Slovenia and Friuli for senior groups: Ljubljana, Bled, Cividale, Aquileia and Palmanova (11 days)

Day 1: Journey to southern Germany

• Morning departure from the place of your choice.
• Journey with a coffee break and a lunch stop: our drivers drive for 3 hours at most, then take a 30-minute break.
• Late-afternoon arrival at the stopover hotel in southern Germany, dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Over the Austrian Alps to Ljubljana

• Breakfast, then journey through Austria (Tauern and Karawanken tunnels) to Slovenia, with regular breaks.
• Late-afternoon arrival in Ljubljana, check-in at the hotel for 3 nights, dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Ljubljana

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Guided walking tour of the old town: Triple Bridge, Plečnik’s market, Prešeren Square and the Ljubljanica embankments (on request).
• Funicular ride up to Ljubljana Castle (on request).
• Free lunch and free time on a terrace.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Lake Bled

• Breakfast, then drive to Bled (about 45 minutes).
• Walk along the lake at the foot of Bled Castle.
• Crossing by traditional boat (pletna) to the island and its church (on request).
• Lunch by the lake (on request).
• Sweet break with kremšnita, Bled’s cream cake.
• Return to Ljubljana, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Cividale del Friuli and arrival in Udine

• Breakfast, then drive to Italy via Nova Gorica.
• Guided tour of Cividale del Friuli: the Lombard temple and the Devil’s Bridge over the Natisone (on request).
• Friulian lunch in Cividale (on request).
• Arrival in Udine, check-in at the hotel for 5 nights, dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Udine and San Daniele

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Guided tour of Udine: Piazza della Libertà, the Venetian loggia and the Tiepolo fresco galleries (on request).
• In the afternoon, drive to San Daniele del Friuli.
• San Daniele ham tasting at a producer’s (on request).
• Return to Udine, dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Free day in Udine

• Free day on foot in Udine (driver’s rest day): market, cafés under the arcades, optional climb to the castle.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: Aquileia and Grado

• Breakfast, then drive to Aquileia.
• Guided tour of Aquileia basilica and its early Christian mosaics (on request).
• Drive to Grado, a small lagoon town, and fish lunch (on request).
• Boat crossing to the sanctuary on Barbana island (on request).
• Return to Udine, dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Palmanova and Venzone

• Breakfast, then drive to Palmanova, a fortress town shaped like a nine-pointed star.
• Free time on the great hexagonal square and view of the ramparts.
• Free lunch, then drive to Venzone, a medieval town rebuilt stone by stone after the 1976 earthquake.
• Guided tour of Venzone and its cathedral (on request).
• Return to Udine, dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Journey back to southern Germany

• Breakfast, then return journey through Austria with regular breaks.
• Late-afternoon arrival at the stopover hotel in southern Germany, dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Return to Belgium

• Breakfast, then journey to Belgium with a coffee break and a lunch stop.
• Return in the evening to your region.