Croatia: The Dalmatian Coast

Walk to Split port for ferry to Brac; Transfer to Postira and easy walking tour of town;1-2 miles, easy

Breakfast is included at your hotel. Your guide(s) will meet you at the Atrium Hotel at 1:00 p.m. (after lunch on your own) in the lobby. Your guide(s) will be wearing a Country Walkers shirt. Please be dressed for city walking.

You gather in the lobby of the meeting-point hotel for a brief orientation followed by a 20-25-minute walk to the ferry terminal. Pass through Diocletian’s Palace and the outdoor market before reaching the port and your (50-minute) public ferry to the large island of Brac. You disembark in Supetar, a vibrant little town on the island’s north side dominated by a church. Brac, the third-largest island of the archipelago, is best known for its luminous white stone, from which both Diocletian’s Palace and the White House in Washington, DC, were constructed. A short minibus transfer along the tranquil northern coast brings you to your hotel, a comfortable property with a pool overlooking the sleepy village of Postira. After getting settled, you gather for a welcome meeting and stroll along the pretty waterfront of the town to a favorite restaurant, where you can savor the first of many delicious dinners featuring the bounty of this distinctive coast.

Accommodation: Hotel Lipa, Brac
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

5 miles, easy to moderate, 800-ft. elevation gain; 3 miles, easy

Today’s walk takes you along a pine-clad northern coastal path from Postira to the fishing village of Splitska. A steady ascent winds through olive groves and cultivated terraces, culminating at the village of Škrip, the island’s first settlement, founded by the Illyrians in 1000 BC. Remains of the original wall can still be seen around the citadel. You stop for a brief visit to the tower and Roman mausoleum, today a museum dedicated to the history of the island, before indulging in a memorable lunch of pasticada, a traditional Dalmatian specialty of slowly braised beef served with homemade gnocchi.

The afternoon presents two options. Join your guide(s) along the lungomare, or seaside trail, from Lovrecina cove to Postira, passing ruins of a Roman basilica en route to your hotel. Or you may opt to return to the hotel via minibus. Either option allows for time to relax poolside before dinner on your own at the hotel or one of the many waterfront eateries.

Accommodation: Hotel Lipa, Brac
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

3-5 miles, moderate, 1,400-ft. elevation loss

After a breakfast of fresh fruit, homemade bread, cheese, and yogurt, you set out to explore some of the island’s finest attractions. A 45-minute transfer by minibus takes you to the trailhead, which leads to the 16th-century Pustinja Blaca, originally a hermitage founded in 1551 by Glagolitic priests during the Ottoman advance. A rocky dirt path descends gradually to the monastery, where you stop for a visit before continuing to a secluded cove. Here, a short transfer by private boat brings you past the famous Zlatni Rat, or “Golden Cape.” Afterward you proceed to a former shepherd’s hamlet for a traditional peka lunch (meat and vegetable stew simmered slowly over hot coals under a dome-shaped lid).

This afternoon, you take a drive to Vidova Gora, the highest point on the island, for a panoramic view over the islands you will explore during the course of the journey.

Later today, you board a large catamaran ferry for a short transfer to the chic island of Hvar, famous for its lavender production. After you check into your comfortable seaside hotel, the evening is yours to stroll the promenade and admire Hvar town’s main historical buildings, including the old theater—the first in Europe to be open to the public. For dinner, you are free to choose from among the many restaurants and cafés, with recommendations from your guides and hotel staff.

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana (or equivalent), Hvar
Or Hotel Amphora, Hvar (September 15-21 and September 22-28 tours only)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

5.5 miles, easy to moderate, with challenging sections, 1,200-ft. elevation loss

After a buffet breakfast of fresh fruits, cereals, prsut (Dalmatian smoked ham), and eggs, you embark on a scenic excursion on the island’s northern coast. Today’s exploration begins with a short transfer to Vidikovac Lavanda and your trailhead. From this vantage point, you take in stunning views to the north, across to the island of Brac and to the south, the Pakleni islands. You descend steadily for approximately two and a half hours along a true hiking trail, the final portion of which includes some challenging, rocky terrain before reaching the tranquil town of Stari Grad (literally Old Town). Considered one of Croatia’s oldest towns, dating to the 4th century BC when it was a Greek colony called Faros, it lies on the edge of a UNESCO-preserved agricultural plain in a deep and protected cove. Upon arrival to town, you visit the fortified castle of poet, and native son, Petar Hektorovic, before an independent lunch at a konoba (tavern) or café of your choice.

