The euphoria Friends and Family Croatia Experience, June 8th to 15th, 2024

The euphoria Greenville Team cordially invites you to join them and our host, Chef Richard Gruica, the founder of Captivating Croatia Tours to escape with us to exotic Croatia for a week-long, food-centric vacation of a lifetime. Come, and experience the ultimate culinary adventure which will take place from Saturday, June 8th to Saturday, June 15th, 2024. Get ready to explore one of the most beautiful places in the world, as we visit Dubrovnik and the areas surrounding Croatia’s most storied city, brimming with history and lore, while enjoying the very best food, drink, and sights. Experience a luxury holiday unlike any other in the style you deserve Get ready to Eat-Drink-Explore!

Day 1-

Saturday, June 8th 

Welcome to The Euphoria Friends and Family Croatia Experience…

Welcome to Dubrovnik, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and the host location for your amazing adventure with Chef Richard Gruica with Captivating Croatia Tours. Feel the warm Dalmatian breeze and sun on your face, and let it refresh you. Relax and put your thoughts of home away. We will be staying at the famed Hotel More (pronounced Moreh, meaning Sea in Croatian), which is a boutique 5-Star property built on the seaside of Lapad Bay, just outside of the walled Old Town of Dubrovnik. The Hotel More is special in several ways, not only is it an amazing hotel, but it has a unique Cave Bar that was voted one of the top 50 bars in the world! It also happens that Chef Richard spent his summers just down the street at his family house and the area is very near and dear to him. Get ready for a truly special day in the lesser-known and lesser-frequented Konavle Valley, just outside of Dubrovnik. Prior to that, we will visit Cavtat, for a walk around the charming sleepy seaside town near Konavle, with a stop for a drink/coffee before heading out to a fully functioning stone mill, where we will step back in time to see how things used to be. We will view how water was used to operate the mill in many ways and sustained the local community for ages. We have arranged for one of the top young winemakers making waves in the wine world to join us for a late lunch/early dinner where he will pair and discuss his wines over the meal, with a couple of special treats from him to boot! You will get to experience Peka, the famed Balkan dish of lamb and veal cooked under coals, at an ancient countryside stone house.  

Overnight Stay-Hotel More 5-Star

http://www.hotel-more.hr/

Please note, that all guests should arrive in Dubrovnik, Croatia within their own timeframe with the tour beginning on Saturday morning, June 8th. Due to the nature of the ongoing travel industry, we advise that our guests arrive in Dubrovnik no later than Friday, June 7th. This night is not covered in the package.

Day 2-

Sunday, June 9th

The Pearl of the Adriatic Awaits…the Home of King’s Landing

Our day begins inside the ancient city of Dubrovnik, where we have arranged for a walk along the famed walls of the Old Town. Be prepared to take the BEST selfies ever! Afterward, you will experience another project of our founder, Chef Richard Gruica on his “Sights and Bites” food and wine/history walking tour, where you will be expertly guided through a tasting of the Old Town of Dubrovnik by our Foodie/History Guide. Prepare to be seriously wowed by the city’s fairytale-like setting enjoying its shiny white limestone streets, and enchanting narrow alleyways all while you eat and drink your way through the otherworldly Old Town. Enjoy free time after the foodie tour to explore Dubrovnik further on your own. Please bring comfy walking shoes/sneakers/sandals!!!

Overnight Stay-Hotel More 5-Star

http://www.hotel-more.hr/

Day 3-

Monday, June 10th 

Wine Country Awaits...as well as Our Own Private Island Adventure…

Check Out/Check In

Today, we will head out from Dubrovnik enjoying a scenic drive with amazing seaside views the entire way. We will stay on the Pelješac Peninsula, one of Croatia’s most superlative spots for wine sipping and stunning scenery. Our hotel for the stay is the Aminess Grand Azur Hotel, which is a 4-Star property situated along the Adriatic Sea in Orebic. Before we get there, we will be making a stop in historic Ston. While in Ston, we will head to the nearby Ston Sea salt beds, the oldest still operational salt pools in the world for a quick tour. We will also get to see the Walls of Ston, the longest in the world outside of China’s Great Wall before we head over to Mali Ston, a seaside village that is famed for its oysters and mussels. We will enjoy a ride on a boat along the pristine waters, taking in the famed walls and tall craggy mountains, where we will get a demo on oyster farming and production, a tradition that has been happening here since antiquity. The oysters here are so good, even ancient Roman emperors used to put in delivery orders!  We will venture out to a private island for a seafood-centric feast prepared by Chef Richard, and our local hosts, with loads of free time to frolic in the sea or even a nap for the remainder of the day soaking up the Dalmatian sun. (The Island adventure is weather permitting)

