5/5
Venice to Croatia: Trieste, Piran, Istria and Plitvice
9 days from Venice to Zadar: two nights in Venice, Trieste on the way to two nights in Piran, two nights in Rovinj with Motovun's truffles and Roman Pula, a night beside Plitvice Lakes and a last evening at Zadar's Sea Organ.
9 days · Venice to Zadar · up to 12 guests
The Roman Arena in Pula, Istria Photo: Jernej Furman from Slovenia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pula_Arena_And_Lady_Standing_With_Dogs_(46274387262).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Venice to Zadar
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Most days are 2 to 3 hours on foot on cobbles, stone lanes and Venice's stepped bridges. Postojna Cave is about 1.5 km on foot at about 10 °C, and the truffle hunt is an hour of easy forest walking. The longest day on foot is Plitvice Lakes on day 8, about 8 to 9 km over 4 hours on boardwalks, forest paths and steps; a 2.5-hour lower-lakes loop is the easier choice. Bell-tower climbs are optional, and any walk can be shortened or sat out.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 860 (estimated price)
- Season
- Late spring to early autumn
Highlights
Why this trip
- St Mark's Basilica on the first entry of the morning, then the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs with a licensed guide
- Trieste's Piazza Unità on the sea, on the way to two nights in Piran
- Piran walked in the evening light, after the day visitors have gone
- Postojna Cave by underground train and the Lipizzaner horses at Lipica
- A truffle hunt with dogs below Motovun, then a truffle lunch at a family farm
- Rovinj at 9 am and the Roman Arena in Pula
- Plitvice Lakes on the first timed entry, then sunset at Zadar's Sea Organ
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 860 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Venice
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) by water taxi to your hotel in Venice
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Venice
- By boat
Fly into Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), on the mainland edge of the lagoon. A driver meets you in arrivals and walks you to the airport's water dock, where a private water taxi takes you across the lagoon to the landing nearest your hotel, about half an hour on the water with the bell towers of Venice growing on the horizon. There are no cars in Venice, so the last stretch is on foot over bridges, and a porter carries bags where the hotel offers one. Rest, or start finding your way: the city is small, and getting lost between its squares is part of the pleasure.
Evening
In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing: three countries in nine days, how long each drive is, which mornings start early and why. Then we walk to a welcome dinner of Venetian dishes, such as risotto, sarde in saor and fish from the lagoon.
Included
- Pick-up at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and a private water taxi to your hotel
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Venice
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about 4 pm to reach the briefing; later arrivals are met and given a catch-up by the guide.
Venice: St Mark's early, the Doge's Palace and cicchetti
On foot and by vaporetto in Venice
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Venice
- By boat
Morning
We are at St Mark's Basilica for the first entry of the morning, before the queue stretches across the square. Inside, the domes and vaults are covered in gold mosaics laid over several centuries, and with a licensed local guide you have time to look up rather than shuffle through. Next door is the Doge's Palace, the seat of the Venetian Republic's government until 1797. We walk through the council chambers, where the Great Council met beneath Tintoretto's vast Paradise, then cross the Bridge of Sighs into the old prisons and look back out through its stone windows.
Afternoon
Lunch is cicchetti, the small snacks Venetians eat standing at the bar with a glass of wine, at bacari near the Rialto. Then we ride a vaporetto, the city's water bus, along the Grand Canal to see the palaces from the water.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free: the Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the glass furnaces of Murano, or a gondola, booked at the price shown.
Included
- St Mark's Basilica on the first entry of the morning, with a licensed local guide
- The Doge's Palace with the Bridge of Sighs and the prisons
- Cicchetti lunch at bacari near the Rialto
- Vaporetto along the Grand Canal
Optional experiences
- A gondola ride (extra, price shown at booking)
- Murano and Burano by vaporetto on your free afternoon (fares extra)
Easier option: Skip the prison stairs and wait in the palace courtyard, then ride the vaporetto back towards the hotel after lunch.
More active option: Walk east in the afternoon past the Arsenale into Castello, the quietest district in the centre, and back along the waterfront.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 hours on foot, with steps over bridges and in the palace. St Mark's opens to visitors only in the afternoon on Sundays; if this day falls on a Sunday, we visit the Doge's Palace first and St Mark's at its afternoon opening.
