Charming Croatia & Slovenia

LeShuttle to Calais and overnight stay in France on a bed and breakfast basis.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Baden-Baden is the perfect place to break our journey south. Nestled on the edge of the Black Forest, this elegant spa town has welcomed visitors for centuries, thanks to its natural thermal springs, beautiful parks and grand architecture. Enjoy time to explore at leisure, browse the boutiques or find lunch in one of the many cafés before we continue to our overnight hotel in the Bavaria region of southern Germany, where dinner is included this evening.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Surrounded by the Alps, Salzburg is one of Austria’s most beautiful cities and our stop today. Spend free time exploring its elegant squares, baroque architecture and inviting cafés, perhaps finding lunch at leisure before we continue across the border into Slovenia. Later, we arrive in the Alpine resort of Kranjska Gora, our base for the next four nights. Surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery and fresh alpine air, it’s the perfect setting from which to explore one of Europe’s most spectacular regions.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Kranjska Gora before we head to Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. Accompanied by a local English-speaking guide, discover the city’s beautiful bridges, riverside promenades and impressive architecture, including the famous Triple Bridge and picturesque Old Town. Afterwards, enjoy free time to browse the shops, relax in one of the many cafés or simply soak up the atmosphere beside the emerald-green Ljubljanica River.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Today is free to enjoy the wonderful surroundings of Kranjska Gora at your own pace. Browse the charming pedestrianised centre, relax with a coffee while taking in the mountain views or enjoy a leisurely walk beside the river to beautiful Lake Jasna, where crystal-clear waters reflect the spectacular Julian Alps. Surrounded by fresh mountain air and breathtaking scenery, it’s the perfect opportunity to slow the pace and enjoy one of Slovenia’s most beautiful Alpine resorts.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Few places are as picture-perfect as Lake Bled. Surrounded by forested hills and overlooked by a dramatic clifftop castle, this famous lakeside resort is one of Slovenia’s true highlights. Spend free time exploring at leisure, stroll along the lakeside promenade or simply relax and admire the spectacular scenery. To make your visit even more memorable, why not pre-book our optional traditional pletna boat ride across the lake to the charming island at its centre?

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Leaving Slovenia, we travel to the Rabac area in Croatia, stopping en route at the remarkable Postojna Cave. We join the world’s first railway in an underground cave for a unique 3.7-kilometre journey through stunning, centuries-old limestone formations. By foot, we then meander through pathways and tunnels, exploring extraordinarily shaped natural columns and pillars. Watch the steady dripping of water along the dazzling white curves of the stalagmite called ‘Brilliant’ and see the Concert Hall, the largest inside a cave system where live performances are regularly held, before re-joining the train. A memorable experience to savour! Afterwards, we continue to our hotel on Croatia’s beautiful Adriatic coast.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Roman history and Adriatic beauty combine on today’s excursion. We begin in Pula, where a local guide introduces the city’s remarkable Roman heritage, including the magnificent Pula Arena, one of the world’s best-preserved Roman amphitheatres. Later, we continue to the picture-perfect harbour town of Rovinj. Spend free time wandering its colourful streets, browsing the boutiques or relaxing beside the waterfront, where fishing boats and pastel-coloured buildings create one of Croatia’s most memorable views.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Sunshine, sparkling sea views and a slower pace of life set the scene for today’s day at leisure. Spend time relaxing at the hotel, enjoy the beautiful Adriatic coastline or simply unwind and make the most of your surroundings before more memorable sightseeing over the coming days.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Looking to see even more of Croatia? Join our optional guided excursion to discover the beautiful Istrian Peninsula. Explore the medieval hilltop town of Motovun, wander the artists’ streets of Grožnjan and visit historic Porec, where Roman history, Venetian architecture and a lively waterfront combine to create one of Croatia’s most captivating coastal towns. Alternatively, spend another relaxing day enjoying the Adriatic coast at your own pace.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Leaving Croatia behind, we make our way towards northern Italy, stopping on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, either in elegant Sirmione set on a picturesque peninsula, or in Pescheria del Garda famed for its star-shaped UNESCO-listed Venetian fortress. Enjoy a lakefront stroll and find lunch at leisure before we continue our journey. 

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Today we cross the Alps once again, travelling through the stunning scenery of Switzerland. We stop in Montreux, a beautiful lakeside resort on the shores of Lake Geneva, where you’ll have time to enjoy lunch at leisure and soak up the views of the mountains beyond. Afterwards, we continue through the French countryside to our hotel.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

Our journey continues through France with a stop in Reims, a city steeped in history and famous for its magnificent cathedral and Champagne heritage. Take time to explore the elegant streets, enjoy a final taste of France or simply relax before we continue to our overnight hotel in northern France.

