Gran Turismo Adriatica 2021

The first Gran Turismo driving event of 2021 will be on the Adriatic coast, with a road trip through Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Gran Turismo Adriatica 2021 Photo by Sourav Mishra from Pexels

The Gran Turismo Adriatica 2021 will be a glorious road trip on the Adriatic coast going through Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia, visiting places like Split, Mostar, Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Belgrade on the way.

The event will be a stunning 8 days long with a lot of fantastic driving in a region filled with culture and rich history. The estimated distance that is planned is 1850 kilometers visiting 4 countries. The price participating is 5.800 EUR + VAT and includes everything for a driver and co-driver sharing one car and hotel room during the adventure.

Event schedule
Meeting at the Falisia resort & spa in Portopiccolo, Italy on May 1st, 2021. You can enjoy the beautiful spring weather all day long. During the evening we have a drivers' briefing and dinner in the restaurant on the coast. They will have some advice to prepare you for this slightly mental road trip with your supercar.

The next seven days we do exactly what we came here for - enjoy the most stunning roads and views the Balkans have to offer. You will drive down the familiar and exhilarating Magistral following the Croatian and Montenegrin shoreline until we hit Podgorica. Then, you do not turn South like in the past years. Oh no, you are going back up North to visit Serbia for two days, wrapping things up in Zagreb, Croatia.

Every day will consist of about three to four hours of driving. We will also stop for lunches, pictures, historic monuments, or just great views - and there is no shortage of those in the Balkans.

Saturday 1 May - Portopiccolo (Italy)
The starting point of the event, located in a cozy little port - as the name implies. Close proximity to Trieste and the Slovenian border makes this a perfect location for the start. You stay in Falisia Resort & Spa, where you also have the drivers' briefing and dinner.

14.00 - Check-in open at the Falisia Resort & Spa
20:00 - Drivers' briefing and dinner in the hotel restaurant

Sunday 2 May - Drive from Portopiccolo to Trogir
This is where the real fun starts. You drive from Italy, through Slovenia, into Croatia - and one of the world's most famous driving roads. The E65 Adriatic Magistral. Joining the road just after Rijeka, the smooth twists never seem to end - and you will not want them to end. The best part comes after our lunch stop, and it is magnificent. In the afternoon, we arrive at the historic part of Trogir, where we stay in The Brown Beach House.

10.00 - Leaving Hotel
11.00 - Driving the Magistral road
12.30 - Lunch in Senj
14.00 - Driving Magistral continues
15.00 - Coffee stop
17.00 - Arrival to The Brown Beach House ***** in Trogir
19.00 - Aperitivo in the hotel bar
20.00 - Dinner in Trogir old town

Monday 3 May - Drive from Trogir to Mostar
You continue our drive down the Adriatic coast via the Magistral. After we pass the town of Omiš, the road really opens up. You will truly understand why Croatian people are so happy when you drive this road. About two hours into the drive, we stop in the little town of Ploče for lunch.

Then, you turn North-East toward Mostar and into the green lands of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are taking a different road this time, and after crossing the border, we will stop at the famous monument in Međugorje. Later, we arrive in Mostar and Hotel Mepas. After arrival, and a drink in the Hotel Mepas Bar, we go outside for a special Granturismo Auto Show on the red carpet. Get ready for a rockstar's welcome by an adoring crowd of supercar lovers.

10.00 - Leaving hotel
12.00 - Lunch in Ploče
14.00 - Driving continues
14.30 - Border crossing into Bosnia
15.00 - Stop at Međugorje at the famous monument
17.00 - Arrival to Hotel Mepas ***** in Mostar
18.00 - Welcome ceremony in Mostar
20.00 - Dinner in Mostar old town (next to that famous bridge)

Tuesday 4 May - Drive from Mostar to Dubrovnik
The next day, you head back south, towards the historic seaside jewel that is Dubrovnik. After we cross the Croatian border, and re-join the Magistral and experience some of the best parts of the Croatian coast. After lunch in the mesmerizing Mali Ston bay next to that ancient tower, we continue south towards Dubrovnik. You will stay in the Imperial Hilton hotel in Dubrovnik, right next to the old city gates.