Habsburg Trieste, then Piran at dusk
Venice to Trieste, then along the coast into Slovenia to Piran
- Breakfast
- Stay in Piran
- Drive about 3 h

Morning
After breakfast a boat takes us and our bags from the hotel to Piazzale Roma, where our own vehicle and driver are waiting. About two hours east is Trieste, the Habsburg empire's great port on the Adriatic until the end of the First World War, a city that still feels closer to Vienna than to Venice. With a local guide we walk Piazza Unità d'Italia, open on one side to the sea, and the Canal Grande, dug in the 18th century through the grid of the Borgo Teresiano, then climb past the Roman theatre to the cathedral of San Giusto on its hill.
Afternoon
Lunch is your choice: a buffet for boiled pork with horseradish, or a historic coffee house. In the afternoon we cross into Slovenia and follow the coast for about 45 minutes to Piran, our base for two nights. We check in, and from about 5:30 pm, as the day visitors leave, a licensed local guide walks us through the old town to Tartini Square and the Church of St George above the sea.
Included
- Boat with your luggage from the hotel to Piazzale Roma
- Trieste walk with a licensed local guide: Piazza Unità d'Italia, the Canal Grande, the Roman theatre and San Giusto
- Evening walk in Piran with a licensed local guide: Tartini Square, the old-town lanes and the Church of St George
Optional experiences
- Miramare Castle on the shore north of Trieste, in place of free time at lunch (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Skip the climb to San Giusto and wait for the group in a cafe on Piazza Unità.
Free time: Lunch on your own in Trieste; evening free in Piran after the walk
Activity: Piran's old town is closed to most traffic, so the vehicle stops at the edge and bags go to the hotel by porter or the town shuttle.
Postojna Cave and the Lipizzaners of Lipica
Piran to Postojna Cave and Lipica, then back to Piran
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Piran
- Drive about 2.5 h

We leave Piran at 8:30 and drive about an hour inland onto the Kras, the limestone plateau that gave the word karst to geology, to Postojna Cave, booked on an early tour before the coaches arrive. An electric train, running here since 1872, carries us several kilometres into the hill; then a cave guide walks us about 1.5 km on paved paths through halls of stalactites and stalagmites to a tank holding the olm, a blind, pale salamander found only in the caves of this corner of Europe. It is about 10 °C inside all year.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a farm on the Karst: air-dried pršut ham, cheese, bread and a glass of teran, the region's dark red wine. In the afternoon we visit the Lipica Stud Farm, founded in 1580 for the Habsburg court and the original home of the Lipizzaner horses, and walk its stables and paddocks with a local guide.
Evening
We are back in Piran by about 5 pm, in time for an evening swim off the rocks.
Included
- Postojna Cave guided tour with the cave train
- Lunch at a Karst farm with pršut and teran wine
- Lipica Stud Farm guided tour
Optional experiences
- The Lipica riding presentation, on the days it runs (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Skip the stable walk at Lipica and wait in the cafe beside the paddocks.
More active option: Back in Piran, walk up to the old town walls and climb St George's bell tower for the view along the coast to Croatia (entry extra).
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Piran
Activity: About 1.5 km on foot in the cave, with slopes and wet floors; bring a warm layer.
Into Croatia: truffles below Motovun, then Rovinj
Piran across the Croatian border to the Mirna valley and Motovun, then Rovinj
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Rovinj
- Drive about 2.5 h

We leave Piran at 8:30, cross into Croatia and drive about an hour and a quarter into the green interior of Istria, to the Mirna valley below Motovun. Here a truffle hunter and their dogs lead us into the oak forest, where black truffles can be found most of the year and the prized white truffle from about late September to January.
Afternoon
Whatever the dogs turn up, lunch at a family farm is built around truffles: fritaja, the Istrian omelette, and hand-rolled fuži pasta, with local olive oil and a glass of malvazija, the white wine of Istria. Afterwards we drive up to Motovun itself, a walled hill town about 270 m above the valley that was Venetian for centuries, and walk its ramparts for the view over vineyards and forest. It is then under an hour to Rovinj on the west coast, our base for two nights, arriving by about 4 pm.
Evening
The evening is free: watch the sun go down over the sea from the rocks below the old town.
Included
- Truffle hunt with a truffle hunter and dogs in the Mirna valley
- Truffle lunch at a family farm
- Walk on Motovun's town walls
Optional experiences
- A tasting at an Istrian olive oil producer or winery on the way (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Skip the forest walk and meet the group at the farm for lunch; in Motovun, stay at the lower gate instead of climbing the steep street.
