Hi.
Welcome to KikiNetwork Travel.
I have a passion for taking small groups on life-changing adventures! Join me….
Hi.
Welcome to KikiNetwork Travel.
I have a passion for taking small groups on life-changing adventures! Join me….
KIKINETWORK TRAVEL
kiki@kikinetwork.com
Kiki 608-858-2733 or Nancy 206-491-5858
Kiki & Nancy specialize in custom private tours throughout Europe. We offer expertly handcrafted itineraries focusing on a region's authentic culture, history, beauty, and cuisine. This 18-day European Spring Fling for a group of six friends explored several of the hottest destinations of 2023—Barcelona; Dubrovnik, Split, and Plitvice Lakes in Croatia; and Amsterdam.
We were there when our guests landed in Barcelona and with them until they left Amsterdam. We saw Barcelona through the lens of the Modernisme movement that ties together so much of what makes it one of Europe's most popular destinations. In Croatia, we traced the history of the European Union's newest member over 2000 years—from Italy's dominance right up to the breakup of Yugoslavia. Croatia's sheer beauty and cultural diversity astounded us as we made our way from Dubrovnik, to Split, to Plitvice Lakes National Park, to Zagreb. We experienced the Tulip Festival and the annual King's Day celebration in Amsterdam. In each place, we visited the most beautiful natural sites, toured important museums, tasted the local food and wine, and met the local people.
You’ll land in Amsterdam at 11:05 am and catch your connecting flight KL1673 to Barcelona at 2:15 pm. Arrive in Barcelona at 4:25 pm. A driver will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel. The Seventy Hotel is conveniently located in a lively residential neighborhood with easy access to all the important sites. Unpack and meet Nancy for a stroll around the neighborhood on our way to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
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Over breakfast, we’ll preview the Catalan Modernisme movement with particular attention to architecture. We’ll place it within the Art Nouveau movements in London, Paris, Vienna, and other European capitals. Next, we’ll set out on foot from the hotel along the stately Passeig de Gràcia, a street exhibiting bourgeois modernism at its best. You'll see an array of Modernisme architecture, highlighting the works of Barcelona's Big 3— Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner, and Puig i Cadafalch.
We'll stop for a tour of Gaudi's fantastical Casa Batllo. We'll meet a local guide and tour the city’s oldest area, the Gothic District. Barcelona’s origins as a Roman settlement and then later as a seafaring power in the medieval period all inform its art and architecture. Patterned mosaics in the Roman style influenced the mosaics popularized by Gaudí. Symbolism from the period when the Counts of Aragon ruled Barcelona show up in all sorts of Modernisme designs. You’ll see the seat of government, the city’s cathedral, and the palace where Ferdinand and Isabella met with Columbus before his voyage to the New World.
Food is an integral part of Catalan culture, and Barcelona residents are never far from one of the city's 39 food markets. Seasonal fruits and vegetables and fresh-caught fish and seafood are staples of the markets. We will stop at the Santa Catarina Food Market and have lunch on site. Next up is the14th-century Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar. The story of the church's construction is recounted in the historical novel by Spanish author Ildefonso Falcones, "Cathedral of the Sea." Netflix released a series in 2018 based upon the book.
For those who haven’t been there, a tour of the Picasso Museum is the last stop of the day. The museum is housed in a magnificent medieval palace and features an extensive collection of his early work. We’ll end the day at Nancy and Ron’s place and have tapas and local wines on the outdoor terrace (weather permitting) as the sun sets on your first full day in
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Catalan Modernisme is distinguished from other art movements by its non-aesthetic features. It was an essential tool in the creation of a new, modern society built upon the foundation of its past glory. Catalonia's preeminence in the Mediterranean predates the formation of modern Spain and lives on in today's Catalan independence movement. We'll see several examples of this today.
The Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau established in 1417 was one of the institutions targeted for modernization in Barcelona’s renaissance. Domènech i Montaner redesigned the hospital between 1902 and 1930 and it’s a masterpiece of Modernisme. A tour of this 'city within a city' reveals more than bricks and mortar. It shows a whole new way of caring for people and practicing medicine.