Returning to Hvar by minibus, a free afternoon affords several options for you to explore Hvar independently—on land or sea.

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana, Hvar
Or Hotel Amphora, Hvar (September 15-21 and September 22-28 tours only)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

3-4 miles, easy to moderate and 5.5 miles, moderate, 600-ft. elevation loss

This morning, after a copious breakfast, perhaps on the harborside terrace, depart for a walk through the surrounding villages. A short minibus transfer takes you inland to just outside the former shepherds’ settlement of Brusje and the trailhead. The rocky path winds past terraced hillsides dotted with olive trees, lavender, and drystone walls. You reach the abandoned village of Malo Grablje (a name derived from the fact that it is “lower” or Malo and “grab” or hornbeam bush—a plant that grows on these uplands), recently restored and turned into a wonderfully preserved open-air museum of sorts. Take time to explore the village before reaching the peaceful cove of Milna, where you may opt for a swim in the turquoise sea. A light lunch refuels you before transferring (or walking, depending upon ferry schedule) back to Hvar town, where you have time for a stroll or perhaps a gelato before you bid the island farewell. Late afternoon is spent relaxing on a scenic public ferry (catamaran) transfer to Korcula Island, the sixth-largest Adriatic island. Settle in at your hotel, a seaside property and your base for the next two nights, before dinner on your own—either at the hotel or at one of the many konobas in town. (Your guides and hotel staff will provide you with suggestions!)

Accommodation: Hotel Liburna, Korcula
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

5 miles, easy to moderate, 450-ft. elevation loss

After breakfast in the panoramic dining room, you set out to explore the wooded hills above Korcula, an island rich in vineyards and olive groves, and sprinkled with picturesque villages. Traditional culture has been preserved on this island, from religious festivals to folk music and dance to shipbuilding. A short transfer brings you to Žrnovo, where you explore the village and St. Martin’s Church before continuing along a wide, rocky path dotted with cypress and aromatic Mediterranean maquis (low-lying vegetation). As you emerge from the wooded trail, you spy beautiful views of the Peljesac Peninsula just across the channel. A special lunch rewards your efforts.

This afternoon affords free time to enjoy an activity of your choice in or around the UNESCO-preserved Old Town of Korcula.

Later, reconvene as a group for an (optional) guided walking visit of Old Town—often referred to as a miniature Dubrovnik for its beautiful medieval buildings and stonework. Dinner is a special affair this evening at a friend’s restaurant up in the hills above Korcula. A traditional feast awaits, featuring prawns, calamari, grilled meats, and salad of sheep’s cheese and olives, all topped off by a creative confection for dessert. Returning to town, you may have enough energy for an after-dinner stroll along the narrow streets of Korcula town, providing perfect closure to the day.

Accommodation: Hotel Liburna, Korcula

5 miles, easy to moderate, 700-ft. elevation gain and loss

After breakfast, you bid farewell to Korcula to walk the hills along the Peljesac Peninsula, home to some of the best beaches in southern Dalmatia, with wide, sandy coves bordered by groves of tamarisk and pine. After a short boat transfer to the tiny town of Viganj, you ascend a rocky trail for approximately 20 minutes. You are quickly graced with gorgeous views across the channel to Korcula before descending to Orebic, once an important maritime center and now home to a small maritime museum. Enjoy lunch and a stroll through town on your own. Afterward, you proceed to magnificent Dubrovnik, where your adventures continue, or you make connections for your next destination.

