TO DO LIST while sailing in Croatia
Split, Croatia’s second-largest city, is the main town in Dalmatia with an ancient center formed around the Palace o Diocletian, the Roman emperor. It is also the Dalmatia’s main ferry port and transport hub, the getaway for Hvar, Vis, Brač and Korcula, a popular Croatia’s islands.
The island of Brac is endowed with magical bays and covered with forests of cypress trees. Sunny hills of island Brac are covered with vineyards, whose grapes produce an excellent wine. From long ago, in the surroundings of the place Pucisca on the Northern side of the island, are found the quarries from whose stone the people of Brac build their homes and the same stone is used for White House in Washington and Diocletian's palace in Split.
Solta an island of Illyrian legends, ancient fish ponds, medieval poetry, rich nautical tradition, and a growing center of oenology and Mediterranean culinary specialities. The best part of it all is the fact that you can still feel the spirit of the past while relaxing in one of the island’s coves, or touring small villages near the shore and further inland.
Today’s Hvar is the perfect combination of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and a very long tourism tradition. Everyone was visiting Hvar throughout centuries - from ancient Greeks through medieval Austrian and German scholars until today when the place bursts with people of all sorts and the town proudly holds the title of one of the most luxurious destinations in the Adriatic.
With a peaceful harbor, a long riva, charming stone alleys and gorgeous hinterlands and bays, Stari Grad is a true gem you must explore! Curving around a pretty bay, Stari Grad is one of Croatia's oldest towns, dating back to 385BC when it was a Greek colony called Faros. You'll see the name on innumerable street signs and businesses around town. It was the Greeks who first laid out the land parcel system that has become Stari Grad Plain, a World Heritage Site.
Once a fishing centre, in the 19th century Jelsa had an important fleet of trading sailboats, some of which were even ocean-going, and was part of the enviable fishing epopee which lasted some fifty years, plying its trade to Lampedusa and around the Mediterranean. This picturesque settlement, which in winter is exposed to the northerly wind called the ‘bura’, was first mentioned in 14th century historical records as a port three kilometres away from the village of Pitve, which is situated on the northern slopes of the Gozd hill. Although Jelsa itself counts among the newer of Hvar Island’s settlements, there are signs of human habitation dating back some 5000 years not far away.
Vis is the perfect place to slow down. Wild and untouched, it’s the ideal place for travelers looking for quiet rejuvenation, couples wanting a romantic holiday, or families looking for a nature-based getaway. You will find crystal-clear beaches, scenic fishing villages, sprawling vineyards, and delectable cuisine. It’s no wonder that Mamma Mia’s producers decided to film the second installment of the movie on Vis, opting for this charming island over Greece.
Korcula Old Town is the main attraction of Korcula Town – a medieval walled city positioned on an oval-shaped swelling of land pointing deep into the Peljesac Channel. The Old Town itself is grooved with a succession of narrow streets that branch off the spine of the main street like the fishbone. The fishbone shape was used in the Old Town design to reduce the effects of wind and sun and provide citizens with sheltered and comfortable accommodation. There is a local legend that Marco Polo was born in the town.
The architecture in the Old Town is mainly influenced by Venetian Renaissance (palaces). The Old Town center is dominated by the splendid St Mark’s Cathedral built in the Gothic-Renaissance style, completed in the 15th centur (by Marko Andrijic) at the place of other churches from the 13th century.
With its 46 small islands, 46 churches and chapels, 46 vineyards and surrounding sandbanks, Lastovo is a genuine heaven for lovers of nature, sailing, good food and wine, fishers who angle for tuna and other trophy fish.
Forest-shrouded Mljet is one of the most seductive of all the Adriatic islands. The establishment of a national park in 1960 at its western end put the island on the tourist map, but Mljet is anything but overrun. The remainder of the island retains the unspoilt air of tranquillity that, according to legend, captivated Odysseus for seven years.
National Park
Covering 5400 hectares of land and sea at the western end of the island of Mljet, this national park offers shady walking and cycling tracks, a ruggedly beautiful coastline, ancient ruins and saltwater lakes. The main hubs are the villages of Pomena and Polače, which buzz with visitors on summer days but quieten down again once all the boats leave.
The Elaphiti islands are an archipelago situated close to – and slightly northwest of – Dubrovnik. There are actually six islands in the archipelago, not including any small islets, although the three main ones to visit and stay on are Koločep, Lopud and Šipan.
A sense of awe will descend when you see the beauty of Dubrovnik's old town, with its ancient city walls, baroque buildings and the shimmer of the Adriatic.
No visit to Dubrovnik is complete without a walk around the spectacular city walls that encircle its historic core. They're among the finest in the world and are the city's defining feature. From the top, the view over the old town and the shimmering Adriatic is sublime. From the sea, the juxtaposition of pinkish-grey stone and azure waters is mesmerizing, while from above the tight maze of church steeples and terracotta roofs is the setting for a fairy tale – or, at the very least, some Game of Thrones episodes.
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware”
Our Sailing Holidays are completely different. We provide one of a kind sailing experience of the islands, restaurants and local people. 'Must see' places are included, but hidden gems of Croatia are what we are all about so choose 2-3 "must see" spots and let our professional skipper discover hidden gems for you!
