top spots

	UNESCO-listed Dubrovnik Whilst staying in Dubrovnik in 1929, the playwright George Bernard Shaw remarked: “If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik”. The ancient walled medieval city of Dubrovnik is Croatia’s crowning jewel. Jutting out into the azure blue sea, is the old town of Stari Grad with marble-paved squares, tall houses convents, churches and palaces all cut from the same light-coloured stone. Built between the 13th and 16th centuries, the imposing city walls (some 25m high with 16 towers) are still intact today, a walk along which is considered to be the highlight of one’s stay in Dubrovnik.

	Split In the heart of Dalmatia, Split became a popular retirement destination in the 4th century for Roman emperors such as Diocletian. Today, it is renowned for its variety of archaeological, historical and cultural monuments among them the UNESCO-listed Diocletian Palace. The first detailed tourist guide published in 1894, bears witness to the long tourist tradition in hospitable Split. A centre of culture, the city has a number of museums and hosts a summer music festival. The city offer plenty of eateries, bars and cafes.

	Korcula The greenest island in Croatia, Korcula is all woodlands, vineyards, fishing villages and reputed birthplace of the greatest explorer Marco Polo. Though Korculans like to identify Antenor, fleeing from Troy, as the city's founder, there are even older Neolithic burial mounds, and a possible Phoenician settlement, attesting to the island’s long and illustrious history. The walled old city of Korcula, with streets arranged in a herringbone pattern allowing free circulation of air but protecting against strong winds, is tightly built on a promontory that guards the narrow sound between the island and the mainland. The city is notable for its Statute dating back to 1214, which prohibited slavery, making Korcula the first place in the world to outlaw the practice.

	Mljet Thought to have been discovered by the Ancient Greeks, records for which have been found, Mljet was called "Melita" or “honey” which over the centuries evolved to the current Slavic name. Mljet is carpeted with verdant forest (over 70%), sprinkled with fields, vineyards and tranquil villages. The western half of the island is a national park. The park is characterised by two deep bays, which are called lakes due to their very narrow passages to the open sea. On an island on one of the lakes is a 12th century Benedictine monastery.

	Hvar Sitting at the foot of pine-clad slopes, the medieval old town of Hvar on the island of the same name is crammed to the gunnels with historical sights, cafes, boutiques and bars. Located on the Dalmatian coast, the island of Hvar is separated from the island of Brac by the Hvar Channel. With a very mild Mediterranean climate and beautiful beaches, Hvar is blessed with around 2715 hours of sunshine per year, the island promotes itself as the ‘island of sunshine. Hvar could also be called the ‘island of lavender or wine’ as it cultivates vast quantities of this aromatic botanical for oils and soaps and is one of Croatia’s most famous regional producers of wine.

	Opatija Elegant Opatija is situated on the Gulf of Kvarner in a sheltered position at the foot of a mountain. Owing to its pleasant temperatures, Opatija has always been a favoured year-round resort and has been attracting tourism for more than 160 years. Surrounded by beautiful woods of laurel, the entire maritime coast to the north and south of Opatija is rocky and picturesque, and contains several smaller winter resorts. The oceanfront promenade lined with grand buildings in the Austro-Hungarian style (a reference to the history of this region), well-maintained public gardens, the illuminated 12-km-long coastal promenade known as the "Lungomare", well-kept beaches, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops make Opatija a real northern drawcard.

On the go is a specialist operator of Adriatic sailing holidays on the Dalmatian and Kvarner coast of Croatia. From Split, the walled port of Dubrovnik or north from Opatija, discover islands such as Hvar, Brac, Mljet, Krk, Rab, Cres, Dugi Otok and Korcula – reputed birthplace of Marco Polo. Sail Croatia aboard a wooden, rigged, masted sailing boat known as a gulet. Relax, sun bake, swim and unwind at Dalmatian and Kvarner coastal islands and explore the Diocletian Palace in Split, the medieval walled port city of Dubrovnik, Markarska, Bol and Hvar on a choice of Sail Croatia cruising holidays on the Adriatic coast.