Today we arrive in Belgrade and transfer to our hotel. First of 2 nights in Belgrade. Hotel Balkan or similar. Dinner, if arriving in time.

The history of the entire Balkans region of South-East Europe has been formed by the ebb and flow of dozens of peoples and empires. The original inhabitants are thought to have been the Illyrians. In the 4th century BC, the Celts migrated into the area followed by the Romans 100 years later. The area became part of the Byzantine Empire in the 4th Century AD. The Slavs invaded in the 6th Century AD, the Turks in the 14th Century, the Austro-Hungarians in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries and the Nazis briefly during WWII. After WWII partisan leader Tito was determined to create a state of Yugoslavia (meaning “southern Slavs”) in which no ethnic group dominated. Serbia became one of six republics (along with Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia/ Herzegovina and Slovenia) in the federation. Tito achieved this delicate balance by creating a one-party state and stamping out all opposition whether nationalist, royalist or religious. Tito broke with Stalin in 1948 and Yugoslavia became a nonaligned nation. From the early 1990’s the other republics started to break away in response to perceived increasing Serbian domination. In May 2006 Montenegro succeeded, leaving Serbia by itself. Belgrade has been the capital city of Serbia since 1403. Our tour includes Republic Square, where we see the National Theatre, National Museum and Serbian Academy of Science & Arts. In the old town we see the Palace of Princess Ljubice, built for the wife of Prince Miloš in 1831, with its collection of period furnishings, carpets and paintings. We also see the Patriarchy and the Orthodox Cathedral. On a rocky outcrop between the Danube and Sava Rivers, the ancient Kalemegdan Citadel houses a museum telling the military history of the former Yugoslavia. Also within the fortress we see the original ramparts, gateways, towers, some Turkish monuments and some ancient Roman structures. Second of 2 nights in Belgrade. Hotel Balkan or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

We drive south to Mount Zlatibor National Park, known for its beauty and nature. Driving through the beautiful countryside takes us to the charming village of Sirogojno, an open-air museum of traditional architecture as well as an exhibition of handicrafts including hand-knitted clothes. Proud and traditional, southern Serbia is a land of rolling hills and wooded valleys set against rugged mountains. Overnight in Zlatibor. Hotel Staro Selo or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we take a 15Km steam train ride on the old narrow gauge steam engine “Sarganska Osmica” through 20 tunnels and over 10 bridges and as many viaducts. This is part of a rail line that runs all the way from Belgrade via Sarajevo to Dubrovnik. Later, we visit the United Nations World Heritage Site of Studenica Monastery, considered the crowning achievement of medieval culture and art in Serbia. A pivotal nation-shaping event occurred in AD 395 when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I divided his empire giving Serbia to the Byzantines, thereby locking the country into Eastern Europe. This was further cemented in AD 879 when Saints Cyril and Methodius converted the Serbs to Orthodox Christianity. Isolated Studenica remains the keeper of Serbian faith and Byzantine art. Inside the monastery we will see the Church of the Virgin dating from 1183. This afternoon we make our way to Kapaonik Park, Serbia's premier ski resort, based around Pan?i?ev Vrh peak (2,017metres) overlooking Kosovo. Overnight in Kapaonik. Hotel Novi Pazar or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

A scenic drive as we cross into Kosovo. This is an area of mainly ethnic Albanians which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. We drive to the capital city of Pristina where we stroll along its streets and the main square before visiting the Monastery of Gracania which was built in the early 14th century. Its architecture represents the apex of Serbian building that follows the Byzantine tradition. From here we drive into the countryside to see the famous Church of the Annunciation. We then cross from Kosovo into the historical country of Macedonia and drive to the capital city, Skopje. Overnight in Skopje. Holiday Inn or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

