Arrive in Croatia's lively capital, Zagreb. Meet your guide and transfer to your hotel. This vibrant cultural hub is made for casual strolling - take a relaxing walk around the Lower Town's beautiful architecture, then wander up to the Upper Town's eclectic cafes and historic churches to get your bearings. Evening on own.

(Accommodations, Zagreb)

After breakfast, meet your guide for a walking tour of Croatia's largest city. With an air of a true European capital, Zagreb charms with its baroque facades and towers, green parks and open-air terraces, quiet courtyards and bustling streets. Continue exploring on your own in the afternoon and spend another night in Zagreb.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Zagreb)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and pick up your rental car in central Zagreb. It's a 2 and a half hour drive from the capital to the beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park. Enjoy the views of unspoiled countryside, with quaint villages full of red roof tiles and rustic clay chimneys. Stop where you please for a traditional Croatian lunch in a local establishment. Check in to your Plitvice hotel and spend a relaxing evening on your own.

(Breakfast, Zagreb; Accommodations, Plitvice Lakes)

Get up early to beat the crowds to Plitvice Lake National Park, with your included park entrance. Wander along the wooden pathways, which unveil the stunning world of 16 cascading lakes interlaced with over 90 stunning waterfalls, bound to mesmerize you in any season. This UNESCO World Heritage Site sits in a scenic forest, which is home to bears, wolves, and many rare birds. Take your time exploring the upper and lower lakes to your heart's content. After you have explored this nature phenomenon, continue your trip by driving the 2 hours to Zadar, on the Dalmatian coast. Check in and walk around the historic old town.

(Breakfast, Plitvice Lakes; Accommodations, Zadar)

Spend a free day in Zadar. Rich in history and beautiful scenery, Zadar is the perfect port town. Enjoy the Roman and Venetian ruins found in old town, churches dating from the 9th-12th centuries, and the quaint streets full of picturesque restaurants selling the freshest fish dishes. Visit the waterfront to see the Monument to the Sun - a solar-powered lightshow and public dance floor, and the Sea Organ, an instillation of underwater pipes that creates music from the movement of the waves. In the evening, watch one of Zadar's famously beautiful sunsets from one of the many seaside bars.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Zadar)

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and spend another morning exploring Zadar. Check out of your hotel and begin the 2 hour drive to your final destination, Split. Enjoy the scenic coastal drive, and feel free to stop in charming Adriatic towns along the way, like Sibenik, where you can visit the 15th century cathedral of St. James, or just stop for a swim in the beautiful blue waters. Upon arrival in Split, you can either drop off your rental car and explore the city for the next few days by foot, or keep your car until the end of the trip. Evening on own to explore Dalmatia's largest coastal town. This lively town grows more and more popular among travelers for its easy-going spirit, creative food and shopping scene and of course, remarkable heritage.

(Breakfast, Zadar; Accommodations, Split)

This morning, your guide will take you for a walk through Diocletian's Palace and the historic streets of Split, and then to Paradox Wine and Cheese Bar. The intimate and cozy interiors are characterized by custom-designed elm and oak furniture set against the exposed old stone walls, matched shaded terrace, providing front row seats to life passing by. Here you will find the biggest selection of cheeses in Croatia and more than 100 wine brands. With a presentation of famous wines by a sommelier you will be served with selection of three wines and three types of cheese, bread and olive oil. After this unique tasting experience, walk around the old city center, explore history and enjoy time for shopping before returning back to the hotel.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Split)

Enjoy a free day in Split, or add on an optional tour, such as a visit to the nearby isle of Brac. Brac is home to many archeological and ethnographic collections, as well as being a beautiful spot to swim. Home to one of the most famous beaches on the Adriatic coast, Zlatni Rat, you can soak up the sun on the shore or swim through the crystal blue water. Later, visit the highest peak of the island, Vidova Gora (2,552 feet), to enjoy the magnificent view of Bol and the surrounding islands. If you've kept your rental car, you can also make this excursion on your own, as car ferries are frequent.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Split)

Depart Split. Either drive your rental car to the Split airport to return it, or take a transfer if you have already dropped it off. Now, it is time for your flight home, or on to your next Avanti Destination!

(Breakfast, Split)