

Since the split of the Roman empire over 1600 years ago, Montenegro has sat at the intersection between the East and West. Many tribes and nations have tried to make this tiny hidden gem home—the Illyrians, Greeks, Celts, Slavs, Romans, Ottoman Turks, and Venetians—and their influences can be seen in the richness of Montenegro’s cultural history: mosaic floors of Roman villas, intricately painted Orthodox monasteries, ornate Catholic churches, elegant minarets of mosques, and sturdy fortresses. The most dominant rulers were the Ottomans and the Venetians, so it’s no surprise to see large Italian and Turkish influences in the country’s cuisine. While there’s a mixture of Mediterranean vegetables and seafood alongside succulent grilled meats, the cuisine is still distinctly Montenegrin.

68 Wrapped up in an area two-thirds of the size of Wales, miniscule Montenegro bursts with spectacular seaside scenery, ancient walled towns that cling to cliffsides, majestic mountain ranges, and larger-than-life locals. Montenegrins welcome visitors with warmth and kindness (and a lot of food). They are candid, friendly, and charming. They are also fiercely independent and have a strong sense of national pride. Additionally, there is a deep love and respect for family. Ancestry and lineage are extremely important, so much so that the advice and opinions of the oldest member of a family are always sought out.

Due to its isolation on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea, Albania has long been a bridgehead for various nations and empires seeking to conquest new lands. They’ve been conquered by the Romans and Byzantines and suffered centuries of invasions from the Visigoths, Huns, Bulgars, and Slavs. The Ottoman Turks were the last to conquer this nation in the 15th century and essentially cut Albania off from Western civilization. Albania has lived in isolation through most of its turbulent history—in part due to the rugged mountainous terrain.

The country was closed to outsiders for much of the 20th century until the end of communism in 1991. As a result, Albania opened its borders, and travelers could finally experience the country’s sparkling beaches, crumbling ancient ruins, fortress towns, and awe-inspiring mountain ranges. Despite these years of isolation, Albanians are known for their warm and welcoming nature. Home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews, religious tolerance is one of the most important foundations of Albanian culture.

Playground of Zeus, Apollo, and Aphrodite, birthplace of the Olympic Games, academy of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, cradle of democracy and Western literature—although it’s relatively small in size, Greece has had a legendary influence on world culture. From its classical capital of Athens, to a countryside speckled with grand amphitheaters and sacred temples, to the sun-soaked islands that dot its coast, it’s no wonder mighty heroes and ancient thinkers found inspiration in this Mediterranean oasis.

In recent years, the country has fallen on harder times: A persistent economic crisis, frictions within the European Union, and immigration issues all present ongoing challenges. But in spite of it all, Greece’s indomitable spirit lives on through its most valuable asset—its people. Warm, proud, and gregarious, Greeks cling fiercely to their long-held traditions—including a love of family and a passion for their famous cuisine—while focusing on shaping their future in a modern world.

Taking Photographs The etiquette of photographing most people in Europe is about the same as it would be on the streets of your hometown. You need permission to take a close-up, but not for a crowd scene. Consent is especially important if you want to take a photo of a child or minor—ask their parent for permission first. To get a great portrait, show interest in your subject and try to have a bit of social interaction to put them at ease. Then use sign language to inquire if a picture is OK.

69 Safety & Security As you travel, exercise the same caution and awareness that you would in a large American city. Don’t be overly nervous or suspicious, but keep your eyes open. If you are venturing out after dark, go with one or two other people.

Carry a one-day supply of cash in your pocket. Carry most of your money, and your passport, in a travel pouch or money belt under your shirt. Replenish your pocket supply when you are in a safe and quiet place, or in our vehicle. Don’t leave valuables unattended in your hotel room. Most hotels will offer use of a hotel safe at the front desk or an electronic in-room safe (for which you can set your own personal number). Please utilize them.

Pickpockets may create a sudden distraction. In any sort of puzzling street situation, try to keep one hand on your wallet or money belt. If an encounter with a local turns out to be long and complicated and involves money or your valuables, be very careful. Con artists sometimes target travelers.

Hotel Courtesy in Greece Greek hotels do not allow food and beverages to be taken from their breakfast rooms, nor is it courteous to eat or drink food or beverages purchased elsewhere in hotel common rooms. In conformity with municipal laws to promote urban decorum, hotels do not allow hanging laundry on room balconies. Travel clotheslines, used in your bathroom, are a more private and effective solution.

Southeast European Cuisine The Balkans aren’t just a cultural crossroads, they’re a region of striking physical diversity whose bounties will satisfy the most discerning diners. Adriatic seafood...dairy from Slovenia’s alpine meadows...truffles from Istria’s Motuvan Forest... succulent fruit from the Pannonian plains... spit-roasted Bosnian lamb. What else bubbles up in this culinary melting pot? Take a look...

Croatian Cuisine Are Croatia’s Ston oysters the best in the world? You can decide when you are exploring the Dalmatian coast, which is also famous for mussels, prawns, and all manner of fish and shellfish. Try also the black risotto called crni rizot, made with squid; and brudet, a flavorful fish and tomato stew. Carnivores will love pasticada (stuffed beef cooked in wine). And you can end your meal with the sweet caramel cream called rozata, a Dubrovnik specialty. The Zinfandel grape originated here, so you may want to try a local wine made from it. Croatia also has a stronger alcoholic beverage, rakija, in several differently flavored or spiced varieties, such as travarica, which has added herbs is one regional specialty.

Other Croatian specialties include gregada, a fish stew often made with fresh scorpion fish or grouper chopped into large chunks with sliced potatoes and lashings of olive oil; štrukli, delicious pillows of dough filled with cottage cheese and slathered in cream that are enjoyed as a dessert or a mid-morning snack; and burek, flaky pastries layered with cheese, spinach, apple or meat that are ]enjoyed any time of day.

70 Montenegrin Cuisine People here grow up on buzara: shrimp, prawns and other shellfish simmered in red or white wine and herbs. Try fresh-caught octopus, grilled and drizzled with olive oil and served alongside sarma (cabbage leaves stuffed with ground meat) or salted sheep’s cheese arranged around platters of veggies. Montenegro is the home of award-winning Njeguski Steak, a veal or pork schnitzel filled with prosciutto and smothered with melted kajmak cheese.

Albanian Cuisine Albanian food has many Greek and Turkish influences, so you’ll see familiar dishes like spinach in filo pastry (byrek), sweet baklava, and grilled qofte meatballs. But it differs in its use of dairy, creating unique dishes like the quiche-like darilike tave kosi; or a fried local cheese called kackavall. Vegetarians will love perime ne zgare (a mixed grill of eggplant, zucchini, onions, and peppers) or speca me gjize (peppers stuffed with rice, cottage cheese, and spices). On a hot day, try tarator, a cold soup of cucumber, garlic, walnut, fennel, vinegar, and spices.

Greek Cuisine A perfect Mediterranean climate. More than 6,000 islands and no mainland location more than 90 miles from the sea. Bountiful (and mostly organic) olive groves, fruit orchards, pastures, and vineyards. With all this richness, Greece has had no reason to change or complicate its cuisine in thousand of years. Here, it is the quality and freshness of simple ingredients that makes every dish a flavorful standout.