Skopje is located in a valley on both sides of the River Vardar and traces its history back over 2,000 years. Our walking tour of the old part of the town (known as “Charshi”), includes the Stone Bridge built by the Turks in 15th Century. The magnificent Church of Sveti Spas was built below ground, since during Ottoman times it was illegal for a church to be taller than a mosque. It boasts an iconostasis 10m (33ft) wide and 6m (20ft) high, beautifully carved in the early 19th century. We also see the Tomb and Museum of Goce Del?ev, independence campaigner and national hero, killed by the Ottomans in 1903. We also see the Old Bazaar, Fortress Kale (with walls dating back to the 6th Century) and the Mustapha Pasha Mosque (a marvel of Ottoman architecture erected in 1492.) The Daud Pasha Baths (1466), once the largest Turkish baths in the Balkans, are now the City Art Gallery. The building is lit by star-shaped holes in the brickwork of the beautiful copper-clad domes.A 2.5m bronze statue of Mother Teresa stands at the entrance to a small square, not far from the now-demolished house where she was raised. Her simple Memorial Room is in the base of an 18th-century feudal tower. The Museum of Macedonia reflects the depth of culture in this ancient land - the earliest exhibits date back 7,500 years to the Neolithic period. We cross the National Park of Mavrovo with its majestic lake, river, gorges and waterfalls to visit the Monastery of Saint Jovan Bigorski, famous for its iconostasis carved in wood. First of 2 nights in Orhid. Hotel Tino or similar. Breakfast & Dinner

The highlight of any trip to Macedonia, Ohrid is a place of dramatic beauty, steeped in history and culture. The crystalline waters of Lake Orhid reflect the evocative cobbled laneways peppered with picturesque churches. The old town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For Orthodox Macedonians it is the spiritual heart of their country and a focus of nationalistic pride. It was here that Saints Clement and Naum in the 9th century founded the first Slavic university. Later Ohrid was the capital of the 10th Century kingdom of Tsar Samoil. It is the cradle of the Slavic written language and literature, from where the alphabet called Cyrillic was created. Ohrid is known as the “City of 365 churches“ and we visit, not all, but the most important ones. We visit St. Kliment from the 13th Century, St. Sophia from the 11th Century and St. Panteleimon from the 9th Century. We walk through the local bazaar and visit the Tsar Smuili Fortress from the 10thC. This afternoon is free to enjoy Ohrid and it’s lake front at your leisure. Second of 2 nights in Orhid. Hotel Tino or similar. Breakfast & Dinner

Before crossing into Albania, we visit the famous 17th Century Monastery of Saint Naum, which rises on a hill above the lake. The grounds are patrolled by peacocks and contain the source of Lake Ohrid’s water. The original church of the Holy Archangels was built in 900 by St Naum, and the saint himself is buried here. Continuing our drive around Lake Ohrid, we enter Albania, historically one of the most isolated countries in the world. The Albanian language is descended from that of the ancient Illyrian tribes who occupied the western Balkans during the 2nd millennium BC. The Ottoman Turks overwhelmed Albanian resistance in 1479 and ruled for more than 400 years. However, Albania’s modern history was dictated by one man - Enver Hoxha – who founded the Albanian Communist Party in 1941 and ruled Albania with an iron fist from the end of WWII until his death in 1985. The March 1992 elections ended 47 years of communist rule. Since 2002 the country has found itself in a kind of miniboom with much money being poured into construction projects and infrastructure renewal. We make our way to Berat, one of the country’s most beautiful towns, having been preserved as a museum city by the communist government. Its most striking feature is the collection of white Ottoman houses climbing up the hill to the castle, earning it the title ‘town of a thousand windows.’ In the 3rd century BC an Illyrian fortress called Antipatria was built here on the site of an earlier settlement. The Byzantines strengthened the hilltop fortifications in the 5th and 6th centuries, as did the Bulgarians 400 years later. The Serbs occupied the citadel in 1345 and in 1450 the Ottomans took Berat. For a brief time in 1944 Berat was the capital of liberated Albania. Within the walls of the Citadel there are houses and the Onufri Museum where we see outstanding paintings from the 16th Century. Overnight in Berat. Hotel Gega or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

