! Specializing in Siberia, the Silk Route, St. Petersburg & Beyond since 1986. Women’s Travel Group Zagreb & Plitvice Lakes Pre Tour September 25-27, 2019 (as of January 29, 2019) Pre Tour Daily Itinerary Day 1, Wed, Sep 25 Arrive Zagreb Day 2, Thu, Sep 26 Zagreb Day 3, Fri, Sep 27 Zagreb • drive to Split via Plitvice Lakes Descriptive Daily Itinerary Day 1, Wed, Sep 25 Arrive Zagreb Arrive to Zagreb and transfer to your centrally located hotel for overnight. Meals: (in flight), D Hotel Palace The Palace Hotel can trace its history back to 1907, when it opened its doors as Zagreb's first 206.624.7289 ♦ 800.424.7289 ♦ Fax: 206.624.7360 85 South Washington Street, Suite 210, Seattle, WA 98104 [email protected] ♦ www.mircorp.com Seattle ♦ Moscow ♦ St. Petersburg ♦ Irkutsk ♦ Ulan Ude ♦ Kiev ♦ Tashkent ! ! official hotel. This 4 star hotel boasts a central location overlooking one of the city's oldest parks, and is only a 10-minute walk from Zagreb's historic Ban Jelacic square. Rooms combine the hotel's traditional Art Nouveau style with modern amenities such as air- conditioning, satellite TV, a minibar and complimentary WiFi. Day 2, Thu, Sep 26 Zagreb Zagreb, capital and largest city in Croatia, is situated inland between the Sava River and Mt. Medvednica. Its commercial area dates from the 19th century, but its Old Town centers around the adjoining medieval cities of Gradec and Kaptol. Kaptol was the ecclesiastic town, and the neo-Gothic cathedral is still here, as are a new pedestrian mall and trendy night spots. Gradec is a hilly residential section dotted with lovely 19th century homes. A city tour includes the Upper Town, the historic city center, the famous Church of St. Mark, the cathedral, the Croatian National Theater and the arcades and sculptures of Mirogoj Park and Cemetery. The square in front of St. Mark’s Church was Gradec’s main square until the 19th century. On the eastern side is the neoclassical Croatian Parliament, or Sobor, built in 1910. On the west is the Ban’s Court, or Banski Dvori, where the Croatian viceroys lived, and which is now the presidential palace. Iconic St. Mark’s Church in the upper town is famous for its 1880 tile roof with the medieval Croatian coat of arms and the emblem of Zagreb picked out in brilliant colors. Take a quick cable car ride on Zagreb's historic funicular, built in 1890. With a mere 217 feet of track, this is one of the shortest public-transportation funiculars in the world, but also one of the steepest at a 52% grade. The funicular still provides an important (and fun) way to hop between Zagreb's Lower and Upper Towns, the Donji Grad and Gornji Grad. Located north of the city center near the base of Mt Medvednica is Mirogoj Park & Cemetery. Often noted as one of Europe's most beautiful cemeteries, the complex was designed in 1876 by Austrian-born architect Hermann Bollé, who created a significant portion of Zagreb's architectural landmarks and city buildings. Among the most well-known of Croatia's citizens interred here are poet and writer Petar Preradović and painter Vladimir Becić, whose grave was designed by renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović. Meals: B, D Day 3, Fri, Sep 27 Zagreb • drive to Split via Plitvice Lakes !2 ! ! Get an early start an transfer overland to Split via the Plitvice Lakes Park. The distance to the park from Zagreb is about 140km and the driving time will be about 2 hours. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mountainous karst landscape of Plitvice Lakes National Park is the country's biggest attraction outside of the Adriatic Coast. The park encompasses a series of waterfalls connecting 16 beautiful lakes. Wooden footbridges wind through the park, setting off its lakes, waterfalls, caves, blossoming meadows, and a gorge that resembles the Grand Canyon. A tour of the 73,000-acre park includes a boat ride and an excursion on the park’s mini-train. You will meet a park guide upon arrival who will lead you through the park. Afterwards, continue on to Split. The driving distance is about 250km and the driving time will be about 3 hours. Meals: B, L Photo credit: Croatia National Tourist Board LAND TOUR COSTS $1,099 land tour cost per person, double occupancy $150 single supplement Inclusions: • All accommodation based on double occupancy in standard rooms/entry level rooms per itinerary with breakfast daily, local service charge and tax (standard hotel check-in/out times apply unless otherwise noted): Zagreb (2 nights) • Private vehicle transfer for those arriving on the trip start date/Sep 25 (transfers for early arrivals can be made at additional cost) • Transportation per itinerary for touring and between cities by minibus with AC • Sightseeing and excursions including entrance fees per itinerary • English speaking local guides for touring program per itinerary • Special cultural features as stated in itinerary • Breakfast daily, other meals as indicated in the itinerary • Bottled/purified water with meals and on the vehicle during touring days • Baggage handling at the hotels where available • Destination preparation information packet Not Included: • International airfare between home and the start and ending cities; pre- or post-tour services; !3 ! ! gratuities to local guides and drivers; visa or passport fees (visas are not needed for U.S. passport holders, but the passport must be valid for 6 months past the trip end date); medical and trip interruption insurance; evacuation costs; food or beverages not included in group meals; items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcohol, telephone/internet expense, excess baggage fees, photo/video expenses inside museums (where allowed); other items not expressly listed as included. • Travelers are responsible for their own welfare while traveling and for educating themselves on the conditions in the countries they will be visiting during the tour. For information concerning possible dangers at an international destination, contact the government office in your country that is responsible for issuing travel advisories. In the U.S., contact the Travel Advisory Section of the U.S. State Department, 1-888-407-4747, http:// www.travel.state.gov/. For medical information, contact the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 800-232-4636, http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/, or the responsible government agency in your country. !4 .