Driving Tour - Croatia

Our Croatian Driving tour will start half an hour from Split, the gateway to over a thousand Croatian islands. With your car transported from the UK, you can arrive in style and relax straight into this Croatian adventure. The GRRC has partnered with Paul Grimshaw Vehicle Movements (PGVM) to transport your car to Croatia. PGVM is a trusted transportation company that works with several luxury and performance car clubs meaning your car is in the safest hands when making its way to Croatia. With your car ready and waiting for you at our rendezvous location you can arrive at the dazzling D-Resort, Sibenik at leisure. Sibenik old town is originally the oldest town in Croatia making it a destination rich with historical heritage. This boutique hotel is set on the winding shape of the Mandalina Peninsula offering 360-degree sea views over to the islands and Sibenik. After arriving at the resort, you can relaxand take in the beautiful views, enjoy the peaceful spa, or take a dip in either two of the swimming pools. We will come together to celebrate the start of the tour with a private 3-course meal where we can toast the start of this adventure through Croatia and Slovenia.

D-Resort, Sibenik - Veladrion Resort, Zrnovnica
Expected driving time: 4hrs
Expected driving distance: 172 miles/ 278km

Today marks our first day of driving, which will set the tone for the rest of the trip. Today will see members heading north into rural Croatia on open weaving roads through the valleys of the Croatian mountains before traveling through the Plitvice Lakes National Park. The Plitvice Lakes is the oldest and the largest national park in the Republic of Croatia and is known for a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, that extend into a limestone canyon. Walkways and hiking trails wind around and across the water, and an electric boat links the 12 upper and 4 lower lakes. The latter is the site ofVeliki Slap, a 78m-high waterfall. Our route will take us to the edge ofVeliki Slap so members have the chance to stop and bask in the amazement of these breathtaking waterfalls. Our route will then take us east and link onto the Adriatic highway for the first time before we arrive at our base for the next 2 nights, Veladrion Resort. Veladrion is a small boutique hotel set in a private cove. The GRRC will be taking this hotel exclusively, allowing you to relax in the quiet and secluded resort with only the sea waves for disturbance.

Tonight, guests will have a free evening. In addition to dining at the hotel's exclusive restaurant, members have the opportunity to venture into the local town of Sveti Juraj for a taste of the local cuisine.

Optional Scenic Tour
Expected driving time: 3hrs 20 mins
Expected driving distance: 115 miles/ 186km

Today members have the option of a rest day at the hotel or an optional driving tour in the area. The optional driving tour will climb up over the coastal mountain hairpins, taking in the views over the islands before venturing out into rural Croatia. We will cross through open plains, pine forests, and green meadows taking in the varied landscapes this wonderful country offers. After climbing back over the coastal mountains, we will follow the twisting road down the mountainside before linking on to the Adriatic Highway where we will fly along the edge of the turquoise waters before arriving back at the tranquil Veladrion. For those not driving, there is the option to walk the coastal path, take a dip in the pool, or venture to the private beach and beach bar to soak up the Croatian sunshine. Tonight, guests will enjoy a scenic sunset boat cruise and BBQ taking in the breathtaking views of the many islands, a must-do when in Croatia.

Veladrion resort to Grad Otocec, Slovenia
Expected driving time: 3hrs 50mins
Expected driving distance: 124 miles/ 201km

Departing the haven of the Veladrion we will head north on the Adriatic Highway before venturing north toward Slovenia. The Adriatic Highway is a 650km road that follows the coastline from Rijeka, a Croatian port on Kvarner Bay in the northern Adriatic Sea, down to the Montenegrin border at Karasovici. It is an absolute dream road with a twinkling sea and a medley of islands to one side and drastic rocky mountains to the other. As the scenery changes, we will cross into Slovenia and enjoy green rolling hills, alpine buildings, and open roads before we arrive at our destination, the Grad Hotel Otocec. The Grad Otocec is a five-star luxury castle located on a small private island in the middle of the Krka River in Otocec, Slovenia. It is the only water castle in Slovenia dating back to the 13th Century. The GRRC will be taking this castle exclusively making it a magical place to base ourselves whilst exploring this part of the world.

In the evening, guests are free to dine as they please. In addition to eating in one of the hotel's restaurants, guests can venture into nearby towns to explore the Slovenian cuisine.

