Tag: croatia

A wonderful way to see Croatia’s islands

23/09/2026 / Smita / 0 Comments

On our last Croatian road trip, we drove the scenic coastal road between our stays in various towns and cities. The views over the Adriatic enchanted us so much that we vowed to return to see the islands. So, after extensive research, we found that a wonderful way to see Croatia’s islands was by cruise.

Choosing the cruise

Of course, when it comes to cruising the Croatian coastline and islands, there are lots of options.

Through further research, we learned Sail Croatia offered the best option for a relaxed, crowds-free cruise from Split to Dubrovnik and return.

The best way to see the idyllic islands of Croatia — Sailing Croatia’s coastline and islands on the MS Olimp,

The cruise takes in the popular southern islands with plenty of time in Split and Dubrovnik, with guided tours of both.

Sail Croatia has a fleet of vessels to suit every budget and comfort level. Yachts, sailing boats, catamarans – you take your pick.

The route

Stari Grad, Hvar Island

Hvar, Hvar Island

Mljet

Dubrovnik

Korcula

Makarska
Split

The Yacht

Our yacht, the recently refurbished MS Olimp, has 18 cabins (10 above deck and 8 below deck) and caters for 36 guests in twin or double cabins.

Your private cabin

Our cabin on Sail Croatia's yacht, MS Olimp

Each cabin is modern, available with twin or double beds, has a private ensuite and a television, with plenty of room to relax away from other guests if you choose.

Cabins are serviced daily.

Social areas

Indoor lounge onboard Sail Croatia's yacht, MS Olimp

The yacht has a spacious indoor lounge area with comfortable seating for relaxing, reading and socialising while at sea.

A well-appointed covered outdoor deck at the back of the yacht, with more seating, provides another space to enjoy the changing scenery.

Outdoor deck onboard Sail Croatia's yacht, MS Olimp

The top deck has sun loungers and a covered area to enjoy the sunshine and wider views, or have a dip in the jacuzzi. For convenience, there’s also an outdoor bar on the deck.

Jacuzzi and outdoor lounge on top deck onboard Sail Croatia's yacht, MS Olimp

We are early risers; we used the indoor lounge and the outdoor deck to roll out our yoga mats before other guests woke.

Swimming Deck

For convenience, a retractable swimming deck allows guests to step or dive into the clear blue waters for a swim.

Dining area

Between the indoor lounge and the outdoor area at the back of the yacht is an elegant dining room complete with a bar. Guests are served breakfast and lunch here daily.

Dining area onboard Sail Croatia's yacht, MS Olimp

Onboard meals

Some of the large array of breakfast items on Sail Croatia's MS Olimp

The extensive daily buffet breakfasts, morning and afternoon tea, and delicious three-course gourmet lunches are included. And a Captain’s Dinner Evening with entertainment at the end of the cruise

The Cruise Director

Iona, our Tour Manager, was from Romania. Efficient and friendly, Iona answered questions and corralled guests for activities. She also arranged additional tours for guests that were not included in the cruise price.

The Crew

Our Skipper was the ship owner’s son, Jure, who did an excellent job manoeuvring our vessel through the channels, ensuring a comfortable week of sailing.

Jure, the Skipper on our sailing of Sail Croatia's MS Olimp cruise of the Croatian Islands

Our small but versatile crew consisted of a chef and his assistant, two guest staff members who assisted in the bar and dining area, a maid, and two sailors. All were hospitable and went above and beyond to ensure all guests enjoyed their onboard experience.

The Guests

A welcome reception, complete with canapés and champagne upon boarding the Olimp, allowed guests to get to know each other before the captain set sail. Our fellow guests hailed from Australia, the United States and England.

Pre-Cruise

We flew into Split from Rome after more than two and a half months visiting France, Switzerland, the Italian mainland, Sicily and Malta on a driving holiday.

It was early October, and unlike our last visit to Split at the height of summer, when the Old Town teemed with tourists, musicians played on stages set up for summer concerts, and buskers performed on the pavements. The sun was shining, but the summer crowds had disappeared, leaving the town very pleasant to stroll around.

With an evening and morning free before we boarded our yacht, we had a lovely time reacquainting ourselves with Split’s Old Town and harbour-side.

Post-Cruise

We decided to stay a couple of extra nights, enjoying Split and its surrounds after the cruise. We hired a car to visit Klis Fortress, the Roman Ruins in the town of Solin and meandered the coastal road to Omis (the hometown of Damir, one of our sailors on the Olimp).

Our Sail Croatia experience

The Sail Croatia staff were helpful, accommodating, welcoming and hospitable from our very first enquiry until we disembarked the yacht.

Boarding was fast and efficient, and the yacht was conveniently moored very near to Diocletian’s Palace and our overnight accommodation.

