Zagreb and Ljubljana, Slovenia (2 nights). Arrival in Zagreb, met by the tour guide, then on to Ljubljana and check-in at the hotel.

Ljubljana and Bled. A guided visit of Ljubljana in the morning. In the afternoon, on to Bled, where a traditional flat-bottomed boat, the pletna, carries you to the small island and its church. Free time on the island before returning to Ljubljana. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

Postojna, Lipica and Opatija (3 nights). In the morning, the Postojna cave, explored with an audio guide along galleries carved by water over millennia. Lunch on site, then the Lipica stud farm, birthplace of the Lipizzaner horses. The road continues to Opatija, a seaside resort on the Croatian coast. (B/L/D)

Pula and Rovinj. On to Pula and its Roman amphitheatre, one of the best preserved in the world, with a guided visit of the arena that once held gladiator fights and public spectacles. Lunch on your own, then Rovinj, a port town of cobbled lanes and coloured façades running down to the harbour, to explore on your own. Back to Opatija. (B)

Motovun, Pazin and Porec. The hills of Istria and the perched village of Motovun, reached by minibus, whose walls look out over a valley of vines and truffle forests. A typical lunch in the Pazin area, a land known for its white and black truffles, with a glass of local wine. In the afternoon, Porec and its Euphrasian Basilica, a Byzantine masterpiece listed by UNESCO, on a guided visit. Back to Opatija. (B/L)

Plitvice and Zadar (2 nights). Plitvice National Park, where sixteen turquoise lakes step down in waterfalls linked by wooden walkways, in the heart of a dense forest. The boat ride is part of the visit and carries you between the clear waters. On to Zadar at the end of the day. (B/D)

Zadar and Pag Island. A guided visit of Zadar in the morning, between Roman ruins and the Sea Organ, which turns the movement of the waves into music. In the afternoon, Pag Island, known for its sheep's cheeses aged in the salt wind of the Adriatic, with a visit to a dairy and a tasting. Back to Zadar in the late afternoon. (B)

Sibenik, Trogir and Split (3 nights). On to Sibenik for a guided walk through this fortified town above its natural harbour. Lunch on your own in Primosten, a village built on a peninsula, then Trogir, a small medieval town of Venetian architecture listed by UNESCO, on a guided walk. On to Split. (B/D)

Split. The morning goes to a guided visit of Split and its Diocletian's Palace, a city within the city where Roman remains sit alongside cafés, shops and homes. Free afternoon to stroll the seafront promenade or lose yourself in the lanes of the old centre. (B)

Hvar Island. The ferry to Hvar, known for its elegance, its Mediterranean light and its lavender fields. A guided visit of the town with a climb to the Spanish fortress, from which the view takes in the harbour and the Pakleni islands offshore. Free time before taking the boat back to Split at the end of the day. (B)

Korcula. A fast ferry to Korcula, the island said to be Marco Polo's birthplace, while the luggage follows by road via Orebic. Arrival late in the morning, a guided visit of the old town and its herringbone street plan, then free time. (B/D)

Mali Ston and Dubrovnik (4 nights). A short ferry crossing to Orebic, then on to Mali Ston bay, known for its oyster beds. A scenic boat ride with a local tasting: homemade rakia or myrtle liqueur, fresh oysters and a glass of wine. On to Dubrovnik. (B/D)

Dubrovnik. The Pearl of the Adriatic is seen on a guided walk, among ramparts, marble squares and baroque façades. Entry to the Franciscan monastery and its historic pharmacy, one of the oldest still operating in Europe, then past the Rector's Palace and St Blaise's church. Free afternoon: the lanes, the walls, or a terrace. (B)

Montenegro. A full-day excursion to Montenegro, where the road winds along the Bay of Kotor, one of the finest fjords in Europe. A boat cruise with a stop at the islet of Our Lady of the Rocks, a passage through the underwater tunnels of a former military arsenal, a view of the abandoned island of Mamula, then a swimming stop in front of the blue cave for those who want it. Free time in Kotor, a walled town at the foot of steep mountains, before returning to Dubrovnik. (B)

Dubrovnik. A completely free day, a pause in the tour to carry on with Dubrovnik as you like: the beach, the walls, the museums, or nothing at all. (B)

Mostar and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2 nights). On into Bosnia and Herzegovina with a stop in Mostar, made famous by its Ottoman bridge rebuilt after the war. The guided visit includes entry to a mosque and to a traditional Turkish house. Lunch on site, then on to Sarajevo. (B/D)

Sarajevo. A guided visit of Sarajevo, a historic crossroads where mosques, churches and synagogues stand side by side. The Gazi Husrev-Beg mosque, a jewel of Ottoman architecture, then the old Serbian Orthodox church and its collection of icons. Free afternoon to carry on in this city of dense history. (B)

Travnik, Jajce and Zagreb (2 nights). Leaving Sarajevo for Travnik, former capital of the Ottoman viziers, for a tasting of the local ćevap. A photo stop at Jajce, whose waterfall drops right in the middle of town, before the road to Zagreb. (B/L)

Zagreb. A guided visit of the Croatian capital, between the historic upper town with its squares and bell towers and the lower town with its Austro-Hungarian look. Free afternoon, then a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

Return to Quebec. Transfer to Zagreb airport according to the return flight schedule. (B)