So let’s start as the Greeks do, with mesethes, or mezes. These are frequently described as appetizers and though a specific meze may be offered as a first course, for most Greeks mezes is a separate event in and of itself. One goes out for mezes with friends and family, sharing various small plates of food, drinks, and conversation. You might be served olives or olive paste (pasta elias) to spread on breadsticks, chunks of feta or kasseri cheese, marithes (grilled octopus or smelts), keftedes (seasoned meatballs), kolokythokeftedes (zucchini fritters), or grape leaves (dolmathakia or just dolmas) rolled and stuffed with rice, pine nuts, meat, or other seasonings. These will all be accompanied by taramasalata (fish roe dip) tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip), melitzanosalata (eggplant dip), or fava (bean dip.)

Dishes that are popular all over Greece include the white bean soup called fasolatha; and moussaka, a layered casserole of eggplant, ground lamb, tomato sauce, and potatoes covered in béchamel sauce and cheese, and spiced with cinnamon. Try also pastitsio, a lasagna-like dish made with pasta and ground beef or lamb, béchamel, cheese, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stalls everywhere sell gyros and souvlaki, which are chunks or slices of seasoned grilled meat (usually lamb or pork) with chopped tomatoes and onions in pita bread, with lashings of tzatziki. For something lighter, there’s spanakopita is a phyllo pastry layered with feta cheese and spinach.

In the morning, start your day with a bowl of Greek yogurt drizzled with honey. It will be creamier, thicker, and tastier than any you buy off American supermarket shelves. As you head out, you may see locals having coffee with koulouri – pretzel rings covered in sesame seeds.

71 As for regional specialties, the Aegean abounds with seafood such as kakavia (rockfish soup), cured sardines, and various grilled whole fish drizzled with ladholemono (a lemon and oil dressing). But try also chick pea fritters from Rhodes, kapama (kid goat stuffed with rice), and the tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) of Santorini.

In the Peloponnese, look for arni me votana, a lamb casserole with vegetables, beans, tomatoes, potatoes and herbs. This region is also famous for kaimaki, a sweet cream topped with nuts and honey. Pastitsada is the signature dish of the Ionian islands, savory chicken or beef simmered in wine, cinnamon, garlic and spices. It’s often served with bucatini pasta, a nod to the area’s Venetian past. Elsewhere in western Greece you may find glyko kastano, a chestnut pudding with honey and orange. And in Thessaly, Macedonia, and parts of northern Greece, the influence of Ottoman and Balkan cultures means more spice and meat. Look for savory pites pies, or tzigerosarmades (rice balls with spiced lamb, pine nuts and raisins.)

If you have room for dessert, there are many variations on the classic Greek baklava that involve honey and phyllo. Try also revani a moist semolina cake with lemon and orange; buttery kourabiethes shortbread cookies; or the classic galatoboureko, filled with custard.

Slovenian Cuisine Slovenia may only be the size of Massachusetts, but it still boasts 24 distinct gastronomic regions, and many dishes with EU protected status. One such is Idrijski zlikrofi, heavenly pasta pockets filled with potato, bacon and herbs. Another is Bled Cream Cake or Kremšnita, a confection of flaky crust, vanilla custard, icing sugar and whipped cream. Kraški pršut (prosciutto from the karst lands) and Istrian olive oil give their Italian cousins a run for the money. Štruklji is Slovenia’s version of strudel, filled with either savory or sweet ingredients like cheese, walnuts, apples and poppy seeds. In spring and summer, try it with fresh tarragon

Zagreb in Brief

City Layout & Details Zagreb’s historic central area consists of two sections: the Upper Town (Gornji Grad), which as the name implies is on a hilltop, and the Lower Town (Donji Grad). Ban Jelacic Square, the city’s central public space, is on the border between the Upper and Lower Towns. It’s called Trg Bana Jelačića in Croatian; Trg means “city square.” In the upper town, winding streets lead to the Croatian Parliament building. The city’s central open-air market (Dolac) is here, as well as the charming, pedestrian-only street Tkalciceva. On the hill named Kaptol what was once a religious town merged in 1850 with secular Gradec to create the core of modern Zagreb. You can explore Gradec by following the major street Ilica from Ban Jelacic Square, then turning up Tomiceva where a funicular takes you up the hill.

The streets of the Lower Town were laid out in a neat grid in the late 19th century. In broad outline they form a “U” shape known as “the Green Horseshoe” that encompasses many of the city’s main cultural institutions and public buildings. These include the Croatian National Theater, the Arts and Crafts Museum (featuring crafts from the Baroque period to the 20th century), and the Mimara Museum—highly recommended for it outstanding collections of

72 textiles, paintings, sculpture, and ceramics. Here there are also a Technical Museum, the city’s Botanical Garden, and the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters with works by famous Italian and Dutch painters.

Local Transportation Zagreb has an extensive bus and tram system that can get you around at minimal expense. You can purchase tickets from street kiosks (slightly cheaper) or on board; be sure to get your ticket time-stamped when you first board at tram. Regular tickets are good for one and a half hours; all-day tickets are also available. The tram system can get you as far as Sljeme on the outskirts of town for a popular excursion to the heights of Mt. Medvednica. Taxis are also readily available in central Zagreb and are metered at a regulated rate.

Dubrovnik In Brief

City Layout & Details Dubrovnik is situated on an archipelago along the shore of the Adriatic. The rim of its medieval Old Town, known as Stari Grad, begins along the shore and circles around to the north, and is protected by fairly massive walls and stone fortifications. A jetty and small harbor offer views of the coastal area.

Stradun, many centuries old, is the Old Town’s main street and the popular promenade of residents and visitors alike, narrowing as it extends away from the sea. You’ll find an assortment of cafés, boutiques, and intriguing little shops along this ancient city lane. Most of the alleys of the Old Town are outlined by high walls and their pattern may seem complicated, but this historic walled section covers a fairly small area, making it easy to become familiar with the few main roads. Automobiles are not allowed, so you can thoroughly enjoy your strolls here and take your time browsing. You can even walk along the wall for an unparalleled perspective of the area’s layout and architecture. You can gain entrance to this walkway at either end of the Stradun, at the Pile Gate on the western wall and beneath the City Bell Tower. Inside the Old Town you will find the historic old cathedral dating back to the 13th century, the graceful Sponza palace, and a Franciscan monastery that includes a museum. Beyond the walls of the Old Town is the New Town section of Dubrovnik. Walking these streets you will find more modern shops and more restaurants with fresh local cuisine.

There are many historic sites in Dubrovnik, and part of the intrigue of this city is happening upon some of the lesser-known ancient structures as you walk the city lanes. One of the more renowned sites is the Franciscan Monastery, one of the oldest functioning pharmacies in the world. Its apothecary shop dates back to 1317, and the building also holds very old musical scores and manuscripts, along with the works of local painters and jewelers.

The artistic life of Dubrovnik is celebrated at various festivals throughout the year, and many buildings house examples of the creative spirit of the residents. A small museum at the Dominican Monastery displays a good collection of 16th-century religious art done by local artisans. The Luza Art Center is one of many art galleries worth browsing, and the courtyard of the Sponza

73 Palace often holds exhibits of contemporary art. The Sponza Palace is certainly worth visiting for its own merits. This graceful and ornate building combines both Venetian Gothic and Renaissance styles of design, and was once a customs house and mint.

One of the symbols of Dubrovnik is the impressive Minceta Fortress. This circular bastion along the city’s walls was completed in 1464 according to plans detailed by the Renaissance architects Dalmatinac (of Croatia) and Michelozzi (of Italy). Another structure that draws much interest is the Onofrio Fountain, created in 1444 just inside the Pile Gate.

