FLAGSHIP CROATIA

Your Croatian journey begins in Split, the country’s second-largest city. A buzzing modern metropolis which is also home to some of Croatia’s most famous historical sites, and with a beautiful coastal location, Split encapsulates everything that is great about Croatia as a travel destination. Your home for two nights is the Palace Judita Heritage, a beautiful luxury hotel set in a 16^th century palace with Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance features. The hotel is right next to Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which makes up around half the old town of Split today.

After two nights in Split, you’ll board a private yacht to that most fashionable of Dalmatian islands, Hvar. A favourite celebrity haunt which is blessed with natural beauty, Hvar also has a rich history and culture. The walled Hvar town, with its red roofed 13^th century buildings, is classically Croatian and is home to sights such as St. Stephen’s Sqaure, the Fortica and the 15^th-century Franciscan monastery and museum. Your hotel is the Palace Elizabeth. Only steps away from the city’s most emblematic attractions, Palace Elisabeth elegantly combines the beauty of its past with its luxurious present. Distinguished by unique architecture and exceptional design this landmark hotel captures the true essence of Hvar heritage.

Boarding a private yacht once more, you’ll sail to Korcula, a green island covered in vineyards and olive groves. It’s also got a long and colourful history, with its walled old town, jutting out into the harbour, a fine example of medieval Gothic-Renaissance architecture. You’ll spend three nights at Lesic Dmitri, an opulent hotel next door to Marco Polo’s former house – there’s also a museum dedicated to the famous traveller. Historical sights in the old town include the magnificent St. Mark’s Cathedral, which dates from the 15^th century, while private yacht trips can be arranged from your hotel to explore nearby islands. Renting bikes is a great way to explore the green interior of the island.

The final stop on your Croatian journey is the awe-inspiring historical city of Dubrovnik, the jewel in Croatia’s glittering crown of coastal walled cities. Famous the world over for its red-roofed Renaissance buildings, it’s not difficult to see why this medieval town is nicknamed the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’. Your hotel for three nights is Villa Orsula, which dates from the 1930s and is surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens, and lies around five minutes’ walk from the old town. For all Dubrovnik’s historical delights, it has had its share of troubles in recent times, and the must-visit War Photo Limited gallery features moving exhibits about the Balkan Wars, which saw Dubrovnik damaged by shelling in 1991.