Based on our own experience and the many tips we have received from enthusiastic holidaymakers, it is our pleasure to present to you Croatia, Montenegro and the 4 most famous World Heritage sites in the Adriatic!
Flight to Dubrovnik in Croatia. Our friendly, expert, English-speaking tour guide will greet us at the airport and take us to our modern touring coach. We will then travel directly to our 4-star hotel in the Dubrovnik region.
Today we explore the harbour city of Dubrovnik, the pearl of the Adriatic. We browse through the narrow streets and marvel at palaces, churches and sumptuous houses surrounded by a mighty fortified wall. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We drive north along the Adriatic, one of the most beautiful coasts in the world. In the town of Ston, a very special construction awaits us: the 5.5-kilometre-long fortified wall. Not far away is the port town of Neum, a picturesque coastal idyll. We then travel to our 4-star hotel on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic, where we will spend the next 2 nights.
Today, we will marvel at 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites. After a wonderful panoramic drive, we will arrive in Split. A tour round the historic old town is like taking a trip back to ancient times. Diocletian‘s Palace (admission included), one of the best-preserved works of Roman architecture in the world, is simply outstanding. Just a few kilometres away, we visit the old town of Trogir, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. On the way back there is also the little Dalmatian town of Omis, a former pirate settlement.
The next morning, we press on to Počitelj, one of the most interesting villages in the Balkans. Due to its signifi-cance in terms of history, and its historical buildings, Počitelj has already been proposed for a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our route takes us to Medjugorje, one of the world‘s most famous sites of Christian pilgrimage with some 2.5 million visitors a year. We will visit the famous holy shrine where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to 6 young people. The afternoon is free for you. We recommend a visit to the famous “Old Bridge” in Mostar (UNESCO World Heritage site). We will stay overnight in the 4-star hotel in the Medjugorje region.
After breakfast, we drive to the town of Trebinje. Particular sites to catch include the historic city centre
”Kastel”and the Osman Pasha Mosque, the city’s symbolic landmark. We will also visit a traditional carpet-knotting factory and admire this centuries-old craft. In the afternoon we will reach one of Montenegro‘s most popular holiday destinations: Herceg Novi. We have an overnight stay here, too.
To begin with we will travel along the famous Gulf of Kotor before arriving at one of the most famous bays in the world, the Bay of Kotor. The view here is simply breathtaking. In the shadow of the mighty St. John mountain we go walking through the historic old town of Kotor and draw inspiration from this picturesque UNESCO World Heritage site. The fashionable marina of Porto Montenegro in Tivat now awaits us. We can marvel at the super-yachts of the rich and famous. We will spend the night in the Budva area.
Our day begins in Budva, the next highlight. The old town, at over 2,500 years old, is one of the oldest on the Adriatic coast. We wend our way through its narrow alleyways and enjoy its Mediterranean flair. And of course we visit the famous ballerina statue – a truly magical spot. The afternoon sees us take in Montenegro’s iconic symbol, Sveti Stefan. From a splendid viewing point, we will enjoy a fantastic glimpse of this spellbinding island. The region’s great tradition of craftsmanship leads us to jewellery-making and leather work studios. While there, we will learn some interesting things about these crafts and will have the chance to select a personal holiday souvenir. We will again stay the night in the Budva area.
Relax over the next few days in your 4-star hotel right on the beach on the wonderful Adriatic coast of Montenegro! The comfortable rooms are modern, with air-conditioning, bath/WC and flatscreen TV. Spoil yourselves in the hotel’s wonderful spa. Take time out down by the pool or take a leisurely stroll along the beach. Our relaxed return journey home starts in the afternoon of day 14 as we go to Dubrovnik, where we spend our final evening in a 4-star hotel and stay overnight there. On the 15th day of the tour, we fly back to Ireland with our many unforgettable memories of the holiday.
Package includes:
What‘s included: (Price when booking the following separately)1
The package includes half-board, i.e. sumptuous buffet every evening with international specialties during the 7-day cultural tour: only € 169.00 per person.