Gaudi devoted his greatest effort to the spiritual realm. A devout Catholic, he worked on the design and construction of the Basilica de Sagrada Familia church for over 40 years. As you tour the church, you’ll be amazed that anyone could envision such a structure. One hundred years on, architects, engineers, and artists are still working to complete his vision.
We'll end the day with a live performance at the Liceu, Barcelona’s opera house. We’ll enjoy a concert featuring the madrigals of Claudio Monteverdi from the Baroque Period.
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We’ll hop in a luxury van today and drive to Montserrat. The 'sawed mountain' has been a place of religious significance since the Romans built a temple here to worship Venus. In 888, hermit monks founded a monastery. It's home to one of the oldest boys' choirs in Europe, and we may have an opportunity to hear them sing. From the monastery, you can reach the peak of the mountain and hike through the nature park.
Next, we visit one of the most prestigious wineries in Catalonia—Leopardi—specializing in cava. The family traces the vineyard's roots to a land grant dated 1385. During the tour, we explore the 14th-century country house that was converted into a charming old winery. We'll taste a variety of the wines with lunch and see the facilities where the sparkling wines age.
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It’s time to say ‘Adios’ to Barcelona and head out for the next leg of our trip. We leave Barcelona at 10:25 am on Flight VY770 and land in Dubrovnik at 12:40 pm.
Dubrovnik is a living fairy tale that feels like a small town within the ramparts of the traffic-free Old Town where we will be staying at a luxury hotel. Still jutting confidently into the sea and ringed by medieval walls, the city is known as the ‘Queen of the Adriatic.’ In the Middle Ages, the city state of Dubrovnik bought its independence from whatever power was the strongest—Byzantium, Venice, Hungary, the Ottomans, or the Vatican. The Italians, in particular (only 123 miles away on the other side of the Adriatic) influenced the Croatian coast and it’s no coincidence that the Italian soul can be felt, seen, and touched in Croatian architecture, language, and food.
After settling into our hotel, we’ll do a brief orientation walk and stop for cocktails at a hidden cliff bar perched over the Adriatic Sea. Dinner will be special tonight at one of Dubrovnik’s best restaurants.
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We start today with a guided walking tour in Dubrovnik's historic Old Town. We’ll visit the Franciscan Monastery, the world's oldest and still-functioning pharmacy. Next up is the Rector's Palace with its remarkable blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, Sponza Palace, City Bell Tower, Orlando's Column, and the Church of St. Blaise, the city's patron saint. We stop at Onofrio's Fountain dating from the 14th century and visit the Old Harbor with hundreds of little private boats delivering fish to residents.
The remainder of the afternoon is yours to wander the never-ending lanes of the Old Town. A visit to the city walls is a must, to see how the locals live, hanging their laundry throughout tiny narrow streets, with the most spectacular views of the city itself.
We’ll join Marija and Zlatko tonight for a delicious, traditional, home-cooked dinner on their rustic patio. We’ll have a feast we won’t soon forget. We start with a sampling of local cheese and cured meats from farmers just a few kilometers away. We’ll try some of the southern Dalmatian wines and artisanal-infused grappa. We’ll move on to a variety of seafood and/or grilled meat delicacies based upon homemade recipes passed down for generations.
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Just north of Dubrovnik is a 13-island archipelago, the Elaphite Islands. We’ll hit three of the islands—Kolocep, Lopud, and Sipan—on a leisurely cruise today. We’ll discover fishing ports, shady forests, inviting beaches, and forgotten escape mansions of old Dubrovnik aristocracy. Our captain will cook us up a fish picnic for lunch. We’ll spend about 2.5 hours on the boat and the rest of the day enjoying the individual islands.
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A leisurely morning in Dubrovnik and time to do some last-minute shopping before we board a late-afternoon ferry to Split. The sailing takes about four hours including three brief stops at islands along the way.
Although today’s Split has a modern, youthful beat, its history goes way back—all the way to the Roman Empire. It has some of the best Roman ruins this side of Italy. In the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Diocletian wanted to retire in his native Dalmatia, so he built a huge palace here. The palace continued to host the Roman elite until the fall of the empire. To this day, 2000 people live or work inside the former palace walls. A maze of narrow alleys is home to boutiques and galleries, atmospheric cafés, and Roman artifacts around every corner.