More active option: Walk the full circuit of Motovun's walls and down the old stepped path to the foot of the hill to meet the vehicle.
Free time: Evening free in Rovinj
Activity: The truffle hunt is about an hour of easy walking in the forest, sometimes muddy. White truffles are in season from about late September to January; at other times the dogs look for black truffles.
Rovinj at 9 am, Roman Pula after
On foot in Rovinj, then Pula and back
- Breakfast
- Stay in Rovinj
- Drive about 1.5 h

At 9 am, before the day visitors arrive, a licensed local guide walks us through Rovinj, an island town until 1763, when the channel between it and the mainland was filled in. We follow Grisia, the steep stone lane of galleries and studios, up to the Church of St Euphemia, whose bell tower, modelled on St Mark's in Venice, carries a copper statue of the saint that turns with the wind. Climb its wooden stairs for the view over the red roofs and the islands offshore.
Morning
Late morning we drive about 40 minutes south to Pula. With a local guide we walk into the Arena, the 1st-century Roman amphitheatre whose outer wall still stands almost complete, then through the old town to the Temple of Augustus on the old forum and the Arch of the Sergii.
Afternoon
Lunch is your choice in Pula.
Evening
We are back in Rovinj by mid-afternoon to swim, rest, or take a boat out to the islands at sunset.
Included
- Rovinj walk with a licensed local guide
- St Euphemia's bell tower (in its open season)
- Pula Arena entry with a licensed local guide
- The Temple of Augustus and the Arch of the Sergii
Optional experiences
- Sunset boat trip to the islands off Rovinj (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Skip the bell tower's narrow wooden stairs and wait in the church square with its view over the sea.
More active option: In the afternoon, walk the coastal path south of Rovinj into the Golden Cape forest park, with coves to swim from (about 2 hours).
Free time: Lunch on your own in Pula; afternoon and evening free in Rovinj
Activity: About 3 hours on foot on polished stone lanes, which are slippery when wet. The bell tower opens in the main season and its stairs are steep; it is optional.
Opatija's seafront, then Plitvice Lakes
Rovinj through the Učka tunnel to Opatija, then inland to Plitvice Lakes
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Plitvice Lakes
- Drive about 4 h
This is the longest drive of the trip, about three and three-quarter hours in all, so we break it in two. We leave Rovinj at 9 and drive across Istria and through the tunnel under Učka mountain to Opatija on the Kvarner Gulf, about an hour and a quarter. In the late 19th century Opatija became a winter resort for Austro-Hungarian society, and its hotels and villas still face the sea from gardens of laurel and palms.
Afternoon
We walk part of the Lungomare, the path that runs along the shore, past the statue of the Maiden with the Seagull, then sit down to a seafood lunch by the water. In the afternoon we climb inland by motorway through the forests of Gorski kotar and Lika, about two and a half hours with a coffee stop, to Plitvice Lakes.
Evening
We arrive by about 5 pm at a hotel beside the park, with time for a short walk before dinner together.
Included
- Walk on Opatija's Lungomare seafront
- Sit-down seafood lunch in Opatija
- Dinner at Plitvice Lakes
Easier option: Stay on the level stretch of the Lungomare near the lunch spot and sit by the sea.
More active option: Walk the Lungomare from the fishing village of Volosko into Opatija, about 3 km, and meet the vehicle there.
Free time: Short free time at Plitvice before dinner
Activity: The longest drive of the trip, broken by about two hours in Opatija and a coffee stop. Plitvice has few restaurants after dark, so dinner tonight is included.
Plitvice Lakes at opening, then Zadar and the Sea Organ
Plitvice Lakes National Park, then Zadar
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Zadar
- Drive about 2 h
We are at the park entrance when it opens, on the first timed entry slot, and walk the lower lakes before the tour coaches arrive. UNESCO listed Plitvice in 1979: sixteen terraced lakes joined by waterfalls, built up over thousands of years as travertine settles out of the water. The boardwalks run just above the surface, so you look straight down through clear green water at fish and sunken trunks. With a licensed park guide we pass below Veliki slap, at 78 m the highest waterfall in Croatia, cross Lake Kozjak on the electric boat and climb through the upper lakes.
Afternoon
After lunch near the park we drive about an hour and three-quarters to Zadar. In the late afternoon our guide walks us across the Roman Forum to the round 9th-century Church of St Donatus, and we finish on the waterfront at the Sea Organ, whose pipes play with the waves, and the Greeting to the Sun as the light goes.
