Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia
BUDAPEST – FILOVCI – BOGOJINA – VERŽEJ – LJUBLJANA – BLED – OTOČEC – KOSTANJEVICA – PLITVICE – ZAGREB
7 days / 6 nights
Highlights:
Architecturally stunning “twin city”, Budapest
The pearl of Slovenia: one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world, lake Bled
Delicious wine and food tastings
The best shopping and clubbing experience in this part of Europe
16 lakes & 92 waterfalls in Lake Plitvice
Itinerary:
DAY 1 Budapest
DAY 2 Budapest
DAY 3 Budapest, Filovci, Bogojina, Veržej, Ljubljana
DAY 4 Ljubljana, Bled, Ljubljana
DAY 5 Ljubljana, Otočec, Kostanjevica, Zagreb
DAY 6 Zagreb, Plitvice, Zagreb
DAY 7 Departure from Zagreb
DAY 1: BUDAPEST
/Budapest airport – Budapest 30km, 1h/
Arrival at Budapest Airport at 11h50, after immigration transfer to Budapest.
Budapest is the capital and the largest city of Hungary and also the largest city in East-Central Europe. The city lies on the banks of the River Danube. Budapest is cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and has an extensive UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Check-in at hotel in Budapest.
Lunch.
Leisure time for the rest of the day.
Dinner.
Overnight in Budapest.
DAY 2: BUDAPEST
After breakfast you will take a guided city tour of Budapest. The city has two sides, Buda and Pest, stretching along the banks of the Danube, representing two different characters of the city. Suburban Buda and its historic castle district offer medieval streets and houses, museums, caves and Roman ruins. The Castle District of Buda is a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you will also see the Matthias Church, Liberty Statue and the Citadel. The dynamic Pest side boasts the largest parliament building in Europe, riverside promenades, flea markets, bookstores, antique stores and café houses. The tour will also pass by magnificent monuments and sites such as Millennium Monument, City Park, Széchenyi Spa, Vajdahunyad castle, Andrássy Avenue (UNESCO World Heritage), Stephen’s Cathedral and the beautiful neo-Gothic Parliament building, home of the Holy Hungarian Crown.
Lunch.
Afternoon free for shopping. Budapest has a whole shopping street dedicated to world fashion brands. The old buildings in Deák Ferenc utca have been renovated to house international brand shops like Tommy Hilfiger, Sisley, Mexx, Lacoste, Puma, Furla etc.
Dinner in Budapest, finished with delicious digestives. The people of Budapest know good food and they know how to make great alcoholic drinks. Their alcohol is cheap and abundant. There is plenty of it in their numerous nightclubs, where the locals go dancing all night long. You cannot miss the most famous phenomena, which are called “ruin bars”. These retro pubs – often combined with an open-air taproom – bring the word alternative to a higher level. Transformed from an abandoned residential building, these places offer a unique atmosphere with eccentric designer decorations and a genuine partygoer’s audience. One of the best known ruin bars is Instant. It boasts with 23 rooms, 6 bars and 4 dance floors – it’s a real labyrinth with a surreal touch.
Overnight in Budapest.
DAY 3: BUDAPEST, FILOVCI, BOGOJINA, VERŽEJ, LJUBLJANA
/Budapest – Filovci 300km, 4h/
/Filovci – Bogojina 5km, 10min/
/Bogojina – Veržej 20km, 30min/
/Veržej – Ljubljana 200km, 3h/
After breakfast departure from Budapest towards Slovenia. Just after crossing the border you will visit the famous floating mill of Veržej crossing the Mura River into the most eastern region of Slovenia, Prekmurje. The modern church in Bogojina and the black pottery workshop in Filovci are just two of the places you visit before a wine tasting in one of the many high-quality wine cellars in the region full of vineyards. After lunch you must try the local specialty, gibanica; a sweet pie containing apple, walnut, poppy seeds and cottage cheese.
Departure towards Ljubljana. An evening of shopping in the largest shopping centre in Slovenia will follow. BTC City is the largest shopping centre in Slovenia with specialized shops, supermarkets, and more than 450 stores. It has the largest selection of world famous brands like Hugo Boss, Desigual, Bershka, Guess, Massimo Dutti, and many more. Free time to shop ‘til you drop! In addition to shopping, you will have the opportunity to visit the entertainment centre Arena, where under one roof you have low endurance sports activities and programs for relaxation, shopping and film entertainment with educational and playful content. The amusement centre covers an area of 9,000 m2. The centre includes a billiards and bowling centre with its central entertainment centre serving as the XPAND cinema with 3D stereoscopic projection, representing the most innovative technology in the field cinematography in this part of Europe. This is the most modern equipped cinema for digital projection in 3D and its dynamic seats enable a new and unique experience on screen. Atlantis Water Park is also at your disposal for pampering you. This is a water park with a wide variety of facilities with dynamic architecture including a 15,000 m2 room for entertainment, relaxation, gathering new strength and recreation. It also includes 16 swimming pools, three of which are outdoor, and offers visitors plenty of fun, adventure, and 15 thematic saunas.
For dinner, try the biggest burger in Europe, the notorious horse burger. It’s a hamburger made from horse meat with all the toppings you can imagine, to make your dinner delicious and memorable!
Overnight in Ljubljana.
