Depending on the availability of berths and maritime regulations,
we use one of these three home ports for embarkation on the first day and disembarkation on the last day.
The final details of your port of departure will be provided to you before your trip
The Ports of Call on Our Cruises
An intimate odyssey aboard our fifty-metre yacht. With just thirty-eight select guests, our itinerary reveals the authentic charm of Croatia’s small ports, away from the main tourist routes.
A bit of history: Nestled at the far end of a bay shaped like a crab’s claw, Pučišća owes its worldwide fame to its white limestone quarries, which have been in operation since Roman times. This stone, of exceptional purity, was used to build Diocletian’s Palace, as well as the Parliament Building in Budapest and the White House in Washington.
Not to be missed: The Stonemasons’ School (Klesarska škola), unique in Europe, where craftsmen still carve the raw stone using tools from the Middle Ages. The village itself is a work of art, with its houses featuring white stone roofs and its thirteen defensive fortresses built to ward off the Turks.
Pučišća: The White Stone Fjord
Milna: The Baroque ‘Haven of Peace’
A bit of history: Milna developed in the 17th century at the head of a bay so well sheltered that Roman emperors were already mooring their ships there for safety. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Russian tsar’s fleet even established its base there. In the 19th century, Milna was famous for its shipyards, where the ‘bracera’ – a typical Dalmatian cargo sailing vessel – was invented.
Not to be missed: The Baroque Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, with its opulent interior and Venetian paintings. The bay is surrounded by magnificent late Baroque stone houses built by wealthy sea captains.
Bol: Between Tradition and the Famous Golden Horn
A bit of history: Bol is the oldest coastal settlement on Brač. Once home exclusively to winegrowers, fishermen and shipbuilders, the village has become a tourist gem thanks to the extraordinary beauty of its fine pebble beaches.
Not to be missed: Zlatni Rat beach (the Golden Horn), a 500-metre-long spit of sand and fine pebbles jutting out into the channel, the tip of which curves to the left or right depending on the strength of the winds and currents. To the east of the village, visit the Dominican monastery dating from 1475, which houses Renaissance paintings (including a work by Tintoretto) and magnificent shaded gardens.
Postira: The Joy of Life and Poetry
A bit of history: First mentioned in the 14th century under the Latin name Pastura (pasture), Postira developed around a fishing port and wealthy agricultural estates (olive oil, mandarins, vines). It is the birthplace of Vladimir Nazor, one of the greatest Croatian poets and writers of the 20th century.
Must-sees: The fortified Church of St John the Baptist and the magnificent cut-stone houses of the old noble families (such as Lazanić Castle). Just 4 km away lies Lovrečina Bay, home to a superb sandy beach and the imposing ruins of an early Christian basilica dating from the 5th century.
The Kornati Archipelago
A bit of history: This unique archipelago comprises 150 islands, islets and reefs that appear completely barren. Once forested, the islands were cleared over the centuries to provide grazing land for the sheep of the inhabitants of Murter. Due to a lack of fresh water sources, the archipelago has never had any permanent settlements, only dry-stone shepherds’ huts.
Must-see: The ‘crowns’ (krune), gigantic vertical cliffs formed by tectonic plates, which plunge up to 100 metres below the water’s surface and rise 80 metres above it. The kilometres of dry-stone walls, built by hand by the shepherds, which criss-cross the islands in a spectacular fashion.
Telašćica Nature Park: Cliffs and the ‘Healing’ Lake
A bit of history: Situated at the southern tip of the large island of Dugi Otok, Telašćica is one of the largest and best-protected natural harbours in the Adriatic (it is home to 25 small bays). A strategic location since ancient times, the park is home to the remains of Roman villas and the oldest documented evidence of commercial fishing in Croatia (10th century).
Must-see: The Stene cliffs, which rise 161 metres above the sea and are home to pairs of peregrine falcons. Lake Mir, an inland salt lake situated in a rocky depression. Its waters evaporate rapidly, making it much saltier and warmer than the sea (up to 33°C in summer). The grey mud at the bottom is reputed to relieve joint pain and skin problems.