Near Luza Square, once the center of medieval Dubrovnik, stands the 18th-century baroque Church of St. Blaise. A statue of an armored knight stands on guard nearby, known as Orlando’s Column. It was erected in the 1400s as a tribute to freedom. Government rulings were proclaimed here, and the right arm of Orlando became the state’s standard of measure for length (the Ragusan cubit).

If you’re seeking a museum to visit, Dubrovnik has several to offer. In addition to the museum of the Dominican Monastery mentioned above, there is also the gothic Rector’s Palace, also known as Duke Palace, exhibiting baroque artwork, historical items of the region, and furnished rooms depicting medieval trappings and décor, housing more than 15,000 exhibits of cultural and historical significance. The Rupe Ethnographical Museum displays traditional occupations, architecture, and costumes of the nation. The museum itself is carved out of rock, the structure formerly used as underground storage units for grain, to protect food supplies during periods of siege. In addition, the Maritime Museum is situated in the fortress Sveti Ivan (Fort of St. John), along with the Aquarium of the Institute of Biology for those interested in the marine species of the region.

Attractions With a little planning, there are sites of interest just outside of the city’s environs if you wish to venture further afield. The Isle of Mljet, nicknamed the Green Island because of the richness of its vegetation, contains a national park of protected land and waters (according to lore, Odysseus washed ashore at this lush island). Korcula is nearby, known to be Marco Polo’s birthplace. As mentioned earlier, a short boat ride from Dubrovnik brings you to the lovely Island of Lokrum, said to be where Richard the Lionhearted was shipwrecked. Boat lines can also take you offshore to Sipan, Kolocep, or Lopud.

Local Transportation Dubrovnik is a compact city and it is a delight to explore on foot, especially since Stari Grad (the Old Town) does not allow motor vehicles. If you want to roam further, there are many regular buses that can take you throughout the New Town and to destinations outside of Dubrovnik. You can buy bus tickets from the bus driver (exact change please) or from a local newspaper kiosk.

You can also take advantage of the marine mode of transportation and relax on a boat for a short ride to Lokrum Island. This isle is a nature park complete with the medieval ruins of a Benedictine Monastery, a botanical garden, and rocky beaches where you can walk or just find a quiet spot to sit and take in the ocean vistas.

74 You enter the old town through Pile Gate, where you can obtain tourist information (open Mon- Sat 8 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 8 am to 3 pm). Here you can buy maps of the city and get information on local buses.

Athens in Brief

City Layout and Details Athens has two main centers: Syntagma (Constitution) Square and Omonia Square. Approximately a mile apart, these two squares are connected by two parallel avenues, Stadiou Street and Panepistimiou Street. From Syntagma Square, Mitropoleos Street leads, slightly downhill, to Monastiraki Square, near the flea market and the Plaka district. From Monastiraki Square, mile-long Athinas Street leads to Omonia Square. In the triangle formed by these three squares—Syntagma, Omonia, and Monastiraki—lies Athens’s inner city, its shopping area, the central market, the main department stores, the post offices, banks, and many tavernas and restaurants.

Two helpful orientation landmarks are the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill (the latter with the small white church and the Greek flag on top). Both are visible from most parts of the city.

Local Transportation The Athens Metro has been dramatically improved and expanded in the recent years making it one of the most modern and efficient systems in the world. It has 3 lines, which are distinguished by the colors used in maps and signs (green, blue and red). The green line, which is the oldest and for the most part runs on the ground, connects Piraeus to Kifissia. The blue line runs from Agia Marina to Doukissis Plakentias and the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, and the red line from Athoupoli to Elliniko. The first train of the day departs at 5:30 am and the last departs at 12:10 am.

There are many taxis in Athens, which can be recognised by the yellow colour of the vehicles. The minimun charge is 3 Euros. The taxi fare between the airport and the city center is roughly 35 Euros during the day and 50 Euros at night. Radio equipped taxis are available for a small extra fee.

Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & More There may be scheduled visits to local shops during your adventure. There is no requirement to make a purchase during these stops, and any purchase made is a direct transaction with the shop in question, subject to the vendor’s terms of purchase. O.A.T. is not responsible for purchases you make on your trip or for the shipment of your purchases.

75 Returns If you discover an issue with an item, you should contact the vendor directly and expect that any resolution will take longer than it would in the U.S. We recommend that you keep a copy of all your receipts, invoices, or contracts, along with the shop’s contact information. Keep in mind, local practice may vary from U.S. standards, so don’t assume that you have a certain number of days after the purchase to speak up or that you are guaranteed a refund.

Crafts & Souvenirs

Croatia Typical Croatian souvenirs include gingerbread hearts (licitar), lavender oil, olive oil, and red coral jewelry (note that red coral is illegal import into the U.S. but allowed if in jewelry). Dry skin? Locals swear by the lanolin-based Zagrebacki melem ointment. Remember that the cravat was invented here, so be on the lookout for unusual and beautifully made neckties.

Montenegro Popular Montenegrin souvenirs include homemade rakija (a brandy-esque drink produced in the Balkans), grape vinegar, peasant cheese, Yugoslav memorabilia, njeguški pršut (Montenegrin prosciutto), cat-centric souvenirs in Kotor, kapa (traditional men’s cap), vranac wine, and brojanica (an Christinan Orthodox prayer rope).

Albania When visiting Albania, souvenirs you will want to keep an eye out for are homemade ceramics with traditional Albanian patterns, çifteli (a traditional guitar-like instrument), olive oil, a qilim (a handwoven rug), pupa (hand-knitted fabric slippers), bunker-shaped ashtrays, skënderbeu cognac, and handmade jewelry.

Greece Specialties include handicrafts, gold and silver jewelry, embroidered shirts and dresses, fabrics, flokati rugs of fluffy sheep wool, pottery, onyx, marble, alabaster, and leather goods. These are available in the main shopping area downtown around Syntagma, Omonia, and Kolonaki squares as well as in Monastiraki, the flea market, where shopping sometimes involves bargaining. Some of the best jewelry comes from Ioannina, ceramics from Sifnos and Skopelos, and embroidery from Skryos, Crete, Lefkas, and Rhodes. Thessaly and Epirus regions specialize in flokati rugs.

Slovenia Handicraft shops in Slovenia feature locally made ceramics, woolens, wood carvings, embroidery, tapestries, filigree jewelry, pumpkin seed oil, hand-painted beehive panels, honey brandy and handmade carpets. The fashion brands Sens and Akultura are popular, and for something more traditional, consider Idrija lace and Rogaska crystal.

76 U.S. Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges For all things related to U.S. Customs, the ultimate authority is the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection. Their website, www.cbp.gov has the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Or you can call them at 1-877-227-5511.

The top three points to know are:

• At time of writing, your personal duty-free allowance is $800 for items brought with you. Items totaling more than $800 are subject to duty fees.

• Items shipped home are always subject to duty when received in the U.S. Even when the shop has offered to include shipping and duties in the price, this typically means shipping to the nearest customs facility and payment of the export duties—not door-to-door shipping or payment of the import duties. All additional duties or shipping charges would be your responsibility. Unless an item is small enough to send by parcel service (like FedEx), chances are you will need to arrange shipping or pick-up once the item is in the U.S. and will need to pay customs duties.

• It is illegal to import products made from endangered animal species. U.S. Customs & Border Protection will seize these items, as well as most furs, coral, tortoise shell, reptile skins, feathers, plants, and items made from animal skins.

77 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY

Croatia

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 21,851 square miles

• Capital: Zagreb

• Government: Presidential/parliamentary democracy

• Language: Croatian (Hrvatski), with Italian, German, and English also spoken by some.

• Location: Croatia is situated between the Pannonian Plain and the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. irregularities of its Adriatic coastline have created over 1,000 islands. The region in the north of Croatia is a highland area with a mountainous climate.

• Geography: Croatia is located in Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. The terrain of Croatia is geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coast, coastline, and islands.

• Population: 4,058,165 (estimate)

• Religions: Roman Catholic 86.3%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.5%, none 3.8%

• Time Zone: Croatia is on Central European Time, which is six hours ahead of U.S. EST. Daylight Saving Time is in effect from the last Sunday of March until the last Sunday of October.

78 National Holidays: Croatia

In addition to the holidays listed below, 06/25 Statehood Day Croatia celebrates a number of national 08/05 Homeland Thanksgiving Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and Corpus Christi. To find out if you 08/15 Assumption of Mary will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 10/08 Independence Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 11/01 All Saints’ Day

01/06 Epiphany 12/25 Christmas

05/01 Labor Day/May Day 12/26 St Stephen’s Day

Croatia: A Brief History Though Croatia defines itself along ethno-nationalist lines, the first Croat tribes did not arrive here until the 6th century. Little is known about them, but they were likely Slavic people from the marshlands of Ukraine who migrated to the Pannonian plains and Dalmatian coast.

The Croats came after the Illyrians, Greeks, Celts and Romans, who arrived in 11 BC and ruled for 500 years, expanding their colony from the Adriatic to the Danube. In the decades after the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, the Croats began to move in, banding with other groups in a series of shifting allegiances, and organizing around powerful clans. When Charlemagne came in 800 AD, he Christianized the Dalmatian Croats. Though the Byzantine Empire held political power, the Christian Croats still looked to Rome for cultural and spiritual leadership—a connection that endures today, with most Croats identifying as devout Roman Catholics.

In 925 AD, Tomislav united the Dalmatian and Pannonian Croats, establishing a unified kingdom that included modern-day Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. Venice invaded Dalmatia, but the Croat kingdom lasted until 1102, when it merged with the kingdom of Hungary. By the mid-1400s, under widespread Ottoman occupation, the Croatian Assembly invited the Hapsburgs to assume control. The Hapsburgs ousted the Turks by the 18th century. But the dream of an independent Croatia reawakened during the mid 1800s, as Europe was swept by a wave of romantic nationalism. This brought a flowering of Croatian language and art.

Following World War I and the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in 1918 the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes united as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The Axis takeover of Yugoslavia during World War II gave power to Croatia’s far-right Ustase party, which built eight concentration camps to exterminate hundreds of thousands of Jews, Roma, and Serbs. Antifascist resistors rose up, but many, the Serbian Chetniks among them, enacted massacres against the Croats, exacerbating political and ethnic tensions.

79 The most effective partisans were led by the communist Josip Broz (aka “Tito”), who forced the Nazi retreat and became the architect of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, established in 1944. Though initially aligned with Moscow, Tito openly critiqued Stalin and continually asserted Yugoslavia’s independence. In 1961, he founded the Non-Aligned Movement, positioning its members as serious bargaining partners between the Soviet and western blocs.

Tito was determined to create a state in which no ethnic group dominated, and where church and state were separated. It was a fragile balance he maintained through a one-party system that suppressed all opposition. When he died in 1980, old tensions among the six Yugoslav republics resumed. In 1989, with the fall of communism, Yugoslavia fell apart. In 1990, Croatian nationalist Franjo Tudjman was elected President, and a year later, Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia. Conflicts between Serbs and Croats escalated, and within a month, war broke out.

The United Nations mediated a cease-fire in 1992, but hostilities resumed the next year when Croatia tried to regain lost territories. Multiple offensives and cease-fires ensued until 1995, when Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian governments signed the Dayton Peace Agreement, committing to a permanent cease-fire, regional cooperation and further democratization. When President Tudjman died in 1999, the subsequent coalition government brought major changes. Since then, Serbs and Croats have maintained a stable, albeit wary peace. Croatia joined NATO in 2009, and since joining the EU in 2014, its economy, powered by tourism, has grown.

Montenegro

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 5,332 square miles

• Capital: Podgorica

• Population: 621,873 (estimate)

• Languages: Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified 3.7%

• Geography: Montenegro is in Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia. The country is only 13,812 sq km, which means it is roughly the same size a Connecticut, yet it borders on five countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia. The country is mostly rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus that dip down to coastal plains.

• Religions: Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 4%

• Time Zone: Montenegro is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of Eastern Time. Summer hours operate from the last Sunday in March until the last weekend in October.

80 National Holidays: Montenegro

In addition to the holidays listed below, 01/08 Orthodox Christmas (Day 2) Montenegro celebrates a number of national 05/01 Labor Day/May Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Orthodox Easter. To find out if you will be 05/02 Labor Day/May Day (Day 2) traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 05/21 Independence Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 05/22 Independence Day (Day 2)

01/06 Orthodox Christmas Eve 07/13 Statehood Day

01/07 Orthodox Christmas 07/14 Statehood Day (Day 2)

Montenegro: A Brief History Montenegro is only the size of Connecticut, but its status has changed seven times since World War II. This is nothing new, as Montenegro’s entire history has been one of dynastic struggle, conquest, and shifting alliances—shot through with a continual quest for independence.

While Montenegro’s history is intimately bound with that of its neighbors, there are many unique factors. The first people to settle here in the Bronze Age were Illyrians. Not much is known about them, but they were warlike seafarers who settled the southeastern Adriatic coast. Though Greeks and Celts had settlements here during the 6th and 7th centuries BC, in the 3rd century BC much of Montenegro was part of an indigenous, Illyrian kingdom.

When the Romans arrived in Dalmatia in 168 BC, they mounted expeditions against Illyrian pirates, annexed their lands, and incorporated Montenegro into their larger Illyrium province. But Montenegro was considered a backwater. Rugged and largely inaccessible, devoid of known riches or mineral wealth, it became a haven for various clans who had resisted Romanization.

Once the Slavs arrived in the 7th century, their rival chieftains engaged in shifting alliances, often with outside states like Bulgaria, Venice and Byzantium. The clans who settled around the former Roman hub of Doclea in Montenegro were Serbs, and their realm was called Duklja. Between 931 and 960, the chieftain Ceslav further unified a number of Serb tribes, operating from Zeta near the Gulf of Kotor. The rest of Montenegro’s medieval history involved a succession of kingdoms that eventually became the Serbian principality of Zeta in the 14th century. By the late 15th century, Zeta was known as Montenegro, meaning “black mountain”—a reference to Mount Lovćen, the geographic and spiritual heart of the country.

Though Montenegro fell under Ottoman rule from the 14th to the 19th century, it managed to elude tight Ottoman control thanks to the resistance of its people, its rugged terrain, shrewd diplomacy, and the protection afforded to its prince-bishops by the Eastern Orthodox church. The country became an independent constitutional monarchy in 1852. During World War I, Montenegro fought with the Allies but was defeated by Austro-German forces. When King Nicholas fled, the country was annexed to Serbia, which in turn became part of the unified Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in 1918. In 1929, it was renamed Yugoslavia.

