More Island Hopping in Croatia

The last few weeks I’ve been posting about our three week adventure in Croatia, and I have even more to share about this stunningly beautiful country. Here are my previous posts if you’re interested:

Three Weeks in Croatia

One Week in Dubrovnik

More on Dubrovnik

A Week in Split

Island Hopping in Croatia

Today I’m writing more about our cruise through the islands. As I mentioned last week, we had to spend an extra day in Dubrovnik since a storm had blown in making the seas too rough for sailing. We had already spent a week in this iconic, medieval city, and were sad to leave, so we were thrilled to get an extra day here.

Once we docked at Port Gruž, most of the passengers trudged through the rain with cruise director Robert to see the ancient walls. We had already walked the walls on a beautiful sunny day, so we opted to visit Gruž instead. Interestingly, this neighborhood was voted one of the 16 “coolest” neighborhoods in Europe in 2022.

This lively area is home to the Red History Museum, a 1.6 mile (2.5 km) waterfront promenade, a park with displays of battleships and tanks from the 1991 war of independence, several marinas and more. From here you can catch a ferry to the neighboring islands, or a local bus to the old town, less than a mile away.

During our extra day in Dubrovnik, we were treated to a wine and olive oil tasting, and a lecture on the history of Croatia by cruise director Robert.

That evening, we were treated to a delicious and entertaining Captain’s dinner. Captain Tom chose our table to enjoy his dinner and kept us entertained as he flitted about the room making sure everyone was having a great time. As he sat down, he asked me what my favorite Croatian wine is – Pošip, I replied. Remarkably, it’s his favorite too! 😉 He quickly called to the bartender to bring a bottle to share with us.

Partway through our dinner, Tom announced that we would be heading to Korčula the next morning, but that the seas would be quite rough. He told us in no uncertain terms to stay in our cabins, or seated in the dining area and avoid using the stairs, upper decks and moving around unnecessarily. He was not kidding! I chose to stay in our cabin and was glad I did; whew! Luckily, the seas calmed before arriving so we were free to move around again and enjoy the views as we arrived in this historic city.

Archeological findings date Korčula to six to eight thousand years ago. It is said to be the birth place of Marco Polo in 1254. Another interesting fact about this city is that it was the first city in the world to abolish slavery; a town statute in 1214 put an end to this horrific practice.

The towers, originally twelve of them date back to the 13th century. The walls date to the same period, and were enhanced over the next several centuries. The history of this area is extensive; click here if you’re interested in learning more. Today, Korčula is an impressive town to visit with a little bit of everything – beaches, swimming, great restaurants, history, medieval ruins and breathtaking views.

Hvar was our next stop; another strikingly enticing town along the Dalmatian Coast. Established in the 3rd century BC by the Greeks, it is considered the oldest and most beautiful town in Croatia. Like most of the other towns we visited, arriving in Hvar by boat is quite spectacular, with the ancient fortress sitting regally above the city.

Built in the 16th century, Fortica is situated on the foundation of a structure dating to the 1st century BC. This mighty fortress was built as a military complex, with battlements, bastions and a prison; it was clearly intended to protect the area from invading outsiders.

The views from the fortress are spectacular.

We enjoyed one more stop before returning to Split – Milna, another beautiful town along the Dalmatian Coast; there are so many! This lovely, sleepy seaside village of approximately 1100 inhabitants is yet another popular place for vacationers. Offering a multitude of water sports in its protected cove.

Luckily for us, these villages, which are packed with tourists during the high season, were mostly empty when we visited. But by the time we returned to Split, the crowds had arrived and we were docked next to other ships. We had to pass through two to reach the dock.

As I have mentioned in my previous posts on Croatia, there is an extensive ferry system which allows you to island hop inexpensively and quickly, but sailings are limited in the off-season; that’s why we chose a cruise. Our cruise, operated by Katarina Line Cruises was a great bargain. For just €1,000 per person for a 7 night cruise we received a full breakfast buffet, a three course lunch, our en suite cabin and a knowledgeable cruise director who guided us on hikes, walking tours, and more.

We had a fabulous time exploring Croatia. I have been fortunate to have visited close to 30 countries in my life, and Croatia is in the top three of my favorites, along with France and Japan. Even with the crowds, I would return in a heartbeat.

What do you think of Croatia? I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment if you’re so inclined.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia