We started our last day by doing a bus tour of the city sights - some very old and historic places to see - before joining a local guide for a walking tour of the older part of Zagreb. There were some lovely old buildings, lots of cobbled streets and the usual churches, but the hour passed quickly enough and then we had some free time to have a coffee and a look at the shops. The central square was clean and neat, with many cafes surrounding it and we enjoyed a latte and then wandered for a bit before finding our way back to the coach.
From Zagreb it was out into the country for an hour long drive through some glorious country - forests, farms and villages - apparently the farmers own about 1 hectare and grow enough food and produce to live on and maybe trade to other farmers. There were corn cobs hanging in every conceivable space, drying for the pigs and poultry to eat during the cold winter months.
People don't travel very far and many farmers had moved off their land after the war to get work in Zagreb, but now some are moving back to enjoy the simple lifestyle.
Our lunch was at a lovely place perched on top of a hill and we tucked into some local fare that was really delish! All sorts of cold meats and pickled veggies and then roast veal and duck, finishing up with apple strudel! Sheesh - so much for the waistline!
Further down the narrow road was a tourist village that was the home and birthplace of Marshall Tito who was a famous Yugoslavian leader! A humble beginning for someone who rose to become a billionaire dictator who ripped off the people for many years!
We got back to the hotel around 4.30pm, with just enough time to repack the cases and get everything ready to depart tomorrow.
We gathered for the final time at 6.30 sharp and the coach took us a short way to Gallo Restaurant in the city for our farewell dinner - and what a beautiful place it was - a long table fully laid for us and we enjoyed a scrumptious meal!
What a fantastic way to wind up this great tour and to farewell our new friends, all of us heading in different directions tomorrow morning! Our transfer to Zagreb airport leaves at 6am so an early night is in order.
This Trafalgar Tour has been a beauty - the Adriatic coast is a beautiful place and the tour covered it nicely, with well spaced stops and plenty of sightseeing. Our hotels were excellent and the meals terrific - everything ran smoothly and our group of 30 got on well together - but by far the biggest influence was Gasper our Tour Director!
Being a local he had an intimate knowledge of all the countries we visited, from history to geography to the local economy - he never seemed to be stumped for an answer and gave us rare insight into the recent wars these countries engaged in, simply because he was a youngster when they occurred and he saw it all first hand.
Tour-wise he was efficient, friendly and totally helpful - nothing was too much trouble - and his little gifts and the brandy and grappa he bought for us were much appreciated.