Beautiful islands, crystal-clear waters, historic towns and a wonderfully relaxed way to discover Croatia.
After several wonderful weeks exploring Eastern Europe, including our Viking river cruise from Bucharest to Budapest and independent rail travels through Vienna and Prague, it was time for something completely different.
We were swapping historic European cities, palaces and train journeys for the beautiful Adriatic coastline and a week aboard a small Croatian cruise ship.
I'd been looking forward to this part of our holiday, particularly as I really enjoy the more intimate style of cruising that smaller ships offer.
Our home for the week would be MS My Way, carrying just 39 passengers, cruising from the Split region south to Dubrovnik, visiting some of Croatia's beautiful islands along the way.
And what a fabulous week it turned out to be!
We flew from Prague to Split on 25 September, and by the time we'd cleared the airport, collected our luggage and caught a Bolt into town, it was around 4pm.
We were staying in the heart of Split's Old Town, which was a great location for exploring.
Despite only having part of the afternoon and evening available, we certainly made the most of it!
We headed straight out to explore the historic centre, wandering through the narrow laneways, squares and waterfront areas.
Split has such a fascinating atmosphere, with ancient buildings, little shops, cafés and restaurants tucked away in every direction.
We managed an impressive 15,000 steps in just a few hours!
Rather than sitting down for a traditional dinner, we decided to have our own little foodie tour, enjoying burek, gelato and the occasional gin and tonic as we explored.
Not a bad introduction to Croatia!
The following morning, it was time to make our way to Trogir, where we'd be joining our ship.
Our cruise was originally scheduled to depart from Split, but because of port upgrade works, embarkation had been relocated to nearby Trogir.
We arrived at the ship around 2pm, settled into our cabin and attended the welcome briefing before heading ashore to explore.
Trogir was a lovely surprise.
The historic centre is relatively small, but it's an absolute labyrinth of narrow stone laneways, charming little squares and interesting old buildings.
You can easily spend an hour or two wandering around and discovering something new at every turn.
That evening we enjoyed the Captain's Welcome Dinner aboard MS My Way and had the opportunity to meet some of our fellow passengers.
One of the things I particularly like about this style of cruising is the relaxed atmosphere.
With only 39 passengers, you very quickly get to know people, and there's none of the formality or hustle and bustle associated with larger ships.
It really is a lovely way to travel.
The following morning, passengers who hadn't previously visited Split were offered a coach transfer back into town for a walking tour.
As we'd already spent time exploring Split, we decided to stay aboard and enjoy a quiet morning while the ship made its way there to collect the other passengers.
Before departing Trogir, I also managed to find a great little coffee shop where they roasted their own beans.
Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy a decent coffee, so that was a very good start to the day!
After collecting the other passengers in Split, we enjoyed a lovely lunch aboard before heading off to our first swimming stop.
And this was where we really started to appreciate what makes this style of Croatian cruising so special.
The ship anchored in a beautiful sheltered bay, allowing us to swim in the crystal-clear Adriatic waters.
The colour of the water was just amazing, and the temperature was surprisingly pleasant.
After our swim, we continued to the little port of Milna on the island of Brač, where we'd be spending the night.
We had plenty of free time to wander along the waterfront, enjoy a drink at one of the local bars and find somewhere for dinner.
Milna is a lovely little harbour town, and it was a very pleasant place to spend the evening.
The following morning we'd be departing at 6am, so it was another relatively early night.
Our next destination was the island of Vis, but first we had an excursion that I'd been particularly looking forward to — the Blue Cave.
Originally this excursion was scheduled for the following day, but because the weather conditions were ideal, the crew adjusted the itinerary to make the most of the opportunity.
This is another advantage of travelling on a smaller ship. There's often a little more flexibility to adjust plans to suit the weather and local conditions.
We departed at 6am and headed straight to the Blue Cave.
And I have to say, it was absolutely spectacular!
The incredible blue light inside the cave is something quite special, and it's difficult to appreciate just how beautiful it is until you experience it for yourself.
It was certainly worth the early start.
