Treats of Southern Dalmatia Island Hopping 2022

Upon arrival to Split Airport transfer to your hotel in Split for a day at leisure and overnight.

After breakfast take the morning catamaran to Croatia’s sunniest island, Hvar. The island is well-known for its lavender fields, olive oil and excellent red wines. Enjoy your day at leisure exploring the island’s most fashionable destination, Hvar Town. (B)

After breakfast, visit the Spanish Fortress, the best place for amazing views of the town and the island’s archipelago. After learning more about the fortress and its history stroll down through a lush pine forest to the Old Town. Stop at the Benedictine Nuns Museum to marvel at their signature works of art, patterned Agave laces, one of five UNESCO heritages on the island. Afterwards, explore the Town Square, the largest in Dalmatia, the historic Arsenal with its recently discovered ancient Roman ruins below, the oldest public theatre in Europe dating back to 1612, and Hvar Cathedral. Finish the guided tour with a well-earned espresso at Cafe Piazza overlooking the waterfront. (B)

Today spend a glorious afternoon indulging in a truly authentic Hvar gastronomic experience. Discover inspired tastes and flavours of the island with the locals who will welcome you into their kitchens, homes, groves, gardens and vineyards to see, taste and enjoy what it takes to create a perfect honey, olive oil, wine and fascinating sweet delicacies that have been made here for hundreds of years. Your culinary journey begins with a stop at one of the island’s most scenic olive groves, where you will be briefly introduced to the oldest cultivated fruit on the planet, the “Mother” of Mediterranean gastronomy - the olive. Later at the family winery, enjoy an olive oil tasting experience, paired with local traditional delicacies and wine. Next, visit the island’s foremost beekeepers, where you we will learn about how honey is made on Hvar before arriving to the family winery to learn about production of natural wines and enjoy a glass or three with a rustic field lunch served up family style. A bountiful table full of traditional island specialties like aged smoked ham, homemade salami, aged sheep cheese from the Island of Pag, local catch of the day, tapas and crusty loaves of bread prepared by the family and their friends. Lastly, visit a local auntie in her home where in the garden shade of her olive trees and vines, she will treat you with the most celebrated traditional Hvar Island sweets “Paprenjok”. End your gastronomic odyssey with a journey back to Hvar Town for an evening at leisure. (B, T, L)

After breakfast at the hotel, depart Hvar on the morning catamaran to the Island of Korčula. After arriving in Korčula Town and settling in at your hotel, join an afternoon guided tour visiting the major sights of the Old Town, including The Land Gate, Town Hall, St Mark’s Cathedral, All Saints’ Brotherhood, birthplace of Marco Polo and many others. Your guide will take you along the fishbone pattern streets, pointing out key elements of this ingenious urban construction. You will trace the history of the town and learn of the major economic and social changes through the centuries, gaining an insight into Korčula Old Town’s colourful past as well as its vibrant present. Evening is at leisure. (B)

Your day is at leisure until the afternoon when you will join a wine tasting tour of the island. Experience a revealing insight into the life on the island, its people and its wines. Heading into the island’s thickly forested interior, towards the wine-growing villages of Čara and Smokvica, soon the road starts to swoop down into a valley, revealing the glorious vineyards of Pošip grapes, notable as being the first white wine in Croatia with a denomination of origin. After the tour and tasting experience return to Korčula for an evening at leisure. (B, T)

After breakfast depart Korčula on the morning catamaran to the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, Dubrovnik. One of Croatia’s most iconic towns, it once successfully rivalled the Venetian Republic in prominence. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel. In the afternoon enjoy a walking tour of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Medieval times still echo around the corners of its stone streets, while Baroque features play a symphony on its palace facades. From the Franciscan Monastery & Church of St Blaise to the Rector’s Palace, a stroll around Dubrovnik is filled with jaw-dropping sights. To top it all off take a cable car to Mount Srđ for breathtaking panoramic views of the Old Town and surrounding riviera. Rest of the day is free to soak up the atmosphere of this magnificent town. (B)

Dubrovnik is not just the Old Town, it is also its countryside. Today is all about exploring this beautiful region and tasting some local delicacies. Start your day with a visit to the picturesque seaside resort town of Cavtat, once the Ancient Roman City of Epidaurus, now a favourite destination for sailors and yacht enthusiasts. After a brief guided orientation of the town, enjoy free time to explore the beautiful seafront promenade, or relax over coffee in one of its many waterfront cafes. After re-joining your guide, drive to a family household in Konavle for a Cooking Class and late lunch. Your hosts will greet you with a welcome drink, homemade traditional liqueurs and dry fruits - all the work of their hands. After a brief tour, depending on the season, you will have the chance to gather produce from the garden, which will later be used in preparing the traditional lunch. Prepare and enjoy local dishes in an atmosphere of ambiance reflecting authentic village life. Before returning to Dubrovnik you will explore Sokol Grad, a fascinating medieval hilltop castle standing high above the village of Dunava in Konavle, where its imposing form has dominated the landscape since Illyrian times. Its shape matches the natural stone on which it rests, and its grey colour blends with the natural surroundings. Return to Dubrovnik for overnight. (B, L)

Check out after breakfast. If you are joining one of our Small Ship Cruises you will be transferred to Dubrovnik Port for embarkation, otherwise you will be transferred to Dubrovnik Airport. (B)