Creativity and craftsmanship thrives in Venice, where skilled artisans produce hand-made masks, glass and lace, whilst Istria’s elemental landscape and fascinating history inspires traditional techniques in craft, cooking and wine-making.
7 days
Year-Round
$11,995
Venice is known for its annual contemporary art exhibition, but its roots in the arts date back long before the Biennale arrived, whilst Croatia’s Istria peninsula pulls its weight with fabulous winemaking, an artists’ colony and masterful frescoes. Starting in Venice and ending in Istria, this itinerary allows A&K’s guests to custom-build their trip with coastal bike tours, creative workshops and exclusive access to stunning gardens and villas. You’ll feast on homegrown wine, learn about coffee culture and try local delicacies along the way.
Navigate Venice’s abundance of Renaissance art and architecture with a local expert
Lap up local life with a glass of wine and cicchetti in the best of Venice’s dinky bàcari (wine bars)
Witness glass-blowing, lace-making, perfume-crafting and gondola-building in Venice’s highly skilled creative workshops
Kick-start the transfer to Istria with a coffee-tasting in Trieste en route
Visit the beautiful city of Rovinj and the remarkable Roman ruins at Pula
Sample local produce with a wine-tasting and truffle-hunting experience in Istria
Book a Tailormade journey to Europe by May 31 and receive a $1,500 air credit per person when you reserve your international flights with A&K.
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Designed by us, tailored to you
This Tailormade Journey is just the beginning of a beautiful adventure, ready to be customized by you. Choose the hotels you want to stay in, enhance your journey with extra experiences, and tell us where else you want to go.
Customize your itinerary further by viewing and adding to your wishlist.
Venice, Italy
Wind your way through the waters of La Serenissima
Your A&K Experiences: There’s art and architecture in abundance in Venice, particularly in San Polo: A&K’s tour navigates the iconic Rialto Bridge and seeks out the Gothic Frari church, where you’ll find Titian’s early altarpiece and Giovanni Bellini’s oil-on-panel Pesaro Triptych.Take a boat ride across the lagoon to the brightly-colored island of Burano, where the fine art of needle-lace making has endured for centuries. Then cruise on to Murano, where you can watch masterful glassblowers using techniques that date back 700 years.
Your Hotel:
Istria, Croatia
Croatia’s Italian-coded peninsula on the Adriatic
Your A&K Experiences: En route to Istria from Venice, stop by in the Italian port city of Trieste for a coffee-tasting tour through its historical cafés, led by one of A&K’s expert English-speaking guides. It’s easy to see why this region is known as the Adriatic Tuscany, especially when visiting a wine estate in Momjan where you’ll be taken truffle hunting before tucking into the local delicacy for lunch. Return to your hotel via the medieval hilltop town of Motovun, which has one of the best views around.
Your Hotel:
Enhance Your Journey with Add-On Experiences
Catch all the amazing add-on experiences available for your entire trip. Whether you missed something earlier or want to see everything in one place, here’s your opportunity to make sure you don`t miss out on any incredible experiences.
Venice, Italy
Meet the gondola makers of Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro is one of Venice's most picturesque neighborhoods, with its pretty bridges and arty, bohemian ambience. Here, you will visit a traditional gondola yard to learn about these world-famous symbols of Venice and witness the time-honored skills employed in their construction.
Venice, Italy
Make your own perfume at Palazzo Mocenigo
Watch the extraordinary craftspeople weaving soprarizzo velvet by hand on an 18th-century loom at Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, then head to Palazzo Mocenigo's Centre for the History of Textiles, Costume and Perfume for a multisensory insight into the city's history of perfume-making. Make your own bespoke scent with a professional teacher from Mavive Parfums.
Venice, Italy
Secret garden walking tour
Best-known for its waterways, Venice is also full of secret gardens and green spaces with fascinating histories beneath the blooms. Your guide is a member of the Venice Gardens Foundation, and A&K can provide exclusive access to private residences not open to the public.
Venice, Italy
Visit Venice’s Palladian villas
On a day trip from Venice, A&K's English-speaking guide will whisk you into the countryside to show you around three extraordinary examples of Andrea Palladio's work. The Italian Renaissance architect was heavily influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, as seen at La Malcontenta (Villa Foscari), Villa Barbaro at Maser and Villa Emo at Fanzolo.
Venice, Italy
Mask-making workshop
Venice's mascareri are the talented artisans that have mastered the art of mask-making over centuries. During this two-hour class, they'll tell stories of Carnival culture and explain the significance of each design, whilst guiding you through the process of painting and decorating your very own mask.
Istria, Croatia
Cycle Istria’s south coast
Head south for a scenic 30km bike tour of Cape Kamenjak, where you can find Istria's endemic orchid, ancient dinosaur footprints and beautiful beaches and bays along the way. A&K can also organize lunch at a local farm.
Istria, Croatia
Wine tasting, a day-trip to Porec and a private dinner
Enjoy a fascinating wine-tasting at a local vineyard, then wander the historic streets of Porec, tracing ancient Roman and Venetian influences. As night falls, a boat will whisk you to a secluded island for an unforgettable dinner with panoramic ocean views.
Istria, Croatia
Fine-tune your fresco skills
Take a tour of Roc – renowned for its fresco-painting traditions – to gather inspiration and give it a try yourself under the guidance of an art professor. Afterwards, visit Hum: it's the smallest town in the world, with only 20 inhabitants.
Your Stay Options
Hand Selected for an Unmatched Experience
Venice, Italy
Ca' di Dio
Venice, Italy
Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel
Bale, Croatia
Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery
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