Croatia Uncovered

Croatia Uncovered

This is a tour of two incredible parts as you explore Croatia by land and sea. On land, you’ll travel north from Split to explore the medieval cobbled streets of Trogir and Zadar, lined with historic buildings that lead to charming squares. Discover delicious local cuisine at a rural estate and walk along the picturesque trails of Krka National Park where forests, waterfalls and pools abound.

Step aboard the MV Adriatic Pearl for the second part of this tour. Exclusively chartered for Travelsphere guests, this deluxe ship is small enough to visit unspoilt islands and drop anchor in secluded bays as you sail along the Dalmatian Coast. Visit Korcula with its striking city walls, stop at Mljet with its beautiful combination of saltwater lakes, dense forest and Franciscan Monastery, take in a quiet fishing village on Solta, and enjoy the photogenic beaches and medieval architecture of Hvar. In between stops, you can soak up the sun from the deck of your elegant ship and enjoy beautiful swim stops for a cooling dip in the Adriatic Sea.

What's Included:

• Return flights from London
• 3 nights in a 4-star hotel
• 7-night exclusive cruise on board the Deluxe MV Adriatic Pearl
• 21 meals: 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners and welcome drink
• Travelsphere Holiday Director and Specialist Local Guide
• Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage

Included Holiday Highlights:

• ​Discover Trogir on a guided tour
• Walk along the trails at Krka National Park
• Explore the marble streets of Zadar
• Enjoy a Croatian lunch with a local family
• Enjoy a tasting of Croatian olive oil on board your ship
• Step ashore on the island of Korcula
• Join a guided tour of Dubrovnik Old Town
• Enjoy a Captain’s Dinner on board
• Tour Mljet National Park and discover its untouched beauty
• Visit the islands of Hvar and Solta
• Discover Split and the magnificent Diocletian’s Palace on a walking tour
• Enjoy a farewell dinner on board

Day 1: Hotel Rotondo Accommodation

Hotel Rotondo has a multitude of great facilities that make it a wonderful property to stay at. There is an in-house restaurant serving local cuisine, a swimming pool, fitness centre and terrace area. Rooms are furnished with air conditioning, private facilities, complimentary toiletries, a safe and minibar. Free WIFI is also available at the hotel.

Day 2 - 3: Hotel Jaccarino Accommodation

Hotel Kolovare is a 4-star hotel located close to the centre of the historic city of Zadar and right on the coast. The hotel boasts a Mediterranean style adapted to suit this stunning area. The hotel is surrounded by cultural and historical heritage, perfect for exploring and relaxing. Faculties include; a restaurant, bar and pool. Bedrooms feature; en suite facilities, air conditioning, mini-bar, hairdryer and TV.

Day 4 - 10: MV Adriatic Pearl

Your ship is exclusively chartered for Travelsphere guests. Facilities include a dining room, bar, sun deck with hot tub and sun loungers with towels provided, plus a swimming platform for easy access. Cabins have en suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV and hair-dryer with daily cabin cleaning. Your holiday price is based on a lower deck cabin. If you would like to upgrade to a main deck cabin please call and our Holiday Advisors will be happy to assist.

Day 1: UK - Trogir

Your holiday begins with a short flight to Split before we transfer to Trogir a delightful old town on the Adriatic Coast. We have left this afternoon free to ease you into your holiday. Why not take advantage of the hotel facilities, head to the beach or take a short troll into the town to enjoy a light bite in a café along the promenade?

This evening, we’ll come together for a welcome drink and dinner.

Meals included: D

Day 2: Trogir - krka National Park – Zadar

After breakfast, we’ll meet up with our Local Guide for a walking tour around the historic highlights of Trogir. Wander through the cobblestone streets lined with medieval buildings and visit the Cathedral of St. Lawrence that dominates the Old Towns skyline. Here you’ll see Radovan’s Portal, the intricately designed doorway of the cathedral which garners as much interest and attention as the building itself.

Afterwards time in Trogir, we'll head off to visit Krka National Park. This is a highlight for many travellers to Croatia where crystal-clear lakes are fed by stunning waterfalls and surrounded by lush greenery. We’ll walk along trails to see some of the natural wonders here - one of the most recognisable is the Skradinski Buk falls, a collection of 17 waterfalls.

Finally, we’ll drive to the medieval walled city of Zadar for a two-night stay. There is time to settle into your hotel and explore at leisure before we meet for dinner this evening.

Meals included: B,D

Day 3: Zadar

This morning we'll join our Local Guide and embark on a walking tour of the beautiful city of Zadar, which has a history spanning three millennia and is a treasure trove of Roman ruins, medieval churches and charming squares dotted with cafes. You'll love the old frescoes of the Romanesque Zadar Cathedral, while the Church of St Donatus, with its distinctive circular shape, contains columns recycled from the old Roman Forum.

But that’s not all – Zadar is home to the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun installations. The first is an experimental instrument built into marble steps - as waves pass through pipes under marble steps, a relaxing sound is created. The later, is a solar-powered installation by the same architect which collects energy during the day and comes to life at night.

