Croatia: Istrian Truffle Trails Trip Dates: Tuesday 7 – Thursday 16 October 2008 Trip Price : £ 1,850 per person sharing in a double/twin room £ 240 double for single supplement, deposit £ 200 per person Activity Level : 6 walking days, 2 – 4 hrs daily on a mixture of limestone and forest paths Download a PDF (651 kB) with trip details Home page How to book Phone/Fax : +44-(0)1722-716 167

Istria, the heart-shaped peninsula at the top of the Adriatic, has been Roman, Venetian and Italian for much of its history, so it is hardly surprising that gastronomy features so highly in the Istrian lifestyle. Truffles, both black and white, grow in the forests, Croatia’s most innovative wine makers are found here, and every farmer makes sheep’s cheeses, olive oil and prsut (the distinctive local version of prosciutto). Mediaeval hilltop villages, each with a fresco-filled 12 – 15C church, are linked by ancient paths across karst upland and through oak forests and meadows. We begin our journey in Opatija, with its echoes of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and complete it in Zagreb, staying in a 5 star belle-époque hotel, originally built to accommodate Orient Express passengers.