The Game of Thrones in Croatia

Game of Thrones is a world of its own, a fantasy realm with a rich, detailed history and iconography that captivates you and makes you feel an integral part of its vivid storyline. No wonder Croatia was chosen as a crucial filming location for the fourth season of the show, since its history reaches far into ancient times, and its architecture and monuments speak of eras long gone. We are thrilled to offer you a completely authentic Game of Thrones experience in Croatia.

Day 1 Split arrival to the Split Airport. Transfer to the hotel, check in and free time in the afternoon. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Day 2 Šibenik the New Throne. Transfer to Šibenik whose fortified walls and ancient architecture can be seen in the fifth season of the Game of Thrones. Šibenik is known as The King’s City, for it was the court of Croatian King Krešimir IV in the 11th century. A stronghold for many Croatian rulers, Šibenik is protected by four fortresses: St. Nicholas, St. Michael, St. John and the Šubićevac Fortress.

Šibenik and its fortresses represent Braavos, the greatest and most powerful of the Free Cities

Away from the city and a return to nature,as you visit Krka National Park, the backdrop to numerous nature scenes in the show’s fourth season; a breathtaking place with cascading waterfalls that leave you mesmerized and refreshed in the greens of its flora and the blues of its crystal clear water.

We’ll finish the day with dinner in a picturesque agro-tourism with a delicious 3 course homemade meal.

Day 3 Kaštela Trogri – Doreen. Kaštela means castle in Croatian and this part of the Dalmatian coast is rife with them.  Located between Split and Trogir, the town of Kaštela is actually comprised of seven coastal villages built around 15^th and 16^th century castles. At the time, upper-crust families in Split felt greatly threatened by the Ottoman Turks into Europe. One by one, they filed into Kaštela bay and built fortified mansions. Kaštela serves perfectly as a set for the mystery region of Doreen. Trogir – an amphibian city, is so old that its foundations – Illyrian, Hellenistic and Roman, under the current medieval versions – literally emerging out of Adriatic is the perfect continuity of our GoT story. But not just because of the historical monuments and palaces - the entire old town of Trogir is under UNESCO protection - but also because of its myths and legends that fulfill the story; Kairos- ancient Greek God of opportunity, luck and favorable moments. The day ends with dinner and a visit to one of the famous Kastelan wineries, the home of world famous “Zinfandel-Kastelanski Crljenak”.

Day 4 the Blue and Green secrets of Imotski whose ancient stone architecture is a new home to the Game of Thrones. On the northwest outskirts of town, you’ll visit to a place where fantasy does indeed meet reality, as you’re introduced to the natural wonders of the Red and Blue Lake. Red, like the blood of the fallen, and Blue, like the royal attire of Danaerys, both deeper than you can imagine. On the way, we will also stop to see some of the other filming locations such as Baško polje, a beautiful scenery underneath the mountain Biokovo and a spectacular view of the Dalmatian islands; a place where Danaerys also found her rest and comfort. In Imotski, we will also visit a winery and treat ourselves with a wonderful traditional dinner.

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Day 5 Dubrovnik King’s Landing welcome to the legendary City of Dubrovnik. For most of its history, a republic of its own and a beacon of diplomacy, Dubrovnik’s independent spirit is as strong as ever. You already know this city, for this is King’s Landing, a host to the revelries of Robert Baratheon, the excessive lifestyle of Prince Joffrey, and the cunning wit of Tyrion Lannister. Walk onto Red Keep, known here as Lovrijenac Fortress. Follow the trails of Arya Stark, and see where Danaerys, the Queen of Dragons, gave freedom to her fire-breathing flying creatures. You will also walk through the palace gardens of King’s Landing, where gossip and intrigue foreshadowed battles, a place known in our world as Trsteno Arboretum. This luscious combination of green plant-life and superb architecture of yesteryear tells tails of royalty, and is the oldest arboretum in this part of Europe.

Day 6 Meereen follow the path of Danaerys as she seeks to conquer Slaver’s Bay and free the slaves of Meereen. The 1700-year-old Mediterranean metropolis of Split transforms into Meereen, as you start the final chapter of your tour at Diocletian’s Palace, its ancient basements and narrow streets, where freed slaves sought revenge upon their masters. Walk the path to the top of Klis Fortress, as it transforms into the Meereen throne, where Daenerys set the slaves free and crucified their wicked owners. Travel to the suburbs, to the town’s quarry, where the Unsullied battled for Danaerys, and where Daario fought Bronn. Then onto the town of Žrnovnica, whose green mill was used for Missandei’s bathing scene – the perfect spot to have a finishing dinner.

Day 7 Departure from Split.

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Museums and Cultural Itineraries in Zagreb Croatia

Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. The first recorded appearance of the name Zagreb is dated to 1094, at which time the city existed as two different city centers: the smaller, eastern Kaptol, inhabited mainly by clergy and housing Zagreb Cathedral, and the larger, western Gradec, inhabited mainly by farmers and merchants. They were united in 1851. Some sources suggest that the name derives from the term 'za breg' or 'beyond the hill'. The hill may well have been the river bank of the River Sava, which is believed to have previously flowed closer to the city center. According to another old legend, a city ruler was thirsty and ordered a girl named Manda to take water from Lake Manduševac, nowadays a fountain in Ban Jelačić Square, using the sentence: "Zagrabi, Mando!" which means, Scoop it up, Manda!

A cafe culture downtown outdoor cafes are crammed with caffeine-seeking voyeurs, assessing passersby while gossiping or debating politics. Friendly and funny, many of the city's residents speak English. No double skim lattes, these purists go for espresso -- with or without whipped cream -- or cappuccino elegantly served in cup and saucer.