Following the city tour, we’ll get a taste of the local culture when we are welcomed by the Konoba family for lunch. Here we'll enjoy the popular Croatian speciality 'peka' - a traditional dish of meat and vegetables that is cooked 'under the bell'. This is a very famous way of preparing food that is typically cooked to order in restaurants or at home for special occasions. Food is placed in a metal pan then covered by a second pan, forming a closed metal oven and placed inside a fireplace – you’ll find that the food that has been cooked this way, retains all the delicious flavours.

This afternoon is free to explore Zadar at your own pace, why not head back to the Greeting to the Sun installation later this evening and see the memorising light display

Meals included: B,L

Day 4: Zadar _ Sibenik - Split

After breakfast we'll head towards Sibenik, a scenic fortress town located in a picturesque bay where the Krka River meets the Adriatic Sea. We’ll have time here to meander through the town’s winding streets and past historic stone buildings. At the heart of Sibenik we’ll find the medieval central town square overlooked by the Cathedral of St James, where the sculptures of 71 heads adorn an exterior frieze and opposite, see the porticoed Town Hall – destroyed in 1943 and now restored.

This afternoon we'll travel to Split, where we'll board our home for the rest of the trip, the MV Adriatic Pearl. Chartered exclusively for Travelsphere guests, this beautiful vessel carries a maximum of 36 passengers and features a spacious sunbathing area, hot tub and swimming platform. There’s plenty of space to relax as you cruise from port to port and the ship will make swim stops along the way so that you can cool off in the glittering Adriatic.

This evening you will enjoy a welcome drink and dinner on board. The ship will remain docked in Split overnight.

Meals included: B,D

Day 5: Split - Korcula

Croatia is becoming more and more well knowns for its great wines, and this morning we have an included wine tasting. You will try a variety of locally sourced wines with an insight into how they are made and what parts of Croatia produce the best varieties! After lunch we’ll arrive in Korcula, a laid-back Croatian island blanketed by dense pine forests. The reputed birthplace of famous adventurer Marco Polo, it boasts a well-preserved medieval walled city. Step ashore and you’ll discover atmospheric streets watched over by the majestic St Mark’s Cathedral. Built in the 15th century from pale-coloured limestone, this impressive building features a façade decorated with intricate figures and statues, and a lovely bell tower topped by an ornately carved dome.

As night falls, you’re free to stay in Korcula Town and dine in a restaurant of your choosing. Alternatively, if you'd like to try some Dalmatian specialities, our optional excursion to Zrnovo, one of the oldest villages on the island, includes a home-cooked dinner.

Meals included: B,L

Day 6: Korculai - Dubrovnik

Today, you'll spend time in one of Tuscany's most beautiful towns - Lucca. It lies just west of Montecatini Terme and is bursting with some of the finest examples of Italian medieval and Renaissance architecture. As well as being the birthplace of composer Puccini, Lucca is also home to the Volto Santo relic. This sacred wooden sculpture of Christ thought to date back to 742 AD, is kept in the city's stunning Romanesque St Martin Cathedral.

Meals included: B,L

Day 7: Dubrovnik

This morning, you’re going to discover more of Dubrovnik’s charm and learn about its history on a guided tour of the Old Town. There is so much to see and do in this fascinating city, so you’ve another free afternoon to stay ashore and make the most of every minute! Maybe you’ll enjoy lunch in a tucked-away café before heading back to the Old Town to browse the delightful shops selling traditional Croatian handicrafts.

Perhaps you’ll stroll along the famous Stradun to the former Rector’s Palace, a Gothic-Renaissance building that’s now a cultural history museum. Another popular choice is a visit to the Franciscan Monastery, which houses one of oldest pharmacies in Europe. Alternatively, for amazing panoramic views of the city and beyond, the cable-car ride up Srd Hill is a must!

Back on board the ship, there’s time to relax and get ready for a special Captain’s Dinner, a great excuse to dress up

Meals included: B,D

Day 8: Dubrovnik - Mljet

Relax over a leisurely breakfast and enjoy the facilities on board your ship as we journey north along the beautiful Adriatic coastline. The captain may even be able to drop anchor so you can enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear waters. Later, after lunch on board, we will arrive at one of the most attractive of the Adriatic islands, Mljet. It boasts pretty beaches, traditional villages and a spectacular national park.

In the company of an expert Local Guide, we will uncover the untouched natural beauty of this important and impressive national park. At its centre are two bright blue saltwater lakes surrounded by dense green forest. Said to have formed more than 10,000 years ago, the lakes have their own unique ecosystem and support an array of sea life including fish, jellyfish and coral. An island in the centre of one of the lakes is home to a remarkable Benedictine Monastery and a charming church.

Meals included: B,L,D

Day 9: Mljet - Hvar - Solta

You'll want to be on deck today to admire the sensational views as your ship approaches the fashionable island of Hvar, with its fields of fragrant lavender, vineyards and ancient olive groves. In the main town, also called Hvar, there’s a lovely seafront promenade and an array of elegant old buildings to admire, including the Cathedral of St Stephen which sits in the town’s main square.

Next, we head to the tranquil island of Solta, stepping ashore in Stomorska. This fishing village is famed for its fleet of ancient wooden ships originally used to transport the island's wine and olive oil to the mainland. Only a handful of tourist ships visit this picture-perfect island, and you’ll have plenty of free time to wander and find a restaurant for dinner. Maybe try some fresh fish and sample the superb red wine made from grapes grown on the island.

Meals included: B,L