Our cabin

On the upper deck, our cabin was comfortable and functional. When we originally booked, six months before the sailing, all the upper cabins had already been taken. We requested an upgrade if a cabin became available due to cancellation. Three months before joining the cruise, we were lucky to secure one at a small additional cost.

The meals

One of the entrees we were served for lunch on Sail Croatia's MS Olimp

The gourmet meals, freshly prepared onboard, were delicious, with all dietary requirements catered for. Passengers could purchase beverages from the bar.

A gourmet main course served for lunch on Sail Croatia's MS Olimp

One of the decadent desserts served on Sail Croatia's MS Olimp

Extra-curricular inclusions and excursions

Guided tours of Split and Dubrovnik as well as a Captain’s Dinner were included. Extra special was the dinner at a local village winery in Stari Grad. The vineyard’s wines accompanied the delicious meal. Other excursions and experiences were offered at reasonable prices at each port.

Morning sailings and swim stops in beautiful secluded bays were included, providing ample time to relax. Or, we could sit back, enjoy the passing scenery and socialise. Afternoons and evenings were spent on excursions, exploring the islands at leisure and dining at local restaurants.

Where we stayed pre- and post-cruise

Pre-Cruise

We arrived in Split one day before embarkation and booked accommodation in the heart of Split’s Old Town. Accessed from a private courtyard in a pretty little square, Apartment Ivan was comfortable and provided all we needed for our stay.

Convenience was the key. We could step straight out to explore the streets and alleyways of the old town, the main sights around Diocletian’s Palace or stroll to the waterfront.

Post-cruise

To allow us more time to enjoy Split after the cruise and the final days of our three-month-long vacation, we re-booked Apartment Ivan for a couple of more nights.

For our final night, we booked an apartment near Trogir to spend an afternoon and evening seeing more of Trogir’s beautiful historic town and Ciovo Island. The airport was within walking distance from the apartment; we could easily arrive in time for our early morning flight.

Amazing sea view apartment – Romantica is owned by a lovely Croatian couple who live below the spacious two-bedroom apartment. It has a balcony overlooking the sea.

Our conclusion

Our Sail Croatia cruise was the perfect way to experience the Croatian coastline and its sun-drenched islands. The cruise allowed us to visit the more popular islands while also revisiting Split and Dubrovnik in a relaxed atmosphere.

If you’re looking for an alternative to conventional cruising, we highly recommend a Sail Croatia experience. It was a luxury small-ship cruise at its best.

Trogir. Croatia — The historic little town of Trogir

The easiest way to visit a Croatian island

10/05/2020 / Smita / 1 Comment

“Let’s spend a day on one of the islands”, we agree. We’re in Split, Croatia. Having spent a couple of days exploring the city we think it might be nice to visit one of the islands off the coast. We’ve read much about the natural beauty of the islands; the whitewashed towns and rolling hills covered in lavender and vineyards, the clear blue waters of the Adriatic Sea which lap at the edges of golden sand beaches, and the hidden coves.

It is the height of summer so the queue at the ferry ticket booth helps us change our minds and look at an alternative option. Trogir and Ciovo are small islands connected to the mainland by bridges and we can drive there.

Rain is falling when we wake the next day, lucky we didn’t buy tickets for the islands! We set off hoping it will stop by the time we arrive in Trogir. The road is busy and the 30-minute drive takes almost an hour but the rain has stopped and the sun is peeping from behind the clouds by the time we have parked.

It’s early and few people are about. Much of the historic town is still closed so we look about without distraction. The town itself is very small and can be walked around in a matter of minutes. However, we take our time walking around the harbour and along the charming waterfront to the fortress before exploring the tight streets of the UNESCO listed historic centre.

Trogir promenade — The palm-lined promenade in Trogir

Back in the car, we drive over the new bridge to Ciovo with the aim of driving as much as we can around the island’s perimeter taking in the scenery and stopping in the main resort areas of Okrug Gornji, Okrug Dornji and Slatine. Maybe we’ll go for a swim.

Once on the island, the coastal road takes us past sheltered coves with small jetties and pebbled beaches. Our leisurely drive comes to an abrupt stop when we reach Okrug Gornji, the island’s main town. There’s a traffic jam of holidaymakers trying to find a car park to buy supplies, settle by the beach or like us, passing on the way through.

Once past the traffic, we find Okrug Dornji, only several kilometres away. It’s a small beach settlement surrounded by pine trees. The road narrows and our GPS tells us that there is no option to circumnavigate the island. Lunchtime is nearing and with limited options, we turn back to Okrug Gornji.

