Escorted Holidays 2020

Venice, Slovenia & Croatia
8 days from £899 September
popular tourist resort, Porec is much more
than that: the 6th-century UNESCO-listed
Basilica contains some of Europe’s finest
Byzantine mosaics, and there are Venetian
towers and a small Roman temple,
dedicated to Neptune. 102 miles today.
The ‘Serenissima’ – the ‘most serene’ Venetian republic, governed much
of the Adriatic. The Winged Lion of St Mark – the city’s emblem – can
be seen in modern-day Slovenia and Croatia – look out for it when you
travel between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia taking in such highlights as
the Roman mosaics of Aquileia, the star-shaped Venetian fortress of
Palmanova, and the wonderful white Lipizzaner horses in their Slovenian
stud farm.
• 3 nights hb on the Venetian Coast, 4 nights hb on the coast in
Portoroz in Slovenia • Included excursion into Croatia • Visits to Venice
at night, Aquileia, Palmanova, and to the Lipica Stud Farm
PROGRAMME
DAY ONE: Direct flight to Venice or
Treviso airports. Transfer to your hotel (40
minutes from Venice airport, one hour
from Treviso) for two nights half-board
accommodation in Lido di Jesolo, a resort
town with 10 miles of beach.
DAY TWO: Free morning in resort with
lunch included in the hotel today instead
of dinner. After lunch you will depart on an
included afternoon and evening excursion
to Venice allowing you to see the world’s
most romantic city not just in the daytime,
but also sparkling under its lights! To get to
Venice, there is a 40-minute coach transfer
to Punta Sabbioni, from where you travel
to Venice by boat across the waters of
its Lagoon, arriving close to Piazza San
Marco. After a walking tour accompanied
by a local guide, you will have free time
to explore – don’t miss the graceful Rialto
bridge, which crosses the world’s most
beautiful street, the Grand Canal!
DAY THREE: Today you drive east towards
the border with the former Yugoslavia.
Your first stop is at Aquileia – nowadays
a small town but once the fourth city
of the Roman Empire. The 4th-century
mosaics in the Romanesque basilica are
not to be missed, and include early scenes
from the life of Christ. You continue the
short distance to the impressive ninepointed
star-shaped town and fortress
of Palmanova, founded in 1593 to defend
Venice from the growing strength
of the Hapsburgs, and later taken by
Napoleon. Apart from the impressive
walled fortifications, there is also a 17thcentury
cathedral. You continue onto the
Istrian peninsula, entering Slovenia for
four nights' half-board accommodation
in Portoroz – the port of roses. Though
evidently a modern seaside resort with all
amenities, it dates from the 13th century
and was popular as a spa resort for
Austro-Hungarian officers in the early 20th
century. It has a long seafront promenade,
and stands just 13 miles from Italy, and 5
miles from Croatia. 135 miles today.
DAYS FOUR TO SIX: Free in resort
with an included excursion into the
rolling Croatian countryside visiting
Pazin, Gracisce, and Porec. At Pazin, the
Pazincica River disappears underground
to form three lakes. The 100m deep abyss
is believed to have been the inspiration
for the writings of Dante and Jules Verne.
There is a viewpoint into the chasm from
near the town’s well-preserved 10thcentury
castle. Just 4 miles further on is
the sleepy, undiscovered medieval town
of Gracisce, where you make a stop before
heading to Porec. Although nowadays a
There is also an optional excursion
available to the Postojna Caves and
Predjama Castle. Postojna’s cave system is
one of the region’s most-visited attractions
– they claim to have had 37 million
visitors since they began counting when
Archduke Ferdinand came calling in 1819!
5km of the 24km cave formation is visited
partly on foot and partly on a special
underground train. Stunningly-spectacular
Predjama Castle was built into a cavern
125m up a sheer rock face 800 years ago.
It was here that robber-baron Erasmus
famously defied a year-long siege in the
15th century thanks to supplies brought
into the castle via the network of passages
underneath.
In your free time you can relax in Portoroz
or take the local bus or walk the 3km to
the pretty town of Piran at the tip of the
headland.
DAY SEVEN: Today you leave Slovenia for
Italy, calling en-route at the Lipica Stud
Farm. Founded in 1580, it is the oldest
single-breed stud farm in Europe, and
still houses over 300 of these majestic
white horses. A guided tour will include
the Velbanca, the estate’s oldest surviving
stable dating from 1704. You leave Lipica
and travel to Lido di Jesolo for the last
night, again on a half-board basis. 116 miles
today.
DAY EIGHT: Transfer to the airport for your
return flight.
YOUR HOTEL
HOTEL SALUS HHHH, (first two and
last nights)
The hotel is a two-minute walk from
the beach and has a bar, restaurant,
lounge, and an outdoor pool.
Bedrooms have air-conditioning,
satellite tv, minibar, and a bathroom
with shower and hairdryer.
(www.hotelsalus.com)
HOTEL NEPTUN HHHH, Portoroz
(four nights)
The hotel is centrally situated above
the promenade. It has a lounge,
restaurant, outdoor pool (seasonal),
indoor pool, spa and fitness room.
Bedrooms have satellite flat screen
TV, free wifi, minibar, bath or shower,
wc and hairdryer. Most rooms have
a balcony. Rooms with sea view are
available at a supplement. (www.
lifeclass.net/en/hotels/act-ion-hotelneptun/)
28 | www.preferredts.com Please refer to the enclosed ‘Dates and Flight Information’ for details of departure dates, prices and flights.