We drive from Berat to Durres on the Adriatic coast, Albania’s second largest city and one of its oldest towns. The city was founded by Greek colonists in 627 BC and taken by the Romans in 228 BC. Julius Caesar and Pompey did battle nearby in 48 BC during the Roman Civil War. One 0f the most important roads in the Roman Empire, the Via Egnatia, ran from Durres to today’s Istanbul. The town itself was sacred to Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love. Since Roman times, Durres has changed hands between the Bulgarians, Byzantines, Argevins, Serbs, Venetians, Ottomans and German Prince Wilhelm of Weld, before briefly becoming the capital of an independent Albania between 1918 and 1920. It was for centuries the largest port on the Adriatic. Our visit includes the Roman amphitheatre and the Archaeological Museum. We also visit the Roman Baths behind the Aleksandër Moisiu Theatre on the central square. This afternoon we drive to Albania’s capital city, Tirana. Founded in 1614 on the site of a Byzantine fortress at the foot of Dajti Mountain, Tirana has been the capital of Albania since 1920. The city’s grand central boulevards are lined with fascinating relics of its Ottoman, Italian and communist past – from delicate minarets to socialist murals. Our visit here includes Skanderbeg Square in the bustling heart of the city. Until it was pulled down by the angry mob on 20 February 1991, a 10m-high gold-leaf-covered statue of Enver Hoxha stood here. We will see the 1830 Clock Tower and the Palace of Culture, which houses the Opera. The National Museum of History displays many of this ancient land's archaeological treasures, dating back as far as 100,000 BC. The extensive partisan-communist section has been retained but it now ends with a large memorial exhibit to victims of Hoxha's regime. The exquisite 18th-century Et'hem Bey Mosque is one of the few religious buildings to have survived the infamous atheism campaign of the mid-1960s which resulted in many churches and mosques being bulldozed or converted into public buildings. Blloku is the formerly-exclusive Communist Party neighbourhood which the general public was banned from entering until 1991. Here we see the three-storey pastel-coloured house where Enver Hoxha lived. Overnight in Tirana. Grand Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we visit the charming little town of Kruja, perched high on the face of a hill. Kruja was the centre of the 15th Century resistance under Albania’s national hero, Skanderbeg, against the Ottoman Turks. We visit the museum named after him. The street leading up to the castle is built in the style of a Turkish bazaar. From here we continue to Shkodra, with its dramatic setting by the shores of the Balkans’ largest lake and backed by imposing mountains. Shkodra is the centre of Gheg culture and of Albanian Catholicism. The town is rich in historical monuments, including the old Illyrian Rozafa Castle and the Mesi Bridge. After crossing the border into Montenegro, we drive to the capital, Podgorica. For 500 years Montenegro was the only country to defeat the Turkish forces that overran southeast Europe, and remain independent. As a reward for its stalwart support of the partisans during WWII, Tito gave Montenegro republic status in the postwar Yugoslav federation. From then on Montenegro was a loyal member of all of Yugoslavia’s incarnations culminating in the loose union of Serbia and Montenegro that came to an end in May 2006 when Montenegrins voted by 55.5% to leave the union. Montenegro is now fully independent for the first time since 1916, and became the 192nd member of the UN on 28 June 2006. Montenegro is backed by a craggy mountain range leaving just enough room for a ribbon of coastal towns on a sweep of endless sandy beaches, interspersed by small coves with bobbing fishing boats running up 293km from the Albanian border to the dramatic Kotor Fjord by the Croatian border. From Podgorica we take a scenic drive alongside Lake Skadar to the Montenegrin coast. Budva is a medieval town with a fortified old town overlooking the azure-blue sea. Overnight in Budva. Hotel Astoria or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

