Wanda & Tia,

What an amazing job you did in planning the most memorable and perfect 40th-anniversary trip!

There were so many highlights along the way that it’s impossible to pick a favorite.

From the moment our plane landed in Venice until our departure from Dubrovnik, we were treated like royalty. All the drivers were extremely professional and not having to lift a finger in handling our luggage was an absolute delight! Traveling to new places can often cause anxiety, and to not worry about where we had to go to meet our guides, make our connections, or receive the delivery and drop off of our rental car made traveling a breeze.

We were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get around Istria as well as Slovenia, and the roads were in excellent shape with very good signage. Providing us with information about toll passes and parking in advance was also very helpful.

All the hotels you booked us in over our 26-day trip were beautiful and conveniently located. Each one left us a special greeting with a welcome of wine, champagne, appetizer, or both. At the Excelsior Hotel in Dubrovnik, we returned to our room one afternoon and were surprised to find a delicious chocolate mousse birthday cake waiting for Jim!

It was all these extra touches that made our trip so special.

Staying at the Zlata Ladjica Boutique Hotel in the “Smithy” room in Ljubljana was perhaps our favorite. What history the place held along with the beautiful room, outstanding breakfasts, and friendly staff. We had dinner there as well one evening, and the food was so good that we returned again on our last evening in town.

We are not beach people and loved the private walking tours in each city that you arranged for us instead. All the guides were so knowledgeable and friendly, and we were delighted to see some ancient Roman ruins and learn more about the culture, history, and our guide’s own experiences living there.

We are outdoors people and were astounded by the size of the Postojna Caves! We felt as if we were in an Indiana Jones movie. Hiking around beautiful Lake Bled, the Triglav National Park surrounded by the Julian Alps, and, of course, the waterfalls and aquamarine Plitvice Lakes will always remain as fond memories.

Loved all of the restaurants, cafes, wineries, and side trips you recommended and are very grateful that Mirela booked all our reservations. Having her available to call throughout our travels and her immediate response to our needs was also an added bonus.

Again, we thank you both and wish you continued success!

Chris & Jim Dart

 
Christine Dart – Weston, CT, USA
January 22, 2024

Hello Tia,

We were absolutely blown away by the entire trip. We loved every minute of it, and we truly believed it was the trip of a lifetime. Some of the highlights included:

Krka National Park was absolutely beautiful, our local connect recommended “Restaurant Dubrovnik” and it was truly one of the best meals we’ve ever had, and the wine/bike tour in Hvar was worth the trip to Croatia by itself. The lodging in Split and Dubrovnik were magical and refreshing with incredible service, hospitality, and food. Hvar hotel was not bad, but it was not on par with the other two cities lodging. All the tour guides we had were top, top notch. They were super friendly, informative, and welcoming of tourists in their city. I believe the solo/private aspect of the tour played a huge part in this. I would highly recommend people to do this as opposed to a big group. A minor note: we may have spent 1 day too long in Hvar. We ended up taking a water taxi to a random island and having a wonderful day, but looking back, we may have preferred that day spent otherwise. I believe if we were there during heart of busy season, then we may have appreciated that day in Hvar slightly more. Not a complaint by any means, but a footnote to keep in mind for other potential travelers.

Above it all, the people, the views, and the history of Croatia were unlike anything we had ever experienced before. It was a magical place with so much to do and learn about. It is sad to hear stories of Americans not always being welcomed with open arms in foreign places, but Croatia opened its arms and so much more for us!

We would highly, highly, recommend VisitCroatia to anybody looking to experience the everything the country has to offer. It was top notch service and a wonderfully catered itinerary that we would do again in a heartbeat. Cannot say enough kind words about everything. Thanks again for everything!!
 
PS: The private boat ride was magical and worth every extra penny.
 
S. Schneider – Roanoke, IN
November 22, 2023

Hello Tia and Wanda!

I wanted to send you a huge thank you for all your efforts in planning our September trip for our group of 7. During our 12 days of travel I must have heard each of my fellow travelers say, at least once , “I am so glad we had Tasteful Croatian Journeys plan our trip”! They were typically referring to the ease and effortlessness of our trip. Guides and transfers were always on time or early. Hotels and restaurants all greeted us- as if they had been waiting for us to arrive! All this made for an extremely relaxing & fun trip.