The traffic is still there and we are ravenous by the time we are beachside. There are plenty of eateries along the waterfront to sit, enjoy a bite to eat and people watch. Children frolic in the shallow waters while parents keep an eye on them from behind sunglasses lazing on their sun loungers. There is an air of relaxed informality. Unlike most beaches in Europe which are segregated and cordoned for paying guests, the beaches on Ciovo are mostly public. There were options to hire sun loungers etc. although we did not see them being extensively used.

Okrug Gornji beach, Ciovo, Croatia — The relaxed atmosphere beachside at Okrug Gornji

Well-fed and rehydrated we make the return journey bypassing the bridge back to Trogir to continue towards the other end of the island. The scenery is beautiful, small groups of holidaymakers are enjoying an afternoon dip or jumping off little jetties into the crystal clear waters. We reach Slatine, another small beachside area. Not too much else here either. But we can see Split across the ocean. We realise that our previous day’s circuit of Park Suma Marjan was ambitious.

Ciovo is a family-friendly island and vacationers seem to be mostly Croatian. The southern side is steep and barren making the northern coast more popular because of its varied landscape. Pine and cypress forests intermingle with vineyards, olive and almond plantations and the beautiful coastline, without having to take a boat ride to reach it makes it a popular destination. In keeping with the relaxed atmosphere, accommodation is mostly made up of small B&B’s and guesthouses. There is no sign at all of any large hotels.

Our conclusion about Croatian islands

You would ask if it is worth the visit? Would it have been a better use of our time to go to Brac or Hvar? The ease of access in the comfort of our own car (even with the slow traffic conditions) was definitely a bonus.

Trogir was quaint and charming. After the busyness of Split, it was nice to be able to walk about without being one of a crowd.

Ciovo provided a chance to observe how the Croatians like to holiday with their families (like us, simply). The coast road was beautiful and provided another perspective of the mainland.

We were glad we provided ourselves with this unplanned opportunity to do what we love to do; follow the backroads and see what other tourists don’t.

Our plan is to visit some of Croatia’s well-known islands on a future visit; hopefully, while small boat sailing along the captivating coastline of this country.

If you liked this post and are looking for ideas for a day trip from Dubrovnik, then you’ll like this post.

Visiting Croatia? Be sure to include Zagreb in your itinerary

14/07/2019 / Smita / 0 Comments

We clear Croatian border control and follow our trusty GPS, acres of fields and pastures flanking us on both sides of the road. The signage is clear and we continue our leisurely pace enjoying the scenery.

We know we are close to the city as the traffic becomes heavier but are surprised when the GPS suddenly comes to life, reminding us that our turn is up ahead. Why are we surprised? We have booked to stay in the centre of the city and there is no sign of city life even though the GPS tells us we are only a couple of kilometres from our destination!

“You have arrived at your destination on your right”, says the confident voice of the GPS as we pull up in front of a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. The address list is retrieved from the bag. Yes, we have plugged in the right address! If all else fails, enter the GPS coordinates and this confirms our suspicions; we are still another 30 minutes from our destination!

The Croatian capital city, Zagreb, is often bypassed by travellers who are lured to the popular cities of Split and Dubrovnik and an island or two off the coast for the ultimate Croatian experience.

We second guess ourselves as we drive into the city passing row upon row of utilitarian apartment buildings from the communist era. The roads are wide and easy to navigate but there doesn’t seem to be any old-world charm in sight.

Early impressions are quickly dispelled when a turn or two later, we are in the heart of Donji Grad, Zagreb’s historic Lower Town. Our host, “call me Porchca” is waiting to guide us into the no access area and into the apartment’s private parking area. We are not disappointed by our choice of accommodation, it is a spacious and cosy apartment just metres away from cafes and restaurants and beautiful green spaces. Bustling Jelacic Square is only a few hundred metres further.

Our highlights (in no particular order):

Enjoying outdoor music and activity in Park Zrinjevac, a beautiful green space in the Lower Town and just metres from our apartment which has been transformed into a night festival with food stalls and live music. No crowds and very family-friendly.

Summer festival in Park Zrinjevac

Watching international performers entertain larger audiences with classical concerts and dancing on the main stage in Jelacic Square.

Evening entertainment in Jelacic Square

A morning walk to the expansive Maksimir Park in the middle of Zagreb through the streets and local markets peeking into doorways and shops along the way. An opportunity to observe the people of Zagreb go about their daily business. We remember a lovely older woman stopping to make sure we were okay as we tried to reorientate ourselves in a marketplace. She spoke no English and us, no Croatian.

An afternoon exploring Gornji Grad (Upper Town), strolling along the almost empty cobblestone streets and similarly empty St Mark’s Square allowing us to appreciate the beautiful St Mark’s Church and its multi-coloured tiled roof.

