It is a bit embarrassing to admit that Croatia had never made an appearance on my bucket list until a few months ago. When somebody did mention Croatia, two images would enter my mind.
That one: Croatia is damn good at football, almost winning the world cup back in 2018.
And two: that a big part of Game of Thrones' filming locations were in Croatia.
The reality is, Croatia's Dalmatian coast is a scattering of islands each with their own distinct style, transporting you to a different destination entirely all within the same borders under the same flag. Some islands, like Hvar, recognize its well earned popularity with its sun-bleached charm. Others, like Lastovo, a barely inhabited diamond in the rough with almost no big hotels, no crowds, just pine forest running straight into the sea.
Seeing all of it in a week shouldn't mean dragging an overpacked suitcase through airports. It involves a boat. Not a cruise ship. A private catamaran.
Here's how a week sailing the Dalmatian Islands unfolds, island by island, on one of our custom Stamps Tours itineraries.
Best Croatia Sailing Route from Split
Split is where the week starts and ends.
A private transfer is waiting to walk you straight from arrivals to the marina. Nothing to arrange, nothing to figure out. Board your catamaran, drop your bags in your cabin, and that's the last logistical thing you'll think about for a week. And on the way back out, an old town awaits you that's worth lingering in before your flight.
Split is Croatia’s second-largest city and the main transport hub for Dalmatia. It is a lively Mediterranean city built around the ancient Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, where Roman columns, medieval houses, cafés, shops, apartments, and restaurants all coexist together.
It isn't just a beach town or an open-air museum. Split is a real working city with a busy ferry port, markets, nightlife, local neighborhoods.
Split, Croatia.
Must Dos
Visiting Diocletian's Palace is a must-see, but aside from it, Split has a serious food scene, from casual bakeries and konobas to modern restaurants. Then there's the Riva, the city's waterfront promenade, lined with palm trees, cafés and benches looking out across the harbor.
If you've got a spare hour before boarding or after disembarking, paddle out toward Šolta. It's close enough to Split to fit into either end of the trip. It's also quiet enough to feel like the last calm moment before the week picks up.
The Diocletian Palace in Split, Croatia.
The Fortress Island, Vis
Vis is one of the further islands off the Dalmatian coast, a closed military base effectively inaccessible to foreigners until it was opened to the public in 1989. It shows, in the best way. No big resorts, no real crowds, just an island that got to stay itself. The Military tunnels, bunkers, submarine shelters, and other installations are still there too, part of its unusual heritage.
Vis is known for dramatic coves with cliffs, caves, hidden bays, excellent seafood and wine, the Blue Cave at nearby Biševo, and a fascinating military past.
Must Dos
Stiniva Bay. A cove so narrowly enclosed by high limestone cliffs, it looks almost unreal in person. It is one of the most famous beaches in Croatia and Mamma Mia! fans will recognize it immediately.
The beach can be reached by boat or by a steep walking trail. It is exceptionally scenic and the water is so clear you will not want to get out.
Stiniva Bay, Vis.
Climb up to Fort George for the evening. A restored British 19th-century fortress, now a restaurant and occasional wedding venue. Sundowners on the roof first, with the kind of view that slows you down, then dinner with the whole Adriatic laid out below. Some evenings there's group yoga on the terrace at sunset.
Fort George, Vis.
The Hidden Gem, Lastovo
One of the least visited archipelagos in the country and a full nature park since 2006. Lastovo is among Croatia's most remote and least developed inhabited islands, and almost nothing is allowed to touch it, which is why the water stays an unreal shade of turquoise.
Lastovo is green, hilly, and rugged. Unlike flatter, more heavily developed island resorts, it has forests, vineyards, olive groves, dry-stone walls, hidden bays, and a deeply indented coastline.
Fun Fact! Lastovo loves the number 46. The archipelago has 46 islands, islets, and reefs, and the island is traditionally said to have 46 churches. Although the exact way these are counted is up for debate.
Lastovo is for people who want silence, traditional villages, clear water, and exceptionally dark night skies rather than beach clubs and nightlife.
Lastovo, Croatia.
