Croatia

I just returned from a VBT cycling trip, and while the cycling routes and views were absolutely stunning, the hotel accommodations were some of the worst I’ve ever experienced on a group trip. The first two hotels were dirty, poorly maintained, and nowhere near the “4-star” standard advertised. Linens were stained, bathrooms smelled of sewage or urine, drains were clogged, and even the pools had visible mold. These properties were closer to budget motels than quality hotels, and the going nightly rates were a fraction of what we paid through VBT. By the time we reached the third hotel, which was finally nice, it felt like an insult that we only got one night there after five nights of subpar conditions. Other travelers in our group felt the same way and were equally disappointed. The cycling itself was fantastic, but the accommodations were a huge letdown and made the trip feel like a poor value. Unless VBT seriously improves the quality of its hotel partners, I would not travel with them again.

What an amazing trip! Every. Single. Day. somehow topped the next. Food, people, wine, history, biking, architecture, the Adriatic Sea, small seaside towns, countryside, and so much more - which we knew would all be incredible - exceeded expectations at every turn. Simply said, we cannot say enough good things about the experience we had during this trip. The local support (Andre) was awesome; incredibly helpful, always available, and super knowledgeable. Biking was a great way to see the country, and the app made it very easy to navigate around. Routes were thoughtfully laid out, traversing through beautiful backroads, and to quiet towns. Biking with a non-e-bike was a bit challenging given the hilly terrain, but was still a lot of fun. Hotels were great - some super nice, others quaint - and the flights purchased by VBT maybe could have been a little more direct, but they got us where we needed to be, without any unexpected headaches. Overall, we could not recommend this trip any stronger. It will not disappoint.

The Croatia trip is one of the best we have taken. Despite heavy rain, the guides created a great experience. They completely rearranged the itinerary including the cruising due to high seas. Once the weather broke, the views are stunning. This is definitely a VBT Moderate trip, with climbs of several hundred feet, rewarded by exciting downhills into some of the Adriatic’s most picturesque harbors and seaside towns. Our Croatian guides were well informed, affable, supportive, and a pleasure to be with.

We have been on several trips with VBT and they have again delighted us. Croatia is a beautiful country and I feel like we got to see some really exceptional sights on this trip. Our trip leaders, all locals, really enhanced the experience with their local knowledge and caring customer service. The food, wine and accommodations were all excellent. We got e-bikes which helped us enjoy the trip even more. Our group was compatible and both the pre- and post- add-on trips to Zagreb and Dubrovnik were amazing. We are so glad we did all of it. We would highly recommend VBT and especially this trip to anyone.

This was an absolutely delightful experience. I am very impressed with VBT's way of supporting the local economy by hiring local guides, and setting up dinners with locals. Our hotels were great, the guides were wonderful, and i learned so much about local culture and history. Our guides, Mario and Neven, are just wonderful people and so helpful fun to be around.

Just returned yesterday from Croatia. This was our first VBT tour and I'm sure it will not be our last. Our guides, Marko and Vanja were exceptional and we hated to leave them. They went above and beyond with recommendations for restaurants, things to see and do during the tour as well as the post tour extension in Split.

This trip exceeded my expectations due to Dani and Vida, our amazing guides.They were able to share their personal stories in a professional manner that enriched the trip and we became friends. They were aware and alert to each individuals needs and responded to those needs. They were knowable and worked smoothly was a team. I would travel with Country Walkers again due to Dani and Vida.

Walking and dining with fellow travelers was an exceptional experience for us. From the beautiful vistas to the gourmet meals our every desire was fulfilled. Learning about the culture from our knowledgeable guides was an added bonus.

This walking tour was awesome. The different venues, hikes and lodging was all terrific . The single factor that made the trip so good, were the two Guides. Dani and Dani were so thoughtful, knowledgeable, and their trips to lunches and meals and wine tasting, at various venues were remarkable. Getting to know some of the locals at these venues, and visiting places off the beaten path, were one of the high points, in my view.

We had an amazing time on this trip and could not have been happier with our decision to take our first ever group tour with Country Walkers. Everything about our trip was seamless. Our tour guides, Dani 1 and Dani 2, were knowledgeable, mature, funny and amiable, each in his own way, and added greatly to the trip/experience. Their local knowledge of culture, food, people, history was unmatchable. We had deep trust in them, and we knew that although everything seemed to go smoothly, they were constantly working behind the scenes to adjust plans due to weather, changes in schedule, etc. They made it look easy, but we knew it was not. Of course the hiking was nice, the views and location fantastic. The food was sumptuous and always different, so we sampled many things and felt we got exposed to all kinds of traditional Croation fare. The wine and grappa were always flowing generously. The eating locations themselves were unique. We heard rumors that this tour was being regrouped or cancelled and were quite surprised as everyone in our group seemed quite happy indeed. It would be a shame to lose these fantastic guides/guys.