€ 299.00 per person (subject to availability)
example hotels
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zagreb | 11 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 11 |
| Dublin | 5 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
In each of our destination countries, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are currently different conditions and hygiene regulations in place that are specific to each country, and these can also change at short notice. The conditions of entry can also change at short notice at the moment. For this reason, we have put together the most important information for your RSD trip at https://www.rsd-travel.ie/travelsafely/. The information will of course be checked and updated on a regular basis. Please also check the Foreign Office‘s website before your departure (https://www.dfa.ie/).
Croatia: Parliamentary democracy
Montenegro: Republic
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Democratic state with two largely autonomous entities: Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and the Republic of Srpska (RS)
Croatia: Zagreb
Montenegro: Podgorica
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Sarajevo
Croatia: 86% Catholic, 4% Serbian Orthodox, 1% Muslim, 0.3% Evangelical, 0.01% Jewish
Montenegro: 72% Serbian Orthodox, 3.5% Catholic, 16% Muslim
Bosnia-Herzegovina: 50.7% Muslim, 30.7% Serbian Orthodox, 15.2% Catholic
Croatia: Croatian; in areas with strong ethnic minorities, also in official use: Serbian, Italian, Hungarian.
Montenegro: Montenegrin (primarily Latin script, but Cryllic still in widespread use). Albanian is the official language of instruction in schools in the predominant settlement area of this population group. Pupils there can choose between Montenegrin and Albanian.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Bosnian, Croatian with Latin alphabet and Serbian with a Cryllic alphabet.
Mediterranean on the Adriatic coast, temperate inland.
230 V, 50 HZ. An adapter is required.
Part of the Central European Time zone where GMT+1 applies, along with daylight saving time.
For telephone calls to Ireland, please dial the country code 00353 first. For calls to the destination country, please dial the country prefix of the country first:
Croatia: 00385 | Montenegro: 00382 | Bosnia-Herzegovina: 00387
Omit the first zero in the area code.
Croatia: Irish citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay. http://www.mvep.hr/en/consular-information
Montenegro: Irish citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Your passport should be undamaged and valid for the proposed duration of your stay.
https://www.visit-montenegro.com/montenegro-visa-regimes/
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Irish citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 90 days from the date of departure from Bosnia-Herzegovina.
http://www.mvp.gov.ba/konzularne_informacije/vize/Default.aspx
Nationals of other countries are advised to inquire at the embassies of Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina about the entry requirements applicable to them.
Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied.
Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture, etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina have to offer. Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras. We recommend booking the following packages:
Gourmet package: The package includes half-board, i.e. sumptuous buffet every evening with international specialties: only € 168.00 per person.
Explorer package: The package includes a visit to Mostar, a boat ride to ”Gospa od Škrpjela“ Island and the ”Dubrovnik by night“ trip: only € 139.00 per person.
Croatia: The currency unit is the Croatian kuna (HRK). 1 kuna = 100 lipa. Exchange rate (as at August 2022): 1 EUR = 7.50 HRK; 1 HRK = 0.13 EUR.
Montenegro: Montenegro belongs to the European Monetary Union, so their currency is the euro (EUR).
Bosnia-Herzegovina: The currency unit is the convertible mark (BAM). 1 mark = 100 fening. Exchange rate (as at August 2022): 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM; 1 BAM = 0.51 EUR.
Croatia: Credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants, petrol stations and shops. Cash withdrawals are possible at most ATMs with the EC-Maestro card or a credit card. Many places calculate in euros, but you will pay in kuna. You can exchange cash at banks (closed Saturdays and Sundays) and at many currency exchange offices.
Montenegro: Common credit cards are accepted nationwide. ATMs are widely available. Acceptance of V-Pay and Maestro bank cards is limited. These can only be used to withdraw cash at a few ATMs, but not for general payment transactions.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Cash can be withdrawn at ATMs using credit cards and a PIN. Credit cards are increasingly accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops, but it is recommended to pay in cash. To ensure smooth payments, it is recommended to carry bank notes of a smaller denomination. Public institutions (e.g. the post office) only accept payments in BAM.