Must Dos
Anchoring for the night somewhere completely remote. Pine forest on one side, and open sea on the other with no lights but your own boat. Lastovo has exceptionally low light pollution and is regarded as having one of Europe’s darkest night skies. The Milky Way is often visible with unusual clarity, especially away from the villages and during moonless periods.
A trip ashore to Lastovo's only restaurant is a must. A family-run taverna that serves the catch of the day with no menus and only the freshest ingredients.
Skrivena Luka is one of the island’s most attractive sheltered bays. It has a protected anchorage, restaurants, pine-covered slopes, and access to the Struga Lighthouse, perched above the southern coast.
Check out our blog on hidden yoga spots, where we give you exclusive access to practicing yoga on this beautiful lighthouse overlooking the coast.
Struga Lastovo Lighthouse, Croatia.
The Fortified Island of Korčula
Korčula is a beautifully fortified island town that claims, against all records of history, to be the birthplace of the legendary Marco Polo. Inhabited since prehistoric times and shaped by Greek, Roman and Venetian rule, it's a dream of marble streets and breezy winds. Venetian walls that have been standing since long before anyone here was born. The laneways run in a herringbone pattern, laid out deliberately to cut the wind.
The island was known to the ancient Greeks as Korkyra Melaina, or “Black Corfu,” a name that came from its dense dark forests. Korčula is greener and more rural than many Dalmatian islands. You'll see pine forests, olive groves, vineyards, dry-stone walls, small villages, and rocky bays.
Korčula Old Town, Croatia.
Must Dos
Getting lost in the old town is the main attraction. Enter by the historic sea gate and wander through the stone lanes.
Look out for:
- St. Mark's Cathedral, and the climb up its bell tower
- The Abbey Treasury.
- The Korčula Town Museum
Or simply observe the medieval towers and goth-renaissance architecture sprawled all over the town.
Wine tasting is a must. Try their most popular white wines: Pošip, a full-bodied white wine with citrus, stone-fruit, and herbal notes, then Grk, dry and grown only in the sands around Lumbarda. Or try Plavac Mali, a powerful red wine grown on terraces that have fed Dalmatian tables for centuries.
The Oldest Boating Destination, Hvar
Sun-drenched, glamorous, and fully aware of its popular reputation. Hvar's is a reputation that's existed since the first men populated it from Neolithic times.
Known as the sunniest spot in Croatia, Hvar boasts over 2,700 hours of sunshine per year with its marble-paved squares, pebbly beaches, yacht harbors.
The scent of lavender is always in the air here. Look south and the slopes drop away into deep blue coves.
Hvar Harbour, Croatia.
Must Dos
Hvar's harbor comes alive after dark. Lounge bars, open-air terraces over the marina, and an energy that can't be replicated anywhere else. If you prefer a more provincial and slower pace, explore Stari Grad, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. It's a quieter older harbor town with a lovely waterfront, churches, and small stone shelters to preserve a farming system dating back to Greek antiquity.
Wine and olive tasting is a must in Hvar. This sun-drenched city and its classic Mediterranean climate makes it the best spot for lush grapes and olives, along with figs, honey, and the lavender the island is famous for.
Croatia's Most Famous Beach in Bol, Brač
Bol is a small picturesque seaside town that is home to the beach that's on every Croatia postcard, for a reason. Aside from that, Bol is stone Mediterranean architecture with Terracotta roofs, clear waters stretching for miles and miles, vineyards running up the mountainside, and a relaxed holiday atmosphere.
Town of Bol, Brač.
Must Dos
Zlatni Rat, or better known as The Golden Horn, is a 500-meter long white horn-shaped spit of pebble beach that actually shifts shape with the current and wind. Its tip moves left or right depending on the weather and waves.
Located just 2 kilometers from the Bol's center, this is Croatia's most famous spot for windsurfing, kitesurfing, diving, and anything else you can do in water, or for simply doing nothing. It's a free public beach, open year-round.
Swim, dry off, dip, repeat, then wander into Bol's old town, where the same charm turns up in stone streets and olive groves instead of sand.
Zlatni Rat in Bol, Brač
If this is the trip that you've been meaning to take, here's the full itinerary with dates, boats, and everything else you'll want to know.
Want to experience more of Croatia's nautical charm in a new light? Check out our upcoming Fitness Retreat in Croatia with Shaun T & JJ Dancer this September.