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We begin with a walking tour of Split—Croatia’s largest coastal city and the trendiest. The walk takes us along the cobbled streets of the Old Town to the astonishing Palace of Diocletian, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we see remnants of Split's Roman heritage, its Renaissance and Gothic structures, the Temple of Jupiter, and the central square, Peristil, with its black Egyptian sphinx guarding the entrance of the Diocletian's mausoleum. Only this one sphinx, out of 12, survived when it sailed away from Egypt 3000 years ago as a gift to Diocletian.
After lunch, we’ll travel a short distance up in the hills to Split’s best art museum, dedicated to the sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. Born in 1883, he achieved international fame and is considered Croatia’s answer to Rodin. Mestrovic is the most important of all Croatian artists and many of his finest works are housed in this palace. He designed it himself to serve as his residence, studio, and exhibition space.
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Get ready for an outdoor culinary adventure. We’ll join the Najev family and their team of truffle-hunting dogs to search, find, and enjoy fresh truffles in the Dalmatian forest. They will teach us everything there is to know about truffles and how to hunt them, and you will hear the story of their specially trained dogs. After a successful hunt, we’ll relax in a forest setting while preparing a gourmet meal featuring local truffles, wine, truffle brandy. A three-course lunch will be served.
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Enjoy an early breakfast this morning before we hit the road for the approx. 3-hour drive inland to the Plitvice Lakes region. On the way we stop at Rastoke village and visit the Magdic distillery. You'll learn how rakija is made. It's a local drink enjoyed by every Croatian; taste it and see if you agree. Guaranteed to knock your socks off! Rastoke is a small village with cascading waterfalls flowing through it, where bars and restaurants are built among the waterfalls. We'll have lunch and learn the importance of water as a companion of beauty and practicality.
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Plitvice is one of Europe’s most spectacular natural wonders. There is nothing like this lush valley of 16 terraced lakes, separated by natural travertine dams and laced together by waterfalls, boat rides, and miles of planked walkways. Countless cascades and water that’s clear and full of vibrant colors make the park a misty natural wonderland.
During our 2-hour walk along many waterfalls and lakes, we will have a picnic in the park, overlooking the lakes, enjoying champagne, local cheese, prosciutto, and homemade baguettes.
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We’ll depart early from Plitvice Lakes for the approx. 2-hour drive to Zagreb—Croatia’s capital city. In Zagreb, we find historic neighborhoods, a thriving café culture, and few tourists. The city has a charming medieval “old city” with architecture and cobbled streets reminiscent of Prague or Budapest. Our local country guide lives in Zagreb and he’ll give us the inside scoop on this sophisticated and very livable city. It’s just a 20-minute trip from the city center to the airport where we board our flight to Amsterdam. Leave Zagreb at 4:00 pm on Flight KL1942 and arrive in Amsterdam at 6:05 pm.
Amsterdam’s canals and gabled mansions are beautiful, but perhaps above all, it’s the flavor of the city that appeals – its inhabitants are a creative and imaginative bunch who quite simply bring the place to light. In the 17th century, Amsterdam boomed as a trading city, its merchant fleet transporting goods to every corner of the globe. This was Amsterdam’s Golden Age, the age of Rembrandt and Vermeer and the construction of the fine mansions that are such a feature of the city today. Yet, the grandeur did not last and, surprising as it may seem today, Amsterdam in the 1950s was a staid and rather provincial city with a hesitant future.
The 1960s changed all that. Suddenly, Amsterdam found a new counter-cultural voice, becoming a hotbed of hippy action and all that entailed – with sit-ins and love-ins galore. Neither were the hippies without humor, as their well-planned ‘happenings’ focused on playful games highlighting specific urban problems from pollution to a lack of social housing. The hippy movement infused the city with an adventurous spirit that survives today: it’s reflected in its relaxed atmosphere and tolerant attitude toward drugs and prostitution. One thing to take into account when traveling here is the Amsterdam “coffee shop.” In the Netherlands, a coffee shop is an establishment where you can semi-legally do soft drugs—buying and smoking weed or hash and eating “space cakes” which are any kind of cake or sweet-like brownies that are infused with cannabis. Alcohol and cigarettes are forbidden in coffeeshops. If you want coffee, you go to a café. Not to confuse things, there are also establishments known as “brown cafes.” These are places like the British pub where people go to drink after work and chat with friends. They serve beer and wine, as well as jenever—similar to gin.
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We’ll set out on foot this morning for a walking tour with a local historian. We begin near the spot that gave Amsterdam its name: Dam Square. We’ll learn about the origin of the city and gain an understanding of the foundational aspects of Dutch culture, which are reflected in the development of the medieval city. This central square is also home to the WWII Monument and the New Church. The church isn’t used often these days, except for the most special of occasions—like royal investitures and the wedding of King William and Queen Maxima. From here, we’ll move through the streets of the city center, making our way past the Royal Palace. This impressive building was once the Town Hall until Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (the younger brother of Napoleon) seized power in the Netherlands and installed himself as ruler. Although it wasn't long until control shifted back to the House of Orange, the name has stuck. Leaving Dam Square, we'll catch a glimpse of Amsterdam’s UNESCO World Heritage Site: the architectural marvel of the canal belt. Along the way we stop in at the Begijnhof courtyard, a time capsule of the 17th-century. Our guide will discuss Amsterdam’s economic flourishing during those years and how that success has made the city what it is today. A word of caution: watch out for the bikes! Seriously, this is a city where bikes have the right-of-way.
In the afternoon, we visit Amsterdam’s famous Rijksmuseum which has an impressive body of the works from Amsterdam’s most famous painter, Rembrandt. As luck would have it, we’ll be able to see a special exhibit of Vermeer’s paintings during our visit. Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) lived and worked in Delft, an hour and a half southwest of Amsterdam. His work is best known for tranquil, introverted indoor scenes, his unprecedented use of bright, colorful light and his convincing illusionism. In contrast to Rembrandt, Vermeer left a remarkably small body of work– about 35 paintings in all. His paintings are generally considered the most prized treasures of every museum collection and rarely lent out. We’ll be able to view over 20 of his paintings, including the prized, The Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Topping off our fabulous day, at 5:00 pm we’ll board a wooden boat and enjoy a 2-hour cruise through the canals of Amsterdam as the sun begins to set. Drinks will be served all around so you can sit back and enjoy Amsterdam from the water. It’s not called the “Venice of the North” for nothing.
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Who doesn’t love tulips and hasn’t dreamed of being in Holland for the Tulip Festival? A private van will pick us up at our hotel at 1:00 pm and take us to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens. It’s the greatest bulb-flower patch on earth, open for only two months in the spring and the best day out among the tulips near Amsterdam. Every year, more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted by hand in the autumn to flower in spring. There is a variety of 800 different tulips. A unique and unforgettable experience that will have you snapping photos like crazy.
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Today is a national holiday—King’s Day. It’s impossible to schedule anything so we’ll simply don orange garb and hit the streets for one of the biggest parties in the world. It’s the national celebration of the birthday of the Dutch King who traces his lineage back to William, Duke of Orange. The canals will be filled with revelers on boats while cobbled alleys will be packed with people. Today, all street trade in the city is unregulated, so it’s a great time for second-hand shopping. We’ll find a great spot to watch the parade as boats go beneath one of Amsterdam’s 1,500 bridges. For those of us with a sweet tooth, no King’s Day is complete without sampling the local delicacy tompouce, a sweet pastry loaded with cream and decorated with orange icing, especially for King’s Day.
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The Jordaan neighborhood, adjacent to the location of our hotel, is one of the best districts to explore in Amsterdam. It’s come a long way from the working-class neighborhood it was in the 17th century. Away from the hustle and bustle of tourists, we’ll visit locals in the very same shops and cafes they’ve been running for generations. We’ll visit hidden courtyards and experience Dutch hospitality at its finest inside a converted canal house café, all while enjoying some of the region’s favorite food. Our local guide will explain the fascinating history of the places we’ll visit, as well as reveal their own Amsterdam stories to enhance our experience while we eat, drink, and walk. We’ll enjoy a dozen delicious Dutch tastings such as apple pie, cheeses, sausages, satay, and bitterballen at a variety of local eateries along the way.