Afterwards, we enjoyed another swimming stop and lunch aboard before continuing to the island of Vis, where we arrived during the afternoon.
We had time for a walk along the waterfront, taking in the local scenery and exploring the area around the church and beach.
Later, I joined an organised military history tour.
Vis has a fascinating military background, and during the tour we visited old fortifications, tunnels and underground installations used during various conflicts.
It's quite an interesting contrast to the beautiful, peaceful island you see today.
After returning to the ship, I had just enough time to grab a jacket before heading back out to explore the other end of town.
We found somewhere for dinner, enjoyed another gelato and eventually wandered back to the ship.
Another very full day!
One of the things I was particularly pleased about the following morning was our later departure time.
We weren't leaving Vis until around 8.30am, which gave me the opportunity to pop across to a local specialty coffee shop for a good coffee before we sailed.
It's the little things!
We then enjoyed a relatively short cruise to a beautiful anchorage off Hvar, where we stopped for swimming and lunch.
By this stage, we'd settled into a lovely routine.
Breakfast aboard, a leisurely cruise along the coastline, time for a swim in a sheltered bay, lunch aboard and then an afternoon exploring a new island.
Not a bad way to spend a holiday!
We arrived in Hvar during the afternoon.
There was an organised walking tour available, but we decided to head off independently.
We spent quite some time walking along the promenade towards the well-known Hula Hula Bar, where we stopped for a drink and another swim.
Eventually we wandered back towards the town centre for a gelato and another drink at a local bar.
Hvar is certainly a lively destination, with plenty of waterfront cafés, restaurants, yachts and catamarans.
What particularly struck me was just how busy the harbour was.
There were around 15 small cruise ships, similar in size to ours, all in port for the night.
The vessels were rafted together in two rows, and we were right at the end.
And this was towards the end of the cruising season!
I could only imagine how busy it must be during the height of summer.
It was certainly interesting to see just how popular this style of cruising has become along the Croatian coast.
The following morning we departed Hvar around 7am and continued south towards Korčula.
As had become our routine, we stopped around late morning in another beautiful bay for a couple of hours of swimming.
Once again, the water was crystal clear, with the most amazing shades of blue and turquoise.
And the water temperature was just lovely.
After enjoying lunch aboard, we continued to Korčula, arriving during the afternoon.
I have to say, of all the places we'd visited so far, Korčula was probably my favourite.
The Old Town is absolutely charming.
It's quite different from some of the other ports because the historic centre is largely made up of narrow pedestrian laneways and stairways rather than roads.
The streets lead up towards the church and main square, and there's a lovely atmosphere as you wander through the town.
There were fewer yachts in port compared with Hvar, which made the waterfront feel a little more relaxed.
There were still plenty of small cruise vessels visiting, but the whole place seemed to have a slightly quieter feel.
We spent the afternoon exploring the Old Town, enjoying the architecture and simply wandering wherever the little streets took us.
One thing worth mentioning about our cruise is the amount of food served aboard.
Breakfast was provided each morning, followed by a substantial three-course lunch.
By the time dinner came around, we often weren't particularly hungry!
So rather than having another full meal, we were quite happy to find a lovely little bar or restaurant, enjoy a light bite and a drink, and soak up the local atmosphere.
Korčula was perfect for this.
It was definitely one of my favourite stops of the entire cruise.
Our next destination was the island of Mljet, much of which is protected as national park.
We departed Korčula early in the morning and headed towards Mljet National Park, which is famous for its two beautiful saltwater lakes.
Passengers had the option of hiring electric bikes to ride around the lakes or exploring on foot.
We decided to walk.
The scenery was lovely, with walking tracks winding around the shoreline and beautiful views across the incredibly clear water.
We probably walked around half the lake area before catching a small shuttle boat across to visit the historic monastery on St Mary's Island.
It's a beautiful setting, surrounded by the tranquil waters of the larger lake.
Naturally, we couldn't resist another swim!
After exploring the monastery area and enjoying the water, we caught the boat back and walked approximately 20 minutes to rejoin our ship.
