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How to cruise the stunning islands of Croatia but keep your finances afloat
Ever sat at a waterside bar, holiday tan slowly turning green with envy as a swish boat glides smoothly up to the dockside and a party of relaxed- looking passengers swanks down the gangway? Ever thought to yourself: “One day, when the Lotto comes up, that’ll be me.”
Well, starting this summer, it can be, for no more than the price of a basic Med package tour. Jet2Holidays are filling the gap between the snotty yachties and the giant liner-lovers with cruises around the stunning islands of Croatia on boats for around 40 people.
Their new seven-night Exploring the Adriatic trips run between the historic ports of Split and Dubrovnik, weaving around Croatia’s 1,244 islands, stopping at a pretty fishing village here or a deserted bay there.
Our voyage on the MS Ocean began in Split, not a bad starting point for any visitor to Croatia. First, we were allocated our cabins. Anyone used to big cruise ships might find them a bit cramped, but they have all you need – en suite shower rooms, storage and comfy beds.
Our days soon settled into a gentle routine: breakfast on board, set sail, a mid- morning stop for swimming or sightseeing followed by lunch on board before docking at the next stop where the boat stayed until the next morning.
So the whole afternoon and evening were ours to explore each destination – and its bars, cafes and restaurants – before heading back to the boat to sleep.
Having experienced that panic as your taxi gets stuck in traffic heading to a cruise ship sailing at 5pm sharp, I can say this a much more relaxing experience. We also got to know our small and friendly crew, from Alen, our jolly waiter, to Drago, the knowledgeable manager, who started every day with a great briefing about the next port. Whether it’s history, nature or the location of the best cake shop in town, he’s your man. Our first day was spent cruising to Brac, largest of Croatia’s islands, where we stopped at Pucisca, an attractive harbour in an area famous for its creamy, white stone. Then it was on to our overnight stop Makarska, a lively resort on the mainland with a long beach tucked under towering Mount Biokovo, said to be the most beautiful in a country full of beautiful mountains. My husband Les and I took Drago’s tip and ignored the harbour- side restaurants, heading deeper in town to the Taverna Kalalarga. There’s no menu. They just cook whatever looked good at market that day. We ordered by pointing at our neighbours’ plates – delicious charcoalgrilled gilt-head bream with garlicky chips and even garlickier spinach and lots of wine for £15 a head. Next stop was Korcula, one of those islands with the rich cultural and architectural legacy that comes from being invaded by almost anyone with a big sword and a bigger boat over the years. The locals like to claim explorer Marco Polo was born here, which annoys the Venetians big time. Either way, it seems likely he made his home here for some years. And who could blame him? With its white stone walls and red roofs, almost surrounded by sea and mountains, the main town, also called
Korcula, is jaw-droppingly pretty. And it’s impossible to get lost. Wherever you go you end up back at St Marco’s bell tower – well worth climbing the scarily narrow winding staircase for the views from the top. Korcula is called mini-Dubrovnik, so it sets you up nicely for the famous city, next stop on the cruise.
Walking through the gate into old Dubrovnik would be like time travel, if it weren’t for the pricey boutiques and the Game of Thrones souvenir shops. With a mixture of wealth
and diplomacy, this remarkable place managed to remain an independent city state for hundreds of years, while its competitors were swallowed whole by the conqueror du jour.
And it looked after its citizens, abolishing slavery centuries before most of the world, providing its own version of the NHS and caring for orphans. One of the oldest pharmacies in Europe was founded in the Franciscan monastery there in 1317 and is still running today.
There are many ways to explore this living museum. History buffs will love the guided walking tour, arranged for us by Drago (£25pp). You can climb the city’s high 10thC walls for about £15. There are a lot of steps but the sea views will take whatever breath you’ve got left.
Or catch the cable car up Mount Srd for the best view of all for about £12pp. The next destination was a total contrast, and my favourite stop – the lovely but unpronounceable island of Mljet where peace and quiet is taken to another level. About a third of it is a National Park. We dropped anchor in Pomena, a sleepy little village with a handful of bars and restaurants.
From here, it’s a 20-minute stroll down wooded paths to a pair of pristine saltwater lakes. You can rent kayaks or bikes, sunbathe and swim – the water’s warmer than the sea – or take a boat to the island of St Mary, home to a 12thC Benedictine monastery.
It’s quite a contrast to Hvar, our last island, a big destination for the yachting set. There’s a huge main square around the corner from a harbour lined with expensive restaurants and cocktail bars.
It’s undoubtedly gorgeous, but we preferred the natural beauty of Mljet. And then it was back to Split. You don’t get to see much of this fantastic city at the beginning of the cruise as there’s a welcome dinner on board on the first night. But at the end you get an afternoon and evening here, and however much of the departure day remains before your flight home.
Split’s crown jewel is the 4thC palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian, forming most of the old city and still buzzing with life. There are shops, restaurants, and even an art market within its walls. And the steps around the Peristyle, the open courtyard at its heart, have become tiered seating for a bar. So you can watch waiters balancing loaded trays dodging tour groups snapping pictures of local lads dressed as centurions.
It was through a hole in the wall here, leading to a tiny alley, that we stumbled across the Temple Food Bar, a family-run konoba (Croatian for trattoria) that specialises in local food like pasticada, a melt-in-themouth beef and prune stew. Like our cruise on the Ocean, it was a perfect taste of Croatia.