Sailing the Adriatic: Dalmatian Island-Hopping Cruise

Today you sail to the beautiful island of Brac, famous for one of the most iconic beaches in Croatia. You cruise across the sparkling channel to Brac and anchor near Bol, beneath the dazzling white pebble spit of Zlatni Rat, the 'Golden Horn', which curves out into the turquoise sea from the pine forests, its tip shifting shape with the wind. You swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear water, its brilliant whites and blues unforgettable, and relax on deck under the Dalmatian sun. Ashore you might stroll the pretty harbour of Bol, taste the island's wines, or learn about the luminous white Brac stone used to build Diocletian's Palace. In a secluded cove you pause for a leisurely swim and lunch aboard. As the day ends, you moor in an island harbour. This evening, dine on fresh seafood by the water. Rest well aboard.

Today you sail to chic, lavender-scented Hvar, the most glamorous of the Dalmatian islands. You cruise past pine-clad coves and vineyards to Hvar town, a stylish little port of Venetian palaces gathered around one of the loveliest squares in Croatia, crowned by the marble cathedral of St Stephen and, above, a hilltop Spanish fortress. With your guide you wander the marble lanes and harbour and climb to the fortress for a sweeping view over the town and the scattered Pakleni islands offshore. You take the ship or a small boat to the Pakleni islands to swim in idyllic turquoise coves, and pause for a swim stop and lunch aboard along the way. As the day ends, you return to Hvar, its cafes and konobas buzzing in the evening. This evening, enjoy Hvar's famous atmosphere ashore. Rest well aboard in the harbour.

Today you sail to remote, unspoiled Vis, the farthest of the Dalmatian islands, and its shimmering Blue Cave. You cruise across open water to Vis, closed as a military base for decades and so beautifully untouched, a place of stone villages, vineyards and hidden coves. You visit the celebrated Blue Cave on the neighbouring islet of Bisevo, entering by small boat to see the sea cave glow with an otherworldly, luminous electric-blue light as the midday sun's rays pass through an underwater opening, an unforgettable sight (visits are subject to sea conditions). You swim in a crystal cove such as Stiniva, a tiny beach hidden between towering cliffs, and pause for lunch aboard. Ashore you explore the harbour town of Vis or Komiza and taste the island's fine wines. As the day ends, you moor in a peaceful harbour. This evening, savour island seafood. Rest well aboard.

Today you sail to historic Korcula, one of the most beautiful walled towns in the Adriatic. You cruise the sparkling channel to Korcula, a compact town of honey-coloured stone laid out in a clever herringbone plan on a little peninsula, its cathedral, towers and palaces often called a miniature Dubrovnik and said to be the birthplace of the explorer Marco Polo. With your guide you wander its lanes and squares, climb a tower for the view over red roofs and blue sea, and taste the crisp white Posip and Grk wines for which the island is renowned. Along the way you anchor in a secluded cove for a swim and lunch aboard. In the evening you might watch a traditional Moreska sword dance, a centuries-old Korcula custom. As the day ends, the walled town glows. This evening, dine ashore on island specialities. Rest well aboard.

Today you sail to green, tranquil Mljet, one of the most beautiful and peaceful of the Dalmatian islands. You cruise to Mljet, whose western end is a national park of deep pine forest, and explore its enchanting twin saltwater lakes, walking or cycling the shaded paths along the shore and taking a small boat across to the tiny islet in the middle of the larger lake, crowned by a lovely 12th-century Benedictine monastery. You swim in the warm, calm lake water and in secluded coastal coves, and pause for lunch aboard in an idyllic anchorage. Mljet's tranquillity, greenery and clear water are a gentle contrast to the livelier islands. As the day ends, you moor in a quiet harbour, the pines dark against the sunset. This evening, enjoy a relaxed dinner aboard or in a small island konoba. Rest well aboard, ready for the final sail to Dubrovnik.

Today you make the final, beautiful sail down the coast to Dubrovnik, the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'. You cruise past the green Elaphiti islands and along the shimmering coast, perhaps pausing for a last swim stop in a secluded cove and a leisurely lunch aboard, before the mighty walls and terracotta roofs of Dubrovnik rise ahead, an unforgettable sight from the sea. You moor near the old town, and this afternoon you go ashore to explore, entering through the Pile Gate to walk the marble-paved Stradun and, for those who wish, to walk the complete circuit of the famous city walls high above the sea and rooftops. As the day ends, Dubrovnik glows golden in the evening light. This evening, a farewell dinner celebrates your beautiful voyage through the islands of Croatia. Rest well aboard in the harbour of the Pearl of the Adriatic.

After a final breakfast aboard as the walls of Dubrovnik glow in the morning light, you disembark and, with time before your departure, perhaps take a last stroll along the Stradun or a coffee by the old harbour. You are then transferred to Dubrovnik Airport for your onward international departure. You leave having sailed the most beautiful stretch of the Adriatic, from the living Roman city of Split and the white spit of Zlatni Rat on Brac to chic, lavender-scented Hvar, unspoiled Vis with its glowing Blue Cave, historic Korcula and green Mljet, ending beneath the mighty walls of Dubrovnik. The images stay vivid long after you land, the turquoise coves, the sun-drenched island harbours, the Blue Cave's electric glow, and Dubrovnik rising from the sea. Sailing the Croatian islands offers beauty, freedom and romance in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to these enchanted waters.