Croatia may not be the first place you think about when you dream of sailing on an unbelievably blue sea with a stunning boat beneath your feet, a warm sun shining on your face and a fruity and refreshing cocktail in your hands, but as Lachlan Dyson will tell you, it’s relatively cheap and it’s time to shift it up to top place on your bucket list.
As summer hits fever pitch in Europe, the Adriatic gem of Croatia has the promise of a week you will never forget.
For under $1000, depending on how refined your taste, you can spend a week aboard a beautiful boat and join a whole fleet of people ready to let their hair down and have the experience of a lifetime.
Disembarking from the northern city of Split and travelling to the beautiful locations of Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Trstenik and Makarska, you will get a taste of each destination in all its eastern European beauty.
Now, I’m not one for playing favourites and each destination has its own particular quirk. But, the walled city of Dubrovnik and a nightclub set in a cave on the beach in Makarska were a couple of stunning highlights.
The party atmosphere and the spacious, yet invigoratingly energetic, nightclubs are not to be missed for the young and young-at-heart as no island is missing a party hotspot.
The beauty of Croatia though, is its ability to accommodate people of all ages.
Whether you are after a relaxing week sipping a glass of merlot over a hearty steak, or instead you’d prefer to hit the town and indulge in the one litre cocktails the bartender will lovingly free pour for you, Croatia and its magical islands have it all.
There is a daily cycle of sleeping, swimming, relaxing and partying on the tour and if you are a person who can’t sit still, this trip may not be the one for you as a lot of time is spent sailing between islands and the best way to soak up time is to grab a good book and take in the 30-plus degree days with an occasional dip in the crisp Adriatic Sea.
So for those who are keen to escape the cold winter of Melbourne, or maybe there are those out there who just like to close their eyes and dream, Croatia is the new kid on the tourism block and boy does it pack a punch.
Take a look for yourself.
Simply search “Croatia Sailing’ in Google to browse the array of amazing options available.
