Striking a balance between worldly exploration and vacation-mode relaxation!
Croatia
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Aug 24 - Sep 6, 2025
Tina did a great job first collecting what memories and experiences would make up the ideal vacation for my husband and I. She helped us plan a curated agenda across different cities in Croatia and also Montenegro.
The itinerary was a combination of fan favorites like Diocletian's Palace in Split, the new-ish cable car in Kotor, and old town Dubrovnik walking tours. During high season she made personalized transfers (drivers and even a customized high-speed boat ride where we were the only ones in charge!). These transfers offered really nice downtime for us, a welcome break from navigating the busy streets and overcrowded attractions. Plus they were SEAMLESS - I didn't have any difficulties finding the people and getting transported to the next place. Overall we went to Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes/Split, Korcula, Kotor (Montenegro), and Dubrovnik over 2 weeks. The pacing was great, we didn't feel rushed and got a sense of each location before moving on. We also didn't feel like we wasted a ton of time just getting from place to place - there was plenty of downtime to just let things happen.
Swimming around the Peljesac peninsula the morning of our journey from Split to the island Korcula was a top experience for me - it was so quiet and our guide, Dino, was very open about sharing his experience growing up in a family of olive growers/olive oil producers. Our walking tour guide, Albert, in Dubrovnik did the best job explaining the complexities of living in Croatia, the politics of relatively new countries, and the impact of tourism. All of the hotels selected were boutique in nature and had great amenities - my favorite was the Villa Filaus in Dubrovnik, though! Great location and such character plus the woman running the boutique hotel, Anita, was a DELIGHT to welcome us.
Tina, thank you for planning a wonderful trip! Supremely enjoyable, relaxing, and informative this trip was indulgent and we will remember it for a long, long time! You really thought of EVERYTHING. You curated the best people to help us along our way - so courteous, knowledgeable, and helpful!
Hotel Reviews
A beautiful villa (and hopefully you get a balcony) plopped right in the middle of a great location, easy walking distance to the beach via the promenade full of casual restaurants. I loved the hotel manager, Anita, who warmly greeted us and showed us where to go with a prepared map. She is so sweet and kind - you can tell she loves her job! This place has big rooms, good air conditioning, and is quiet given there are only a few units. The small pool and loungers are all you need for sunbathing and reading a good book outside. The espresso machines (with bottomless pods) were a nice way to start each day, too!
Stunning water front location convenient to every shop and restaurant you could want. This hotel has a majestic air and there are a lot of pictures of it from the past as a kind of waterfront legacy. It is a great place for people watching.
The most gorgeous dining room with high wooden ceilings and nice decorations, plus the buffet was the best out of all the places we stayed in Croatia. The staff were very helpful, pointing us in directions of places we wanted to go.
Activity Reviews
Loved Rachael and this tour - she took her time with each stop and we filled an afternoon! She had developed deep relationships with each of the business owners at the honey shop, Bire winery, and the homestead. The best was these places were not SALESY at all. Sometimes as a tourist you just want a little space to enjoy the experience and the moment. I could tell Rachael, our guide, has a genuine appreciation for the culture of the place especially as an expat.
The flow of the places we visited with the educational pieces was done very well. We covered a ton of topics in a short period of time. I loved going to the hidden spots and the quieter spots away from the main areas. Our guide, Albert, had a very eloquent and beautiful way of speaking that drew us in completely! Having grown up in the area he was able to share all the changes he experienced and I appreciated how honest and thorough his answers were to all of our many questions.
I liked the hotel pickup especially considering that Kotor is such a busy place with crowds of people, our guide, Igor, was easy to find.
Dear Stephanie,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review! I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that your journey through Croatia and Montenegro was everything you hoped for—and more.
I’m so glad the local people, the seamless transfers, and the well-paced itinerary all added to the experience. Hearing that the trip felt indulgent, informative, and supremely enjoyable truly means the world to me.
Thank you for being such relaxed, open, and wonderful travelers. As I mentioned earlier, everyone who had the pleasure of meeting you had only the best things to say!
best,
Tina