Welcome to Croatia!
Enjoy a concert tour of Croatia. Let Croatia’s magic pull you in as you share your music with its lovely people.
Croatia is located on the Adriatic coast between the Mediterranean Sea and Central Europe. This unquestionably beautiful country boasts 3,500 miles of coastline, much of it on islands. Due to its geographic location, Croatian art, architecture, and music have, over the centuries, combined elements from many cultures. See influences from Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Turkey as well as the Slavic and Byzantine worlds. Immerse yourself in this rich tapestry. Make your own contribution to Croatia’s vibrant cultural life. Perform together with local choirs in stunning historic venues.
Enjoy a custom concert tour of Croatia for your choir, band, or orchestra. Share this beautiful country with your ensemble. Music Contact International offers the highest quality performance venues, cultural and musical exchange, accommodations and services.
Itinerary
Depart from North America for Zagreb, Croatia.
Welcome to Croatia! Enjoy an introduction to Pula, a city well-known for its magnificent monuments from its Roman past. Located on the tip of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula, this attractive town is abundantly blessed with unspoiled natural beauty, calm waters, and mild climate.
Check in to your hotel in Pula and enjoy some time to relax and refresh before dinner.
This evening, gather together at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner of local specialties as your tour manager previews the days ahead.
This morning, embark on a guided sightseeing tour of Pula. See historic landmarks like the Temple of Augustus, dedicated to the first Roman emperor, and the Pula Arena, the best-preserved ancient monument in Croatia.
Enjoy free time for lunch; then prepare for this evening’s concert. A rehearsal can be arranged.
This evening, perform a friendship concert with a Croatian host choir in a historic local venue such as St. Francis or St. Mary of Formosa. After your performance, there will be time to socialize with your hosts and the audience. Dinner can be arranged to complement your tour schedule.
This morning, embark on a scenic excursion along the western coast of the Istrian Peninsula, stopping first in the picturesque fishing town of Rovinj. Here you will visit St. Euphemia’s Basilica, a Baroque church in Rovinj’s historic Old Town, and perform a mid-day concert in this magnificent edifice.
Continue on to Porec, the most visited seaside resort town in Croatia that is also home to some of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular mosaics.
Enjoy a visit to the beach before returning to Pula for the evening. Tonight, dinner will be served to your ensemble at a local restaurant.
Check out of your hotel after breakfast and travel to Plitvice Lakes National Park, the largest national park in Croatia with 16 cascading turquoise lakes.
Continue on to Zadar, an ancient Roman port town spectacularly situated on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.
Check into your Zadar hotel and take some time to prepare for your evening performance.
This evening, perform a friendship concert with a local Croatian choir at a nearby venue such as St. Donatus or St. Mary. Take some time to mingle and exchange with your hosts after the concert. Dinner can be arranged to complement your performance schedule.
Today, a performance as part of a church service or an afternoon concert in a historic church such as Saint Donatus can be arranged.
Also today, enjoy a guided tour of Zadar to see the city’s Roman Forum and experience the magnificent sea organ, an experimental musical instrument that creates random, harmonic sounds using ocean waves!
Afterwards, visit Ninska Laguna, a peaceful beach haven with vibrant blue water. Stroll along the dunes and perhaps go for a swim. Later, enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.
Depart for Dubrovnik after breakfast, traveling along the gorgeous Adriatic Coast.
After some free time for lunch, take a walk along the city walls with a local guide. Often regarded as the symbol of Dubrovnik, these walls provide a fantastic panoramic view of the Old Town, the shoreline, and the Adriatic Sea.
Check in to your hotel in Dubrovnik and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
This morning, a visit to the Cathedral Treasury, the Dominican Monastery, or the Rector’s Palace can be arranged.
Mid-day, gather with your choir to perform a concert for a public audience at the Dubrovnik Cathedral.
This afternoon, enjoy a boat excursion through the Adriatic waters. The cruise will be provide rich scenic vistas and be a memorable way to spend your last afternoon in Croatia.
Tonight, a farewell dinner with entertainment will be arranged. There will be plenty of opportunity to recount the many highlights of your tour!
Check out and depart by motor coach for the Dubrovnik Airport for your return flight to North America.
Concert Tour Highlights
FRIENDSHIP CONCERTS
Our friendship concerts are a featured experience on our tours and are at the heart of our mission to foster cultural connections through music. We benefit from a vast international network in the choral world built over our thirty years' experience of helping choirs share their music both in the United States and abroad. Your choir will share a venue and a concert program with a host choir from the region. Your singers will have the chance to hear their host choir's repertoire (often showcasing local musical styles) and to share your own repertoire in turn. Fellowship time usually follows the friendship concert, giving both choirs the chance to mingle and enjoy the camaraderie of creating cross-cultural connections through a shared love of music.
PULA AND THE ISTRIAN PENINSULA
The Istrian Peninsula with its spectacular coastline, magnificent islands, and charming historic towns is one of the most sought-after vacation destinations in Europe. No fewer than three national parks protect the natural beauty of the area. The ancient town of Pula sits on the peninsula's southern tip and is literally strewn with reminders of its Roman past and its amphitheater is one of the six largest Roman arenas in the world today. The town became an episcopal seat in 425 AD and has been under Byzantine, Venetian, and Austrian rule over the course of its history. Its beautiful churches—St. Francis, St. Mary of Formosa, St. Nicholas, and the Cathedral—are some of our favorite concert venues for choirs.
ZADAR AND THE DALMATIAN COAST
Located across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, it is not surprising that Italian influences are felt throughout Dalmatia with its fantastic coastline and historic monuments. The town of Zadar occupies a narrow peninsula in Dalmatia's northern corner and serves as a gateway into the stunning Zadar Archipelago. Zadar served as the base for the Byzantine fleet in the Middle Ages and delights visitors with its exceptional historic monuments from its Hungarian, Venetian, and Roman periods all the way back to the original Illyrian inhabitants. The town boasts a wealth of magnificent churches that often serve as beloved and inspiring backdrops for choral performances.
DUBROVNIK
Occupying a truly breathtaking spot on the southern Dalmatian coast, Dubrovnik is equally famous for its impressive city walls and ramparts, which date back to the 10th century. The medieval town lies on a small peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic Sea. Parks and citrus trees surround the imposing walls, which in places are 20 feet thick and 80 feet tall. Many of the town's cultural monuments were badly damaged during the Balkan War of the 1990s but have been painstakingly restored to their former splendor. The city's beautiful baroque cathedral serves as a unique venue for musical programs.