Croatia: For goods of personal use, there are upper limits within which no customs duties are due and which must not be registered at the customs office. The exact quantities can be found from the Croatian customs administration (https://carina.gov.hr/). The value of the goods to be imported may not exceed 430 EUR per person in air transport. Cash and checks must be registered in writing from an amount of 10.000 EUR (or equivalent value). Items brought in or carried that are suitable for an attack, such as pepper spray or knives, must be presented when crossing the border. Violations are punishable by heavy fines.
Montenegro: Importing and exporting foreign currencies is permitted up to an amount of the equivalent of 10.000 EUR. Personal need goods may be temporarily imported duty-free, but must be exported again. Certain objects (cameras, laptops, similar) have numerical restrictions. There are restrictions for duty-free import for the following goods: Alcohol (2l wine or 1l spirits over 22%), tobacco products (200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g smoking tobacco), perfume or cologne (50 grams).
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Foreign currencies can be declared, but this is not expressly required. People in possession of a weapon will be rejected at the border. The same provisions as in EU countries apply to the import of cigarettes and alcohol.
Further customs information regarding the import of goods can be obtained from the embassy of the country in question. This is the only place from which to obtain legally correct and binding information.
Please note: You can bring in goods within your duty-free allowances without paying import charges if you are travelling to Ireland from outside the European Union (EU). Import charges can include Customs Duty, Excise Duty and Value-Added Tax (VAT). Where you exceed your allowances, you may have to pay these import charges at the airport or port of arrival. Additionally, some goods are prohibited, while others are subject to restrictions. The customs regulations for Ireland can be obtained from the website of the Irish Revenue at https://www.revenue.ie/en/Home.aspx.
Petty crimes tend to be lower in the cities than in some other major European cities. Nevertheless, tourists should take the usual level of care here. European driving licenses and travel documents as well as travel documents with European residence permits are coveted items to steal.
Croatia: There are no special instructions.
Montenegro: Sexual acts on minors has been punishable since January 01, 2006. The purchase, sale or possession of drugs is severely punishable. This also applies to smaller quantities exclusively for your own use.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Certain buildings and institutions have a no photography policy, which is indicated by the appropriate signage (including US embassy in Sarajevo). Fines must be paid if ignored.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice on the department of Foreign Affairs website (https://www.dfa.ie/). Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad. Eating hygienic food and drink and using mosquito repellent can be used to avoid diarrhoea and other infection diseases.
There is no guarantee for the correctness and completeness of the medical information and no liability for any damages that occur. You alone are responsible for your health.
Croatia: Acute medical treatment is possible upon presentation of the European Health Insurance Card. Additional payments must be made in some cases. A prompt payment of the treatment costs is demand in some cases. In such cases, it is recommended to have a detailed invoice issued. Costs for repatriation are not covered by the statutory health insurance, which is why it is recommended you get private travel health insurance. In addition to physicians in private practices, there are health centres in many places (“Dom Zdravlja”). Most polyclinics are private practices.
Montenegro: Medical care according to Irish standards is not always guaranteed. Hospitals also do not always have adequate equipment and are sometimes unable to provide patients with certain medical conditions appropriate medical care. Hygienic levels are generally not sufficient.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Medical care in the country is often problematic in many respects. There are few English-speaking physicians, especially outside the major cities. It is recommended to take out foreign health insurance with the option of return medical transport to Ireland. You should bring along an individual first-aid kit. Please note that as Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a member of the EEA, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) cannot be used to access healthcare services there.
Customers should ensure that they are physically and psychologically fit for undertaking the selected trip and make the necessary queries concerning the level of physical and psychological fitness required. Please observe that the excursions are accessible by foot only and that the buses used for the roundtrip are not customised to transport wheelchairs or similar devices.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: August 2022
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