Wine Routes of Dalmatia: Dubrovnik to Split – 7 Days

Welcome to Croatia! As your plane descends over Croatia, you will catch your first glimpse of the quintessentially Croatian the pearl of the Adriatic– Dubrovnik. Upon arrival, your driver will meet you and take you to your hotel for check in. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Explore Dubrovnik gastronomy and enjoy in the old town. Spend the day as you like, exploring this ancient medieval city. We recommend getting up early to take advantage of all that Dubrovnik has to offer, starting with a visit to the open-air Gundulić Square Market for authentic Dubrovnik wares, like dried lavender, local brandies, and dried fruits. From there, take a stroll through the narrow streets of Old Town, walk atop the encircling city walls, or head to  Lovrijenac fortress and Orlando Column. 

Be sure to break up your walk by sampling the local cuisine. Dubrovnik’s location on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro means there is some unique fusion cuisine here as well as downright wild fast food options (think octopus burgers). But you can also find good-old Italian-inspired comfort food like pasta in meat sauce, black risotto, and basic but hearty meat-and-potatoes dishes.

In the afternoon, head to Banje Beach for a swim and some relaxation on the sandy stretch of beach close to Old Town. There’s also the option to join a kayak excursion to the islands facing the city. A great way to end the day is to catch the sunset from the water on a sunset dinner cruise (2.5 hours) on a replica of a traditional karaka ship or from your own private boat. Enjoy the view of Old Town from this vantage point. Return to the hotel for overnight.

One of the younger Croatian winemakers, and an incredibly personable one, Mario Bartulović might just be the best possible spokesman for getting you all enthralled with Pelješac and its traditions. Firmly convinced in the region’s potential, Mario is one of those people who resorted back to the peninsula after living in Dubrovnik for a couple of years. He was missing exactly the aspects he will get you all excited about: organically grown food prepared by his mother and sister, peninsula’s engaging nature, rewarding action around the vineyards and the ultimate magic of producing wines from grapes grown in 16 different Pelješac positions.

Your first experience, at the beginning of Peljesac is the Milos winery, home of the charismatic poet/wine maker Frano Milos. Here you will have a chance to taste his Milos plavac (red) or his, now legendary, Stagnum, also a red, made of 100% Plavac Mali grapes. The visit to Milos winery, their comprehensive explanation of the wines, the challenging conditions they must grow and harvest the grapes in, and the visit to their cellar is an ultimate introduction to the world of Peljesac wines.

Next, you’ll visit the Grgich winery in Trstenik. Miljenko Grgich studied wine-making in Zagreb, and after migrating to the US, with only $20 in his pocket he founded the famous Grgich Hills winery in Napa Valley. He made a name for himself being part of Chateau Montelena success story in the 70s.

At the Grgich cellars, set dramatically top of a ridge overlooking the charming Trstenik harbor, you will taste their famous white Posip and their red Plavac Mali Dingac.

Your final sojourn will be to the 500-year-old wine cellar of Bartulovic family, and your host Mario. By this time, it will feel like visiting a friend’s house, enjoying a wine-tasting and a superb traditional Croatian lunch of Peka – a special dish.

Overnight in the hotel. Enjoy reminder of the evening at your leisure.

Today,  we are heading to Neretva Valley, one hour ride with the car from Dubrovnik. On the way stop in Komarna in Rizman Winary for brunch & wine tasting and experience unforgettable moments and breath-taking winegrowing area and the Pelješac peninsula. The estimated time of this tasting session is 45 minutes. 

After wine tasting experience we are moving to magnificent Neretva Valley! We are starting  starting with Photo safari which is a unique tourist experience in which guests are driven by indigenous Neretva vessels (small wooden boats from which are some even a 100 years old) for a leisurely cruise through the surrounding wetlands (with local snacks and music on board) .

On Your way discover the places where once the ancient Illyrians, Greeks, Romans sailed, and the pirates of Neretva planned their raids of enemy galleys. Discover the allure of one of the last swamps on the European continent, its flora and fauna, the diversity of wild birds and the traditional lifestyle of the Neretva people.

End up at a beautiful local restaurant overlooking the water for Peka lamb and other local dishes. Board the boats to return to Opuzen. Walk around collared streets of the small town Opuzen and feal the Zen energy in the air. You may want to venture out to one of the friendly bars around the town square to meet the locals over a beer or two. Late afternoon arriving in Split. Overnight in the hotel.

After breakfast, your driver will take you to Split center where you’ll meet your captain and start an island-hopping tour by boat that covers all the highlights of the area. Enjoy visiting the unique Blue Cave, swimming in Stiniva Cove, snorkeling in the lagoon of the Budikovac Island, lounging in one of the bars on Pakleni Islands and exploring the old town of Hvar. Make the most of your time here, wander the streets of Brac, perhaps even stop at one of the local restaurants to taste some exquisite food.