81 Montenegro’s World War II history was quite different than its neighbors’. As Axis powers took over Yugoslavia, Italians occupied Montenegro in April, 1941. Three months later, Montenegrin communist partisans fomented Europe’s first armed uprising against the Nazis. Some 32,000 Montenegrins succeeded in ousting the Italians. But by August, bolstered by 67,000 Italian troops redeployed from Albania, the Fascists returned. Still, Montenegrin partisans continued their resistance, despite internal schisms between the communist flank and the royalist Chetniks, who eventually collaborated with the Italians. Montenegro was finally liberated in 1944, when it became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under Josip Broz Tito.

When the Yugoslav republic fell, Montenegro remained part of Serbia, and joined it in attacks against Dubrovnik in the 1991–1995 Bosnian and Croatian war. But in 1996, the new president Milo Dukanovic severed ties with Serbia, and the path to full independence was laid. In 2006, a referendum was narrowly passed declaring Montenegro a fully sovereign state. It became part of NATO in 2017, and aspires to full integration into the European Union by 2025.

Albania

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 11,100 square miles

• Capital: Tirana

• Languages: Albanian

• Geography: Occupying an area slightly smaller than Maryland, Albania lies between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north. The geography is mostly mountains and hills, small plains along the coast, with farmland in between the two.

• Population: 3,029,278 (estimate)

• Religions: Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2%

• Time Zone: Albania is on Central European Time (six hours ahead of Eastern Time). Summer hours operate from the last Sunday in March until the last weekend in October.

82 National Holidays: Albania

In addition to the holidays listed below, 03/22 Nevruz Day Albania celebrates a number of national 05/01 Labour Day/May Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and Ramadan. To find out if you will be 10/19 Mother Teresa Beatification Day traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 11/28 Independence Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 11/29 Liberation Day

03/14 Summer Day 12/8 National Youth Day

12/25 Christmas Day

Albania: A Brief History Though many of the former Yugoslav republics can trace their ancient roots to the Illyrian people, Albania has the strongest connection to these seafaring marauders. The Albanian language is directly descended from Illyrian, and is completely distinct from Serbo-Croatian or any other European language.

When the Roman Empire split into its eastern and western spheres, Illyria fell within the eastern or Byzantine realm. Gradually, Illyrian pantheism was replaced by Eastern Orthodoxy. By the late Middle Ages, urban Albanian society prospered both culturally and economically, thanks to its wealthy mercantile class, and education and the arts flowered.

Byzantine rule declined as waves of Bulgarians, Venetians, Normans and Serbians took over. Then the Turks began invading Illyria in 1388, occupying all of it by 1479. An important effect of this was the Islamization of the people. Under Ottoman Janissary laws, Christian families had to give up one son to convert to Islam and serve in the military, but Muslim families were exempt. As a result, many Albanians embraced the new faith. The Turks ruled for 400 years.

When an Albanian independence movement arose in 1878, it was put down by the Turkish army in 1881. But the dream of nationhood did not die. Uprisings took place in 1910 and 1912 that resulted in the formation of an independent Albania. But the Great Powers (Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary and Italy) intervened, ceding the provinces of Kosovo to Serbia, and Çamëria to Greece. This left many ethnic Albanians outside the national borders. During World War I, the weak new nation was occupied by various neighbors. After the war, a deal to partition Albania among its neighbors was thwarted by US President Woodrow Wilson.

A republican government formed in 1920, but was overthrown in 1924 by Ahmed Bey Zogu, who declared himself king. He allied himself with Italy, until Mussolini invaded in 1939. Albania was occupied by the Nazis in 1943, but by 1944, it was liberated by the communist-led resistance. Its leader, Enver Hoxha, became Supreme Comrade of the People’s Republic of Albania.

Hoxha undertook a radical modernization program that included agrarian reform, the nationalization of industries, the eradication of poverty and illiteracy, and elevation of women’s status. It also instituted brutal purges and suppressed all civil liberties, foreign travel, and

83 religion. Albania received substantial aid from the Soviet Union and China, but over time, Hoxha broke ties with those regimes, accusing them of having betrayed Marxist ideals in favor of rapprochement with the west. An isolated Albania suffered food shortages and widening unrest.

When Hoxha died in 1985, his successor, Ramiz Alia, instituted some democratic reforms, but failed to deliver on most promises and was ousted. The country descended into chaos, as smuggling operations and drug and human trafficking proliferated, and peasants were forced off farms. A 1997 pyramid investment scheme (which may have been supported by the government) robbed about 70% of Albanians of their savings. Widespread rioting ensued.

In the 2005 elections, the Democratic Party staged a comeback, promising to tackle crime and corruption. Progress on these and other fronts gained Albania’s entry into NATO in 2009. Since 2015, the Socialist Party has gained power, subsequent elections have been peaceful, and Albania is further integrated with the west. This brings the elusive goal of EU membership more within Albania’s reach.

Greece

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 50,949 square miles

• Capital: Athens

• Population: 10,775,643 (estimate)

• Languages: Greek

• Geography: The peninsula that constitutes mainland Greece is surrounded by more than 5000 islands, of which 220 are inhabited—169 have more than 150 inhabitants. The islands are divided into six groups: the Cyclades, the Ionians, the Dodecanese, the islands of the Northeastern Aegean, the Sporades and the Saronic Gulf islands. The two largest islands, Crete and Evia, do not belong to any group. Roughly four-fifths of Greece is mountainous, with most land lying over 1500m (4920ft) above sea level. Epiros and Macedonia, in northern Greece, still have extensive forests, but goat grazing, felling and forest fires have seriously denuded the rest of the country.

• Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

• Time Zone: Greece is on Eastern European Time, two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (seven hours ahead of Eastern Time). Summer hours operate from the last Sunday in March until the last weekend in October.

84 National Holidays: Greece

In addition to the holidays listed below, 03/25 25th of March Greece celebrates a number of national 05/01 Labor Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter. To find out if you will be traveling 08/15 Dormition of the Holy Virgin during these holidays, please visit www. timeanddate.com/holidays. 10/28 The Ochi Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 12/25 Christmas Day

01/06 Epiphany 12/26 Synaxis of the Mother of God

Greece: A Brief History The glory that was Greece reached its pinnacle during the Classical period, between 500 and 300 BC. But the seeds for that golden age, which has stood for centuries as a beacon of Western civilization, were sown at least 700,000 years ago, when humans first appeared in Greece. But it was during the Bronze Age, around 3,000 BC, when three major Greek civilizations emerged.

The Cycladic culture of the Aegean islands was sustained by farming and seafaring. But the small island populations made it hard for larger, more complex societies to organize. Not so for the Minoans of Crete, who created a palace culture, a written system of language, and effective military and mercantile sectors. Had Crete not been wracked by natural disasters, the Minoans may have prevailed against the mainland Mycenaeans who landed around 1400 BC. But their star faded in 1100 BC, when the Dorians took over, and Greece entered a Dark Age.

Light dawned again around 800 B.C., when the Greeks came into contact with the Phoenicians. The Greeks borrowed their alphabet, which Homer used to record his epics. This was followed by the Persian Wars, which continued from 520 to 480 BC, and prompted some Greek city-states to form an alliance under Athens called the Delian League. When Persia was beaten in 461 BC, the leader Pericles presided over Athens’ golden age. He rebuilt the city, including its iconic Acropolis. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were writing plays; and Socrates and Plato were teaching. But when the Delian League clashed with the militaristic Peloponnesian League of Sparta, a Peloponnesian war persisted for 27 years, with Sparta prevailing.

