Greetings Mariana!
Sorry for the delay in getting back-things got a bit busy, but here we go! Lynn and I were blown away by the royal treatment provided by Secret Dalmatia! Seriously, we have done cruises, river trips and usually do all our own planning and driving, but this trip was very special!!! Having everyone else take care of transfers, driving, hotel logistics made the trip relaxing and allowed us to focus on the people, local history, and even rest a bit between events. First, you and your staff did a remarkable job planning and coordinating and sensing what type of trip we desired. Every hotel met and exceeded our expectations. Do not worry about leaky bathtubs-not a big deal! Each one provided a unique experience that we totally enjoyed. While at first Hotel Lero in Dubrovnik seemed a bit far out, after experiencing the crowds in the old city, it proved a welcome respite! You were correct in choosing Port 9—it was beautiful and the taxi boat ride to Korcula was a treat. Hotel Cornaro in Split was perfect. We looked at other hotels as we walked around, but decided Cornaro would be our choice. The breakfast was spectacular and the rooftop lounge can’t be beat. We had two dinners up there and the views and food were outstanding!
Next, our drivers were great!! We got to know them on a personal level and you must tell Marko that he has some really great guys. Special kudos to Eddie who took us three times and was a blast. He and Tom had a lot of things in common. Will never forget Vedran (sp?) who loves his Mercedes-we had a great time talking cars, family, history, etc. Peter was a veritable history professor and Tony was such a gentleman when touring Hvar. Adriatic Transfer was always on time, always had clean vehicles, and every driver was so professional and did little extra things to make the journey interesting. Plus, the special boat transfer to Split was an incredible treat we will always remember!
Third, our tour guides made the cities come alive with their local knowledge. Natasia, Marija, Lea, Mryna, and Nives all felt like good friends by the time we had to say good bye. We shared lots of laughs, had some good back and forth ( I guess we will be remembered because we asked a lot of questions!) and learned so much about the history and people that you could never get from a guidebook. Visiting the silkworm lady, Dragona, will never be forgotten, and also the abandoned village was a totally unique experience. The wasps were very plentiful, but we didn’t let that deter us from having a great experience. Our home cooked meal with Tatjana in Trogir was a hoot, as we say, because she is such a character. We had so much fun talking about food, cooking and laughed about so many things. Plus she was introduced to our little travel mascot, the Pillsbury Doughboy, who is quite the foodie himself. Got some great photos of the two cooks “interacting”. We will send some pictures soon.
Lastly, the Croatian people were very special. They made us visitors feel very welcome, safe and wanted. We know tourists are a large part of the economy and in some countries we have felt like we tourists were taken for granted, but not in your country. The Croatian kindness and hospitality was very real and genuine, from the drivers, the guides and people we met at cafes, hotels and in the shops. And of course, Secret Dalmatia!! What more can we say except that we want to come back to Croatia and travel with you!! And we will! We have told many of our friends about your company and hope they will consider you for their travels.
Thank you for a most memorable trip. Keep up the excellent work and know how much we appreciate everyone who made our journey a special memory! And we hope we in turn have been good ambassadors for the USA!
Until next time,
Lynn and Tom Casper