A scenic drive up the mountain gets us to Cetinje, capital of Montenegro during the Njegos era. The town was founded in 1482, when Ivan Crnojevic, the last ruler of the medieval country of Zeta, built his palace and church here. Cetinje remained as the heart and soul of Montenegro up to WW1. We visit the royal palace of King Nikola II, last King of Montenegro which contains both a beautiful small museum as well as the Monastery of St. Petar. Our next stop is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kotar, a walled town nestling at the head of southern Europe’s deepest fjord. Stari Grad (Old Town), lying under the lee of a mountain, is a labyrinth of cobbled laneways linking small squares containing ancient churches and former aristocratic mansions. Our walk through the city takes us back to medieval times, as most of the monuments we observe are from the 14th to 18th Centuries. Later this afternoon we continue on a spectacular drive north, seeing beautiful Boka Kotorska Bay and many old fishing villages, marinas and beaches. We cross the border into Croatia, a strangely-shaped country which stretches from Zagreb, the capital, in the interior of the north around Bosnis & Herzegovina to Dubrovnik on the coast in the far south. After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 Croatia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes based in Belgrade. After WWII Croatia became part of Tito’s Yugoslavia but in a May 1991 referendum 93% of Croatians voted in favour of independence. In May 1992 Croatia was admitted to the UN as an independent country. While Serbia and Montenegro have a majority of Orthodox Christians, the majority of Croatians are Catholic. First of 2 nights in Dubrovnik. Hotel Argentina or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we enjoy a leisurely walk around the city walls . Built between the 13th and 16th centuries and still intact today, these powerful walls are the finest in the world. The entire Old Town is contained within a curtain of stone over 2km long and up to 25m high. All motor vehicles are banned from the centre. We begin our walking tour at the Pile Gate, which dates from 1537. Originally, the drawbridge at the gate's entrance was lifted every evening, the gate was closed and the key handed to the prince. The Franciscan Monastery & Museum houses the third-oldest functioning pharmacy in Europe, which has been in business since 1391. The pharmacy may have been the first pharmacy in Europe open to the general public. We see the old harbor, the St Laurence Fortress and the 16th Century Sponza Palace which was originally a customs house, then a minting house, a State treasury and a bank. Now it houses the State Archives, which contains a priceless collection of manuscripts dating back nearly a thousand years. The Rector's Palace is an elegant 15th-century building erected on the site of an old fort in order to house the rector, Dubrovnik's ruler. Today we include lunch together, then you are free to enjoy Dubrovnik’s old city and its Adriatic beaches at your leisure for the rest of the day and evening. Second of 2 nights in Dubrovnik. Hotel Argentina or similar. Breakfast & Lunch.

We leave the coast and drive inland up the mountains where we cross the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina, a state that was conquered by the Turks in 1482 and assimilated into the Ottoman Empire during 400 years of Turkish rule. This is the area of the Balkans with the highest proportion of Muslims, although there are also large enclaves of Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Following WWI Bosnia and Hercegovina was absorbed into the Serb-dominated Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After WWII Bosnia and Hercegovina was granted republic status within Tito’s Yugoslavia. In the republic’s first free elections in November 1990, the communists were easily defeated. The Croat and Muslim parties joined forces against Serb nationalists, and independence from Yugoslavia was declared on 15 October 1991. We pass through the picturesque little town of Trebinje, famous for its Old Town, and through the National Park of Sutjeska to Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. First of 2 nights in Sarajevo. Hotel Hecco or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

Sarajevo is a living museum of history with mosques, churches, cathedrals, synagogues and fine municipal buildings built by the Ottoman Turks and Austro-Hungarians. We enjoy a walking tour of this lovely old city. The Central Post Office has a beautiful imperial interior. Across the river is the stunningly graceful Academy of Fine Arts. We see the Latin Bridge where, on June 28th 1914, the Habsburg heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot dead by a Bosnian Serb, leading Austria to declare war on Serbia which in turn led to WWI. From 1992 to 1995 this multi-ethnic, multi-religious city was cut off and besieged by Bosnian Serbs. We visit the Tunnel Museum under the airport, which was the only way to get food in and the injured out during the fighting. Second of 2 nights in Sarajevo. Hotel Hecco or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

This morning we drive along the River Neretva and through the Bosnian Mountains to Mostar, a picturesque town more than 5 centuries old and famous for its bridge over the emerald waters of the Neretva River. In fact, Mostar means ‘keeper of the bridge’. The Old Bridge stood for 427 years before it was destroyed by bombing in November 1993. When it was decided to rebuild the bridge, the new bridge had to be identical to the Old Bridge. This was a complex process, imitating the original Ottoman stonework of local Tenelija stone, which is very pale and appears to change colour depending on the position and strength of the sun. The rebuilt bridge was finally reopened on 22 July 2004.Flanking the bridge is the old cobbled Ottoman Quarter, a haven for the city’s artists and craftsmen, along with 16th-century mosques, old Turkish houses and cafés. Some magnificent buildings, such as the Gymnasium and City Baths, remain from Austro-Hungarian times, giving an added grandeur. Overnight in Mostar. Hotel Mostar or similar. Breakfast & Dinner