Accommodation: Grand Villa Argentina, Dubrovnik
Included Meals: Breakfast

Walk to Split port for ferry to Brac; Transfer to Postira and easy walking tour of town;1-2 miles, easy

Your guide(s) will meet you at the Atrium Hotel at 1:00 p.m. (after lunch on your own) in the lobby. Your guide(s) will be wearing a Country Walkers shirt. Please be dressed for city walking.

You gather in the lobby of the meeting-point hotel for a brief orientation followed by a 20-25-minute walk to the ferry terminal. Pass through Diocletian’s Palace and the outdoor market before reaching the port and your (50-minute) public ferry to the large island of Brac. You disembark in Supetar, a vibrant little town on the island’s north side dominated by a church. Brac, the third-largest island of the archipelago, is best known for its luminous white stone, from which both Diocletian’s Palace and the White House in Washington, DC, were constructed. A short minibus transfer along the tranquil northern coast brings you to your hotel, a comfortable property with a pool overlooking the sleepy village of Postira. After getting settled, you gather for a welcome meeting and stroll along the pretty waterfront of the town to a favorite restaurant, where you can savor the first of many delicious dinners featuring the bounty of this distinctive coast.

Accommodation: Hotel Lipa, Brac
Included Meals: Dinner

5 miles, easy to moderate, 800-ft. elevation gain; 3 miles, easy

Today’s walk takes you along a pine-clad northern coastal path from Postira to the fishing village of Splitska. A steady ascent winds through olive groves and cultivated terraces, culminating at the village of Škrip, the island’s first settlement, founded by the Illyrians in 1000 BC. Remains of the original wall can still be seen around the citadel. You stop for a brief visit to the tower and Roman mausoleum, today a museum dedicated to the history of the island, before indulging in a memorable lunch of pasticada, a traditional Dalmatian specialty of slowly braised beef served with homemade gnocchi.

The afternoon presents two options. Join your guide(s) along the lungomare, or seaside trail, from Lovrecina cove to Postira, passing ruins of a Roman basilica en route to your hotel. Or you may opt to return to the hotel via minibus. Either option allows for time to relax poolside before dinner on your own at the hotel or one of the many waterfront eateries.

Accommodation: Hotel Lipa, Brac
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

3-5 miles, moderate, 1,400-ft. elevation loss

After a breakfast of fresh fruit, homemade bread, cheese, and yogurt, you set out to explore some of the island’s finest attractions. A 45-minute transfer by minibus takes you to the trailhead, which leads to the 16th-century Pustinja Blaca, originally a hermitage founded in 1551 by Glagolitic priests during the Ottoman advance. A rocky dirt path descends gradually to the monastery, where you stop for a visit before continuing to a secluded cove. Here, a short transfer by private boat brings you past the famous Zlatni Rat, or “Golden Cape.” Afterward you proceed to a former shepherd’s hamlet for a traditional peka lunch (meat and vegetable stew simmered slowly over hot coals under a dome-shaped lid).

This afternoon, you take a drive to Vidova Gora, the highest point on the island, for a panoramic view over the islands you will explore during the course of the journey.

Later today, you board a large catamaran ferry for a short transfer to the chic island of Hvar, famous for its lavender production. After you check into your comfortable seaside hotel, the evening is yours to stroll the promenade and admire Hvar town’s main historical buildings, including the old theater—the first in Europe to be open to the public. For dinner, you are free to choose from among the many restaurants and cafés, with recommendations from your guides and hotel staff.

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana (or equivalent), Hvar
Or Hotel Amphora, Hvar (September 15-21 and September 22-28 tours only)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

5.5 miles, easy to moderate, with challenging sections, 1,200-ft. elevation loss

After a buffet breakfast of fresh fruits, cereals, prsut (Dalmatian smoked ham), and eggs, you embark on a scenic excursion on the island’s northern coast. Today’s exploration begins with a short transfer to Vidikovac Lavanda and your trailhead. From this vantage point, you take in stunning views to the north, across to the island of Brac and to the south, the Pakleni islands. You descend steadily for approximately two and a half hours along a true hiking trail, the final portion of which includes some challenging, rocky terrain before reaching the tranquil town of Stari Grad (literally Old Town). Considered one of Croatia’s oldest towns, dating to the 4th century BC when it was a Greek colony called Faros, it lies on the edge of a UNESCO-preserved agricultural plain in a deep and protected cove. Upon arrival to town, you visit the fortified castle of poet, and native son, Petar Hektorovic, before an independent lunch at a konoba (tavern) or café of your choice.