St Mark's Church, St Mark's Square, Gornji Grad, Zagreb,Croatia

St Mark’s Church with its distinctive tiled roof

People watching around the vibrant Dolac fruit and vegetable market.

The wonderful array of fresh produce at the markets

20180719_104440

A visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships. Set in a baroque palace in the Upper Town. The brainchild of a couple who remained friends after their own relationship had broken down, the couple started collecting anonymous donations of relics from Zagreb residents whose relationships had suffered a similar fate and created this interesting concept. Sounds a little quirky but well worth a visit.

Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb, Croatia

For a capital city, Zagreb still maintains a small-town feel and without the usual summer crush of tourists, we were able to wander about the Lower and Upper Towns freely.

All in all our time in Zagreb was a greater pleasure than Split or Dubrovnik.

P.S. – Our recommendations:

Located in the heart of the Lower Town, Apartment Atrium Plaza was the perfect place to stay. Newly renovated, clean and spacious, within walking distance of all attractions, numerous dining options outside the secure compound and superb hosts.

Exploring the streets a short distance from Park Zrinjevac, we found a wonderful place to have dinner. Heritage serves traditional Croatian food in the form of street food. Their menu offers the opportunity to try dishes from all the regions in Croatians accompanied by local wines and craft beers.

Have a spare day to kill? Take a day trip to the charming city of Ljubljana in Slovenia only two hours away by car and about the same by train. Explore the old city known for its beautiful bridges, green spaces, lively marketplace and Romanesque architecture. Then, take a leisurely drive back to Zagreb on the back roads which wind through some of the most picturesque scenery we have seen in Europe.

20180719_103959

Our exhilarating day trip to Kotor in Montenegro!

31/01/2019 / Smita / 0 Comments

We have a spare day in Dubrovnik. Do we take a ferry ride to visit some of the charming islands off the coast or spend the day exploring the natural beauty of Montenegro away from the summer crowd? Kotor is less than 100 km away! We decided to take the quieter option.

Still relatively untouched by mass tourism, this little country has much to offer. It is the ideal place to experience a mix of history and natural beauty.

Kotor port and marina

Rather than rushing from one town to another, we idle away a few hours in the medieval town of Kotor walking along the city walls and then through the labyrinth of streets and alleyways wandering in and out of squares admiring the baroque churches and locals going about their daily life.

We spent the day wandering the narrow streets and alleyways, and in and out of the little squares of the Kotor’s Old City

We are concerned about our return journey to Dubrovnik. Our Dubrovnik apartment host advised us to leave early in the morning to avoid the long queues that build up at the Croatian border as Montenegrins and Croatians move between the two countries. At times the wait can be two hours or more. The evening wait time can sometimes be longer!

We stop for lunch at a small café in a quiet square in the Kotor’s Old City and were lucky to chance upon an informative café owner. While discussing our apprehension, he suggests we make our return trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina. He often takes this route. He reassures us the journey is scenic. The travel time will be the same so we jump at the opportunity to have a taste of driving through the countryside. Of course, the idea of avoiding languishing in a long queue also helps us make the decision.

With instructions on where to turn off the main road, we set both GPS devices with the details (our lease car’s GPS is more than adequate, however, we also take our trusty TomTom GPS unit with us too when we travel – just in case!).

Both GPS devices instruct us to turn off the road just out of Kotor onto a quiet little backroad which soon turns into a country lane and then into a goat track. We wave down a decrepit ute driving past us in the opposite direction to make sure we were on the right path. He can’t speak English but he waves us on indicating we are going the right way.

We drive on expecting the road to improve and join a major arterial road. To our horror, the road narrows further as climb uphill on this vertiginous track with nowhere to safely turn back. There is no option but to crawl forward at times reaching 20km/hour. Not to mention the 30 or so hairpin bends we encounter over this hair-raising drive with sheer mountain drops (and stunning views). However, we are intent on staying on the track and don’t dare take our eyes off the road until we reach the top where we came across two hikers taking a relaxed hike along the road. These are the only humans we have seen since the man in the ute. A little further on, join the road we are actually supposed to have been travelling on.

The bypass is so new that it didn’t feature on either GPS units.

We are fortunate. He is an accomplished driver and contains his racing driver spirit until we arrive on the highway to continue a most enjoyable time through the Bosnia and Herzegovinian countryside surrounded by rolling hills, through green valleys alongside gently flowing streams and creeks and quaint towns arriving back in Dubrovnik without incident.

Fantastic views of the bay and Adriatic Coast at the Bosnia and Herzegovina border

We are, however, curious. A Google search when we arrive back in Dubrovnik reveals that we have just traversed one of the most dangerous roads in Europe!

Tag: croatia

A wonderful way to see Croatia’s islands

Choosing the cruise

The route