Optional Scenic Tour -Around the Kozjanski Park
Expected driving time: 2hrs 30 mins
Expected driving distance: 93 miles/ 150km

Today members have the option of a rest day at the hotel or an optional driving tour around Slovenia. The optional driving tour will head north and into the Kozjanski National Park. The Kozjanski Park, a region in eastern Slovenia, is one of the oldest and largest protected areas in Slovenia. It represents a mosaic of the pre-Alpine Posavje mountain range, hills, and plains along the river Sotla. Driving through this area of natural beauty will provide us with twisting roads and smooth tarmac. Coupled with this Slovenia offers members a contrasting scenery of green hills much like those on the outskirts of the Alps, to create a truly wonderful day's driving. Should you prefer a rest day you can take a stroll along the river Krka, go line fishing, play golf at the hotel's 18-hole course, or enjoy one of the many spas that are linked to this castle.
In the evening, guests will come together to enjoy a drinks reception on the castle grounds before sitting to enjoya 4-course tasting menu in the main dining room.

Slovenia - Croatia
Expected driving time: 4 hrs 30 mins
Expected driving distance: 159miles/ 256 km

Although today is our longest day driving, it will be a far cry from a normal day's drive. As we leave sleepy Slovenia behind, we will cross through the quiet green countryside taking in sweeping roads, beautiful meadows, and scenic mountains before we head west and cross back into Croatia. Following the twisting roads, we will pick our way up and over the coastal mountains, giving you a chance to put your car through its paces on quiet roads. With the sea ahead of us we will enjoy the exciting and thrilling mountain roads before arriving at our base for the next two nights, Hotel Ikador. This boutique 5-star hotel is recognised as one of the leading hotels of the world and offers a peaceful escape with sensational views across the Adriatic and onto the islands. The GRRC will be taking this luxury resort exclusively allowing you to relax with your fellow members as you enjoy the stunning sea views from all directions. With an oasis of calm in the Ikalia Spa, a private outdoor pool, a swim platform, and even a luxury speed boat, it is the perfect place to get a flavour and soak up all that coastal Croatia has to offer.

In the evening, guests will have the option of dining in the Nobilion Restaurant which holds 15.5 Gault & Millau stars, or venturing into nearby Opatija.

Optional Tour
Expected driving time: 4hrs
Expected driving distance: 127 miles/ 205km

Today Members have the chance to enjoy a fabulous scenic drive around national park Risnjak. Departing Ikador, we will head north following the exhilarating roads through rural Croatia and Slovenia. This relaxing drive is the perfect opportunity to explore an area that many tourists never see. The route will take us around the base of Sneznik which is a wide karst limestone plateau with an area of about 85 km2 in the Dinaric Alps. It can also be viewed as a southern extension of the Julian Alps and sits at a height of 1,796m above sea level. You will encounter some beautiful mountain lakes, towering mountain tops, and open flowing roads as we weave through the Croatian mountains which offer the dramatic landscapes you normally experience in the Alps. Should you wish to have a day off from driving, members have the opportunity to take a swim in the sea from the exclusive swim platform, go on a private boat trip to the islands, or take a stroll along the rugged coastline.

In the evening, guests will come together to enjoy a poolside drinks reception and dinner overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

Ikador Resort - Meneghetti Hotel and Winery
Expected driving time: 2hrs 40 mins
Expected driving distance: 77 miles/ 123km

Our penultimate drive will be the shortest on the tour and will offer spectacular views as we follow the rugged coastline before the scenery changes once again, providing our first taste of the Istrian countryside. As the olive trees surround us, we will arrive at our final destination, the Meneghetti Hotel and Winery. Meneghetti is a symbol of luxury, an oasis of peace surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. With its winery, an outstanding restaurant, and award-winning wines and olive oils, it is truly the perfect place to finish our Croatian adventure. On arrival, guests will check into their I-bedroom residence with a private pool and parking space allowing you to relax straight into the peace of the vineyards. Not only will you have your private pool but the hotel boasts 2 further outdoor pools, an oasis of peace in their indoor spa, and three restaurants all offering varied cuisines to suit every taste.

Tonight, guests can come together and enjoy an optional wine tasting before having a free evening to enjoy dinner at their leisure either in their private villa or at one of the hotel's restaurants.

Optional Drive
Expected driving time: 4 hrs 15mins
Expected driving distance: 136 miles/ 219 km

For our final day, we have planned a spectacular optional drive around the area of Pula and the Istrian countryside. We will first drive north before cutting directly across the Istrian peninsula and enjoying the thrilling open roads this part of Croatia has to offer. With spectacular views across the Istrian Valley and twisting roads, this day will be a fantastic final day truly encapsulating all we have enjoyed throughout this tour. After venturing through the countryside, we will head towards the coast and finish the drive on the Adriatic Highway giving us our final sea views and taking in the rugged coast of Croatia. Should you wish not to drive then there is the option to relax by your private pool, enjoy a tour around the Meneghetti winery, or enjoya peaceful walk through the vineyards taking in the beauty surrounding this hotel.

To raise a glass to a fantastic tour of Croatia, members will come together on our final night for a champagne reception followed bya celebratory dinner where we will enjoy a 5-course tasting menu set in the courtyard among the vines.