After a short drive through the mountains, we reach the pilgrimage site of Medjugorje, which attracts Catholics from around the world. On June 24th 1981 six teenagers claimed they’d seen a miraculous apparition of the Virgin Mary. We tour the big local church and the area where the miracle is reputed to have taken place. Our afternoon drive takes us back into Croatia and down again to the Dalmatian Coast. First of 2 nights in Split. Hotel President or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

In 295 AD the Roman emperor Diocletian started to build his palace here in the land of his birth and construction lasted 10 years. Diocletian spared no expense, importing marble from Italy and Greece, and columns and sphinxes from Egypt. A military fortress, imperial residence and fortified town, the palace measures 215m from east to west (including the square corner towers) and 181m wide at the southernmost point. The walls at their highest measure 26m and the entire structure covers 31,000 sq metres. Each wall has a gate named after metals: the northern gate is the Golden Gate; the southern gate is the Bronze Gate; the eastern gate is the Silver Gate; and the western gate is the Iron Gate. Today the palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most imposing Roman ruins in existence. Within the ancient walls of Diocletian’s Palace rises the majestic cathedral surrounded by a tangle of marble streets containing shops and some of the most outstanding classical architecture in the world. However, far from being a museum, the 220 buildings within the palace boundaries are home to about 3,000 people. The transformation of the palace into the town began in the 7th Century when the inhabitants of nearby Salona took refuge in the palace during the invasions of the Avars and Slavs. We visit the impressive cellars of the palace to get an idea of the original structure, the Peristyle, Baptistery of St. John and Cathedral of St. Dominus. We also visit the Archaeological Museum with its emphasis on the Roman and early Christian period, including sculpture, jewellery, ceramics and coins. Today we include lunch together, then you are free to enjoy Split and its markets at your leisure for the rest of the day and evening. The harbourside promenade lined with cafés makes for a lovely stroll and the high coastal mountains set against the blue Adriatic provide striking vistas in all directions. Second of 2 nights in Split. Hotel President or similar. Breakfast & Lunch.

Occupying the central 375km of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, the land known as Dalmatia offers Roman ruins, spectacular beaches, old fishing ports, medieval architecture and historic cities. The dramatic coastal scenery is due to the rugged Dinaric Alps inland and the hundreds of islands offshore. This morning we visit the medieval town of Trogir, which has changed little over the years. The profusion of Romanesque and Renaissance architectural styles within 15th-century walls, as well as the magnificent cathedral at the town centre, inspired UNESCO to name Trogir a World Heritage site. We visit the Venetian Cathedral of St. Lovro, built from the 13th to 15th Centuries and considered to be one of the finest architectural works in Croatia. Our next stop is at Sibenik located in an area of several hundred inlets of the open blue sea into the rocky coastline forming many channels and bays of rare beauty. Our last stop on the coast is at Zadar, the ancient capital of Dalmatia. The marble, traffic-free streets follow the old Roman street plan and still contain some Roman ruins and several medieval churches. Massive 16th-century fortifications still shield the city on the landward side, with high walls running along the harbour. Zadar was part of Italy until 1947, and, though fast diminishing, one still finds Italian influence. We visit the excellent Archaeological Museum which includes an interesting model of Zadar as it existed in Roman times and statues of the emperors Tiberius and Augustus. We also see the Roman Forum . which was constructed between the 1st Century BC and the 3rd Century AD, and the circular 9th Century Church of St Donat, one of the most outstanding monuments in Dalmatia. The sarcophagus of St Simeon is a masterpiece of medieval goldsmith work. Commissioned in 1377, the coffin is made of cedar and covered inside and out with finely executed gold-plated silver reliefs. Later this afternoon we head into the mountains of Croatia. Overnight in the Plitvice Lakes area. Hotel Plitvice or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

