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My 7-night Croatia coastal cruise from Dubrovnik to Split begins with a driver greeting me at Dubrovnik airport. A private air-conditioned transfer whisks me past emerald islands dotted by the sparkling Adriatic, before a steady descent through millennia-weathered limestone mountains to the port of Dubrovnik.

My Wish, a sleek and sparkling 18-cabin, 36-berth yacht, is ready for a week exploring the Croatian coast and some Adriatic island-hopping.

Launched in 2020, an exclusive and intimate private yacht feel for a small vessel that can moor on islands and drop anchor in secluded coves. as Unforgettable Croatia Credo asks, “Why normal?”

Welcome

With boarding from 2pm, we gather for a sparkling fizz and canapés reception. There is a buzz of excited chatter between guests from Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. We studied the ship and itineraries on the Unforgettable Croatia app. Now, as we are greeted in impeccable English by our cruise director, Lana, it becomes a reality.

A generous welcome gift includes a bottle of Croatian red wine, a bottle of water, a tote bag, a restaurant guide and a privilege card offering a 10% discount at selected restaurants.

cabin

Lana guides me into a light gray air-conditioned cabin with a balcony. Beds can be configured as two singles or doubles. A wall-mounted TV, dressing gowns and slippers tick the luxury box. In the meantime my passport can snooze in the safe for a week.

Large by cruise ship standards, the well-lit bathroom has a rain shower. A door leads to a balcony with two chairs and a table.

Day 1: Dubrovnik

In the late afternoon, a 15-minute coach ride takes us to the magnificent Pile entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town. Within 1.2 miles of the city walls, Lana guides us through a millennium of dramatic history in a city that recently starred as the backdrop for Game of Thrones. In the Middle Ages, using considerable nerve and diplomatic tact, trading between the powerful Venetian and Ottoman empires, Dubrovnik became a prosperous city-state.

But after the earthquake and tsunami of 1667, and then the fire, few remains of the Gothic splendor of that era. Our tour takes us to St. Saviour’s Church and the ornate Gothic-cloistered Rector’s Palace, two of the few buildings to survive.

Lana introduces us to the surprisingly generous mindset of the Dubrovnik people. She depicts the Lazy Susan system in which mothers, unable to parent, can, without shame, give their child to an orphanage. Significantly it dates from 1408.

The city abolished slavery in the 16th century, and before that time, women were able to own businesses and property. Aware of the dangers of corruption, rectors were only allowed to rule the city for a month …

Back on board, the three-course set menu is followed by a welcome cocktail before dinner.

Day 2: Dubrovnik to Slano

For the dedicated few, the day begins with a workout in the outdoor mini-gym on the sun-deck. But most guests start their day with an extensive buffet breakfast, fresh fruit and a wide selection of eggs cooked to order: eggs benedict, omelets, scrambled eggs.

Then we sail for a closer look at the harbor walls, sometimes 85 feet high and 16 feet thick. They did their work for centuries. Until the city fell to Napoleon.

A small group, interested in learning more about Croatian history, gather on the upper deck to hear Lana talk about Croatia’s past and how the older generations still reminisce about the comfortable life of full-time employment under Marshal Tito’s communist rule. Even though Tito’s spies often overheard the conversation.

In view of the negative impact of yugo winds on mental well-being, past governments have warned judges not to punish too harshly when oppressive southerly winds blow. In contrast, the cold northern wind, Bura, was welcomed to clear the mind.

Dropping anchor near the craggy, pine-covered shore, there’s plenty of swimming time in clear waters, rated the cleanest in Europe. After a light three-course lunch on-board, it’s time for another swim. As the temperature rises, the cicada chorus becomes louder.

Come evening, the small fishing village of Slane is the departure point for a coach ride to oyster tasting. We pass the five mile long medieval wall built to protect the salt plains from Ottoman invasion. Salt was worth as much as gold in the Middle Ages.

A small boat takes us to a ropeway to an oyster farm that produces three to four million Mali stone oysters annually. Thriving in clean streams of fresh and salt water, local demand for these oysters is such that none are exported. It is one in half a million that an individual oyster egg makes it to three years from harvest.

Oysters and cool, crisp white wine are appetizers for a three-course dinner on land on the stone restaurant terrace: black cuttlefish-ink risotto, swordfish and finally flan.

Day 3: Mljet and Korčula

Mooring at Mljet we hike for 25 minutes to the lakes of the national park covering much of the northwest corner of the island. 30 species of orchids are scattered among Aleppo pines and holm oaks.

Our entry ticket included a journey on a solar-powered boat across the two large lakes to the small island of St. Mary’s. It is home to a small Benedictine monastery and a cafe terrace for one of the most beautiful coffee-breaks in the world. If you are going around the lake there is a red flag to call a ferry to take you to the island. In summer the lake temperature can reach 30 centigrade, swimming is a must. However, renting bikes and kayaks are also options.

In the early afternoon we head to Korčula, one of Croatia’s most populated islands where winged Venetian lions give the Old Town an Italian feel. For centuries stone masons were kept busy carving on the limestone, including the Tree of Life around the entrance to St Michael’s Church. The right column shows the speed of time while the left covers the falling of the skull symbolic of death. The three merchant fraternities still thrive and organize 55 processions throughout the year. A man carries 80 kg of candles at Easter. Only three times is he allowed to announce “Ave Maria” and put down the candle for repose.

Andrea, our guiding oracle, isn’t entirely convinced by the town’s claim to be the birthplace of the explorer Marco Polo in 1324 – despite seven centuries of important celebrations. He is more influenced by the heroic story of British baron, Sir Fitzroy MacLean, who is probably the MI6 prototype for James Bond. Parachuting covertly into Yugoslavia in 1943, MacLean may have persuaded the high command not to bomb Korcula. Unforgettable Croatia’s knowledgeable guides go beyond the usual stories.

The town’s medieval designers were ahead of their time, designing a fish-bone street layout, using sea breezes to provide natural air conditioning but curving right-hand lanes to reduce the wind’s effect. They also have offset doors and windows for privacy.

Restaurants, along the promenade of the ramparts, provide the first opportunity to use the Privilege discount card. As the sun sets, Filipina’s al fresco tables, shaded by mature pines, offer a beautiful view across the bay and the Korcula Islands archipelago. Recommended by Michelin, Filippi uses traditional herbs and local artisan pasta as part of his contemporary Dalmatian cuisine.

The odyssey continues

Just three days into our Croatian trip of discovery and one guest is declaring, “I’m not sure I can go back to real life after this.”

But there are still many more leagues to travel and the sights of The Blue Cave, Vis, Hvar and Split to be enjoyed.

the facts

Unforgettable Croatia offers a seven-night cruise from £1,795 or $2295 per person, including breakfast, lunch, private transport, all excursions and Wi-Fi. Flights are not included. For more information on May to October 2025 departure dates, visit Unforgettable Croatia or call +44 20 8004 2345

Disclosure: We were sponsored by Invest Unforgettable Croatia.