Venetians – Venice to Dubrovnik

• Start in Venice, Europe's most famous city of canals
• Head to Slovenia's most beautiful city - Piran
• Immerse yourself in the Istria Peninsula with its ancient history and towns of marble stone streets...
• Roll through the gorgeous Dalmatian Islands of Cres, Losinj and Ugljan
• Enjoy Diocletian’s Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Croatia's stunning city of Split
• Explore the ancient theatre in Hvar, along with its storied bay
• Cruise through the Adriatic on a boat exploring the topaz colour of the sea
• Spend time on Korcula Island, which some Venetians claim to be the birthplace of Marco Polo
• Walk the walls of Ston - a spectacular 13th century defensive wall - the 6th largest building in the world
• Try the unique and delicious tastes of Dalmatia from Peka to olive oil and wine
• Finish your journey in Ragusa, or now known as Dubrovnik, and witness for yourself why this is one of the most beautiful cities in the world

Jo Wakefield rode on Marco Polo's trail with us in 2018, Read her blog here. Alternatively, check out Mike Sier's Youtube channel which documents his journey also in 2018.

A tour with stunning views of the Adriatic allows us to hear the sea and experience stunning sunsets from our chic and luxurious hotels. Look below at some of the places where we will stay...

Following in the footsteps of the Venetian Empire, the food will leave you wanting more. Starting off with amazing coffee and gelato in Italy, we will then begin to explore the heart of Dalmatia with its amazing and award winning cheese, wine and olive oil. You will enjoy the fresh fish and unique dishes of the Adriatic sea, along with ancient traditional dishes.

Gondolas gliding through tranquil canals, the melodies of gondoliers filling the air, all with the backdrop of baroque architecture. This is Venice. Considered one of the most romantic cities in the world, Venice has been woven into the histories and imaginations of generations.

The Venetian Empire began with the formation of Venice on the 25th of March, 421 A.D. and flourished for the next 1100 years. The strategic position of Venice not only provided the city with an ideal location for trade through the Mediterranean, but it also protected the city from invasions by land and sea. As the Venetian Empire flourished, its territory grew and expanded. The Lion of San Marco could be seen through most of the Adriatic and even into the Aegean Sea as far east as Athens, Crete and even Cyprus.

The Venetian Empire gave us notable characters and household names such as Marco Polo, Casanova and Titian. The sun began to set on the Venetian Empire when the new world was discovered and the trade routes began to shift. This allowed for an opportunistic and strategic mastermind, Napoleon, to close the door on one of the world’s longest running empires.

Marco Polo, one of the great travellers in history.

Whether he was born in Venice or Korcula, Croatia (we will visit the house), was the subject of one of our blog posts. However, there is little doubt in his influence on world history and the developing contact between East and West.

Marco’s first epic trip was in 1271, he was 17 years old. He travelled for 4 years with his father and uncle to the Mongol Empire in China – Polo sailed south from Venice, Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea to the Middle East. They then went southeast overland to Persia (now Iran), through the Pamir Mountains and the Gobi Desert, to Beijing, China. They explored the area south of Beijing, including Yunan and Szechuan. He was to stay in the Mongol Empire for 17 years as an advisor and aide to Kublai Khan.

When he eventually returned to Venice, at the age of 44, he was captured by the Genoese who were at war with Venice. He was put in jail and during this time he dictated his book to another prisoner, Rustichello da Pisa, who was an Italian romance writer! The Travels of Marco Polo was therefore co-authored by Rustichello who clearly gave it, it’s flair!

His book was printed in Italian, Latin and French and essentially describes the Silk Road to China. After the Mongol Empire collapsed, it was basically impossible to go to those same areas that Marco had once explored so his book became the definitive description of those regions.

He is buried in the Church of San Lorenzo in Venice, where we are happy to take you on the first day of the tour if you wish, as we certainly won’t be riding all the way to China!