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Day 1 Dubrovnik

Dobro Dosli! Welcome to Croatia. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. You can arrive at any time during the day as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Although it experienced devastation during the war in the early 1990s, Dubrovnik’s old town is the undisputed jewel of the Dalmatian Coast. With its tiled roofs and white stone buildings, the old town remains as charming as ever. Extensive restoration has taken place to return it to its original splendour, and even today repairs are still being undertaken. With the sparkling water of the Adriatic in the background, Dubrovnik is picturesque, full of character and can easily be covered on foot. If you do arrive early, why not head out to one of the Elafiti Islands? There's Lopud, a quiet island with lovely hikes, clean beaches and a ruined castle. Kolocep is a sleepy enclave that boasts walks for every fitness level and Sipan, which is the most populated of the isles and reputedly has the most hospitable inhabitants. Alternatively, you might choose to simply laze about on one of Dubrovnik's beaches and people-watch for hours.

Day 2 Dubrovnik

Start the day by beating the crowds with an early morning walk along Dubrovnik's famous 2-kilometre-long city walls surrounding the old town. Enjoy views of the sea from the fully intact medieval structure, then enjoy all that Dubrovnik has to offer with the remainder of the day free for you to explore. Visit Big Onofrio's Fountain, a masterpiece built by famous European architect Onofrio della Cava. This 15th-century landmark was built to supply water to the city, flowing from the spigots into the collection trough surrounding it. Be sure to check out the Franciscan monastery with one of the world's oldest, continuously functioning pharmacies, founded in the 13th century. If you still feel energetic after a day exploring the city you can take the switchbacks leading up Srd Hill behind Dubrovnik for spectacular views of the city and the Dalmatian coastline. Otherwise, the newly restored cable car can whisk you to the top in no time. The hill is topped by a castle of Napoleonic times, which now houses the Museum of the Croatian War of Independence.

Day 3 Peljesac Peninsula / Korcula Island

Journey to Korcula today, along the narrow and scenic Peljesac Peninsula to its very tip. The last stretch to Korcula will be done by car ferry. For the next two nights, stay with generous hosts – locals who rent out their rooms in the summer season. The rooms, while simple, are the best way to put money back into the local economy. When you arrive, head out for a sunset hike to Zrnovo village. Wind through old villages next to olive trees and soak up the view over Peljesac Channel. End your hike when you arrive at a family-owned restaurant in Zrnovo village and sit down for an included dinner of local ingredients, including traditional Dalmatian meat loaf or pasticada (traditional stewed beef) and some fresh grilled vegetables with olive oil, usually served with fresh goat and sheep cheeses (and maybe some smoked ham to tie it all together). Return back to Korcula via private vehicle and use the evening to relax.

Day 4 Mljet Island National Park / Korcula Island

Today, head on a day trip to the stunning Mljet Island. Mljet is Croatia’s greenest island, with a large section of the north western shores part of a national park. The island is well known for its two salt lakes – Veliko Jezero and Malo Jezero (big lake and small lake) – that are located at the north end of the island. With some of the clearest waters in the world, any of the Adriatic islands shimmer in the sunlight, but Mljet is extra special. Start Mljet's exploration with a short hike into the island's interior, followed by a ferry ride to St Mary's Benedictine Monastery, located on an island in one of the lakes. Spend the day discovering its tiny towns dotted around the island, the weaving and winding coastline full of nature walks and scenic lookouts and, of course, the sandy beaches, tranquil inlets and turquoise blue shores calling out to be explored. Mljet is a little further away and less visited than the tourist hotspots of Brac and Hvar, so you’ll be able to stray away from the crowds and have this peaceful paradise to yourself. Head back to Korcula in the afternoon for a relaxing evening, hopefully full of delicious food and some great local wine.

Day 5 Hvar Island

A hydrofoil ferry takes you to the neighbouring island of Hvar this morning. . Beautiful Hvar has an air of Venice about it and is known as the 'Queen of the Dalmatian Islands'. When you arrive, get to know the town with its wonderfully preserved Renaissance facades on an orientation walk. Later, you can enjoy your included hop on hop off taxi boat pass that departs every half hour to the nearby Pakleni islands – largely uninhabited and often described as being among the most beautiful in the world. All three islands have gorgeous beaches and walking trails to explore and also boast plenty of bars and restaurants, so you'll have no shortage of lunch, aperitif and dinner spots to choose from!