Evening
A farewell dinner follows in the old town.
Included
- Plitvice Lakes National Park entry on the first timed slot, with a licensed park guide
- Electric boat across Lake Kozjak
- Lunch near the park
- Zadar walk: the Roman Forum and the Church of St Donatus
- The Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun at sunset
- Farewell dinner in Zadar
Easier option: Walk the lower lakes only, about 2.5 hours, and take the park's panoramic train back to wait at the entrance cafe.
More active option: Walk the full upper-lakes circuit on foot to the top lake instead of the park shuttle back, about 3 km more.
Free time: Short free time in Zadar before the walk
Activity: The longest walking day: about 8 to 9 km over 4 hours on boardwalks, forest paths and steps. Opening times change with the season (about 7 am in summer); we confirm the slot for your date.
Depart from Zadar
Zadar to Zadar Airport (ZAD)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
The trip ends after breakfast. The morning is yours in Zadar while the old town is still quiet: the market under the walls, a coffee on the Kalelarga, the marble-paved main street, or a last swim from the stone steps of the waterfront. Zadar Airport (ZAD) is about 15 minutes from the centre, and we drive you there in time for your flight. Flights from Zadar are mostly within Europe and many run only in the main season, so most travellers connect through a European hub. If your flight leaves from Split instead, about an hour and a half down the coast, we arrange a transfer at the price shown when you book. Your guide says goodbye at the airport or the hotel. If you want more of the coast, add nights before or after the trip: the Kornati islands by boat from Zadar, Split and Diocletian's Palace, or Dubrovnik further south, and we can book hotels and transfers when you request to book.
Included
- Drop-off at Zadar Airport (ZAD) or in central Zadar
Optional experiences
- Transfer to Split Airport (SPU) (extra, quoted when you book)
- Extra nights in Zadar, Split or Dubrovnik (quoted on request)
Free time: Morning free in Zadar
Activity: Book a flight after about 12 noon for the group transfer; earlier flights get a separate transfer.
- Venice2 nights
- Piran2 nights
- Rovinj2 nights
- Plitvice Lakes1 night
- Zadar1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: May and June bring full waterfalls at Plitvice and long, mild days on the coast; September and early October are settled, warm enough to swim and quieter. July and August are hot, sometimes near 40 °C inland, and the busiest months in Venice and at Plitvice, so we start the big sights early. White truffles are in season from about late September to January; at other times the dogs find black truffles. Bring a light rain layer: summer storms build quickly over the Istrian hills.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want Venice and the Croatian coast in one trip, with Slovenia's short coastline in between
- Food lovers: cicchetti, Karst ham and teran, Istrian truffles and Adriatic seafood
- Walkers happy on cobbles, bridges and boardwalks for a few hours at a time
- Travellers who prefer two nights in a place to a new hotel every day
- Solo travellers who want a small group and a clear single price
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: Venice's bridges, the bell towers, the cave and the Plitvice paths all have steps
- Travellers who want Ljubljana, Lake Bled and the Julian Alps; see our Slovenia trip for those
- A beach holiday: there is time to swim in Piran, Rovinj and Zadar, but every day has a plan
- Travellers who want Split, Hvar or Dubrovnik included; they are add-on nights, not part of this route
- Winter travel: Plitvice's boats and several bell towers run only in the main season
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Venice2 nights
- Piran2 nights
- Rovinj2 nights
- Plitvice Lakes1 night
- Zadar1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 2 in Venice, 2 in Piran, 2 in Rovinj, 1 beside Plitvice Lakes, 1 in Zadar
- Central hotels of at least 3-star-plus standard, named when we confirm your dates: in Venice's historic centre, in or beside the old towns of Piran and Rovinj, within walking distance of a Plitvice park entrance, and walkable to Zadar's old town
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and a private water taxi to your hotel on day 1
- Vaporetto along the Grand Canal on day 2
- Boat with your luggage to Piazzale Roma on day 3
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver from Venice to Zadar, days 3 to 9
- Postojna cave train
- Electric boat across Lake Kozjak at Plitvice
- Drop-off at Zadar Airport (ZAD) or in central Zadar on day 9
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for all 9 days
- Licensed local guides in Venice, Trieste, Piran, Rovinj, Pula, Plitvice and Zadar, a cave guide at Postojna and a site guide at Lipica
- A truffle hunter and dogs in the Mirna valley
Activities
- Venice: St Mark's Basilica on the first entry, the Doge's Palace with the Bridge of Sighs and the prisons
- Trieste: guided walk with Piazza Unità d'Italia, the Canal Grande, the Roman theatre and San Giusto