Last, but certainly not least, we’ll visit the Van Gogh Museum. It’s a cultural high even for those not particularlyinto art. The museum houses the 200 paintings owned by Vincent’s younger brother, Theo. The collection is laid out chronologically, through the changes in Van Gogh’s life and styles. The paintings span five periods of his life—spent in the Netherlands, Paris, Arles, St. Remy, and Auvers-sur-Oise. Scattered throughout the museum are works by fellow painters who influenced Van Gogh.
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Leave Amsterdam for Las Vegas on Flight KL0635 at 12:35 pm. Arrive Las Vegas at 1:55 pm local time.
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Seventy blends the warmth of a Mediterranean guest house with the vibrancy of a modern multifunctional space. It boasts a spectacular ambiance with an avant-garde architectural style and unbeatable location. Nestled between the elegant Passeig de Gràcia, with its fine shops, and the district of Gràcia, with its hole-in-the-wall eateries, design boutiques, and neighborhood feel.
St. Joseph’s is a very special house at the heart of the Old Town in Dubrovnik. Built in the 16th century, it's been lovingly restored to become one of the most elegant properties within the city walls. Each of the beautiful rooms has been tastefully decorated in a style worthy of Dubrovnik’s illustrious past. St. Joseph’s is located on a quiet street, less than a minute’s walk south of Stradun, the main pedestrian street of the old town. It can be reached from either Pile or Ploce gates without steps. The location is ideal for exploring the history, sights, and entertainment of the old town. Banje, the town beach, is only five minutes-walk away and some of the best restaurants in the region are also nearby.
Heritage hotel Santa Lucia is located in the Pjaca, the most beautiful square in Split. Pjaca, also known as People’s Square has been the center of the old city core since the 1770s. The very first cafe in Split opened in Pjaca and later became a Hotel. Both were the center of the city’s political, social, and cultural life in the last 3 centuries. It was a place where most important people of that age would gather to share their ideas and tell stories. Restored hotel with its 35 beautiful rooms opened its doors in April 2021. Take a step back in time and immerse the culture, art, and traditions of the historic UNESCO heritage.
Lyra is a new hotel with 58 rooms, located in a small village on the border of the Plitvice National Park. It was partially funded by the EU to promote sustainable tourism with a view toward supporting the local community and the natural environment.
Hotel Lyra boasts a unique location with the least amount of light pollution in continental Europe. Taking full advantage of this, it's installed telescopes in the rooftop rooms and garden. The night sky reveals the namesake of the hotel: Lyra (or Harp.) The Harp constellation hosts the second brightest star in the northern sky, Vega. It's visible above the hotel on clear nights.
The Hotel Estherea faces one of Amsterdam’s oldest canals, in the heart of the Negen Straatjes – the ‘Nine Little Streets’, a hip shopping, café and restaurant quarter. The hotel has an eccentric charm, created by décor that manages to be at once zany, plush, and warmly welcoming— you feel as if you stepped into a period drama set at the beginning of last century. Rooms are bursting with romance, with boldly patterned prints, silky curtains, tasseled cushions and mirrored accents, and large, comfortable beds. The daily breakfast is lavish and light meals are available in the attractive, wood-paneled, guests- only bar.
Planning a trip can be daunting. We want you to relax and know that we are committed to ensuring you're well prepared to enjoy your journey. We work hard to put together itineraries that match your interests and fit your budget. We aim to create trips that have the feel of casual travel with friends rather than formal tours.
Global travel can only succeed if communities benefit from tourism. We hire local operators who value sustainable travel and support their communities.
We specialize in journeys of discovery and inspiration. Our adventures are all about local culture—the people, history, art, and food. Our trips showcase a rich source of inspirational people, landscapes, and cityscapes. Traveling is the time for discovery, exploration and adventure.
In case of an emergency, all our guides are licensed and trained to handle situations that may arise. We are always with you to assist in any way we can to make your trip safe and memorable.
