MESSING ABOUT ON THE ADRIATIC

Your Croatian adventure begins in Zadar, a historic city on the western coast whose mixture of culture, history and stunning scenery makes it the perfect starting point. Unique attractions in Zadar include the Sea Organ, a vast experimental instrument which plays music with the movement of the waves, and the Sun Salutation, a pavement installation which harvests the sun’s energy during the day to create a light show.

As well as these modern architectural innovations, the natural scenery surrounding Zadar is not to be missed during your time here. Krka National Park lies about an hour’s drive down the coast, and Kornati National Park lies on a small island a boat trip away off the coast – both are renowned for their natural beauty and great for exploring on foot or by bike. Also nearby is Modric Cave, great for a caving adventure with kids over 12.

Your home for four nights in Zadar is Hotel & Spa Iadera, a luxurious & modern hotel with top-quality spa and wellness facilities – perfect for relaxing after a day’s adventures.

Croatia’s second-largest city, Split is a fantastic place to experience Dalmatian life as it has existed for hundreds of years, thanks to Diocletian’s Palace, the Roman emperor’s opulent retirement home which takes up half the old town and remains a bustling maze of bars, shops and restaurants.

Your hotel is Azur Palace, a luxurious hotel in a historic building which borders Diocletian’s Palace and is perfect for exploring the ancient old town. The best way to do this is with a guided tour, which will take you to places like Diocletian’s Mausoleum and the Cathedral of St. Domnius, the oldest surviving Catholic cathedral in the world which was consecrated in the 7^th century.

Afterwards, head up to the fortress of Klis, overlooking Split, which was used as a location for the filming of Game of Thrones – kids and adults alike can get in the spirit of things with an archery class.

Departing Split, you’ll board a boat to Vis. The furthest of the main Dalmatian Islands from the mainland, far away from the well-touristed likes of Hvar and Korcula, Vis is the site of a former Yugoslavian military base which was cut off to foreign visitors until 1989. The result is a marvellously unspoilt place with beautiful natural scenery, as well as an authentic, traditional way of life which manifests itself in, among other ways, some of the finest food to be had anywhere in Croatia.

We recommend taking a private motor boat tour to explore the beautiful coastline of Vis and neighbouring Bisevo, stopping off at the Blue Cave: a beautiful rock formation which glows with iridescent blue light at certain times of day.

Your home for three nights in Vis is Hotel San Giorgio, a friendly, family-run hotel near the sea in Vis town.

Boarding the boat back to Split, you’ll be transferred to the beautiful walled city of Dubrovnik for the final stop on your holiday where you will stay in the wonderfully scenic, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik.

Known for good reason as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, Dubrovnik’s beautiful red-roofed medieval buildings tell the story of hundreds of years of history and the city walls are possibly the finest anywhere in the world. The Franciscan Monastery & Museum and Cathedral of the Assumption are two historical highlights. Dubrovnik’s not just a step into the distant past, though, and War Photo Limited exhibits intensely moving photographs capturing the horror of the Balkan Wars, which saw Dubrovnik shelled in 1991.

Dubrovnik’s beauty has seen it used as a location for many films and TV series, most notably Game of Thrones: a tour of the series’ locations is a great way to spend half a day, and is sure to be a hit with teenagers. ­A great way to spend a day is a trip on a private sailing boat, whose crew will take you to the Elafiti Islands: a tiny, forested archipelago, only three of which are inhabited, which are a beautiful spot to relax, swim and explore.