The history of wine making on Brac dates as far back as the ancient Greeks, and today the vintages of the island are rated in the top of Croatian wine lists. Our first stop is Stina winery – the first Dalmatian wine cooperative, fomed in 1903. Stina wines draw their inspiration from the famous Brae island stone, the word stina derived from local Dalmatian dialect. After touring the production area and the oak barriques in the warehouse, you will enjoy a tasting of the exceptional wines such as their Plavac Mali and Posip.

Next, we continue to the charming village of Nerezisca where we will tour the Senjkovic winery and have the opportunity to taste their two Plavac varieties Bosso and Brocko Ric and the Plavac Mali rose Spoza complimented with a lovely tasting menu in the setting of the family winery. Enjoy lunch served in a very special private estate resting on a hilltop – traditional homemade cooking at its finest.

You will return to Split late in the afternoon and enjoy a short ride to your hotel. Overnight in the hotel.

After breakfast meet your chauffeur and depart for your exclusive cooking class in Trogir, a UNESCO-protected islet town close to Split. Prepare to learn about the art of food preparation Dalmatian-style. The cooking class! Tatjana is one of Croatia’s favorite home chefs! Featured in the Saveur magazine and Bizarre foods TV show, she has been making headlines in promoting Dalmatian cuisine and a local lifestyle made up of small wonders and harmony with the environment. Enthusiastic, passionate and incredibly curious about food, Tatjana will pass the ‘cooking bug’ onto you in no time!

The cooking class is a hands-on introduction to every stage of the Dalmatian food preparation process, from making homemade pasta, cleaning fish, preparing traditional Dalmatian entrees, side dishes sauces and marinades. Preparation in the local way, with local ingredients, in the company of locals.

You will feel like a true Dalmatian by the time you have finished your delicious lunch! After lunch your guide will take you on a walk around Trogir’s Old town- a treasury of cultural and historical monuments dating as far back as the 4th Century BC. Set on a small island just off the mainland, Trogir was first settled by the ancient Greeks, before falling under the Romans and later the Byzantines. Destroyed by the Saracens and abandoned in the 12th Century, thanks to its strategic location the town was soon revived and became an artistic and cultural center under the Austro-Hungarians and later the Venetians. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Old Town Trogir is surrounded by a fortress wall with two gates and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Your guide will show you the Gradska loza (the Old City Hall) from the 15th Century, the city walls, and the Kamerlengo Castle, which was once the residence of the Venetian governor. On the sea-side of the island, you may see the Sea Gate, which was built in the 16th Century, and the nearby old fish market, located in an open loggia, surrounded by a colonnade.

After sightseeing we are going on wine tasting tour! A tour of a family-run winery Putalj. Putalj is a family-run winery, owned by family Kovač. Experience true Dalmatian hospitality while munching on local snacks like olive and olive oils and tasting the three wines produced at Putalj: Crljenak Kaštelanski (Zinfandel), Plavac mali and Maraština. Their vineyard is located at the same place where 1.000 years ago Croatian kings first gave permits for planting new vineyards! Return to Split after lunch and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in the hotel.

After breakfast meet your chauffeur and depart for your Educational olive oil tasting at Stella Croatica at Klis!

Stella Croatica is a one-stop shop for all things Dalmatian; a family-run estate that produces artisan food, health, and beauty products. On this tour, peek behind-the-scenes; learn how the different products are grown and produced; and sample a variety of cosmetics, olive oils, and regional specialties. During the tour, see the distillery where essential oils are extracted, visit the Olive Museum, and stroll around the botanical gardens. Guided walking tour of the Stella Croatica! Learn how olive oil is made and how essential oils are extracted. Taste a variety of artisan products and test out natural cosmetics.

After that, explore the cultural heritage of astonishing Klis Fortress, known as a filming site of Game of Thrones and take memorable picture overlooking Split bay. Return to Split after lunch and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. In the evening, take a stroll along Split’s seafront Riva to admire the waterfront views before finding the off-beat Konoba Dioklecijan restaurant, just to the left of the Bronze Gate for a bite to eat, its outdoor terrace built into the walls of Diocletian’s Palace. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in the hotel.

This morning you will meet your driver for your transfer to the airport to board your departing flight onward.

If you have a free morning before departing, check out the Green Market (Pazar Market). A lively fruit and vegetable outdoor market just east of the Diocletian Palace, this is a great place to see how the locals shop and to pick up some fruit for your flight home. Farmers from the surrounding areas of Split come into town every day to sell their seasonal local produce from sunrise to 2 pm.