Day 6 Hvar Island

Today is a free day to explore this island at your leisure. Maybe take a bus to the interior of Hvar Island where you can take a leisurely hike through the abandoned villages of Velo Grablje and Malo Grablje, gently descending all the way down to the sea at Milna Bay. On the way you can witness what remains of the typical Mediterranean life that flourished on the Croatian islands in the 18th and 19th centuries. Hike past dramatic jagged limestone cliffs and slow your pace to enjoy the undulating farms, fields of lavender and rosemary, and ancient olive groves. Cool down in the shimmering waters upon arrival into the little town of Milna where the hike ends. Alternatively there are plenty of other options for exciting activities in town. If you’re not feeling super energetic today, spend the day lounging at one of the island's many quiet beaches and enjoy a sunset stroll along the harbour promenade.

Day 7 Split

Catch a boat to Split this morning. Situated on a small peninsula on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, Split is the second largest city in Croatia. Join a local guide for a walking tour of this stunning seaside town and get to know its history. See the original and fantastically preserved basements under the city, as well as the Cathedral in Diocletian's Peristyle and Jupiter's Temple. Explore the impressive ruins of Diocletian's Palace – Split's most imposing structure and some of the most interesting ruins on the Adriatic coast. Portions of the Palace are over 1700 years old and there’s ample time to walk around. Split grew out from Diocletian's Palace and you can almost see it evolving in a multitude of different ways right before your eyes. Some cultures might have made the palace a museum, but Split is a dynamic and vibrant place, and now the palace houses many businesses and homes. If your feet get tired, why not grab a drink at a cafe on the Riva Promenade and people watch for a while? Be sure get your group together for a harbourside dinner – it’s time for more of a relax!

Day 8 Split

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time. As there is so much to see in Split and the surrounding area, such as Salona, Trogir or Sibenik, you may want to consider extending your time in Split. Just speak to your booking agent.

Day 1: Split

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana, Hvar

Walking - 3 to 4 hours, easy.

The first day of our tour begins with a walk through the bustling city of Split, one of the Adriatic’s most vibrant ports of call. Through the centuries, it has changed hands between Greeks and Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Austrians (among others), but perhaps the city’s greatest claim to fame is its enormous, 3rd-century Palace of Diocletian. Created as the Roman emperor’s “retirement home”, the structure is an important example of transitional style, comprising an imperial villa, Hellenistic town, and Roman camp.

This afternoon, we enjoy lunch and an olive oil tasting in town, before boarding a ferry to the island of Hvar. Upon arrival, we visit the charming town of Jelsa, located in central Hvar between the island’s two highest mountains, St. Nikola and Hum. Tonight we enjoy a wine tasting at one of Croatia’s most well known vintners, Tomic, where the pillared stone cellar is modeled after a Roman dining room and constructed using materials and methods originally employed by Diocletian.

At day’s end, we retire to our boutique hotel in the town of Hvar, offering panoramic views of the town and the marina.

Day 2: Velo Grablje to Malo Grablje

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana, Hvar

Hiking - 3 to 5 hours, easy to moderate; 600 feet to sea level. Approximately 7 miles.

Today begins with a hike from the hamlet of Velo Grablje to Malo Grablje, an abandoned stone village that preserves important examples of Croatian architecture dating from the 9th through the 12th centuries. Later this morning, the downhill trail takes us from rugged canyons to the coast, and the tranquil bay town of Milna. We continue along emerald coves and white pebble beaches laced with the scent of pine trees, on our return to Hvar.

This evening, we visit the unspoiled villages of Hvar’s northern coast, where we are dinner guests at the historic estate of a local artist. Here we  enjoy a homemade meal made from local organic products, and an artist- led studio tour.

Day 3: Pakleni Islands

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana, Hvar

Sea Kayaking - 2 to 4 hours, easy; walking - 1-2 hours, easy.

This morning we take to the Adriatic for a sea-kayaking excursion to the Pakleni Islands, an emerald archipelago just a short distance from the town of Hvar. Here, white-pebble beaches and secluded coves are dotted with Aleppo pines, once an import source for the resin that was used for centuries as a protective coating for the islands’ sea-faring galleys.

In the afternoon, we return to Hvar for a stroll inside the city’s 13th-century walls to its sprawling central square, Trg Svetog Stjepana. Here we enjoy a talk with the island’s foremost aromatherapist.

As the day wanes, you may choose to make the climb up to Fortress Španjol, a medieval citadel built to defend the city against the Turks. Here the views of Hvar’s Old Town and the setting sun are unparalleled.

Day 4: Neretva Plain (“Croatian California”) and Ston

Accommodation: Hotel Indijan, Orebic

Hiking - 2 hours, easy to moderate. Approximately 2 miles. 

