After dropping off our bags on the luxury yacht that would be our home for the week, we made our way off the boat to explore Split. As we spotted a group in matching silk outfits, their patterns of pearls and gold chains also heading toward the bag drop-off area, my imposter syndrome kicked into high gear. Of course, we don’t belong on a luxury yacht; we don’t own designer clothes! It wouldn’t be long before we realized they were just having a bit of fun and ordered the matching outfits for the trip. This set the tone for a week of island-hopping aboard a beautiful boat with a great group of people.

While the yacht may give off luxury vibes and will cost you more than a week camping in the woods, the vibe was laid back and not at all pretentious. Everyone is welcome, including kids! Splurging on a vacation in one of the most beautiful countries in Europe is well worth saving your pennies for. The size of the boat—only 16 cabins—allowed us to get right into the small harbours with plenty of free time to explore on foot or rent e-bikes. We also anchored in secluded bays for swimming in the most crystal clear blue water I have ever seen. Equipped with paddleboards and other fun flotation devices, swim stops on a scorching August day were pure heaven.

The best place to be during the dog days of summer in Croatia is along the Dalmatian Coast. Strolling through historical sites on a guided tour of Split, then hopping back on a yacht with only 40 other guests feels like we skipped the line straight to the VIP section. While it may seem like an extravagant way to travel, it’s a great option to see many islands while only having to unpack once. 

A yacht holiday was a bit of a gamble for my family, given my husband and son are prone to motion sickness. Luckily, thanks to calm seas and planning ahead with enough medications, they avoided any seasickness.

At 15, my son has more patience for visiting historical sites and eating in nice restaurants than he did when he was younger. We balanced that out by renting e-bikes and tackling switchback roads up and down the island of Vis and on the much flatter but just as beautiful island of Mljet, where one-third is a National Park. In Dubrovnik, we walked the old city walls and felt as if we were stepping back into medieval times. 

When our week-long cruise ended, we bade our new friends farewell and rented a car to see more of the country. My son saw photos of the Eye of the Earth on Instagram, so we made a stop there, and of course, we also wanted to see the gorgeous waterfalls of Krka and Plitvice National Parks. My hiking-loving husband, James, told us the full Plitvice loop was only 8km. It turned out to be over 18km! I’m still debating whether he knew and dropped the ‘1’ so we’d say yes. In the end, it was well worth it, especially since we left at 7am to avoid the heat and crowds. We chose a hotel within the park, so it was easy to just get up and go, but you do need a pass to enter initially, and you can choose a 1- or 2-day pass. We decided to get a 2-day pass for the most flexibility. You will need to set a time the first time you enter the park, but after that, you can leave and return at any time on the days your pass is valid.

From feeling like royalty on a yacht to bonding as a family in beautiful national parks and over delicious meals, Croatia was a perfect place for a summer vacation.

Yacht and sailing cruises in Croatia start at around $2500CAD per person for a week depending on the time of year and the type of ship. As a TICO certified travel advisor, I’d love to assist you in planning your perfect family trip. You can reach me at vanessa[at]romanceandfoodietravel.ca.