Zlarin: The Pedestrian Island with Red Corals
A bit of history: Zlarin was first mentioned in 1386. Its worldwide fame stems from its divers who, as early as the 15th century, would set out to sea in wooden boats to harvest red coral (Corallium rubrum) at great depths. The island has been designated a ‘car-free’ island, ensuring absolute tranquillity.
Must-sees: The coral-cutting centre and the local museum, where artisans transform raw coral branches into fine jewellery using traditional techniques. The island is covered in Aleppo pine forests and offers footpaths leading to superb viewpoints such as Klepac Hill..
Pomena (Island of Mljet)
A bit of history: Mljet is considered the most beautiful and forested of the Croatian islands (72 per cent of its surface area is covered by forest). According to Greek mythology, it was here, on the ancient island of Ogygia, that the nymph Calypso held the hero Odysseus captive out of love for seven years. Pomena was originally a simple fishing harbour for the neighbouring village of Goveđari.
Not to be missed: The National Park with its two saltwater lakes connected to the sea (the Great Lake and the Little Lake). In the middle of the Great Lake lies the islet of Sainte-Marie, home to a magnificent 12th-century Benedictine monastery, now converted into an exceptional restaurant set amidst the water.
Krka River National Park: A Waterfall Paradise
A bit of history: Established in 1985 to protect an exceptionally rich ecosystem, this 109 km² national park stretches along the magnificent River Krka. Over the millennia, the water has carved its way through the limestone, creating a fascinating geological phenomenon of tufa barriers that have given rise to a succession of magnificent lakes and waterfalls.
A must-see: the famous Skradinski Buk waterfalls, a series of 17 cascades that cascade into a natural amphitheatre of breathtaking beauty. The park is also home to a charming little ethnographic museum housed in restored old watermills. Here you can see traditional looms and learn how the locals used to harness the river’s power
Dubrovnik: The Pearl of the Adriatic (UNESCO)
A bit of history: Founded in the 7th century, the former Republic of Ragusa was a maritime power rivalling Venice. Thanks to brilliant diplomacy and a vast merchant fleet, it became immensely wealthy, abolishing slavery as early as 1416. The city was completely restored following the earthquake of 1667 and the bombings of 1991.
Must-sees: A stroll along the medieval ramparts (2 km long, up to 25 m high), the Stradun (the main thoroughfare paved with white marble), the Rector’s Palace, the Dominican Cloister and Onofrio’s Fountain. The cable car takes you to the summit of Mount Srđ in 3 minutes for a legendary panoramic view of the old town.
Korčula: Marco Polo’s Medieval Town
A bit of history: Korčula was colonised by the Greeks, who named it Korkyra Melaina (Black Korčula) because of its dense pine forests.
The fortified old town was built by the Venetians in the shape of a fishbone: the western streets are straight to let in the refreshing summer breeze (the Maestral), whilst the eastern streets are curved to block the cold winter wind (the Bura). It is claimed to be the birthplace of the famous traveller Marco Polo (1254–1324).
Must-sees: St Mark’s Cathedral and its splendid portal carved with lions, the Revelin Tower at the entrance to the town, and Marco Polo’s birthplace with its watchtower. Nearby, the vineyards of the village of Lumbarda produce Grk, a unique dry white wine that grows only in the local sandy soil.
Hvar: The Venetian Jewel
A bit of history: Hvar boasts a rich cultural history. Under Venetian rule (14th–18th centuries), it was a major strategic port for the winter fleet. In 1612, the town built its Municipal Theatre, which, in a revolutionary move, opened its doors to all social classes, making it one of the first of its kind in Europe.
Must-sees: The vast St Stephen’s Square (Pjaca), the former medieval Arsenal, and Fortica Fortress (Spanjola), which overlooks the town and offers a legendary view of the Pakleni Islands at sunset.