Athens was conquered by Philip II of Macedon in 360 BC. When he was assassinated, his son Alexander (the Great) was embraced by Athens. Though Alexander built an empire that reached as far east as India, his death left Greece vulnerable. By 200 BC, Rome had annexed all of Greece, but they venerated the culture. Athens remained an important seat of learning until Justinian closed its philosophy schools in AD 529. Under Byzantine rule (AD 300–1200), many temples were modified to Christian use, and Athens became a provincial backwater.

After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottomans seized Athens and ruled for almost 400 years, during which time the Acropolis was desecrated. The Ottoman yoke was shaken off with the bloody 1829 War of Independence. Through the intervention of Britain, France, and Russia,

85 Greece became a monarchy whose kings were largely foreigners. This helped to keep Greece out of World War I, but World War II was another story. The country was overrun by Hitler and the civilian population suffered greatly. More than half the nation’s Jews were murdered.

In 1944, civil war broke out between the communist and monarchist resistance groups who had helped defeat the Nazis. It lasted for three years and took more lives than the entirety of World War II. A diaspora ensued, with many Greeks fleeing to Australia, the United States, and Canada. Greece joined NATO in 1952 and continued to be ruled as a monarchy until 1967, when former King Constantine fled Greece after a military junta. In 1974, democracy was restored and the monarchy was abolished in favor of a republic. In 1981, Greece joined the European Union.

The focus for 21st century Greece has been its economy. Integration with Europe brought a rising standard of living, but also skyrocketing costs and a serious debt crisis. This threatened to take down the EU, which provided bailouts that required strict austerity. Greeks endured record unemployment, protests, and successive governments. By 2018, Greece’s credit rating improved and in 2019, the center-right New Democracy party of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis won a landslide election, with a term ending in 2022.

Slovenia

Facts, Figures & National Holidays • Area: 7,827 square miles

• Capital: Ljubljana

• Population: 1,983,412 (estimate)

• Languages: Slovenian is the official language.

• Religions: Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1%

• Time Zone: Slovenia is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of Eastern Time. Summer hours operate from the last Sunday in March until the last weekend in October.

86 National Holidays: Slovenia

In addition to the holidays listed below, 05/01 Labor Day/May Day Slovenia celebrates a number of national 06/25 Statehood Day holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such as Easter and Whit Sunday. To find out if you 08/15 Assumption of Mary will be traveling during these holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.com/holidays. 10/31 Reformation Day

01/01 New Year’s Day 11/01 Remembrance Day

02/08 Preseren Day 12/25 Christmas Day

04/27 Day of Uprising Against Occupation 12/26 Independence and Unity Day

Slovenia: A Brief History While Slovenia experienced many of the same historical events as its neighbors, its development diverged in several important ways. For one thing, we know a little more about the Bronze Age inhabitants who predated the Illyrians here: they were marsh dwellers who lived in huts on stilts south of present-day Ljubljana, trading along the Amber Route that linked the Balkans with the rest of Europe. By 400 BC, the Celts established the first political entity on Slovenian soil, the Noric kingdom. The Romans annexed this and brought Slovenia into its larger province, Illyrium.

As Rome declined, Slavs arrived and eventually joined with the Frankish kingdom to form the Duchy of Carantania. Charlemagne sealed the deal when he made Carantania a vassal state called Carinthia, and established Roman Catholicism as the state religion. This brought Slovenia into the fold of the Holy Roman Empire, and far from the sway of eastern Orthodoxy. By the 10th century, control of the Holy Roman Empire fell to German nobility. They replaced local Slovenian lords with German ones, reduced the peasants to serfs, and divided Slovenia into six provinces that remained intact until 1918: Carniola, Carinthia, Styria, Gorica and the White March.

Between the late 13th and early 16th century, almost all of Slovenia passed to the Hapsburgs, who improved the infrastructure, opened mines, and lifted the economy. But soon, Germanic domination of the political and cultural scene faced a challenge. Slovenia was never occupied by the Ottomans, but under the Hapsburgs, it had to fight many battles against the Turks. Slovenian peasants were required to pay for their own defenses, and also pay tribute to their feudal lords. Between the 14th and 19th centuries there were more than 100 Slovenian peasant revolts.

Another turning point came when the Protestant Reformation reached Slovenia at the end of the 16th century. Many Protestant reformers wrote their treatises in the vernacular, elevating the status of Slovenian language. An awakening of Slovenian identity had begun.

When the Hapsburg dynasty was dismantled after World War I, Slovenia joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. But much of Slovenia’s land was ceded to Italy, Austria, and Hungary, and there was dissatisfaction with the government, which was dominated by Serbs. But when the Nazis invaded in 1941, a larger threat had to be dealt with. Communists and other left-wing

87 groups formed a Liberation Front. The people took up arms, and fought in the best-organized anti-Nazi resistance in Europe. The communist partisan leader, Josip Broz Tito, became the leader of the new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

When Tito died in 1980, Slovenian dissatisfaction with the Serb-dominated government deepened. In 1987, a Slovenian magazine published an article calling for political pluralism, democracy, a market economy and more Slovenian independence, but stopped short of calling for secession. But Yugoslavia’s new de facto leader, Serbia’s Slobodan Miloševic, resolved to put an end to it. Slovenia doubled down and in 1990, it voted to become an independent republic. The Yugoslav army marched on Slovenia, but after meeting with unexpected resistance, units of the federal army began disintegrating.

Since no territorial or ethnic issues were involved, the Yugoslav government agreed to a truce and finally withdrew in October 1991. Slovenia enacted its own constitution in December, and was recognized by the European Community in January, 1992. In May, 1992, it became the 176th member state of the United Nations, and in 2004, it joined the European Union.

88 RESOURCES

Suggested Reading

The Balkans Balkan Ghosts by Robert D Kaplan (History) Sums up the history of the Balkans from the fall of the Soviet Union through the breakup of Yugoslavia. Recommended by previous travelers as a way to understand cultural divisions in the region.

Croatia Girl at War by Sara Novic (2016, Fiction) Ana, a New York college student, flashes back to her childhood in the former Yugoslavia in 1991. As civil war descends, ten-year old Ana’s carefree existence dissolves in tragedy and she must become a child soldier. Later, even as she builds a seemingly normal new life in America, her war never ends. A moving meditation on family, identity, memory and redemption.

Chasing a Croatian Girl by Cody McClain Brown (2015, Memoir) An incisive and often hilarious journey into everyday Croatian culture. The author, an ex-pat American and professor of political science, marries a Croatian woman and struggles to understand his indomitable mother-in-law, endless coffees with friends and neighbors, and a vast catalog of quirky customs.

The Walnut Mansion by Miljenko Jergovic (2015, Fiction) A 97-year-old matriarch recalls five generations of her Yugoslav family—vividly drawn characters whose lives play out against the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires, two world wars, the rise of communism, and the dangers of war-torn Dubrovnik as one nation dissolves, and another emerges.

The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna (2014, Fiction) Well reviewed novel about a family of newcomers from England who renovate a farmhouse in the Croatian village of Gost, befriend a local handyman, and unwittingly dredge up secrets of the village’s dark past.

