Small-ship cruising along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast is a vacation option that’s no doubt making it to the top of many clients’ wish lists these days. And a great way to enjoy this experience, as I did recently, is with a local company.
I had the opportunity to sail last summer with Always Croatia, a company founded by Croatian American Christy Kranjec that combines authentic, immersive experiences with visits to lesser-known destinations during seven-day sailings between Dubrovnik and Sibenik.
My cruise was aboard the newly renovated, 36-passenger San Antonio, which debuted with the company last spring. I found Always Croatia’s curated itineraries to be ideal for curious, independent travelers who can experience the real Croatia, from Unesco-listed cities and hidden coves to onshore cooking classes and farmstead dinners.
Here are six features that made sailing the Dalmatian coast with Always Croatia stand out for me.
Sailboats docked in the harbor at dusk in Stari Grad, on Hvar. Photo Credit: Veronica Stoddart
Small ports
Showcasing smaller, less-visited ports where bigger ships can’t go, our itinerary revealed a less-touristy view of the country.
Sightseeing spots included some of Croatia’s 1,200-plus islands, where age-old towns hug the shoreline. In some ports, expert-guided walking tours provided an insightful introduction, after which there was time for us to explore on our own. In others, we just strolled into town without the need for cumbersome tenders.
Among the standouts: Primosten, whose lovely medieval Old Town was named one of Europe’s best hidden gems of 2024, and the triangular Golden Horn beach on Brac island, considered the country’s best strand. On the forest-clad island of Mljet, we swam, kayaked and biked in its lake-dotted national park.
On Hvar, we took a golden-hour walk along Stari Grad’s sailboat-dappled harbor, admiring sun-drenched limestone buildings. In the island’s glam Hvar Town, sleek megayachts set the tone for a sizzling apres-sea scene in the chic waterfront restaurants and cafes. We explored the living museum of Korcula, claimed as Marco Polo’s birthplace and one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval towns.
We didn’t miss the big showstoppers, either, from Dubrovnik’s iconic, pedestrian-only Old Town to Split, where we elbowed our way through the third century Diocletian’s Palace.
A farmhouse dinner overlooking vineyards and olive groves on the island of Hvar rivaled anything the author has experienced in Napa or Provence. Photo Credit: Veronica Stoddart
Dinners on shore
A rare feature of an Always Croatia cruise is the opportunity to have dinner on shore, an incomparable way to sample local cuisine alongside residents. While we ate breakfast and lunch onboard, most evenings we dined at a restaurant of our choice.
Among the most memorable for me was Bokeria Kitchen & Wine Bar in Split, a feast of Spanish tapas and Croatian-Spanish fusion dishes. On Korcula, I sampled modern Dalmatian dishes (milk-marinated shark, anyone?) at the Michelin-listed Filippi restaurant perched on a waterfront bluff. On tiny Mljet, dinner was superb grilled scampi at Konoba Galija right at the water’s edge. More
By Veronica Stoddart https://www.travelweekly.com/
