Jewels of Croatia Northbound

Day 1 - Tučepi

Join your tour group at the hotel in Tučepi - a small fishing town on Croatia’s Makarska Riviera. A 3km stretch of marble white pebble beach and azure waters with a backdrop of green plantations and craggy peaks. Traditional restaurants and a palm-dotted promenade stretch the length of the beach and the town is just a 10-minute walk from our hotel.

Bluesun Hotel Alga, Tučepi (4-star)

Days 2-4 - Tučepi

Your days are free to relax or explore Tučepi. The polished pebble beaches on this stretch of the Dalmatian coast ensure the waters remain crystal-clear, making snorkelling and diving trips popular. There are also optional excursions you can join. You could take a tour of Omis, located at the mouth of the emerald-green Cetina River and dominated by lost world limestone escarpments and the stone battlements of a mountaintop 15th-century fortress. The old town is a sea of bright-red tiled buildings, monasteries and eight churches. Another option is to head into the Biokovo Mountains for great views across the sea. Or visit the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik. Circled by butter-coloured fortified walls and golden city beaches, the UNESCO-listed old town is a warren of white-stone houses, terracotta roofs and baroque churches, like scenes from a medieval fairy tale.

Bluesun Hotel Alga, Tučepi (4-star)

Day 5 - Tučepi - Split - Brač

Today we travel up to Split where we join an included walking tour of this UNESCO-protected city. Croatia's second largest city started out life in AD 295 as the retirement palace for the Roman emperor, Diocletian. Carved from Brač white stone (our next stop) Diocletian's Palace still stands at the heart of the old town and houses some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. After our tour there’s time to explore the medieval winding streets and tangled alleyways outside the palace complex or find a quiet spot on the sand on one of Split’s city beaches, before a scenic ferry journey to the island of Brač. We stay on the island for seven nights in Milna or Supetar.

Waterman Kaktus Resort, Supetar (4-star) or Waterman Gava Resort, Milna (4-star)

Days 6-11 - Brač

Despite being the third largest island in the Adriatic, Brač is much sleepier than its A-list neighbours of Hvar and Korčula. The island is famous for its olive oil and Brač stone - the white quarried stone responsible for keeping Europe’s cathedrals and palaces looking so shiny for the past two millennia. Split’s Diocletian’s Palace and Budapest’s Parliament Buildings are both carved from Brač stone, and reputedly, the White House. A patchwork of traditional villages, pine forests and olive groves indented with peaceful bays, an included tour takes us on a panoramic drive of the island’s highlights. The rest of the week is free to enjoy the beachfront resort or explore the local area. There are also optional excursions you can join - a wine and olive tasting trip to Dol, a gorgeous rustic village of stone-built houses, ancient churches and traditional taverns dotted with tall cypress trees. Or visit some of the island's small villages and pastoral settlements of stone houses.

Waterman Kaktus Resort, Supetar (4-star) or Waterman Gava Resort, Milna (4-star)

Day 12 - Brač - Split - Solin

Today we take the ferry back to Split. On arrival, we'll visit the ruined Roman city of Salona on the outskirts of Solin. One of the most impressive ruins is the huge amphitheatre, the foundations and arches of which show the size and splendour of this once important Roman settlement. We then transfer to Solin - the former Roman capital of Dalmatia. Inland from the coast and surrounded by verdant farmland and rocky outcrops, Solin is a peaceful oasis to spend our last three nights.

Hotel President Solin (5-star)

Days 13-14 - Solin

Over the next two days, we explore with plenty of time in between to relax and enjoy the quiet village feel of Solin. We’ll head to the beautiful city of Trogir - a UNESCO World Heritage Site linked to the mainland by bridges. Wrapped in turquoise waters, the Venetian façades and palm trees of the waterfront look like they’ve come straight out of the Italian Riviera. Within the ancient city walls, a maze of medieval streets, Byzantine churches and Renaissance bell towers tell of a history that spans back more than 2,000 years. There’s also an optional tour available to Krka National Park - an Eden-like landscape of seven waterfalls, jade-green lakes and wooden boardwalks. Carved into the limestone karsts over millennia by the Krka River, the area is considered a natural phenomenon and holds UNESCO status. Afterwards you’ll stop at Šibenik - a UNESCO-listed city at the mouth of the river. With terracotta-topped houses, elegant Renaissance buildings and Gothic churches built into the slopes above the port - Šibenik is the cover shot for a storybook Mediterranean town.

Hotel President Solin (5-star)

Day 15 - Solin

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.

Solin