Today we walk through one of the most magnificent natural sites in Europe, the Plitvice Lakes. Here sixteen lakes cascade from one to another in a series of waterfalls. Surrounded by dense woods, the region is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Paths and wooden broadwalks follow the succession of lakes and waterfalls where streams burst out of the rocks. This afternoon we leave Croatia and make our way into Slovenia, a tiny country, about half the size of Switzerland, with just over two million people. Slovenia, with only 8% of the national population, was the economic powerhouse of Tito's Yugoslavia, producing up to 20% of the national GDP. By the 1980s the federation was becoming increasingly Serb-dominated, and Slovenes, who already felt taken for granted economically, feared losing their political autonomy. After free elections, Slovenia broke away from Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991 and was admitted to the UN in May 1992. We reach the capital city, Ljubljana, a city which reminds many people of a tiny version of both Vienna and Prague. We drive up to the city's highest point to visit the 16th century castle. Known as Ljubljana Castle, there have been fortifications of one kind or another on Castle Hill since at least Celtic times. We then descend to the lower city to visit Trg Naradnih Herojev, the square housing one of the world’s newest parliaments. Here the Slovene flag was raised for the first time in 1991. We continue on foot to visit the old town with its large university, philharmonic hall, and beautiful square of the three bridges. Dominating the city centre is the Cathedral of St Nicholas. Two stunning bronze doors were added in 1996 to commemorate the late Pope John Paul II's visit. The (main) west door facing the Bishop's Palace symbolises 1,250 years of Christianity in Slovenia and recount major events in the history of the nation. The graceful Opera House opened in 1892. The National Museum of Slovenia occupies an elegant 1888 building. Our walking tour is not complete without time spent wandering through the open air and indoor city markets. People come here to buy fresh mountain herbs and flowers, famous forest honey, wild mushrooms, and fresh fruit and vegetables from local farms. Fresh cheeses made each morning for the market are also on display. First of 2 nights in Ljubljana. Best Western Slon Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

From the capital we make a day excursion to emerald-green Lake Bled. Reflecting the high peaks of the Julian Alps, the lake has always been considered sacred to the locals. On a clear day you can make out Mt Stol (2,236m) and Slovenia’s highest peak, Mt Triglav (2,864m) in the distance. We start with a visit of the castle perched atop a steep cliff more than 100m above the lake. Bled Castle is how most people imagine a medieval fortress to be - with towers, ramparts, moats and a terrace offering magnificent views. The castle is home to a small historical museum with artefacts dating back to the time of the Romans. At the shores of Lake Bled we embark on a boat ride to Slovenia's only island, the site of a Christian church since the 9th century dedicated to Our Lady of the Lake. Near the altar of the church hangs a rope attached to the bells in the tower. Legend has it that if you make a wish while ringing the bells your wish will come true. Second of 2 nights in Ljubljana. Best Western Slon Hotel or similar. Breakfast & Dinner.

After breakfast we depart Ljubljana to return to Croatia. Our first stop is Postojna where the cave system forms a series of caverns, halls and passages some 27 km (17 miles) long and 2,000,000 years old. Later we tour the Lipica Stud Farm. The impact of Lipica has been far greater than its tiny size would suggest. In 1580, the Austrian Archduke Charles established a stud farm to breed horses for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. This afternoon we tour Zagreb, capital of Croatia. As the polit¬ical, economic and cultural capital of Croatia with 770,000 inhabitants, the city throbs with energy but has retained a good deal of old-world graciousness. The sober Austro-Hungarian buildings in the town centre house elegant restaurants and fashionable boutiques. The Lotrscak Tower was built in the middle of the 13th century in order to protect the southern city gate. For the last hundred years a cannon has been fired every day at noon commemorating an event from Zagreb's history. The tower may be climbed for a sweeping 360-degree view of the city. Near the tower is a funicular railway, which was constructed in 1888, and connects the Lower and Upper Towns. Maksimir Park is a peaceful wooded enclave covering 18 hectares and, opened to the public in 1794, it is the oldest public cultivated park in Europe with alleys, lawns and artificial lakes. We visit the Zagreb Cathedral, whose twin spires soar over the city. The sacristy still contains a cycle of frescoes that date from the second half of the 13th century. The side alter features a triptych by Albrecht Dürer. Our walk through the old town takes us to colourful St. Mark’s Church, with its unique tiled roof constructed in 1880. The tiles on the left side depict the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, while the emblem of Zagreb is on the right side. Overnight in Zagreb. Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria. Breakfast & Dinner.