2015 12-DAY ALBANIA MONTENEGRO CROATIA SLOVENIA
AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
August 24-25
New York *** Rome *** Tirana
Flew Alitalia from JFK to Rome to Tirana, arrived the next day.
At the Alitalia's Giotto Lounge at Rome's Fiumicino Airport enjoying a light lunch.
August 25
TIRANA, ALBANIA
ALBANIA FLAG
Arrived at Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza and was met by a representative of Gate 1 and brought to the Rogner Hotel. After checking in I later attended an orientation with the tour director and met the other members of the group for the welcome cocktails and dinner at the hotel's restaurant.
August 26
TIRANA City Tour
We took the bus to Skanderbeg Square and visited the Et'hem Bey Mosque, Palace of Culture and the National History Museum.
Lunch was on our own and found a nice restaurant near the hotel.
Afternoon was a trip to Krujë, a town in the mountains which was a former capital of the Kingdom of Albania. We visited the Krujë Castle ruins and the National Ethnographic Museum. Passed by a small bazaar before we had our dinner at a local restaurant.
August 27
SHKODRA *** MORAČA MONASTERY *** KOLAŠIN
Left Tirana after breakfast and stopped at Shkodra for lunch. Then crossed the border to Montenegro to visit the Morača Monastery, a Serbian Orthodox monastery founded in 1252. Then we drove on to the Bianca Resort & Spa in Kolašin.
SHKODRA
MONTENEGRO FLAG
MORAČA MONASTERY
KOLAŠIN BIANCA RESORT & SPA
August 28
BIOGRADSKO LAKE *** ZIPLINING *** DURMITOR NP
This morning we started the tour to Biogradsko Jezero, a glacial lake. Then we drove to Đurđevića Tara Bridge, famous for being used in the movie Force 10 from Navarone. I ziplined parallel to the bridge and it was so exhilirating! Had a nice Montenegrin beer to relax after! Durmitor National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 18 glacial lakes the most known of which is Crno Lake.
BIOGRADSKO LAKE
ZIPLINING ALONG THE ĐURĐEVIĆA TARA BRIDGE
DURMITOR NATIONAL PARK
August 29
CETINJE *** KOTOR *** DUBROVNIK
Cetinje, the former capital of Montenegro, was our first stop this morning. We visited King Nikola's Museum, the royal tombs and the nearby Serbian monastery which has a relic of the purported right hand of St John the Baptist. Then on to Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Mediterranean port surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. Had a tiramisu for lunch then a local beer at a sidewalk cafe.
CETINJE
KOTOR
CROATIA FLAG
Crossed the border and checked in at the Valamar Lacroma Hotel in Dubrovnik.
August 30
DUBROVNIK
Today is Duvrovnik day: we visited the old walled city where we went to the Franciscan monastery and other churches in the city. Then to the Rector's Palace which served as the seat of the Rector of the Republic from the 14th to the early 19th century.
Lunch and some local beer in Buza located on the cliffs overlooking the Adriatic where some young men were diving from the cliffs to the sea.
Dubrovnik at Night: first, a cruise aboard the Deva Dubrovnik on the Adriatic and then got off to have dinner at a restaurant on the beach. Had a glass of sparkling wine then an appetizer of delicious octopus salad followed by the main course of grilled shrimp and bream with salad greens and spinach, accompanied by a few glasses of white Malvazija wine. After dinner the boat dropped us off at the old port for an evening walk in the old city.
August 31
On our way to Split but had to go through Bosnia & Herzegovina then back to Croatia. Stopped to look at Baçina Lakes then a nice grilled squids for lunch at a seaside restaurant in Makarska before arriving in Split.
SPLIT
After checking in at the Atrium Hotel we toured Emperor Diocletian's Palace which was built in 305 AD when he retired. Impressive ruins, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Had an Aperol Spritz at one of the cafe/bars in the site after the tour. Also listened to a delightful group of men singing a Capella traditional Dalmatian songs.
September 1
First stop today was Trogir which is in an island near Split on the Dalmatian coast. The city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. It has beautiful Romanesque churches and Renaissance and Baroque buildings. After the walking tour I sat down at a café for a delicious iced coffee with a scoop of coffee ice cream! Perfect for a hot summer day!
TROGIR
PLITVICE JEZERA
To me the highlight of this trip is our visit to the Plitvička Jezera (Plitviče National Park), designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. It is world famous for its 16 lakes arranged in cascades or waterfalls, it's beautiful waters ranged from azure to green and blue.
September 2
Today we drove to Bled through Opatija and Postojna Caves. Had a walk along Marshal Tito Avenue in Opatija which has been popular with Austrians since Emperor Franz Josef I. Then before a quick beer and Istrian soup lunch. Then on to the fantastic Postojna Caves, a 24,000 mi long karst cave system. This is now my favorite from this trip.
OPATIJA
SLOVENIA FLAG
Crossed the border to Slovenia and first stop is the famous Postojna Caves.
POSTOJNA CAVES
BLED
Checked in at Sava Hoteli Bled which has a wonderful view of the lake and the castle and church across Lake Bled. Dinner was at Kunstelj 1873 in Radovljica where we were treated to wine tasting at the wine cellar and then local delicacies. Costumed couple danced with the accompaniment of an accordionist.
View from my hotel room balcony: St Martin's Church and Bled Castle.
Kunstelj 1873 in Radovljica
September 3
Morning tour of Bled Castle, a medieval castle on top of a precipice overlooking Lake Bled.
BLED CASTLE
ASSUMPTION CHURCH, LAKE BLED
Next place we visited was the beautiful church of the Assumption on the island in the middle of Lake Bled. We all rang the bell three times and made a wish!
LAKE BOHINJ
Next excursion was to the village of Bohinj and Lake Bohinj, the largest lake in Slovenia. Bohinj has several beautiful alpine houses replete with beautiful flowers hanging in the balconies. Beautiful vacation and camping area.
BLED
Back in Bled we went for a walk along the lake and visited St Martin's Church.
September 4-7
BOLOGNA
Left Bled very early and drove with the group to Venice airport where most of them flew home while I took a bus to the Santa Lucia Statione to take the express train to Bologna to visit my friend Tina. She was patiently waiting at the Centrale station with her sister Serena and Serena's husband Rino. had a lot of fun touring Bologna with them. Here are some pictures from my wonderful visit!
