Excursions in Croatia

Hvar is known as the queen of the Croatian Dalmatian islands and is lined with vast fields of lavender, ancient olive trees and vineyards. You'll tour the Franciscan monastery and its exceptional collection of old Venetian paintings, lacework, coins and rare books, and the Renaissance-style exterior of Saint Stephen Cathedral combined with its baroque-style interior.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended (walking tour).
• The tours are mostly done on foot, either on cobblestone roads or dirt paths (national parks). Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We’ll set off by coach with our guides for the Athens Acropolis, situated on a 150m-high rocky plateau and which in Ancient times was a vast sanctuary for the worship of the Goddess Athena and numerous other gods in Greek mythology. You will have the chance to discover the different temples on the site including the Parthenon, built in the 5th century BC and dedicated to Athena, whose gold and ivory statue stood in the sanctuary. It was destroyed during the siege of the city during the 12th century crusades, and the Parthenon was turned into a Catholic church when the Franks occupied Athens, then into a mosque by the Turks in the 17th century. You will also visit a number of other remarkable monuments still standing such as the Erechtheion, an elegant little temple dating back to the 5th century BC; the Temple of Athena Nike, known in Ancient Greece as the "temple of victory"; the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis; the ancient Theatre of Dionysos and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus...

You will then return to the coach to finish off with a panoramic tour of the modern city of Athens, also taking in the Agora, the center of public life for the ancient Athenians. This square open space served a variety of purposes: political, religious, economic, commercial and cultural.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate. 

The island of Hvar is the empress of the Croatian Dalmatian Islands. This excursion is the best way to discover the hidden treasures of Hvar Town.

Your trek will begin in the port of Hvar, where you'll meet up with your guide. You'll set out on an urban hike across the picturesque town. Known as the "Croatian Saint Tropez,” it has retained all of the charm of days gone by. Walking also takes you through the long history of this city, where every stone has its own story to tell. We'll hike all the way to the Spanish fortress overlooking the island, where you'll be able to bask in the spectacular landscape surrounding you. After we return to the port, enjoy some free time on your own before returning to the ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good hiking shoes are highly recommended.
• Telescopic hiking poles are optional, but recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Hike through the Krka National Park on walkways leading past lakes and waterfalls and down to Skradin (4.5 hours, 5 miles, 820-foot altitude difference).

You'll be transferred to the starting point for your hike.

Come discover Krka National Park and its famous waterfalls. We'll trek along wooden walkways and earthen and stone paths.
The trail follows the waterfall formations. On the first part of the hike, you'll see just the smaller falls that are well-known for their extraordinary beauty. When coming back, you'll be treated to the show of a lifetime: the Krka Falls.
The waterfalls are a karstic phenomenon, and the river water has created a canyon up to 656 feet deep through limestone hills. You'll see a large and clear natural pool with high waterfalls at one end and smaller cascades at the other.
A wooden bridge will allow you to take in the sight from up close. Now you'll know why the falls are one of Croatia's most famous sites.

PLEASE NOTE

• PLEASE WEAR COMFORTABLE, STURDY SHOES AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines and hold on to your hats! Experience Korcula Island in a unique way with this exciting journey in your own 2-seater buggy.
You'll be transferred to Lumbarda by boat.
After a safety briefing, you will enjoy buggy driving on gravel roads through gorgeous landscapes full of olive groves and vineyards. You'll be far from the crowds and up close and personal with nature.
Have the time of your life exploring the coastal routes and taking in the magnificent sea views between Zrnovo and Lumbarda.
While returning to our ship, enjoy a tasting of some local products.

PLEASE NOTE

• PLEASE WEAR COMFORTABLE, STURDY SHOES AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• The buggy driver must have a driver's license and be over 18 years old.

At the port of Vis, we'll pick up our bikes and set out with our guide for a bike tour of the island.
We'll discover the hidden treasures of Vis, where everyone rides any-old bike: old and young, natives and tourists. After leaving the town, we'll pass through other typical villages on the island, including Plisko Polje, Dracevo Polje and Podspilje. The trip gives a fascinating insight into the complex character of this tiny isle.
Following our tour, we'll return to the ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• You must wear appropriate shoes and bike wear.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• Attention: children are under the responsibility of their parents and must be autonomous by bike (approx. 9.5 km, 200 m altitude difference).
• Helmets are provided on all our cycling tours.