Jelsa: An Intimate Getaway in the Heart of the Vineyards
A bit of history: Founded in the 14th century as a port for the fortified village of Pitve, Jelsa flourished thanks to the trade in wine and olive oil. Unlike its neighbour Hvar, Jelsa has retained a typically Dalmatian way of life, strongly centred on agriculture and religious traditions, such as the Good Friday procession Za Križen (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Must-sees: The fortified central square of St John, the 19th-century public park (one of the largest in Dalmatia) and the maze of cobbled streets in the upper old town. A few kilometres away lie the Stari Grad terraces, a system of agricultural land division that has remained unchanged since the time of the ancient Greeks (UNESCO).
Šibenik: The Royal City of Stone (UNESCO)
A bit of history: Unlike most coastal towns founded by the Greeks or Romans, Šibenik was established by the Croats themselves in the 10th century. It was fortified to withstand Ottoman and Venetian invasions, which explains the presence of four massive fortresses protecting the town.
Must-see: St James’s Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), built entirely of stone without any mortar or bricks between 1431 and 1535, famous for its frieze of 71 carved heads depicting the town’s inhabitants of the time. The Saint-Michel Fortress offers an exceptional open-air theatre, and the entrance to the harbour via the Saint-Antoine Canal, in front of the Saint-Nicolas sea fortress, is one of the most beautiful sailing routes in Europe.
Makarska: The Riviera at the Foot of the Stone Giant
A bit of history: Situated in a natural harbour sheltered by the Saint-Pierre peninsula and Cape Osejava, Makarska was occupied by the Romans, the Venetians and the Ottomans. It became the economic centre of its Riviera thanks to its unique location at the crossroads between the sea and the mountainous hinterland of Bosnia.
Must-sees: The main square, Andrija Kačić Miošić, with its St Mark’s Church, and the Franciscan monastery, which houses a shell museum that is unique in the world (containing over 3,000 specimens). The spectacular view is right above you: the Biokovo massif (1,762 m), the highest coastal peak in the Mediterranean, which plunges sheer into the sea. A hiking trail or a road takes you to the famous Skywalk, a glass platform suspended over the Adriatic.
Trogir: The Medieval Museum Island (UNESCO)
A bit of history: Founded in the 3rd century BC by Greek settlers under the name Tragurion (the ‘island of goats’), Trogir developed on a small, strategically located islet between the mainland and the island of Čiovo. It boasts the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only on the Adriatic but in the whole of Central Europe, which has remained intact since the 13th century.
Must-sees: St Lawrence’s Cathedral (12th–17th centuries) and its famous Master Radovan Portal, the greatest masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture in Croatia. Kamerlengo Castle (a 15th-century Venetian fortress on the waterfront), the Dukes’ Palace and the Clock Tower.
Zadar: The Historical and Maritime Symphony
A bit of history: Over 3,000 years old, Zadar is one of Croatia’s oldest cities. Ideally situated on a fortified peninsula, it was the historic capital of Dalmatia for centuries. Successively Roman, Venetian and then Austrian, the city has survived numerous sieges. It is from this rich past that it derives its nickname, the ‘Gateway to the Mainland’, protected by its mighty walls, which are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A must-see: the incredible 9th-century pre-Romanesque Church of St Donatus, unique in Europe for its circular shape, built on the ruins of the Roman Forum. You’ll also discover St Anastasia’s Cathedral and the majestic Land Gate. For culture lovers, the Museum of Ancient Glass (admission not included) is a true global rarity, housing 2,000 Roman blown-glass art objects of incredible finesse.
Modern masterpieces: At the tip of the peninsula, two brilliant contemporary works by architect Nikola Bašić blend seamlessly with nature. The Sea Organ composes a spellbinding, ever-changing melody thanks to the movement of the sea’s surf through its submerged pipes. Right next to it, the Sun Salutation – a huge glass disc 22 metres in diameter – captures solar energy during the day to offer an interactive, magical light show once night falls, pulsating to the rhythm of the organ’s music.