A Taste of Croatia by Karen Evenden (2007, Food/Travel Memoir) This engaging memoir of a three-year sailing odyssey includes 100 easy-to-use recipes.

April Fool’s Day by Josip Novakovich (2004, Literature) The razor-sharp and darkly humorous story of Ivan—a Croatian born on April Fool’s Day in 1948—who must survive Tito, a labor camp, and a civil war.

Dubrovnik, A History by Robin Harris (History) A scholarly but readable history of Dubrovnik from its origins in the 7th century, until the collapse of the Republic in 1808. Recommended for the history buff.

Immigrant Daughter by Catherine Kapphahn (Memoir) Two narratives are weaved together in this memoir: the present-day journey of an immigrant’s daughter and her mother’s unspoken history. When Catherine’s mother dies, she searches for clues to her mother’s elusive history.

89 Through travel and memory, history and imagination, Catherine pieces together her mother’s early life and her cultural identity begins to form. This moving memoir gives a voice to an unspoken, harrowing history, and in the process heals Catherine.

Running Away to Home by Jennifer Wilson (Memoir) Jennifer, her husband, and two children leave the troubled landscape of contemporary America for the Croatian mountain village of Mrkopalj, the land of Jennifer’s ancestors. For several months they live like locals, from milking the neighbor’s cows to eating roasted pig on a spit to desperately seeking the village recipe for bootleg liquor. As the family struggles to adapt, what they find is much deeper and bigger than themselves.

Montenegro Montenegro, A Novel by Starling Lawrence (Literature) Romance, intrigue, and the adventures of a reluctant British spy set in turn-of-the-century Montenegro.

The Black Mountain by Rex Stout (Mystery) Part of the Nero Wolfe series, this book sees Nero leave his comfortable home in New York—something he rarely does—to follow leads in Montenegro.

Albania The Sworn Virgin by Kristopher Dukes (Historical Fiction) When Eleanora’s father dies in the 1910s, she takes on a new role in her village as a “sworn virgin”—an Albanian tradition that let women take over as the head of the household.

The Albanians: A Modern History by Miranda Vickers (History) An historical account that traces the history of the Albanian people from the Ottoman era to the formation of the Albanian Communist Party.

Chronicle in Stone by Ismail Kadare (Literature) A fictionalized account of the author’s own experiences during World War II, this novel follows a sensitive boy struggling to grow up in an occupied town near the Albanian-Greek border. The author is considered one of Albania’s most famous writers.

Greece The King Must Die and The Bull From the Sea by Mary Renault (Fiction) Modern retellings of the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Recommended by travelers.

The Rise of Athens: The Story of the World’s Greatest Civilization by Anthony Everitt (2017, History) This book traces the origins of modern Athens and goes well beyond it, with plenty of entertaining detail about the figures who made it great, as well as those who contributed to its demise.

90 Holy Madness of Modern Greeks: An Introduction to the Ways of the Greeks by Theodore Pagiavlas (2016, Social History) The Greeks are often described as “passionate,” but what makes them so? This book offers a detailed examination of the most important aspects of Greek culture, amusing anecdotes about the figures who gave rise to it, and reasoned explanations of the beliefs and behaviors inspired by it all.

Little Infamies by Panos Karnezis (2003, Fiction) These magical and darkly funny stories take place in an unnamed Greek village (likely in the Peloponnesus), whose animal and human inhabitants (the village prostitute, a centaur, a wily doctor, a Homer-reciting parrot) reveal the secrets of their neighbors.

Eleni by Nicola Gage (2010, Biography/History) The moving true story of a Greek mother who dared to arrange an escape for her four children from a communist labor camp in the late 1940s, and paid the ultimate price. Written by her son, a New York Times reporter.

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton (1942, Mythology) This classic introduction to Greek and Roman mythology is still used as the standard in high schools and colleges throughout the U.S. From the Olympians to the Trojan War, Hamilton presents the myths and adventure stories of the ancient world in a clear and accessible manner.

A Concise History of Greece by Richard Clogg (History) An introductory illustrated history of modern Greece, from the late 18th-century national movement to the present.

Ancient Greece: Art, Architecture, and History by Marina Belozerskaya and Kenneth Lapatin (Art/ Architecture) A lively guide to the architecture, painting, and sculpture of ancient Greece with color illustrations.

Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres (Fiction) This novel about village life on a Greek island during the Italian occupation in the 1940s explores the difficult choices facing a young woman in love during wartime.

Dinner with Persephone by Patricia Storace (Travel Narrative) An American fluent in Greek, Storace recalls a year of living and traveling there and the complexities, heartbreak, humor, and resilience of a people rooted in their glorious past, yet uncertain of the future.

Eleni by Nicola Gage (Biography/History) The moving and tragic true story of a Greek mother who dared to arrange an escape for her four children from a communist labor camp in the late 1940s.

Greek Mythology by Edith Hamilton (Mythology) The classic introduction to Greek and Roman mythology that is used as the standard in high schools and colleges throughout the U.S.. From the Olympians to the Trojan War, Hamilton presents the myths and adventure stories of the ancient world in a clear and accessible manner.

The Colossus of Maroussi by Henry Miller (Travel Narrative) The soul of Greece circa 1939. Miller captures the spirit and warmth of the resilient Greek people in this tale of a wartime journey from Athens to Crete, Corfu, and Delphi with his friend Lawrence Durrell.

The Parthenon by Mary Beard (History) An absorbing tale of the construction of the 2,500-year- old Athenian monument by a Cambridge University classicist.

91 Slovenia Slovenology: Living and Traveling in the World’s Best Country by Noah Charney (Memoir/Travel) A witty and wise guidebook from an American art historian. The title tells you something about his love for Slovenia’s history, food and drink, sights, music and people.

Forbidden Bread: A Memoir (Memoir) A New York financial analyst leaves her home and job to marry her Slovenian poet-lover. As she struggles to understand her new family and Slovenia’s complex history, language, traditions and old-fashioned sexism, Slovenia itself is being transformed. A love story with witty and worldly observations on the birth of a new nation.

I Saw Her That Night by Drago Jancar (Fiction) Explores the disappearance of a young woman from Ljubljana during a turbulent period in that city’s history, as told by five different people.

Suggested Film & Video

Croatia Harrison’s Flowers (2000, Drama) This French film is about a Newsweek photojournalist who travels on his last assignment to Yugoslavia in 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence. He is presumed to be killed, but his wife (played by Andie MacDowell) searches for him through the war-torn landscapes and witnesses some of the horrors of the period. French with English subtitles.

The Eighth Commissioner (2018, Comedy) Filmed on the Dalmatian coast islands of Brač, Hvar and Zlarin, this endearing film follows an arrogant politician whose career is derailed by scandal. Banished to a remote island with no telephone or internet, he is given the impossible task of organizing a local government. The islanders are as quirky as their incomprehensible dialect, and other residents include Italian smugglers, a Ukrainian porn star, and the previous Commissioner.

What is a Man Without a Mustache? (2005, Romantic Comedy) A Croatian guest worker suffers a fatal fall in Germany, and his widow Tatjana uses her settlement to purchase a hillside in an idyllic Dalmatian Coast village. Magical things happen, including Tatjana falling madly but inexplicably in love with the hapless village priest. A sunny romance with an even sunnier setting.

