On island time
WAKING TO THE SOFT SOUND OF LAPPING waves, I ready myself for a jam-packed morning. What’s on the agenda? A swim, a little lolling about and an Aperol spritz. So by jam-packed I mean… nothing at all. With the sun beaming down on the luminous Adriatic Sea, Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast is impossible to resist. The water here is Tiffany blue, and I keep my eyes peeled for passing seahorses, having been told they favour the shallows on a clear day. Floating along, I drink in my surroundings: a craggy coastline of limestone karsts stretches as far as the eye can see, speckled with olive trees, grapevines, fields of lavender, terracotta-roofed villages and the occasional donkey, all punctuated here and there by hidden beaches and tucked-away coves, like the one I am luxuriating in now.
The smell of freshly baked bread signals breakfast is waiting. Reluctantly easing myself out of the water, I dry off in the breeze and make my way to my floating home’s rooftop deck. Fellow passengers are already spread out on lounges, books and mimosas in hand, or enjoying the warmth of the jacuzzi. I find a shady perch right as my anchovies on toast and freshly squeezed orange juice arrive.
Such is life aboard Futura – where time moves a little slower, following a pomalo Dalmatian philosophy. Or, in other words, ‘slowly’, ‘take it easy’, ‘maybe tomorrow’, ‘relax,’ and ‘have another coffee’.
While there is no direct translation, I quickly understand it is more than mere vocabulary – it is a state of mind.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
I am island-hopping through Croatia over a glorious five days on the 47-metre-long Futura sailing yacht, one of Katarina Line’s 60-plus fleet of premium and deluxe small ships. With a blissfully idle cruising speed of nine nautical miles, just 19 cosy cabins, and friendly and informal service, she is an intimate and elegant affair. And that is the beauty of it – one could be holidaying on a wealthy friend’s private boat, if you moved in those kinds of circles. Besides, in the Mediterranean, bigger is not necessarily better: our agile vessel can sneak into harbours inaccessible to much larger liners.
Our first port of call is perhaps the most magical. Jutting out of the sea like a fantastical medieval mirage, Korcula’s 14th-century town walls cocoon a labyrinth of Gothic-Renaissance buildings, a cathedral adorned with frescoes by Tintoretto, and marble-paved alleyways overflowing with purple hibiscus. It’s little surprise pirates were once a commonplace concern – the postcard-perfect peninsula simply whispers mystery and intrigue.
The islands of Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast embrace a pomalo philosophy, and so should you.
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Exploring Hvar © Lucinda Hayden; Hvar’s dreamy streets © Katarina Line; Futura takes you to Croatia’s prettiest pockets © Lucinda Hayden; dive in © Natarsha Brown
We wander its narrow streets with our guide, Andrea, who points out the alleged birthplace of Marco Polo. Afterwards, we dine on mussels alla buzara and black risotto at one of the open-air waterfront cafes, in the company of leather-skinned fishermen and long-lunching families.
Wine carafes are filled to the brim with pošip – the local white – and passed around generously amid boisterous chatter.
IDYLLIC ISOLATION
Croatia’s answer to Saint-Tropez, Hvar is home to the country’s chicest hotels, most innovative restaurants, and the general sense this is the place to see and be seen. The superyacht-lined marina is synonymous with summer hedonism; a jet-set favourite among the likes of Roman Abramovich, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Bill Gates and the Hollywood who’s who. Come shoulder season, the island reverts to its mysterious, medieval self – locals simply savouring day-to-day life. With barely a tourist in sight, I stroll along the palm-lined promenade and up to the grandiose Fortress Fortica Španjola for a jaw-dropping panorama reaching all the way to the Pakleni Islands, before exploring the car-free boulevards.
Stumbling from one exquisitely ornamented courtyard to another, a lavender gelato my only company, I linger over the mesmerising Last Supper at the Franciscan Monastery, painted by Venetian artist Matteo Ingoli around the end of the 16th century. Of course, sundowner cocktails in the pretty St Stephen’s Square are de rigueur, and I happily while away the afternoon doing as the locals do.
I look up to see the epitome of a castaway island: a spit of white pebbles that tapers into the azure ocean.
A GENTLE PACE
The biggest of the Adriatic islands, Brač is home to Croatia’s most famous stretch of sand, the beguiling Zlatni Rat beach. We drop anchor, and I look up to see the epitome of a castaway island: a spit of white pebbles that tapers into the azure ocean – gemlike in its intensity – and made even more dramatic by its backdrop, the towering massif of Vidova Gora, soaring 778 metres and affording views to Italy on a clear day. Olive groves cloak the valleys, thanks to 16th century Venetians, who decreed that a man could not marry unless he planted 100 of the grey-green trees. An invigorating dip is obviously on the cards.
In the charming village of Bol, our first stop is Stina Winery’s cellar on the waterfront, where we taste the top drops, including its Plavac Mali.
Then to the town markets, where I stock up on figs, mandarins, almonds, bottles of olive oil and truffle salt.
Sitting underneath a crumbling ivy-clad portico to sample my delicious haul,
I take a moment to revel in the scene before me. Laughing elderly women overseeing their stalls; kids playing handball while gobbling down mounds of fresh fruit; friends sitting on haphazard crates, arguing good-naturedly and sipping on cups of coffee; couples dancing while a small band croons and plucks their tamburitzas.
I think to myself: it is not the sparkling sea, the traces of history, or even the heavenly food and wine that makes this place so special. It is the people’s warmth, welcome and ability to embrace the present. It is how life should be – lived. Always in the moment.