DAY 4: LJUBLJANA, BLED, LJUBLJANA
/Ljubljana – Bled 60km, 1h/
/Bled – Ljubljana 60km, 1h/
After breakfast, departure towards Bled. Bled is one of the most prestigious Slovenian resorts with its glacier-formed Alpine lake, the famous island of the Slavic goddess of life, Živa, and the oldest castle in Slovenia. In the 19th century, the Swiss doctor Arnold Rikli discovered the beneficial natural resources here and established a spa centre, making Bled one of the most popular touristic places in Austria-Hungary. You will traverse the lake in a traditional boat called pletna towards Bled Island, which was visited by pilgrims as early as the ancient times. From Bled castle, you will admire the fairy-tale lake and the high limestone peaks of the Julian Alps.
Lunch.
Return to Ljubljana with a sightseeing walking tour. Ljubljana has everything that modern capitals have to offer, and on top of that, it has managed to keep the pleasant and relaxing atmosphere of a smaller city. You will visit the old part of town along the Ljubljanica River and you will see the most important cultural and historical monuments including the Three Bridges and the New and Old Markets where you will be delighted with boutique shops and nice restaurants. We will also stop at the famous bridge and learn a few secrets of the medieval city before the path continues to the town square with the Town Hall and the city icon – a fountain symbolizing the three rivers of Carniola. We will also visit the nearby baroque church of St. Nicholas, the food market and the Dragon Bridge with its four dragons that protect the city while also serving as its trademark. With the funicular railway you will climb to the castle which rises above the town. You will finally climb the castle’s tower and enjoy the view over the city and its green surroundings.
Dinner.
Ljubljana really comes to life at night. Going out with friends for a beer is one the most popular ways to start the night, since a half-litre glass of beer in a bar only costs 2.5€! Everybody then continues towards one of the nightclubs. Try the hippest drink among young people right now – Aperol Spritz, an aperitif cocktail with a very unique taste. You will party the night away in one of Ljubljana’s classy nightclubs – Cirkus. The club Cirkus offers a unique and exclusive nightclub experience for enthusiastic groups of partygoers during the week and especially on weekends and is able to cater to the needs of up to 1000 guests. The club was designed in an old enchanting cinema-theatre and it stretches across 2 stories of lavishing galleries, including an intimate and cosy VIP area. The focal point is an elevated DJ booth, showcasing top international and regional DJs, singers, musicians and other artists as they spin and perform a blend of various urban genres, topped with colourful entertainers, such as dancers and live acts.
Overnight in Ljubljana.
DAY 5: LJUBLJANA, OTOČEC, KOSTANJEVICA, ZAGREB
/Ljubljana – Otočec 70km, 1h30min/
/Otočec – Kostanjevica 30km, 45min/
/Kostanjevica – Zagreb 70km, 1h30min/
After breakfast, departure on a tour along the south-eastern part of Slovenia. The first destination will be a photo-stop at the castle Otočec, a jewel that rises from the mists of the Krka River and is the only water castle in the Slovenian territory. Its foundations were laid in the Middle Ages, and today’s appearance dates from the Renaissance. It has stood on one of the islands of the Krka River since the 13th Century, but today it is a luxury hotel and restaurant.
Lunch.
The path will lead you onwards towards Kostanjevica, the smallest and one of the oldest Slovenian towns. It is a true wonder of nature and fully justified in bearing the full name Kostanjevica on the Krka, as the old part of town is located on an island in the Krka river. It was first mentioned in 1220, and because of frequent flooding in the past, the town clung to the nickname “Venice of Dolenjska” as movement about the city was sometimes only possible with the boats. Photo stop.
Departure towards Zagreb. Afternoon of shopping in Arena Centar. Conveniently located in the south-western part of Zagreb, Arena Centar is known as Croatia’s premier shopping centre. The most prestigious brands of the world are all represented and everyone who’s anyone shops there. This newest and most modern 4th generation shopping-entertainment centre in the region is an architecturally impressive building featuring wide hallways, glass ceilings and conveniently located elevators and escalators. Dinner.
Overnight in Zagreb.
DAY 6: ZAGREB, PLITVICE, ZAGREB
/Zagreb – Plitvice 150km, 3h/
/Plitvice – Zagreb 150km, 3h/
After breakfast, departure towards the Plitvice Lakes National Park and tour of the Park in the afternoon. It is composed of 16 blue and green lakes, connected with more than 90 waterfalls and rapids. For the beauty and the attraction of the Plitvice Lakes, travertine and the plants of travertine take the credit. With the formation of travertine and the partition of the river bed, lakes have formed. This is a magnificent architectonic phenomenon of nature, surrounded by thick woods in which bears, wolves, wild hares, martens, and partridges live. The park has belonged to UNESCO Cultural Heritage since 1979. Lunch.
Dinner back in Zagreb, before a crazy night of partying. You will celebrate your last night in one of Zagreb’s famous nightclubs. With plenty of dancing and drinking, the party doesn’t stop until the early hours of the morning. Whether you will choose Saloon, Route 66, Gallery or Aquarius Club, you will end your trip in style.
Overnight in Zagreb.
DAY 7: Departure from Zagreb
/Zagreb – Zagreb airport 20km, 1h/
Drop-off at Zagreb airport. Flight to Mumbai at 13h15.