Check-In and Overnight Stay-The Aminess Grand Azur 4-Star 

https://www.aminess.com/en/aminess-grand-azur-hotel

Day 4-

Tuesday, June 11th 

From Water to Wine…

Today, we will venture through the wine region of Dingač and hop on a couple of boats. The boats will take us out to experience the azure waters of the Adriatic. We will be joined by a local fisherman who doubles as a free diver and spearfisherman. After he demonstrates his craft, feel free to jump into the Adriatic with him and cool yourself down. In addition to fishing, we’ll go hunting for delicious sea urchins and other edible Adriatic surprises. After some time exploring the coastline, we will go back to shore and take our spoils to a leafy hidden gem to grill off our catch. We will also savor stewed octopus and black risotto, two Dalmatian specialties, and enjoy a relaxing meal under the trees while sipping on wines produced by the owner and his family. After the meal, we will return to the hotel to take some free time and refresh before we head to the peninsula’s top winery for a sunset toast of bubbly. We will then take part in a tour of the winery. Today concludes with a degustation dinner at the winery’s gourmet restaurant, followed by a beautiful surprise. 

Overnight Stay-The Aminess Grand Azur 4-Star 

https://www.aminess.com/en/aminess-grand-azur-hotel

Day 5-

Wednesday, June 12th 

Krazy for Korčula…Marco?

This time we will hop onto a car ferry as we head to the historic island of Korčula, the ancestral home of Marco Polo, and you thought he was Italian! Our adventure in Korčula begins with a guided tour of the city and its narrow streets, followed by lunch at the famed one Michelin-starred LD Restaurant, showcasing the fusion of the finest gastronomic products available in Croatia and the gourmet stylings of Chef Marko Gajski, one of Croatia’s top chefs. After, we will then visit one of the island’s most famed wineries for a tasting. Our visit to Korčula, concludes with some free time for shopping on your own before heading back on the ferry back to the mainland. Our night will be capped off with a pizza/pasta meal under the stars! 

Overnight Stay-The Aminess Grand Azur 4-Star 

https://www.aminess.com/en/aminess-grand-azur-hotel

DAY 6-

Thursday, June 13th 

One with the Land

We are very excited to be able to offer wonderful new experiences for our guests now that mainland Croatia is now connected once again due to the opening of the Pelješac Bridge. Today, we will venture to the agricultural heartland of Southern Dalmatia and experience the Neretva Valley. We will visit the famed mandarin groves and have a rustic lunch along the Neretva River before experiencing a wine tasting at one of the top wineries in the area. We will have a rustic dinner at a local Konoba to round out the day. 

Overnight Stay-The Aminess Grand Azur 4-Star 

https://www.aminess.com/en/aminess-grand-azur-hotel

DAY 7-

Friday, June 14th 

Back to King’s Landing…

Check-Out

Enjoy a relaxing morning before we head back to Dubrovnik, where will check back into Hotel More our previous home in Dubrovnik where you can enjoy the rest of day as you see fit…enjoy a dip in the Adriatic Sea from the hotel or some last-minute shopping. We will end our trip at one of our favorite restaurants in Dubrovnik for our farewell dinner. Cheers to an amazing week or as they say in Croatia…Zivili!

Check-In and Overnight Stay

Hotel More 5-Star

http://www.hotel-more.hr/

DAY 8-

Saturday, June 15th 

Till We Meet Again

Fond Farewell

Check Out

Guests will gather for breakfast at their leisure, before departing for the Dubrovnik Airport via private transfer.

I so look forward to hosting you. 

Culinarily yours,

Chef Richard Gruica and the Captivating Croatia Team

-As with any trip of this nature, we are at the discretion of Mother Nature and the schedule might change based on weather or other variables outside of our control. Captivating Croatia strives to give all guests the best possible experience, so rest assured that even if things happen you are in very capable hands.

The euphoria Greenville Team cordially invites you to join them and our host, Chef Richard Gruica, the founder of Captivating Croatia Tours to escape with us to exotic Croatia for a week-long, food-centric vacation of a lifetime. Come, and experience the ultimate culinary adventure which will take place from Saturday, June 8th to Saturday, June 15th, 2024. Get ready to explore one of the most beautiful places in the world, as we visit Dubrovnik and the areas surrounding Croatia’s most storied city, brimming with history and lore, while enjoying the very best food, drink, and sights. Experience a luxury holiday unlike any other in the style you deserve Get ready to Eat-Drink-Explore!