The former Republic of Ragusa is famous for its medieval walls and its wide variety of historical architecture.

We'll visit the Dominican Friary, its lovely Gothic cloister, and its extraordinary museum of religious art - with several valuable paintings, including a triptych by Nikola Bozidarevic depicting Dubrovnik before the great earthquake of 1667. We'll then see the Rector's Palace, once the seat of the government and now a museum housing furniture, portraits, coats of arms, paintings, coins, and the original keys to the city gates. We'll also visit the cathedral which keeps in its core gold and silver reliquaries as well as paintings from Titian’s workshop, before moving on to the Onofrio Fountains and Sponza Palace, a superb Gothic-Renaissance structure.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Sibenik is located in the central part of the Croatian Adriatic Coast, in the picturesque and indented bay where the Krka River enters the sea. Discover this gorgeous city while strolling down its 15th- and 16th-century streets. We'll also visit the St. James' Cathedral, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and built between 1433 and 1477 entirely out of stone. Afterwards, we'll leave for Krka Falls by coach. Skradinski buk is one of the most attractive parts of Krka National Park. It is a large and clear natural pool with high waterfalls at one end and smaller cascades at the other. A trail will get you as close as you can to the falls. We'll return to Sibenik by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• Beware of the many steps to climb before accessing the waterfalls.
• The tours are mostly done on foot, either on cobblestone roads or dirt paths (national parks). Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes. 
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

It is estimated that Kotor owns 70 % of the historic and cultural monuments of Montenegro. That is why Kotor is classed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Founded by the Romans on the Adriatic coast in Montenegro, Kotor developed into an important commercial and artistic center in the Middle Ages. You'll visit the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, which was seriously damaged and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1667 - the reason its two towers are so different from one another. Then you'll visit the maritime museum in the Grgurina Palace and its collection showing the development of past maritime and cultural activities.

PLEASE NOTE

• The tours are mostly done on foot, either on cobblestone roads or dirt paths (national parks). Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Trogir, as large as the island on which it was erected, is a real beauty with its intricate alleyways, stairways and vaulted passages. Its treasures of Roman and Renaissance architecture have led the town to be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You'll be able to discover the magnificent Cathedral of St. Lawrence with its surprising interior. Long considered one of the best spots to visit on the Dalmatian coast, Trogir will delight you. You'll also visit the Town Hall and the old town, still brimming with fully preserved monuments from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

PLEASE NOTE

• The tours are mostly done on foot, either on cobblestone roads or dirt paths (national parks). Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

The city of Split with its population of 140, 000 is the largest in Dalmatia as well as being an active university and artistic center. You will visit Diocletian's Palace, built by a simple soldier who became the Emperor. Diocletian chose to end his days in this palace after he abdicated in 305 AD.

Our guided tour of the city will take you along Trumbiceva Obala (Riva), a vast promenade along the southern façade of the Palace. You’ll get to see the well-preserved roman city wall, the Cathedral  built on the site of the mausoleum towards the end of the 7th century, as well as Diocletian’s Palace’s peristyle, the Temple of Jupiter and the Cathedral of Saint Domnius.

PLEASE NOTE

• The tours are mostly done on foot, either on cobblestone roads or dirt paths (national parks). Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Mljet is definitely the most charming island in all of the Mediterranean sea. It has kept a wild appearance with 72% of its surface being covered in forest, and wine and olive oil are still being traditionally made to this day. One island legend claims that Odysseus spent seven years here on his way home from the Trojan War. After a stroll down a hiking trail along with your guide, local boats will take you to the Benedictine monastery from the 12th century located in the middle of Veliko Jezero, a salt lake in the national park of Mljet. The monastery sits proudly among the Aleppo pines, surrounded by sandy beaches. We'll take the same itinerary back to the boat.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended (walkway on dirt and cobblestone roads : 1h round trip).
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Korcula is Croatia's greenest island - with its Mediterranean vegetation, emerald and sapphire sea, sandy shoreline and a wealth of underwater sea life. We'll visit the island on foot starting with the Cathedral Sveti Marko, the most important building in the old town. The cathedral's facade is decorated with beautiful fluted reliefs and statues, while the main door is framed by statues of Adam and Eve and figures of lions. We'll also enjoy the exhibits in the town museum, a treasure of cultural and commercial milestones from prehistoric times to the present.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are strongly recommended.
• The tours are mostly done on foot, either on cobblestone roads or dirt paths (national parks). Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.