The food over the past millennia, Romans, Ottomans, Venetians and Austrians have all battled over Croatia. The result is a remarkably diverse cuisine based on quality ingredients. Be sure to order Paski sir (cheese from the island of Pag), janjetina na raznju (spit-roasted lamb) and riba na gradele (fish on the grill), as well as Turkish treats cevapi u somunu (grilled meat dumplings) and raznjici (pork shish-kabab). And with all the vineyards around, wine is delicious and inexpensive.

The Cathedral despite being communist until 1989, Croatia managed to retain its Catholic religion. The twin spires of Zagreb's neo-Gothic cathedral dominate the downtown skyline.

The Archeology Museum the Zagreb mummy is too macabre to resist. This mummified body of a woman replete with toenails and hair, was brought to Croatia from Egypt in 1848. Like many celebrities, the Zagreb mummy is most famous for her clothes. Her bandage wrapping are strips of an Etruscan book made of linen, the longest known text (1,200 words) in this as-yet untranslated language. The mystery, however, is why the Etruscan mummy was in Egypt in the first place!

Day 2 after breakfast departure by bus for the Croatian Zagorje region. Our first stop will be Krapina to visit the Neanderthal Museum. The main museum attraction is the authentic reconstruction of a Neanderthal family of 17 people. The archaeological site on a hill called Husnjak had over eight hundred fossil remains of 75 Neanderthals along with tools and weapons, making it one of the most significant in Europe. Next stop is the nearby town of Gornja Stubica and the Peasant Revolt Museum, founded and opened to the public on the 400th anniversary of the great 1573 Peasant's Revolt. It is situated in the 18th century baroque palace of the Oršić family and built on the site of a medieval fort. The Museum collects material related to the Peasants' Revolt, noblemen and farmers' life, and all objects from the cultural, historical, and art heritage of Zagorje. Items are divided into three collections: cultural and historical collection, art collection, and ethnographic collection; the Museum also contains archaeological findings from the ancient town of Konjšćina.

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Day 3 – after breakfast departure by bus to the Ethno village Kumrovec. The Staro Selo Museum is the only open-air museum in Croatia that is equipped with all facilities with which to justify its existence as a European open-air museum. The restored and reconstructed buildings include 25 residential houses, 9 farm buildings and 8 smaller structures (2 corn sheds, 2 pigsties, and 4 wells), covering a total area of 12,640 square meters. The museum holdings include 2,800 exhibits the majority of which are permanently on show. The 15 permanent ethnographic displays and the two historical ones provide insight into the traditional ways of life, old customs, handicrafts, and trades some of which have long been forgotten. Next stop is Veliki Tabor, the fortress and a museum dating from the 12^th century.

The collections in the exhibition spaces include old vehicles, ethnographic items, the first manufacture of medicines, swords and armor, paintings and pottery, as well as a presentation of the noble Ratkaj family which used to own the castle. Afterward, we will walk to the nearby local restaurant where you will have an opportunity to enjoy the rural ambiance and tasteful food.

After the lunch break we continue to the small town of Klanjec to visit the Gallery of Antun Augustincic, established in 1970, when Antun Augustincic (1900-1979), educated in both Zagreb and Paris, among our most renowned sculptors, as well as the foremost representative of Croatian contemporary art, donated to its native town of Klanjec his own sculptures, created over 50 years of work, from the 20's to the 70's.  The Gallery hosts works, exhibits as well as a sculpture park.

Back in Zagreb, we suggest a visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships – winner of Kenneth Hudson Award for the most innovative museum in Europe. The Museum grew from a traveling exhibition revolving around the concept of failed relationships and their ruins. Unlike ‘destructive’ self-help instructions for recovery from failed loves, the Museum offers a chance to overcome an emotional collapse through creation: such as contributing to the Museum's collection.

You can also go to the Zagreb Ethnographic Museum, founded in 1919 and holdings about 80,000 items that cover the ethnographic heritage of Croatia, classified in the three cultural zones: the Pannonian, Dinaric and Adriatic. There are about 3,000 items in the permanent display of the Museum, and they are arranged so as to illustrate two main themes: the folk costumes of Croatia and the popular art and handicrafts with a representative selection of Croatian national costume (lace from Pag, Slavonian goldsmith work and Konavle jewelry) as well as collections of rarities from extra-European traditional cultures.  In the non-European section there are items from the traditional cultures of Africa, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Oceania. About 5,000 items of clothing, furniture, arms, tools, jewelry, musical instruments, religious and cult items and many other things were collected at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. These collections vividly represents local cultures on these continents. Following a brief stop at your hotel we will have dinner at the local restaurant.

Day 4 after breakfast we will meet a local guide who will take us on a tour around Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Zagreb has more than thousand-year long history: its development began on the two hills Kaptol and Gradec - today the Upper Town. Our stroll around the streets of Zagreb begins on King Tomislav Square and adjacent park, then to Zrinjevac park with its fountains, the most valuable example of the 19th century architectural design. From the park, Praska street leads to the main square called Trg Bana Jelacica.  After a short walk we will arrive to the Cathedral and a visit to its interior. Sightseeing continues on the other part of the old Upper Town - Gradec hill. There we will visit the well-preserved 13^th Century Stone Gate, part of defense walls, St. Mark church with its famed multi-color roof, the Parliament buildings, St. Catherine church, and Lotrščak tower. Nearby, there is a Promenade with a beautiful view of downtown Zagreb.

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