By then we were certainly ready for lunch.
After leaving Mljet, we continued towards the mainland and travelled by coach to the historic town of Ston.
The excursion included a local oyster and mussel tasting, giving passengers the opportunity to sample some of the region's well-known seafood.
While seafood isn't my thing, it was another opportunity to experience a little of the local culture and the traditions of the region.
That evening was our Captain's Dinner aboard MS My Way.
And what a lovely evening it was!
We enjoyed a beautiful five-course meal, followed by local entertainment and some dancing.
It was a really enjoyable night, and by the time everyone began making their way to bed, it was almost midnight.
A little later than our usual evenings aboard!
With only one more day of cruising ahead, it was hard to believe how quickly the week had gone.
Our final cruising day began with another early departure as we continued south towards Dubrovnik.
We enjoyed a beautiful scenic cruise along the coastline, eventually approaching Dubrovnik from the sea.
Seeing the famous Old Town and its impressive city walls from the water was a wonderful introduction to the city.
We cruised along the shoreline and around the harbour area, taking in some fabulous views before continuing a little further north to find one last sheltered bay.
And, of course, one final swim!
We dropped anchor for a few hours, and everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful, clear Adriatic water.
The temperature was still surprisingly pleasant, and it was a lovely way to finish our week of swimming stops.
After lunch aboard, we continued into Dubrovnik and docked for our final night on the ship.
We had some time to start packing before heading into the Old Town for a short organised walking tour.
Dubrovnik is certainly impressive, with its magnificent stone buildings, narrow streets and enormous defensive walls.
After our tour, we stayed in town for dinner, and with the weather still lovely and warm, naturally we finished the evening with another gelato.
We then caught the local public bus back to the ship.
It was a lovely final evening aboard MS My Way.
The following morning, 3 October, it was time to disembark.
We said goodbye to the crew and our fellow passengers before making our way to our hotel.
As we were far too early to check in, we left our luggage and headed straight back into Dubrovnik's Old Town.
We had a full day of sightseeing planned, starting with a walk around the famous city walls.
The entrance fee was €40 per person, and we spent approximately two hours completing the circuit.
And what a spectacular walk!
The views over the terracotta rooftops of the Old Town, the Adriatic Sea and the surrounding coastline are just beautiful.
It was quite warm, and there are plenty of steps along the way, so I'd definitely recommend allowing enough time and carrying some water.
But it's absolutely worth doing.
After finishing the walls, we made our way back into the Old Town to explore some of the sites made famous by the television series Game of Thrones.
That included the well-known steps used for the Walk of Shame scene.
We enjoyed lunch before heading off to our next sightseeing adventure.
We'd also planned to take the cable car up Mount Srđ to enjoy the views over Dubrovnik.
And I'm so pleased we did.
The panorama from the top is just spectacular, with wonderful views across the Old Town, the harbour, the surrounding islands and the coastline.
It's one of those viewpoints where you could quite happily spend ages just taking in the scenery.
Afterwards, we made our way back down and visited the fortress before finally heading back to our hotel.
By the time we checked in, it was around 3.30pm.
We'd managed approximately 18,000 steps for the day, which was a pretty good effort considering the heat.
In fact, although we'd experienced some very warm weather during our European travels, Dubrovnik felt particularly hot that day.
Perhaps it was the combination of the city streets, the stone walls and all the walking, but we certainly noticed it!
That evening we found a local restaurant for dinner and decided that the following day would be a much more relaxing affair.
After such a busy few weeks of travelling, our final day in Dubrovnik was deliberately relaxed.
We had time to get our packing organised, enjoy a little downtime and make the most of our last day in Croatia.
I decided to head back into the Old Town for another wander, partly for some exercise and partly because I wanted another opportunity to look through a few of the shops.
There's something lovely about revisiting a place without feeling that you need to tick off any particular sightseeing attractions.
You can simply wander, enjoy the atmosphere and stop whenever something catches your attention.
Later that evening we enjoyed a final dinner at a local restaurant, followed by sunset drinks.