Returning to Hvar by minibus, a free afternoon affords several options for you to explore Hvar independently—on land or sea.

Accommodation: Hotel Adriana, Hvar
Or Hotel Amphora, Hvar (September 15-21 and September 22-28 tours only)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

3-4 miles, easy to moderate and 5.5 miles, moderate, 600-ft. elevation loss

This morning, after a copious breakfast, perhaps on the harborside terrace, depart for a walk through the surrounding villages. A short minibus transfer takes you inland to just outside the former shepherds’ settlement of Brusje and the trailhead. The rocky path winds past terraced hillsides dotted with olive trees, lavender, and drystone walls. You reach the abandoned village of Malo Grablje (a name derived from the fact that it is “lower” or Malo and “grab” or hornbeam bush—a plant that grows on these uplands), recently restored and turned into a wonderfully preserved open-air museum of sorts. Take time to explore the village before reaching the peaceful cove of Milna, where you may opt for a swim in the turquoise sea. A light lunch refuels you before transferring (or walking, depending upon ferry schedule) back to Hvar town, where you have time for a stroll or perhaps a gelato before you bid the island farewell. Late afternoon is spent relaxing on a scenic public ferry (catamaran) transfer to Korcula Island, the sixth-largest Adriatic island. Settle in at your hotel, a seaside property and your base for the next two nights, before dinner on your own—either at the hotel or at one of the many konobas in town. (Your guides and hotel staff will provide you with suggestions!)

Accommodation: Hotel Liburna, Korcula
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

5 miles, easy to moderate, 450-ft. elevation loss

After breakfast in the panoramic dining room, you set out to explore the wooded hills above Korcula, an island rich in vineyards and olive groves, and sprinkled with picturesque villages. Traditional culture has been preserved on this island, from religious festivals to folk music and dance to shipbuilding. A short transfer brings you to Žrnovo, where you explore the village and St. Martin’s Church before continuing along a wide, rocky path dotted with cypress and aromatic Mediterranean maquis (low-lying vegetation). As you emerge from the wooded trail, you spy beautiful views of the Peljesac Peninsula just across the channel. A special lunch rewards your efforts.

This afternoon affords free time to enjoy an activity of your choice in or around the UNESCO-preserved Old Town of Korcula.

Later, reconvene as a group for an (optional) guided walking visit of Old Town—often referred to as a miniature Dubrovnik for its beautiful medieval buildings and stonework. Dinner is a special affair this evening at a friend’s restaurant up in the hills above Korcula. A traditional feast awaits, featuring prawns, calamari, grilled meats, and salad of sheep’s cheese and olives, all topped off by a creative confection for dessert. Returning to town, you may have enough energy for an after-dinner stroll along the narrow streets of Korcula town, providing perfect closure to the day.

Accommodation: Hotel Liburna, Korcula

5 miles, easy to moderate, 700-ft. elevation gain and loss

After breakfast, you bid farewell to Korcula to walk the hills along the Peljesac Peninsula, home to some of the best beaches in southern Dalmatia, with wide, sandy coves bordered by groves of tamarisk and pine. After a short boat transfer to the tiny town of Viganj, you ascend a rocky trail for approximately 20 minutes. You are quickly graced with gorgeous views across the channel to Korcula before descending to Orebic, once an important maritime center and now home to a small maritime museum. Enjoy lunch and a stroll through town on your own. Afterward, you proceed to magnificent Dubrovnik, where your adventures continue, or you make connections for your next destination.

Included Meals: Breakfast