- Piran: evening guided walk
- Karst: Postojna Cave, Lipica Stud Farm
- Istria: truffle hunt, Motovun's walls, Rovinj walk with St Euphemia's bell tower, the Pula Arena, the Temple of Augustus
- Opatija: the Lungomare seafront
- Plitvice Lakes National Park with a park guide
- Zadar: the Roman Forum, the Church of St Donatus, the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 5 lunches: cicchetti in Venice, a Karst farm, a truffle lunch near Motovun, a seafood lunch in Opatija, lunch at Plitvice
- 3 dinners: welcome dinner in Venice, dinner at Plitvice Lakes, farewell dinner in Zadar
Not included
- International flights to Venice and home from Zadar
- Travel insurance
- Any Schengen travel authorisation fee, such as ETIAS once it starts
- Lunches and dinners not listed above
- Drinks, other than a glass of wine with the cicchetti, Karst farm and truffle lunches
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as a gondola, Miramare Castle, the Lipica riding presentation or a Rovinj sunset boat
- Transfer to Split Airport
- Extra nights before or after the trip
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 860 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
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Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights in central hotels, 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners, the water taxi from Venice airport, our own vehicle and driver from Venice to Zadar, your See Sight Tours guide for all nine days, local guides at each site, and every entry in the day plan, including St Mark's, the Doge's Palace, Postojna Cave, Lipica, the truffle hunt, the Pula Arena and Plitvice Lakes.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests and is never merged with another group. That size fits one water taxi, one vehicle and one table at lunch, and everyone can hear the guide in the Doge's Palace, in the cave and on the Plitvice boardwalks.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group for all nine days, from the welcome dinner in Venice to the airport in Zadar. Licensed local guides join in Venice, Trieste, Piran, Rovinj, Pula, Plitvice and Zadar, where the sites require them, and a truffle hunter leads the forest walk below Motovun.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately fit. Most days are 2 to 3 hours on foot over cobbles and Venice's stepped bridges. The long day is Plitvice Lakes, about 8 to 9 km over 4 hours on boardwalks and paths; a 2.5-hour lower-lakes loop is the easier choice. Bell-tower climbs are optional, and every demanding stop has an easier option.
I am travelling solo. What does a single room cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 860 extra, shown before you book with no surprise later. If you are happy to share, ask for a roommate match and we pair you with another solo guest where one is booked, at the twin-share price. Solo travellers join the same activities, meals and table as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
May to mid-October. May and June have full waterfalls at Plitvice and mild days on the coast; September and early October are warm enough to swim and quieter. July and August are hot and busiest in Venice and at Plitvice, so we start those days early. For white truffles, choose a departure from late September.
How does booking work?
Choose a date and send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 5,065 per person sharing, with taxes included.
Can we travel on our own dates?
Yes. The private style runs for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 9,115 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, drivers and local guides.
Do I need a visa for Italy, Slovenia and Croatia?
Canadian and US citizens do not need a visa for short stays. All three countries are in the Schengen area, so there are no routine border checks between them, though spot checks happen. The EU's Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints on arrival, and the ETIAS authorisation is due to start; we confirm the rules for your dates.
Which airports do I fly into and out of?
Fly into Venice Marco Polo (VCE) and home from Zadar (ZAD); both transfers are included. Zadar's flights are mostly within Europe and many are seasonal, so most travellers connect through a hub such as Frankfurt, Munich or Zurich. If Split suits you better, we arrange a transfer to Split Airport at the price shown when you book.
Will we find white truffles?
Only in season. White truffles are found in the Motovun forest from about late September to January; the rest of the year the dogs hunt black truffles, which are found most months. The truffle lunch is served whatever the dogs find, and nothing is guaranteed on the walk itself.
How is this trip different from your Slovenia trip?
This trip follows the Adriatic coast from Venice through Trieste, Piran and Istria to Plitvice and Zadar, across three countries. Our Slovenia trip stays inland and in Slovenia: Ljubljana, three nights at Lake Bled with the Julian Alps, then Postojna and Piran. Both include Piran and Postojna Cave; otherwise they do not overlap.