Our fourth day begins with a transfer to Hvar’s eastern-most tip, where we board a ferry for the 20-minute voyage back to the mainland. Our first destination this afternoon is the Neretva Plain, an hour’s drive inland. Rolling fields, clear rivers, and the distant outline of the Dinaric Alps are highlights of this region, known as the “Croatian California” for its ability to produce the best selection of citrus fruit in the country. We stop by a local vendor to sample delicacies such as tangerine honey and walnut shnaptz. As we make our way south, we briefly cross the border into Bosnia before returning to Croatia and our destination, the Peljesac Peninsula and the town of Ston.

Once in Ston, we take a two-hour hike along the village’s famous 14th-century stone wall. At more than three miles long (second only in length to China’s Great Wall), the impressive structure once housed 14 towers, and was used to protect both the Dubrovnik Republic’s western borders and Ston’s valuable salt pans, which are still in use today.

Our tour today ends in Orebic, a charming resort town where we check in at the beach-front, Hotel Indijan, at the foot of St. Ilija mountain. 

Day 5: Korcula

Accommodation: Hotel Indijan, Orebic

Walking - 1 hour, easy; sea kayaking - 2 to 4 hours, easy.

Following breakfast, a short ferry transfer brings us across the channel to the scenic island of Korcula for an educational city tour by a renowned local guide. Korcula town’s grid of marble streets and whitewashed buildings are rich in history and architecture, and the island is known as a cultural epicenter where age-old folk music, dancing, and religious ceremonies can still be observed.

We break for a few hours of sea kayaking on the crystalline waters around Korcula, where small islands offer a plethora of sunny beach hamlets and hidden lagoons to explore. Back on land, we have an afternoon taste test of some of the Peljesac Peninsula’s acclaimed wines, often considered the best in the country.

For dinner this evening, we may want to try one of the local konobas— restaurants that originated as fishermen’s hangouts, where hardworking seafarers could enjoy their catch at a meal cooked by the restaurant owner. Located in the hills above Peljesac, the konobas showcase regional Dalmatian cuisine such as air-dried ham or pršut, and dishes baked “under the bell”—a traditional method of cooking meat and vegetable dishes in a metal dome buried in glowing embers. This evening’s meal is sure to be a savory and sumptuous feast.

Day 6: Mljet

Accommodation: Hotel Indijan, Orebic

Hiking - 3 to 4 hours, easy to moderate; 700 foot elevation gain. Approximately 7 miles.

Today, a private boat brings us to the forested island of Mljet, just east of Korcula. The island’s epic beauty was first chronicled in Homer’s The Odyssey as the place that captivated Odysseus for seven years. Today, Mljet’s northwest half has been preserved as a national park, and we will spend the day hiking along pine-shaded paths to one of the island’s unique saltwater lakes. After our adventure, we return by boat to Orebic for the night.

Day 7: Napolean Trail Hike, Peljesac Peninsula; transfer to Dubrovnik

Accommodation: Grand Villa Argentina or Dubrovinik Palace, Dubrovnik

Hike – easy to moderate, on hiking trails, 2-3 hours; 650 foot elevation gain. Approximately 6 miles.

This morning’s hike takes us to the slopes of nearby Mt. Ilija, the highest mountain on the Peljesac Peninsula. Mt. Ilija offers one of the best vistas in Dalmatia, with views of the surrounding Dinaric Alps; the islands of Korcula, Brac, Hvar, Vis, and Mljet; the Neretva river delta; Dubrovnik; and even the outline of Mount Orijen in Montenegro. We begin in Orebic, slowly ascending through vineyards, past an old Franciscan monastery, and along the coast to the town of Viganj.

Later this afternoon, we make our way to the mainland and Dubrovnik. Known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”, Dubrovnik’s walls have protected this vibrant republic for more than five centuries, and many of its historic treasures—from marble streets to Baroque buildings and even a pharmacy that’s been in business since the middle ages—survive today. Among Dubrovnik’s many highlights are the views from its one- mile walkway around the city walls, the vibrant local scene along its pedestrian-friendly Stradun promenade, and of course, its endless bounty of delicious, fresh-caught seafood. We spend our last celebratory night at a deluxe hotel located near the Old Town.

Day 8: Departure

Today you will be transferred to the Dubrovnik Airport in time for your departing flight, or you may continue to explore the charms of Dubrovnik on your own.

Please note that this is a typical itinerary, and actual activities may vary to take advantage of weather conditions, local events, and to allow serendipity to play a hand in your experience. Accommodations are as outlined in the itinerary, although we reserve the right to change these should the need arise.