10.00 - Leaving hotel
11.00 - Border crossing back into Croatia
12.00 - Lunch in Mali Ston
14.00 - Driving continues
15.00 - Coffee stop
17.00 - Arrival to Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik *****
19.00 - Aperitivo in the hotel
20.00 - Dinner in Durbovnik old town

Wednesday 5 May - Drive from Dubrovnik to Podgorica (Montenegro)
First, we head south to the Montenegrin border, and shortly after, we arrive at the astonishingly beautiful and unique bay of Kotor. A perfect blend of all the elements that make the Montenegrin coast so amazing - all in one place. After lunch in Luštica Bay, we head to Podgorica via Budva - and one of the fastest and most thrilling sections of mountainside road you will ever see. (Beware - This road is addictive.) After the drive, we stay at Hilton Podgorica.

10.00 - Leaving hotel
11.00 - Border crossing to Montenegro
12:30 - Lunch in Luštica Bay
14.00 - Driving continues
15.00 - Coffee stop
17.00 - Arrival to Podgorica and Hilton Hotel *****
19.00 - Drinks in the hotel skybar
20.00 - Dinner in Podgorica old town

Thursday 6 May - Drive from Podgorica to Zlatibor (Serbia)
Unlike past years, we head North towards Nikšić taking a brand new road similar to yesterdays. It will be smooth, fast, and exhilarating before we turn North-East to a more technical, twisty section driving on the mountainside of Montenegro's famous mountain and national park - Durmitor. After lunch near the Tara river canyon, we head into the beautiful unknown - Serbia. Prepare for a lot of green lushes, river canyon roads, and most importantly - fun. We stay in the cozy little town of Zlatibor, right next to the mountain - Zlatibor (What a coincidence). We ride a bus for dinner next to Zlatibor lake.

10.00 - Leaving hotel
12.00 - Lunch at Tara river canyon
14.00 - Driving continues
15.00 - Border crossing into Serbia
16.00 - Coffee stop
17.00 - Arrival to Grand Hotel Tornik Zlatibor *****
19.00 - Drinks in the hotel bar
20.00 - Dinner next to Lake Zlatibor

Friday 7 May - Drive from Zlatibor to Belgrade
Continuing our great Serbian adventure, we keep going north towards the capital - Belgrade. A historic, yet modern metropolis of great character, and even better nightlife. After lunch, we say bye to the twisty country roads, and hello to the brand new silky smooth highway system all the way to Belgrade, where we stay at Hotel Metropol Palace. Take a bus to the Belgrade Luka for dinner by the river. Later in the evening, we have a reservation at Hype Club in Belgrade.

10.00 - Leaving hotel
12.00 - Lunch on Zapadna Morava river
14.00 - Driving continues
15.00 - Coffee stop
17.00 – Arrival to Hotel Metropol Palace Belgrade *****
19.00 - Aperitivo on the pier
20.00 - Dinner on the river bank
23.00 - Hype club in Belgrade

Saturday 8 May - Drive from Belgrade to Zagreb (Croatia)
We begin the final leg of our wonderful road trip heading back into Croatia. We begin driving at 12, so we get to rest from the Belgrade nightlife. Joining the superfast highway system towards the border we can relax a little bit, and enjoy the scenery more. After crossing the final border of the trip, we make our way to central Croatia and the capital. Hotel Esplanade will be our stop for the night.

After dinner in the historic part of town, we have a reservation in Ritz Club
12.00 - Leaving hotel
13.00 - Border crossing back into Croatia
14.00 - Lunch near Slavonski Brod
15.00 - Driving continues
16.00 - Coffee stop
17.00 - Arrival to Hotel Esplanade Zagreb *****
19.00 - Aperitivo in Zagreb old town
20.00 - Dinner in Zagreb old town
23.00 - Ritz Club in Zagreb

Sunday 9 May - Check out
We hope you had a good time. If you opted for transportation of your car back home, your car will be picked up at the hotel.

Mathias Haegglund Code Collector, Globetrotter, and Occasional Gamer.