Food & Wines of Croatia

Itinerary

3 Nights Dubrovnik
3 Nights Hvar
4 Nights Split

Includes day trips to Kaštela and Imotski from Split

✈️ UK- Dubrovnik (3 Nights): You’ll fly direct to the coastal city of Dubrovnik – Croatia’s easternmost city, where we’ll transfer you to your hotel. Surprisingly vibrant for a city that sits within 13th-century walls, Dubrovnik is bursting with red-roofed charm, cosmopolitan squares and a backdrop of church spires and urban beaches. Wander limestone walkways in the Old Town, visit the humblingly beautiful Sponza and Rector’s palaces and take in panoramic vistas of the city’s warm hues from Mount Srd. A picturesque cable car does the work for you, although the city walls themselves can be walked in just over a mile. Beyond its famous walls, Dubrovnik’s restaurant scene is quietly confident – focusing on fresh ingredients, slow food, and local wines.  Head to one of the cliffside restaurants and tuck into black risotto, squid ink pasta, or grilled sea bass, caught that morning. For a taste of the incredible local wines, head to the nearby Konavle Valley for a wine tasting tour.  This area is home to family-run vineyards where you can savour traditional Dalmatian wines paired perfectly with local delicacies.

⛴️ Dubrovnik- Hvar (3 Nights): A scenic ferry ride west will take you to Hvar, although if Hvar doesn’t take your fancy, you can opt to visit other islands dotting this section of the Adriatic Sea. The turquoise-green waters fringing Hvar are some of the clearest on earth. Alongside quiet cove beaches and unassuming fishing bays, they wrap an increasingly upmarket destination that blends lavender fields and laid-back town life. Hvar’s Town Square is among the most beautiful in Croatia. 13th-century stone here leads to the town’s fortress; just one of the imposing historic facades, like the Cathedral of St. Stephen. The seafront is lined with restaurants dishing up lobster spaghetti, grilled dentex, fig salad and truffle-infused pastas.   Day trips from Hvar include a visit to Jelsa.  It’s a small harbour town just outside of Hvar with cobbled streets and relaxed waterfront cafés.  The nearby hills are dotted with olive groves and home to some of Hvar’s best family-run wineries where you’ll be guided through local wines.  Also visit the the Pakleni Islands for a lazy beach day with a long seafood lunch or for something more adventurous, head to the Blue Cave on Biševo Island, where the sunlight turns the water electric blue.

⛴️ Hvar- Split (4 Nights): You’ll reach the happening coastal town of Split by ferry, where we’ll transfer you to your chosen hotel for your final 3 nights. Among Roman fortresses and the 4th-century Diocletian’s Palace, Split is home to Croatia’s up-and-coming designers and a gourmet dining scene that’s taking the historic Jewish quarter of Dominisova by storm. For every Egyptian sphinx, winding alley and sculptured garden, there’s a buzzing bar or boutique balancing it out. The palm-lined Riva promenade isn’t the only Split attraction that’ll make you feel like a superstar. Enjoy beach club beats or seclusion at Bačvice Bay, make the most of the markets and waterfront eateries, and get the cameras out for those heart stopping sunsets.  If you fancy seeing a different side to the region, there are some great places just outside of Split.  Included in your itinerary is a day trip to Imotski, a pretty hillside town near the Bosnian border, surrounded by vineyards and old stone houses. The big draw here is Crveno and Modro (red and blue lakes) which are two dramatic sinkhole lakes.  The Blue Lake is perfect for a summer swim, while the Red Lake is surrounded by steep, rust-coloured cliffs rich in iron oxide, making it one of the deepest sinkholes in Europe.  After exploring the lakes, wander through Imotski’s peaceful streets which are lined with traditional stone houses and quiet squares. Then sip a glass of Plavac Mali or a crisp Pošip near the hilltop Fortica fortress (also known as Topana Fortress) and enjoy the sweeping views of the Dalmatian countryside. We will also organise a day trip to Kaštela, a collection of seven, small, pretty villages that sit side by side along the coast.  Once a fortified settlement, Kaštela is a fantastic spot for wine lovers and is most famously known as the birthplace of the original Zinfandel grape, called Crljenak Kaštelanski. The area is home to several charming family-run wineries, where you can enjoy tastings and learn about the winemaking process firsthand. Also head to Kaštel Stari to browse its colourful market or visit Kaštel Lukšić to hear the romantic (and tragic) tale of Croatia’s own Romeo and Juliet, Miljenko and Dobrila. And if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you might recognise the marina and stone bridge at Kaštel Gomilica. It was once used as a filming location for the series.

✈️ Split – UK: We’ll be there to meet you on your departure day to ensure your direct flight back to the UK goes smoothly.