Welcome to Slovenia’s capital – one of Europe’s greenest. Landing at Ljubljana Airport, you’ll be met by your private Flash Pack transfer and whisked to your centrally located hotel. After check-in, you’ll enjoy a welcome drink with your group before heading out for dinner. Navigating the tangle of cobbled streets, piazza-side cafes and delightfully varied architecture lining the emerald Ljubljanica River, you’ll take a funicular up to the old town’s picturesque hilltop castle. Here, the gourmet restaurant Gostilna is the perfect place to get to know each other over innovative haute cuisine and world-class Slovenian wine. Afterwards, you might want to wind your way to the city’s vibrant riverfront bars.  

After breakfast, you’ll board a private minibus and head north into Slovenia’s heartland. First up: the dramatic Vintgar Gorge. Following a 1.6-kilometre trail along wooden walkways and bridges suspended from the rock face, you’ll follow the swirling Radovna River over rapids and pools, culminating in a 16-metre waterfall. From here, it’s a short hop to Slovenia’s most celebrated sight: Lake Bled. The fairytale lake, with its cliff-top castle and turreted island chapel, is every bit as enchanting in real life. Climb the trail of Mala Osojnica for postcard views, take an SUP out onto the emerald water or relax at one of the pretty waterfront cafes. This evening, you’ll transfer to Bled’s big sister, Lake Bohinj: wilder but every bit as beautiful. 

Located in Triglav National Park in the heart of the Julian Alps, Bohinj is rich in forests and boasts Slovenia’s highest mountain peaks. Surrounded by all this natural beauty, you’ll be learning to canoe on one of Europe’s longest rivers. Together with an instructor, you’ll master the basic paddling techniques before tackling some gentle rapids, cheering each other on as you go. This afternoon is yours to relax and explore. Feeling energetic? Hire an e-bike and cycle to the Savica waterfall, ascend to the high peaks in the Vogel cable car, or take a paddleboard or rowing boat out onto the lake. For tonight’s dinner, try one of the restaurants in the lakeside village of Ribcev Laz with its picturesque medieval church and ancient stone bridge.

Today it’s time for the Croatian part of your adventure. Bordering southern Slovenia, the region of Istria is a heart-shaped peninsula with a diverse landscape of fields and vineyards squeezed between pine forests, orchards and olive groves. After lunch at a local restaurant – your first chance to sample the region’s truffles – you’ll transfer to your next hotel at the award-winning Roxanich Winery. Tucked into the hillside near the pretty town of Motovun, it’s a super-luxe base for exploring the local area. There’s a fun afternoon in store, as you’ll set off in groups equipped with a Polaroid camera to compete in a series of challenges. Back at your boutique vineyard hotel, we recommend dining at the exceptional on-site gastro restaurant with gorgeous valley views.    

The nearby town of Buzet is known as the truffle capital of Croatia (the largest truffle found in the region weighed a whopping 1.3 kilos). You’ll set out with an expert truffle hunter in search of the gourmet fungi, hidden underground in the region’s dense montane forests. Having hopefully enjoyed some success, you’ll sample these earthy delicacies over lunch in a beautiful setting, before continuing your journey to the artists’ town of Grožnjan. With countless studios, workshops, exhibitions and boutiques lining the cobblestone walkways of the medieval old town, it’s an ideal place for souvenir-hunting. Follow this up with a gourmet wine tasting of the region’s finest bouquets. Bliss!

Pack your bags: you’re off to Pula. At the southern tip of Istria, the region’s capital is studded with ancient Roman sites. At its heart is the well-preserved arena: an impressive 2,000-year-old oval amphitheatre that doubles as a concert venue. A local guide will bring the evocative ruins to life on a city centre tour, then there’ll be time for an afternoon of shopping, sightseeing and lunch before travelling on to Rovinj. Originally an island, Rovinj’s Venetian-inspired old town is contained on a tiny peninsula now connected by a narrow channel. With a seafront of pastel houses backed by cobbled piazzas and ancient arched gateways, it’s a wonderful place to wander.

A free day lies ahead, so enjoy a leisurely breakfast before deciding what to do. Your Flash Pack guide will be on hand to offer some inspiration. Perhaps you’ll return to Rovinj’s old town, winding up through the narrow streets to St Euphemia Church, blessed with stunning Adriatic views, before indulging in a seafood lunch at one of the harbourside restaurants where you can watch the fishing boats come and go. Or maybe you’ll hire a bike and explore the nearby Golden Cape Forest Park. Covered in oak, pine and cypress trees, you can spend a relaxed afternoon swimming off the rocks in one of the many secluded bays.

It’s your final full day and after breakfast, it’s time to continue your journey. We couldn’t let you leave Croatia without visiting its dynamic capital, Zagreb. En route you’ll stop off at the laid-back town of Pazin where you’ll have the option to zipline over the gorge. Reaching speeds of 30mph you’ll soar across the abyss towards the medieval castle – a truly thrilling ride. Arriving in Zagreb, check-in at your hotel before heading out to explore. In a couple of hours you can get a good feel for the historic Upper Town dotted with church spires and ride the funicular down to the Lower Town for its shops, cafes and restaurants. Tonight, gather with your group for a farewell dinner and raise a toast to your nine-day Balkan adventure.

Today marks the end of your trip, and hasn’t it been a great one? From truffle hunting and wine tasting to gorge walking and canoeing, with plenty of moments to breathe it all in, your first taste of Croatia and Slovenia might not be your last… Keen to see more of Europe? We’ve got a few more trips that might pique your interest. Discover them here.