It was a lovely way to finish our time in Croatia.
With our bags packed and a very early start ahead for our flights home on 5 October, our European adventure was finally coming to an end.
And what an adventure it had been!
Having now experienced a week aboard MS My Way, I can certainly understand why small-ship cruising along the Croatian coast has become so popular.
For me, it's the combination of the relaxed atmosphere, beautiful scenery and the opportunity to visit a different island or harbour almost every day.
With just 39 passengers aboard, it was easy to get to know fellow travellers, and there was a lovely, informal atmosphere throughout the week.
We enjoyed substantial meals aboard, particularly at lunchtime, which left us free to explore the local restaurants and bars in the evenings.
I also really liked the balance between cruising, swimming and sightseeing.
Most days included time to swim in a beautiful bay before continuing to our next destination, where we generally had the afternoon and evening free to explore independently.
You're not tied to a rigid schedule of organised activities, and there's plenty of opportunity to do your own thing.
Of course, this style of cruising is quite different from a traditional ocean cruise.
The ships are much smaller, facilities are simpler, and you won't find the variety of restaurants, entertainment venues or onboard activities that you might expect on a large ocean liner.
But that's not really the point of this type of holiday.
It's all about the destinations, the scenery, the swimming and experiencing the Croatian coastline in a relaxed and enjoyable way.
And for us, that worked beautifully.
It's always difficult to choose favourites after a holiday like this, but there were certainly a few experiences that stood out.
The Blue Cave was absolutely spectacular and well worth the early departure.
I loved the historic atmosphere of Korčula, with its maze of pedestrian laneways and stairways, and the quieter feel of the Old Town.
The beautiful lakes and scenery on Mljet were another highlight, as were the many swimming stops in the incredibly clear Adriatic waters.
And, of course, arriving in Dubrovnik by sea, followed by walking the Old Town walls and taking the cable car for those magnificent views, was a wonderful way to finish the cruise.
I also really enjoyed the slower pace of life aboard MS My Way.
After spending several weeks exploring European cities and covering thousands of steps, it was lovely to have that balance between relaxation and sightseeing.
Absolutely!
Particularly if you enjoy discovering new places, exploring historic towns, swimming in beautiful clear water and travelling in a relaxed, informal environment.
It's a wonderful way to experience the Croatian coastline without having to pack and unpack every day or arrange your own transport between the islands.
And having sailed in late September, we were fortunate to enjoy mostly beautiful weather, pleasantly warm water and the opportunity to visit the islands towards the end of the main cruising season.
I'd certainly recommend this style of holiday to travellers who enjoy smaller ships and prefer an experience that's more focused on the destinations than the onboard facilities.
For us, it was a wonderful conclusion to our European adventure.
From the Danube and the historic cities of Eastern Europe to the palaces of Vienna, the cobblestone streets of Prague and finally the beautiful Croatian islands, we'd enjoyed an incredibly varied holiday.
We'd visited some fascinating places, met lovely people, enjoyed plenty of memorable experiences and discovered destinations we'd happily return to.
And while it's always nice to get home, I must admit I was a little sorry to see this adventure come to an end.
Until next time!
Julie O'Grady
Exclusively Cruising
CLIA Cruise Master
Thinking about cruising the Croatian coast?
If you've ever considered exploring Croatia aboard a small ship, I'd be delighted to help you find the right itinerary and vessel.
There are a variety of small-ship cruise options available, and choosing the right one can make a big difference to your overall experience.
At Exclusively Cruising, I enjoy helping clients discover cruising holidays that offer something a little different, whether that's the beautiful islands of Croatia, a European river cruise or an intimate ocean cruise to somewhere special. You can call me on 03 976 2799 or email cruise@exclusivelycruising.com.au
Exclusively Cruising – Your Local Cruise Specialist
You can catch up on our travel and read about the early part of this holiday with these blogs:
Eastern Europe with Viking Cruises HERE
Budspest to Prague by Train HERE
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About Julie O'Grady, CLIA Cruise Master, and Exclusively Cruising
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