Charming Croatia & Slovenia

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to Calais for our journey home on LeShuttle.

Toast your Alpine arrival with a welcome drink and meet your Tour Director against the backdrop of the Julian Alps. Get insider tips on scenic walks, cafés and viewpoints to help you make the most of this mountain resort.

Hear how Kranjska Gora blends Slovenian and Alpine traditions, from timber chalets to village squares framed by forested peaks. This relaxed gathering sets the tone for your stay, with practical guidance and a warm sense of mountain hospitality.

Explore the shores of Lake Bled, where mirror-like waters frame the fairytale island and the clifftop Bled Castle. Follow the lakeside promenade, watch swans drifting by and pause for photos and reflection as the Julian Alps rise beyond the water’s edge.

Absorb the alpine serenity and distinctive Central European spa-town atmosphere, with boat landings, forested slopes and mountain air sharpening the views of the lake’s emerald-green waters. Time here invites gentle walking, people-watching and quiet moments by the water.

Venture underground to ride the cave railway through Postojna’s spectacular karst world. Glide past soaring chambers, then walk well-laid paths among dripstone forests to see the dazzling white ‘Brilliant’ stalagmite and the vast Concert Hall, famed for its acoustics.

Learn how water sculpted these limestone formations over millions of years, creating curtains, pillars and needle-thin spires. Guides illuminate the geology and folklore of one of Europe’s most celebrated show caves, revealing textures and tones shaped in patient silence.

Join a guided tour of Istria’s Roman jewel and step inside Pula Arena, one of the world’s best-preserved amphitheatres. Wander limestone corridors where gladiators once stood, then continue to the Forum to admire the Temple of Augustus and the Arch of the Sergii.

Trace the story of ancient Pietas Iulia under emperors and merchants, as Roman town planning and Venetian flourishes meet on sunlit squares. Your guide brings inscriptions, facades and city gates to life with anecdotes from two millennia of Adriatic history.

Explore Rovinj’s harbourfront Old Town, where fishing boats bob beneath pastel houses and stone quays. Climb gently through cobbled lanes toward St Euphemia’s Church, pausing at viewpoints over terracotta rooftops and the glittering Adriatic below.

Savour traces of Venetian heritage in narrow alleys lined with studios and galleries, and soak in the seafront atmosphere along the promenade. The interplay of sea breeze, church bells and polished Istrian stone creates a coastal backdrop perfect for unhurried wandering and photography.

Begin your Adriatic chapter with a coastal welcome drink, taking in sea views and the soft glow over Rabac’s bays. Meet your Tour Director for local pointers on promenades, bathing spots and evening strolls along the waterfront.

Learn how Istria’s maritime heritage and Mediterranean rhythms shape daily life, from fishing boats in the harbour to seaside cafés on limestone quays. This easygoing orientation helps you settle in and plan time by the water with confidence.

Glide aboard a traditional pletna boat for a serene crossing to Bled Island. Step ashore to visit the Church of the Assumption, where many choose to ring the wishing bell and take in panoramic views of lake, castle and mountains.

Crafted by local boatmen since the 16th century, the pletna is a symbol of Bled’s heritage. This optional experience is at additional cost (£19pp) and bookable on tour; timings are arranged to complement your included Lake Bled visit.

Join a guided walking tour of Slovenia’s capital to see the Triple Bridge, graceful riverside promenades and the pastel facades of the Old Town. Stroll across lively squares and along the emerald Ljubljanica, where café terraces spill onto cobbles beneath the castle-topped hill.

Hear how architect Jože Plecnik reshaped the city’s identity, weaving classical flair into modern life from Roman Emona to a green capital. Your guide shares local stories, architectural details and vantage points for photos of bridges, colonnades and market arcades.

Explore Istria’s interior and coast, from the hilltop stronghold of Motovun with sweeping valley views to Grožnjan’s artists’ streets lined with studios and stone archways. Continue to Porec to trace a Roman grid and Venetian facades along its sunny waterfront.

Visit the UNESCO-listed Euphrasian Basilica, renowned for its glittering 6th-century mosaics that illuminate early Christian artistry. This optional full-day excursion is at additional cost (£29pp) and bookable on tour, offering a rich blend of medieval towns, coastal scenery and sacred art.