Prestige introduces bear watching trips, new twin-centre options & winter breaks for 2015

Prestige is offering bear watching holidays in Croatia as well as north with south twin-centre breaks and winter stays for the first time in 2015.

p>Prestige is offering bear watching holidays in Croatia as well as north with south twin-centre breaks and winter stays for the first time in 2015.


The company has also introduced a selection of special interest experiences, more boutique properties in Dubrovnik and five new resorts to its choice of holiday options.


Holidays lead in at ?356 per person for a week?s breakfast stay at Hotel Kastil including flights with easyJet from Gatwick to Split with shared transfers, one free night and the services of a representative.


The best time to spot bears is late spring or autumn and the operator's trips in the Risnjak National Park start from ?559 per person for a week?s stay in May including flights from Stansted to Pula on Ryanair (with a bag), group B car hire and six nights at the three-star Hotel Risnjak in the village of Delnice. Entrance to the park and the bear watching are payable locally and cost approximately ?5 and ?33 per person respectively. The bear watching session lasts up to 24 hours and includes overnight accommodation in a basic observation hut. It can also be done as a day trip.


Located in the Gorski Kotar Mountains, the park is a haven for wildlife and home to Europe?s only big cat, the Lynx, as well as wolves, deer and chamois. Travellers can add on a stay in Croatia?s Opatija Riviera including Krk, Cres or Rab islands. There is also river fishing and a choice of walking and cycling trails to explore in Risnjak National Park.


The launch of two internal flights in Croatia connecting Dubrovnik in the south with Rijeka in Northern Adriatic and Rijeka with Split in the Mid Dalmatia region, has helped to open up twin-centre holiday options in the country. For next year, the operator is featuring a range of 'north with south' options.
Also new are a range of winter breaks in Opatija, Dubrovnik and Zagreb, with stays leading in at ?412 per person for a three-night break departing between January and March, staying at the five-star Hotel More in Dubrovnik. The price also includes flights with BA, private transfers and the services of a representative. Opatija and Dubrovnik feature a selection of spa hotels ideal for winter stays, and most facilities are open in the winter including museums, shops, restaurants an outdoor ice rink in Opatija in December.


The operator can also organise a range of special interest experiences for small groups such as a 14-night 'wine discovery' holiday or learn how to handle a falcon break near Split with the chance to explore the Krka National Park and the scenery of the Plitvice Lakes.


David Skillicorn, the company's general manager, said: ?Our Love Croatia brochure features the widest choice of breaks on sale from a UK tour operator as well as holidays in Montenegro and Slovenia. We can tailor-make any length of stay.
"Croatia bookings are going from strength to strength and I am confident that 2015 will see this trend continue. Year-on-year we saw a 4 % increase in business and multi-centre stays are also growing, as are special interest breaks like walking, naturist and experience holidays.?
The operator is featuring four special boutique properties in Dubrovnik for 2015. Villa Dubrovnik, the ultimate in five-star accommodation, close to old city and within the city walls, include Prijeko Palace, Pucic Palace, Stari Grad - each of which are former palaces or noble family homes that have been converted and restored. Five resorts have also been added for the 2015 programme including Lumbarda on the island of Korcula, Rabac in Istria, Podstrana and Trogir (both near Split) and the island of Losinj in Kvarner region.
For more information see www.prestigeholidays.co.uk/sicily or call 01425-480400.