Itinerary

Day 1- Arrive in Split and check into your hotel.

Day 2 - In the morning you are met by our guide for a brief orientation meeting, followed by a guided walking tour of Split. Split is an active town with a colorful street market, friendly cafes and a traditional bayside promenade. About 1:30 PM we transfer to the yacht in the harbor for our first lunch and to get settled into our cabins. We may begin our journey to the Island of Brac or stay in Split harbor.

Tonight’s dinner focuses on food from the mainland B,L,D.

Itinerary Note: The exact itinerary is subject to weather conditions and may vary. Wind conditions are quite variable, but the seas are usually calm. In order to maximize the time available for explorations we normally travel under motor power. While the sails may go up once or twice, this should not be considered a sailing trip but rather a cruise on a motor-sail yacht.

Day 3 - Split to Starigrad. As we cruise to the southwest, we stop on the island of Brac, famous for its white limestone which has been quarried for centuries. While here we meet Zoran Zvecanj, he and his brother give us a personal tour. At the end we can support their endeavors further through the purchase of their own olive oil and wine that springs from the soil of the village some two miles away.

We hike back to the sea for lunch and a swim in a beautiful bay. Then in the latter afternoon we continue to Starigrad on the island of Hvar.
After dinner on the boat, we walk to the private home of Davor Osjak for a private wine tasting. B,L,D.

Day 4 - Starigrad to Vrboska and on to Town of Hvar. We start the day with a visit to Vroboska, a charming town with narrow streets, ancient churches and houses, situated at the head of narrow bays surrounded by lovely pine forests and vineyards.

After this visit you may choose to return to the yacht for a leisurely two hour cruise to the town of Hvar, or go on a five hour hike over the mountains from one side of the island to the other. . After the hike we reunite with the yacht and anchor in a quiet bay for the night and another Epicurean feast. B,L,D.

Day 5 – This morning we visit the medieval port town of Hvar. The ancients considered Hvar one of the “Isles of the Blessed”. Flower-filled gardens, palms, lemon and orange groves add a fragrance lovely enough to match the visual appeal of this sun-drenched island beauty. Depending on the weather, we may sail to Vis in the afternoon – or enjoy a trip to a lavender field. B,L,D.

Day 6 - If we didn’t make it to Vis yesterday, we’ll try today. It is about a two-hour sail and our cruise may take us to the town of Vis, or direct to the beautiful blue grotto on the island Bisevo, just a few miles off away. It was only opened to tourism in 1989 and is still well off the beaten track.

One of our finest hikes takes place on Vis, traveling from the center of the island through the remote and abandoned village of Dragovid and ending at the coast. As well, before we leave this Adriatic paradise, we visit one or two of the best wineries on the island. B,L,D.

Day 7 - Vis to Korcula. More exploration of Vis and with cooperating weather, we begin the journey south to the island of Korcula. We may stop on the northern end and visit Vela Luka and the interior town of Blato.

The town of Korcula is one of the most dramatic medieval walled towns of Europe. We are joined here by our Korculan friend and guide Zivan Filippi, a professional translator by trade, who shares his unique knowledge of the town’s rich legacy.

After dinner, here or on Hvar, we will invite some of our friends who sing “klapa” which is a form of a cappella singing usually done by a group of four to six men. It is most lovely and a very special treat during this trip. B,L,D.

Day 8 - Korcula –Orebic. In the morning we have a short cruise to the mainland where we take a three-hour hike on a trail that provides dramatic views back over the island of Korcula. We then head to a small winery on the Peljesac Peninsula. This is a bountiful wine-growing region and the well-known California-Croatian vintner Mike Grgich has many acres planted here. We will visit winemaker Branko Dajic from the village of Trstenik to enjoy his award-winning wines.

Tonight we enjoy our last meal on the yacht, with wines from the region and yet more surprises. B,L,D.

Day 9 – We depart the yacht early morning and travel south, stopping first at Mali Ston where oysters and mussels are raised in profusion.  We stop for a tour of the oyster beds and a chance to visit with some of these sea farmers.  Then we have a late morning oyster tasting and early lunch, accompanied by some fine Croatian wine.  A couple more hours of driving gets us to Dubrovnik where we will drop you at your chosen hotel and you say farewell to your guide. George Bernard Shaw called Dubrovnik “Paradise on Earth” and the British poet Lord Byron named it the "Pearl of the Adriatic." Also known as the "Empress of Dalmatia," Dubrovnik has long earned the admiration of nearly all that behold it. Over one mile of monumental wall surrounds the city. No autos are allowed inside the walls where polished stone streets, marble fountains, art galleries, museums and churches abound. With a friendly and animated population, this vivacious town will soon cast you under its spell! B

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