Dubrovnik, glowing underneath the beating sun

It’s no secret that Croatia is on the map for many adventure seekers. For one, the country boasts a growing global reputation for boutique music festivals. As a DJ and event producer, Croatia has been on my list for many years. I was therefore absolutely thrilled to be discovering the coastline towns of the former Yugoslavia on a boat for a week with family and close friends.

Our group of eight started our trip in Montenegro, a country south of Croatia, with our final destination being Venice in Italy.

Island-hopping by boat offers a number of advantages since it allows accessibility to smaller islands further away from the tourist path. Early July is the ideal timeframe to cruise along the Dalmatian Coast, when days are greeted by the beating sun and evenings are cooled down by the sea breeze.

Traffic-free ancient city

After an overnight cruise, we walked the traffic-free ancient city of Dubrovnik. It almost felt as if we were stepping back into another time. Dubrovnik in the south of the Dalmatia region is an ancient city surrounded by 1,940 metres of medieval ramparts. While the fans of Game of Thrones in our group will recognise it as the site of King’s Landing, others revel in the almost thousand years of history. My brother and father were ecstatic—zealously recalling scenes in the HBO series that were filmed on the marbled streets. Marina, our effervescent guide, spoke elaborately about how the locals embrace and celebrate the show. Many locals are in the cast as extras, and Marina’s gym instructor had appeared in one episode. Even without the Game of Thrones-related landmarks, the ancient city still stands on its own as one of the most impressive sights in the Adriatic. Within the Old Town walls are surprisingly interesting sights: a pharmacy that has been operating since the Middle Ages, a pair of tranquil convents surrounded by painting galleries, and the second-oldest synagogue and museums in Europe devoted to the local folk life and seafaring culture.

A view of Kings Landing during the mile walk around the ancient city

After our stroll around the scenic mile of the Old Town’s city walls, we had our dinner on a hill overlooking the charming port. We watched ships sail into the sunset in Frank Sinatra ambience, enjoyed the castaway views, and saw why this town is called the “Pearl of the Adriatic.”

We sailed out to Vis, situated 30 miles off the Croatian mainland. The remotest of the populated Dalmatia, it is an archipelago of 1,185 islands that pepper the eastern Adriatic like seeds scattered by the sirocco wind. Vis and many of its neighbours have all the raw materials necessary to become a quintessential Mediterranean bolthole: miles of pebbled beaches, grape-and-olive agriculture, and seafood by the netful. On the Mediterranean authenticity scale, Vis strikes an exquisite old-school note, the perfect balance between high-volume amenity and low-key local charm. Elderly olive-skinned locals ornament the benches that line the promenade. In the cool of evening, families come out to swim from the wood-slat pontoons that protrude into the bay.

Fresh produce play a pivotal role in the Dalamatian diet

The common thread throughout the island’s history has been its reputation as a center of gastronomy. Croatians say that a fish should swim three times: first in the sea, then in olive oil, and finally in wine—when you eat it. If fish isn’t your taste, savour a bite of grilled squid or pršut (air-dried Dalmatian ham). Although winemaking using the local grape varieties—vugava for white, plavac for red—remains its thriving cottage industry, Vis also takes pride of the food its wine is paired with.

Of note is the island’s martial past, which has left behind an atmosphere just like the wine: pure, unsullied, and uniquely Croatian.

Family together in Vis

Boro and Goga, our lovely hosts in Croatia, had arranged dinner at Pojoda, a family-run restaurant that offers an indoor and garden dining setting surrounded by lemon and bamboo trees, inducing the cosiness of a home. This part of the port was built by noblemen from the island of Hvar, who had their vacation homes there. They enjoyed inviting each other to dinner and impressing their guests with unusual and delicious recipes, which explains why the owner of Pojoda prepares only dishes that were served in those vacation houses for centuries. A typical menu at Pojoda consists of several seafood starters, with grilled fish as entrée. Pojoda’s authentic, simple, and high-quality seafood easily made it the best restaurant on the Adriatic. I can attest that it was one of the best meals of our lives.

A traditional lobster dish served at Pojoda

Having recalibrated our systems to speed, we set out at dawn to Šibenik, our entry point to the Krka National Park. We arrived at the Krka River, a stunning sight, to say the least, Streaming its way to the Adriatic sea with its many lakes and falls. The Krka River is a natural phenomenon, one of Croatia’s most photographed natural wonders, richly diverse, the habitat of numerous endemic, rare, and endangered species.

Karstic phenomenon of the Krka Falls

Due to its natural beauty and geological characteristics, the Krka River was declared a national park in 1985. The park encompasses an area with 17 travertine waterfalls. After spending hours exploring the forest on wooden planks, we cooled down with a quick dip into the fresh waters. Back on the boat, we chanced upon a shabby oyster and mussel farm in the middle of the sea, whereupon we placed an order for delivery as an afternoon snack. We were simply mystified that the farmer was able to discern our boat in the company of his beagle, a companion aptly named Monster.

The Red Moon rising above the Adriatic sea

As our chartered cruise was coming to an end, our group savoured the healing powers of the cerulean blue waters of the Adriatic. Croatia’s bays and forests are straight out of a living fairy tale. Croatia’s unique quirk of history has set it on course to fulfill the slogan’s halcyon promise.

Water sports in between visiting islands

After days of exploring the coastline, returning to the boat, gelato in hand, to unwind and participate in water sports was particularly sweet. We exchanged farewells with our wonderful crew, and stepped into the port of Venice—ready for another adventure in store.

Words and photos by Katrina Razon and additional photos by Christine Wuthrich