Croatia + Sloveniawith Chef Sarah McClure

Meet in Venice by 10:00 AM and travel by private luxury bus to Slovenia's Goriška Brda, often called the Tuscany of Slovenia.

On a hilltop terrace, Nejka and Chef Uroš host a gourmet welcome lunch of house-made prosciutto, slow-raised meats, fresh vegetables and handmade delicacies with sparkling, natural and orange wines.

Then on to Ljubljana and the five-star InterContinental, with a guided stroll through the capital's picturesque streets.

A slow coffee, then into the countryside to meet Chef Luka Košir of Grič, holder of a Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star.

We visit an artisanal goat cheese farm, then Luka's own farm with the rare heritage-breed ducks he has raised since 2013, plus the gardens and forest that supply his wild herbs and mushrooms.

The day ends with a multi-course tasting menu at Brunarica Grič, where roughly 80% of the ingredients come from within a few kilometers, paired with Slovenian wines.

A scenic drive to Bled, where a hand-crafted pletna boat carries us to Slovenia's only island and the Church of Mary the Queen. Ring the wishing bell.

Back on shore, a soul-warming lunch at a countryside homestead with live music and a demonstration of potica, a sweet spiral pastry and national treasure. Then Bled Castle's views of the lake and the Alps, and the fairy-tale village of Radovljica, before a free evening in Ljubljana.

At BioSing, legendary sausage artisan David Lesar, whose family roots go back to 1492, opens his cellar for dry-aged, wood-smoked sausages including the iconic kožnca, with local wines.

Next, the Postojna Caves by cave train. Across the border in Istria, we join a truffle hunter and his dogs at Prodan Tatrufi for a real truffle hunt and a truffle degustation, then a spirits tasting at Aura distillery before checking in on the coast in Rovinj.

A private guided tour of Pula's Roman Amphitheater, one of the world's best-preserved Roman arenas.

In Vodnjan, we visit Chiavalon, Croatia's most awarded olive oil producer, to walk the groves and taste straight from the source.

The afternoon brings a multi-course seafood feast at the Michelin-recommended Batelina in Banjole with Chef David Skoko, a champion of sustainable, sea-to-table cooking. A special surprise is in store during the meal.

We head to Portorož, the Port of Roses, and check in to the legendary Kempinski Palace, a Belle Époque grande dame that once hosted royals.

The main event is the Orange Wine Festival in nearby Izola, set against the Adriatic. Orange wines keep white grape skins in contact with the juice during fermentation, giving them an amber glow and wildly complex personality.

A morning of fjaka: not laziness, more like a warm breeze for the soul. Breakfast, spa, sauna and barefoot walks along the Adriatic.

In the afternoon we cross into Croatia to the hilltop town of Buje and Stara Škola, an old schoolhouse restored into a serious culinary playground and standout winery. Dinner is a collaboration between Chef Sarah, Chef Jan of Stara Škola and the winemaker, all at the table with us.

We head back toward Venice by way of Trieste, where Italian elegance meets Central European soul. A farewell lunch at Eataly Trieste, overlooking the Adriatic, brings one last deep dive into Italy's regional cuisines. Trieste takes its name from the Latin Tergeste, meaning marketplace: a fitting close. We arrive in Venice in the late afternoon.