Travel is all about finding that special connection. To a place; a culture; to people.
It’s taking off across three distinct yet equally captivating countries and seeing how seamlessly they can come together in one journey.
It’s piecing together how the hospitality of the right hotel can make arrival in each feel like a homecoming.
It’s watching worlds collide while cruising the canals of Venice, storming Slovenian castles, and hunting truffles in Istria.
And above all, it’s joining forces with fellow travel professionals to tackle plate after plate of delicious pasta.
Or, as Travelive likes to call it: a FAM trip across Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. And we just happen to have returned from one of those.
Italy | Bridging the Gap Between Palazzi & Mountain Cabins
Who would’ve thought that Venice’s quaint, romantic canals would lead to a sea of adventure across the Alps and two of its Adriatic counterparts?
But there we were, in the Floating City, ready to unmask its elegant palazzi, winding waterways, and cross over 400 of its bridges to discover some of Italy’s most exquisite flavors, which, thankfully, proved much easier to find.
Home during our time on the water was the Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice, where original frescoes, warm interiors, and a tranquil garden offered a refined retreat along the Cannaregio Canal.
Yet besides living it up like true Venetians, we also got to explore the grandeur of St. Mark’s Square and architectural treasures such as Scala Contarini del Bovolo and the magnificent La Fenice Theatre. All before taking a quintessential gondola ride through the city’s iconic canals and savoring some Lagoon specialties.
And just as we were getting ready to order more cicchetti, we blinked and found ourselves in Corvara, surrounded by the peaks of the Dolomites.
Nestled in this Alpine setting, Hotel La Perla welcomed us with the authentic hospitality of a family-owned and managed retreat. Not to mention a surprise welcome aperitivo in the family’s own residence, which served as a genuinely memorable introduction to the traditions and warmth that make this mountain hideaway so special.
From there, things only got more elevated (pun very much intended) as we set off to admire the panoramic views around Giau Pass before coming across a traditional mountain cabin, where we uncovered the secrets of Ladin specialties such as casunziei, canederli, and spätzle.
With local cheeses, cured meats, regional wine, and a freshly prepared dish on the table, the connection between place and plate became wonderfully clear.
And just like that, from Venice’s canals to the Dolomites’ peaks, Italy had already shown us how much a single journey can bring together.
The drive from Venice to Corvara takes approximately three hours, a journey that can easily be turned into a delightful road trip with a stop in Cortina d’Ampezzo. And while the mountain roads can be winding, the scenery more than compensates, offering a preview of the spectacular Dolomite landscapes ahead.
Slovenia | Castles, Lakes & Cakes
They say spending a lot of time next to someone can really make them rub off on you. And yet, being the close neighbors that they are, Italy and Slovenia still manage to offer the most delightful of contrasts.
Which we came to find out upon arriving in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s storied capital.
There, the InterContinental Ljubljana provided a contemporary retreat in the heart of the city, perfectly positioned for exploring its historic center and savoring views of its iconic castle while dining at its B-Restaurant.
From there, we set out to discover a capital that feels wonderfully intimate, where riverside cafés, charming squares, and elegant bridges explain why Ljubljana’s name is sometimes poetically rendered as “the beloved one.”
After making our way through Ljubljana’s Old Town, we got a chance to capture some views from Ljubljana Castle, which revealed the city in all its glory, framed by the distant Alps. The latter, however, didn’t remain distant for too long.
Because once we arrived at Lake Bled, we got to experience Slovenia’s Alpine allure in full, complete with a traditional pletna boat ride to its iconic island, views of Bled Castle against a backdrop of the Julian Alps, and a slice of Bled cream cake to top it all off. Essentially, all of its trademarks.
And since an experience like that deserves a toast (particularly the cake), we also stopped in the storybook town of Radovljica, where a wine tasting revealed that Slovenia’s layers extend well beyond its baked goods.
The drive from Corvara to Ljubljana takes approximately five hours, making it a great opportunity to break up the journey with a lunch stop in Trieste, an elegant Italian port city that offers a delightful taste of Adriatic life before continuing on to Slovenia.
Croatia | The Truffles at the End of a Tunnel
You don’t have to dig deep in Croatia to find something everyone is looking for.
And we didn’t. For it was already waiting for us approximately two and a half hours away, along the Adriatic Coast, right on the shores of Rovinj.
Along the way, however, Slovenia decided to grab one last chance to take us a little deeper, with stopovers at Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle.
First came the subterranean wonderland of Postojna, where a labyrinth of spectacular rock formations revealed a whole other side of Slovenia. Then, as if emerging from a storybook, Predjama Castle appeared, clinging dramatically to a rocky cliff face, its medieval walls built into the mouth of a cave and the idyllic River Lokva disappearing underground below.
But eventually, it was time to resurface and continue south to Rovinj.
There, Grand Park Hotel Rovinj awaited us with Mediterranean greenery, refined interiors, and idyllic sea views, offering a distinctly Adriatic change of scenery before we headed out on a hunt for the region’s flavors, literally.
A truffle hunt in the hills of Istria took us on a search of one of the region’s most prized treasures. We then, of course, got to enjoy the spoils, sampling local specialties infused with the truffles’ fragrant essence. Meanwhile, a visit to Motovun, a medieval hilltop town overlooking the Mirna River valley, added another layer to the day’s bounty.
Following a site inspection at the exquisite Hotel Monte Mulini, an adults-only luxury retreat nestled between Mediterranean greenery and the Adriatic, it was time to bring our journey to a close.
But not before hopping back over to Venice and enjoying one last night at San Clemente Palace Kempinski, set on its own private island in a former Renaissance-era monastery, where the bustle of the Floating City felt a world away. And there could have been no better place to bring the journey full circle.
When Everything Comes Together
From Italy’s Alpine peaks to Slovenia’s storybook towns and Croatia’s truffle-rich countryside, this FAM was a reminder of how beautifully different destinations can come together in one seamless itinerary, especially when they’re so conveniently located.
Yet beyond discovering new destinations, hotels, and experiences firsthand, it also gave our travel advisors the chance to connect with one another, exchange ideas, and create bonds that extend well beyond the journey itself.
So, when the time comes to craft new country combinations for their travelers, they’ll know how to make the connections that bring it all together.