DALMATIA – DINE AND WINE

This will be a wonderful voyage of discovery taking in dramatic sites off beaten touristic paths and great food and wine.
Wine in Croatia has a long, long history. It was the Greek settlers who first introduced vineyards to the Croatian coast in the 5th century BC and wine production has flourished ever since.

Tour itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival at Split airport, meeting with tour guide and departure towards Trogir, accommodation in hotel. After a short rest and refreshment we will walk through the town which is under UNESCO protection and at dinner for the first time meet Dalmatian cuisine and wines.

Day 2: The first grapevine to encounter will be the Kaštelanski crljenak. Kaštelanski crljanak is the original vine sort in Kaštela. The renowned American wine variety Zinfandel and our Kaštel crljenak are actually ‘cousins’ , that has been recently proved by Croatian experts by analysis of their genetic profile. With this the mystery of the origin of Zinfandel, which has been planted on about twenty three percent of the area with grapevine in America, has been solved. This variety, as has been determined, made its way to the American continent during the gold fever period and has survived up until today.
In the afternoon we will visit the ancient remains of Roman town  Salona and 1700 year old town Split.

Day 3: This day we dedicate to other Dalmatian gastronomic treasures beside wines. After breakfast we will go to Primošten, a small harbour town. After a guided tour we will visit a family household to enjoy a typical Dalmatian lunch, (pršut, kruh ispod peke, janjetina – smoked ham,bread& lamb prepared under a bell) and taste their home made Babić. Tasting this famous local red wine, Babic, is a must. Babic is produced from the autochthonous wine sort in the famous vineyards of Primosten. These vineyards are so picturesque with their unique chequerboard of low thick dry-stone walls on the gently sloping hills and the lovely valleys between them. These are granted the official status of a monument to human efforts and are to be seen in the lobby of the United Nations building in New York.

Day 4: Today we will visit the Dalmatian hinterland, separated from the sea by two mountains, Mosor and Biokovo. Frequent images here are lonely vineyards in the middle of stone wasteland. Along the slopes of Biokovo, grapevine grows in small karst valleys, fighting with stone in the search for soil, for which it frequently climbs around the rock, forming unusually picturesque vineyards. We will visit the winery Grabovac and taste the most prevalent variety Kujunđuša, of unknown origin, but as it is so frequently grown on Imotski winegrowing hills, it is considered an indigenous variety of this region. Wine of this variety is harmonious, and its bouquet has elements of both continental and southern wines.

Day 5: After breakfast we will board the ship and sail towards the largest Dalmatian island Brač. In the evening a typical fish dinner will be organized in a local tavern.

Day 6: Today we will visit the vine cellar Baković in Murvica. There we will learn all about Plavac, a dark red vine of pleasant dryness and special bouquet. The most impressive vineyards of the island of Brač are along its southern slopes, above Bol. Vineyards found their shelter on the small sloping valleys and terraces, and part of them is pressed between the cliffs steeply descending towards the beautiful beaches. For their steepness, vineyards are in perfect position towards sun.

Day 7: We continue our journey to the island Hvar, a unique fusion of luxurious Mediterranean nature, rich cultural and historical heritage, and mundane, tourist present. The island of Hvar is excellent for vinegrowing due to its mild Mediterranean climate with the greatest insolence in Croatia of 2697 sunny hours per year. Today, the indigenous white varieties are prevalent: Bogdanuša, Cetinka, Mekuja, etc., that are rare in other areas, as well as Maraština, Trbljan, etc. According to a legend, the wine called Bogdanuša for its exceptional quality was usually consumed for religious holidays, from where it derived its name. Wine of this variety is of greenish-yellow colour, full, harmonious, with a pleasant slightly bitter taste. Maraština is of a specific yellow to gold-yellow colour, fine aroma, full and of a very harmonious taste.

Day 8: time at leisure before transfers to Split airport.

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Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.

Price Includes:
- Transfers from and to airport;
- All meals in program;
- Wine tasting;
- Transport with luxury van;
- Expert guide 24 hours a day;
- Health insurance of persons during traveling and staying abroad;
- accommodation;
- Tickets for all excursions, presentations, museums.