What ever could have possessed Marco Polo to leave his Adriatic homeland, rich as it is with allure for travelers -- from his birthplace in Korcula, the island along the rocky, island-stippled coast of Dalmatia, to the watery streets of Venice, his childhood home, farther west along the rim of the sea? A 480 mile-long arm of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic is ringed by the remains of 3,000 years of civilization and a wealth of UNESCO World Heritage sites, many of which date back to Polo's time and further: the 5th-century Christian ruins of Ravenna, Diocletian's 4th century palace in Split, the newly restored medieval walled city of Dubrovnik, "pearl of the Adriatic," not to mention the better known city and lagoons of Venice.
No relic of the past, the Adriatic shores are where modern western Europeans are fleeing in summer again, to escape the madding crowds along the Riviera, now that years of infighting have subsided and the region is once more safe for travelers. If you're coming for culture rather than sun, though, November through March are when the best deals are to be had. Winters, though colder inland, are mild along the coast, which seldom freezes. Whitewashed, red-roofed fishing villages, walled medieval towns, historic riches, and forested islands will make clear why this region has gained a reputation as "the Mediterranean as it once was."
Several airfare and hotel packages are available to either Venice, the coast of Croatia, or both. We'll list them here, though most include a fairly structured itinerary, and a few scheduled walking tours.
If you want more freedom, you can build your own trip by taking advantage of current cheap flights into London, Rome, or Frankfurt. From there, British Airways flies into Dubrovnik daily, and Croatia Air flies into Zagreb daily. Several times weekly flights are also available into Split.
Though most of the roads in Croatia have yet to be restored after the Yugoslavian civil war in the early to mid-90s, a beautiful Adriatic coastal road, often likened to US Highway 1 in California, runs between Rijeka and Dubrovnik. Even small towns and villages are connected by inexpensive bus service that runs several times daily. Trains, which are also frequent and inexpensive, are a very popular mode of travel in this region and have been restored since the war.
Several ferry companies run regular service throughout Croatia and from Croatia to select Italian cities. Jadrolinija (www.jadrolinija.hr/default.aspx?lang=2) is the most popular, with service from Rijeka to Dubrovnik, as well as to Bari, Italy. Adriatica (www.adriatica.it/en/adriatica.asp) also runs ferry service from Croatia to the Italian cities of Bari and Ancona.
Six days in Venice can be had for $599 through Gate1 Travel (www.gate1travel.com). The lowest price is available only for travel on February 9, but for $30 more, you can travel on December 8, 15; January 5, 12, 19; February 16, 23; and March 2 and 9. Accommodations range from the 3-star Olimpia, to the 4-star Amadeus for $789, to the 5-star Bauer, for $999 on February 23 or $1,109 on various dates through February.
Price includes daily breakfast. Airport taxes and fees, transfers, and optional walking tours are additional. From the Gate1 home page, click Italy and Sicily as a destination.
A comparable deal for the same price is available through Donna Franca Tours (www.donnafranca.com/ItOnSaleDetail.asp?ID=11).
Vantage Travel's "Croatia and Hidden Treasures of the Adriatic" tour (www.vantagetravel.com/trips/tripinfo.asp?tripid=446) is a bargain, with a wide range of departure cities, but for only a day or two: fifteen days for $1,999, for February 17 departures only; for $300 more, departures are available March 24 as well.
The trip is structured but covers a broader swath of ground than might be available for independent travel at the same price. Over the course of two weeks, travelers leisurely shuttle from Lake Bled, in Slovenia, to the coastal Croatian cities of Opatija, Sibenik, medieval Dubrovnik, the inland capital of Zagreb, and Venice, for a canal boat ride and tour of a glass factory.
The various walking tours include three UNESCO World Heritage landmarks: Venice, Diocletian's Palace in Split, and Dubrovnik's Old City. The price includes roundtrip airfare from Boston, Chicago, New York JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., first-class accommodations, and 27 meals (13 breakfasts, five lunches, and nine dinners). City tours and walking tours, transfers, and baggage handling are also included, but not air taxes. You can find more information on heritage sites at www.unesco.org.
The best value, though it's also an escorted tour, is Crown Travel's Croatia and Adriatic package (www.crown-travel.com), which includes eight nights for $959 from New York JFK and Washington Dulles. Ten nights and twelves days, including two nights in Venice, is only $100 more, at $1,059. Travelers stay overnight in Opatija, Makarska, Dubrovnik, Trogir, and Bled, with travel through Rijeka, Zadar, Split, and Ljubljana as well. On the final day, a trip to Montenegro is optional.
Lowest fares are good only for departures on February 18 and March 18. The price, including the Venice tour, is $1,059 for February 18 departures and $1,159 leaving March 18. Prices include transfers, daily breakfast, four dinners, bus transport between cities, and a tour of Bled Castle. Air taxes of $140 to 170 are not included. More info at www.visit-croatia.co.uk/travellingaround/italy.htm.