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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 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

ITALYSLOVENIAISTRIACROATIAAdriatic SeaVenetian LagoonKvarner Gulf12345VeniceDays 1 to 3TriesteDay 3PiranDays 3 to 5Postojna CaveDay 4LipicaDay 4MotovunDay 5RovinjDays 5 to 7PulaDay 6OpatijaDay 7Plitvice LakesDays 7 to 8ZadarDays 8 to 9

Tap 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.

  1. Venice2 nights
  2. Piran2 nights
  3. Rovinj2 nights
  4. Plitvice Lakes1 night
  5. Zadar1 night
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

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+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

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.

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