Located 230km north-west of Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, Split is a popular port of call for cruise ships visiting the Adriatic Sea. The city’s origins have been traced back to the 4th century BC when it served as a Greek colony although it didn’t become a major settlement until around 650 AD when it became an important Roman centre.
The beautiful Dalmatian coast was a focus for world news in the early 1990s as modern-day Croatia fought for independence from the former Republic of Yugoslavia. One particularly memorable sight on our TV screens was the sight of Serbian gunboats shelling the historic Old Town of Dubrovnik. On a human level this barbaric attack on a UNESCO World Heritage Site caused the death of both civilians and military personnel Structurally it was responsible for the destruction of almost 900 historic buildings and caused damage to almost 12,000 others.
Croatia is a land steeped in history and one that offers the discerning traveller an opportunity to explore the wonderful architecture of charming towns and villages, indulge in a unique and delicious cuisine, relax on one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe, and take trips to one of many hundreds of islands that lie just out into the Adriatic – and all while enjoying a beautifully moderate climate. What To Do The diversity of Croatia is very much part of its attraction and one day you could be wandering the quaint cobbled streets of out of the way towns, while
Novalja: hard to say, easy to love! If you’ve never heard of Novalja (that’s pronounced Nov-al-i-a, see, not that hard really) it’s about time you did. This fantastic little town on the Croatian island of Pag punches way above its weight in terms of atmosphere – not for nothing has it earned the nickname of the ‘Croatian Ibiza’. Just across the Adriatic from Italy, it’s fast becoming an international favourite, so get on board! While after dark Novalja is all about the beers and beats, boys will be boys – and what boys want most on their summer escape is
For the modern traveller, cruises offer all sorts of benefits: comfortable accommodation, on-board entertainment, excellent prepared meals, and of course, the chance to tick several destinations off your bucket list in one trip. During the stopovers on your cruise, you’ll have only a little bit of time – usually one day – to see some of the most incredible cities in Europe. Take Dubrovnik, Croatia for example, ‘the Pearl of the Adriatic’. One of the best-preserved medieval cities in the entire world (despite a massive earthquake and armed conflict during the 1990s), Dubrovnik is attracting more tourists than ever before,