The Diary of Diana B. (2019, Drama) This film follows the unique and heartbreaking story of humanitarian Diana Budisavljevic, who rescues thousands of children from the Utasha camps in Nazi-occupied Croatia during World War II. This historical piece combines dramatized reenactments with archival material and interviews with survivors to create a harrowing retelling of Diana’s perilous efforts.

About the Former Yugoslavia When Father Was Away on Business (1985, Comedy/Drama) An Oscar-nominee for Best Foreign Film, this darkly comic tale unfolds in the 1950s, after Tito broke with Stalin and instituted harsh reprisals against any dissenters. A careless political joke, years of philandering and a lover’s

92 vengeance all come crashing down on Mesa, who is carted off to a work camp. But six year-old Malik is told simply that his father is away on business. When Dad returns, Malik learns exactly what that business was about.

Montenegro Force 10 from Navarone (1978, Drama) Shot 18 years after the WWII epic The Guns of Navarone, this sequel sees three of the Allied heroes (Harrison Ford, Robert Shaw, and Edward Fox) dispatched to Yugoslavia to destroy a bridge and dam that are crucial to Nazi aims. Most of the film was shot in Montenegro, and the actual bridge used for pivotal scenes was indeed blown up in 1942 by one of its engineers to stop the invading Italian army.

Coriolanus (2011, Drama) Ralph Fiennes stars in and directs Shakespeare’s classic, here updated to modern times. Though it is set in a nominal “Rome,” it feels very much like the war-torn Balkans, and was in fact shot there, mainly in Montenegro.

Meet Me in Montenegro (2015, Romantic Comedy) This indie rom-com is a semi-autobiographical account of the two stars, who met on a train and ran off to Montenegro (here blissfully filmed) for a romantic seaside escape. They reunite by accident years later in Berlin, and the Montenegro mood is revived.

Albania The Forgiveness of Blood (2011, Drama) Medieval mores and modern dreams clash in this tale of teenaged siblings Nik and Rudina. Their lives are upended by Albania’s centuries-old tradition of the blood feud, or Kanun, when their father and uncle kill a neighbor during a land dispute.

Greece Mamma Mia! (2008) and Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again (2018) (Musical Comedy) Yes, there is Meryl Streep and an all-star cast. Yes, there are the bouncy, nostalgic soundtracks based on hits by the 70s supergroup, ABBA. But there are also idyllic Greek islands, and whimsical fantasies about the life you could live there.

Zorba the Greek (1964, Comedy/Drama) This classic still stands the test of time. Anthony Quinn plays the iconic Zorba, a lusty and exuberant musician, who strikes up a friendship with an uptight Englishman (Alan Bates) during a picaresque adventure in Greece.

Troy (2004, Drama) This may not have been 2004’s best film, but it was its highest grossing one, thanks to an all-star cast (Brad Pitt, Peter O’Toole, Brian Cox, Diane Kruger, and Orlando Bloom), sweeping sets, and an epic story based on Homer’s Iliad. It concerns the motivations of the central characters as they reach their destinies during the historic battle between the Trojans, and the various Greek armies at their gates.

Shirley Valentine (1989, Comedy) An unappreciated British housewife accepts an invitation to Greece with a friend, and finds the escape she’s been looking for.

93 My Life in Ruins (2009, Comedy) A romantic comedy about a tour guide (Nia Vardalos) set among the ruins of classical Greece. Vardalos also wrote and starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Never on Sunday (1960, Comedy) A classics scholar tries to steer a Greek call girl towards a moral life, but gets turned around himself in this modern take on the Pygmalion myth. Wrtten by and starring director Jules Dassin the film also stars his wife, Melina Mercouri, who became a political activist and Greece’s first female Minister of Culture.

The Guns of Navarone (1961, Action) Follows six Allied and Greek soldiers as they try to disable the two German guns that are preventing the evacuation of British troops from a Greek island in WWII. But the real heavy artillery is the cast—Peck, Niven, and Quinn all won at least one Oscar each during their distinguished careers.

Slovenia No Man’s Land (2002, Comedy/Drama) Filmed in Slovenia, this allegorical look at the Balkan War won the 2002 Golden Globes and the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Two soldiers, one Bosnian, one Serb, find themselves facing off in a trench in no man’s land. Insults and concessions ensue until a third soldier awakens nearby, but cannot move as he is sitting above a bouncing mine. The men forge a truce as they try to get help, and to find common ground.

Good to Go (2012, Comedy/Drama) A weary, disillusioned music teacher in his late 70s decides to retire—not just from his job, but from living. He buys a cemetery plot and moves into a retirement home. But once there, surprising turns make him rethink his decision, and his life.

Cheese and Jam (2004, Comedy) Lovely Slovenian Spela decides to leave her beer-drinking, jobless Bosnian husband, Bozo. Desperate to keep her, Bozo takes a job smuggling illegal immigrants, and things go wildly wrong. A black comedy about stereotypes, village life, and love.

94 VACCINATIONS NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL TRAVELERS, SHIP CREW, TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS, AND COACH DRIVERS Plus, updated Health & Safety Protocols for our Land Tours

The health and safety of our travelers is always our #1 priority, and we understand travelers are concerned about exploring the world in light of the unprecedented crisis we are currently facing. To ensure your safety and give you peace of mind, we have worked with our regional team and listened to government guidance and feedback from our travelers to create these health and safety protocols for our trips. As we continue to make changes, we will keep our website updated with the latest information.

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS • All travelers, ship crew, and Trip Experience AND UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY Leaders will have their temperature checked PROTOCOLS FOR SMALL SHIP every time they return to the ship using a non- ADVENTURES contact infrared temperature scanner. • All travelers must be fully vaccinated against • All meals are served by the dining staff— COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure buffets are no longer available. and provide proof of vaccination upon VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS AND boarding the ship. If you are unable to UPDATED HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS provide proof of vaccination upon arrival at FOR SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES ON LAND your destination, you will have to return All travelers must be fully vaccinated against home at your own expense. • COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to departure. If To meet this requirement, please bring your you are unable to provide proof of vaccination original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card upon arrival at your destination, you will with you on your trip. The white card must have to return home at your own expense. display your name, type of vaccine, and the To meet this requirement, please bring your date(s) the vaccine was administered. We also original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card with suggest taking a picture of this card to keep for you on your trip. The white card must display your records as a backup. your name, type of vaccine, and the date(s) • All local Trip Experience Leaders, the vaccine was administered. We also suggest ship staff, and crew will be fully taking a picture of this card to keep for your vaccinated against COVID-19. records as a backup. • All coach drivers will be fully • All local Trip Experience Leaders will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. vaccinated against COVID-19. • All public areas will be sanitized nightly and • All coach drivers will be fully vaccinated all ships are equipped with High Efficiency against COVID-19. Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.

Help us ensure travelers’ safety and health while on our trips. Please follow best health and hygiene practices to prevent the spread of illness—wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Together, we can create a safer travel experience for everyone.

Learn more at www.oattravel.com/covid-update

95 Notes

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98 99 YOUR TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADER

Your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader is an insider who lives in the destinations you are exploring. They are not just knowledgeable, but personable and personal—eager to understand your own interests, and happy to share their own. This makes all the diff erence between just visiting a place, and experiencing its true spirit.

For your Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece adventure, your Trip Experience Leaders have earned an overall “Excellence” rating of 85% in post-trip surveys completed by our travelers.

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