Now to my (and I think everyones) best part- Gulet Maske! You were both instrumental in helping us select the best boat charter for our small group. Gulet Maske did not disappoint. We had plenty of room for all of us to gather together or find a comfortable place for a nap, reading a book or quiet conversation. The cabins were very comfortable and I must not forget the delicious food!!! Chef Neven was outstanding -Always varying the menu and sharing traditional Mediterranean foods. Outstanding and accommodating can also be used to describe Captain Marko, Hostess Valentina and crew Carlo. From the time we arrived at the marina to board the boat until the time we gave them reluctant goodbyes, they always had our comfort and needs as their primary concern. We cannot say enough good things about the Gulet Maske and its crew!

On behalf on myself and fellow travelers “Thanks for the memories”!

Best,

Sandy Henderson – Salem, SC
October 21, 2023

Hello Wanda,

We wanted you to know what a wondertime experience it was for us to travel in Croatia on land and sea under you and your team’s guidance. 

Thanks

Joe Sontz – Delray Beach, FL
October 3, 2023

Hi Tia and Wanda,

Our trip was stupendous! 

Thank you and Wanda for all you did to get us all the amazing tours, hotels and special places. We had the trip of a lifetime.

I want to particularly mention how incredibly wonderful each and every tour guide was. These tour guides and drivers were an incredible wealth of knowledge and really enhanced the trip with the historic facts and information, which added an incredible depth to the trip.

I can’t tell you how much we enjoyed Croatia and I can’t thank you and your team enough.

Thank you

Best Regards,

Debbi Wall – Suffern, NY
October 3, 2023

Wanda,

I wanted to thank you and your staff for the experience they provided in my trip last summer to Croatia. The trip was caste into an adventure by what I felt was a lifetime experience!
The many recommendations and boutique hotel properties I stayed while there made the trip both unique and a delight to see what would be next. Of course the area was beautiful and the people a delight. This added to what I consider the perfect experience.
Thank you again for your help steering through the best options, everyone in your staff made my time most delightful!

Sincerely,

David Ward (Honored Patron) – Houston, TX
July 18, 2023

Wanda,

We had an amazing trip and the Tasteful Croatian Journey’s team exceeded our expectations.
Everything was planned perfectly! I highly recommend using Tasteful Croatian Journeys.

Mike Gard – Truckee, CA
July 17, 2023

Dear Wanda,

Really enjoyed staying inside the walls of the old town of Korčula. Had a great host and enjoyed several of the restaurants right on the water. Tasteful Croatian Journeys has a concierge residing in Croatia. She was wonderful to deal with, arranging for all the unusual services that we required. Thanks!

Never seen such a beautiful series of lakes and waterfalls before. Loved the colors in the water.
Had wonderful accommodations very close to the park at Fenomen Resort. Tasteful Croatian Journeys managed all the logistics of getting us from the coast to the park. Extremely helpful!

Rovinj was absolutely charming. Tasteful Croatian Journeys found us a great place to stay, the red house right on the water.
Loved being in the old town near the farmers market. Had a great guide that shared with us a lot of the history of Rovinj. Highly recommend it.

John F. – Kensington, MD
June 19, 2023

Dear Wanda,

Four of us just returned from an 8-day visit to the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia on the trip developed by Tia. What a fantastic experience! From the beginning she responded quickly to our many requests and questions, and put together an itinerary that accommodated our interests and our budgets. Tia organized private transportation and transfers, found us fantastic hotels and knowledgeable guides, and delivered experiences that we would never would have discovered on our own. A highlight was the day we sailed on a private sailboat from Korčula to the island of Mljet – we will never forget that amazing day!

Of particular note, my luggage was lost enroute to Croatia and didn’t arrive until four days later. While the local concierge Mirela had been helpful prior to the trip in making dinner reservations, etc., her true value and helpfulness was on display during this period. She stayed in contact with the airline, and provided me and the staff at our hotel with regular status updates. When the luggage finally arrived, she arranged its private transport to the hotel so it would make it with us onto our late morning ferry transfer. I can’t imagine how much more challenging this would have been without her assistance.

We love your company and will recommend it to anyone considering a trip to lovely Croatia.

Warmest,

Amy Petersen – Conshohocken, PA
September 30, 2022

Dear Tia, Mirela & Wanda,

Thank you so much for making a trip of a lifetime with my daughter & close friends an unforgettable, seemless experience. Everything, from your help in creating a unique itinerary with all of our specifications, the beautiful accommodations, the transportation, & the exceptional local guides that were so generous with their time, was above & beyond my expectations.

Thank you again for all the memories!

Kim & Jordan Hulla – Missoula & Butte, MT
September 29, 2022