“My wife and I had a wonderful experience on this cruise... everything was
just great. Our quarters were everything promised, and the food and service were excellent. We chose this cruise because it included a few of the places we hadn’t visited – and we liked the ‘whispers’ because it allowed us to wander while listening to our guide. The tour and the ship were a Ten!
”– Owen Smith, OH
Hvar has acquired its reputation as a jet-setters’ paradise due to its incredibly sunny climate, which has produced a robust wine trade.
folkloric traditions with a private Moreska dance presentation of a Moroccan folk story, performed only in this town. You’ll have free time into this evening to explore on your own. Meals BLD
in 2011. Sipping cocktails on the deck as you sail past Piazza San Marco and out into the Adriatic Sea is an experience you’ll never forget... can there be a more perfect way to begin your 7-night cruise along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast... Meals BD
4. COLORFUL CROATIA - SIBENIK & SPLIT L’Austral docks this morning in Sibenik, Croatia, where you’ll see the Cathedral of St. James. A stunning Gothic masterpiece of white stone decorated with sculptured heads of what are believed to be Sibenik townspeople of the time, it is an impressive Renaissance building as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An inspiring drive along the beautiful Adriatic coast leads to the home of famed 20th-century Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic; following your visit, arrive in the port of Split, on the remains of the 4th-century palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. These well-preserved ruins house shops, homes, and one of the world’s oldest cathedrals within their ancient walls; explore them on a walking tour. Meals BLD
5. THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF KORCULA Today’s destination is the Adriatic island of Korcula, birthplace of famed 13th-century explorer Marco Polo. Your local guide leads you on a walking tour of Korcula’s walled town to see the Museum of the Icons in the church, the Cathedral of St. Mark, and the town’s most famous house, on what may have been the site of Polo’s family home. You’ll also be treated to a firsthand look at the island’s
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6. DUBROVNIK, “PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC” Awaken in the magnificent walled port city of Dubrovnik, where a private lecture by Croatia’s former Minister of Tourism precedes a full day spent exploring this medieval gem. With its ancient buildings, squares, cobbled streets and fountains all created from the same beautifully cut stone, Dubrovnik’s entire Old Town has been preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; you’ll explore the main square, the Dominican Monastery, the Rector’s Palace, Dubrovnik Synagogue and more on a walking tour. Then spend the rest of the day as you please, perhaps strolling along the city’s impressive ramparts overlooking the sea, or visiting the Maritime Museum in St. John’s Castle. Meals BLD
7. MONTENEGRO AND GORGEOUS KOTOR Incredible scenery surrounds you as L’Austral sails into the fjord-like Bay of Kotor and docks in Kotor. Montenegro’s ancient maritime center, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was both a Roman and a Byzantine stronghold; a guided walking tour visits its maritime museum and one of the city’s Romanesque churches. Back aboard the ship, a local female a cappella singing group entertains today; your cruise continues on to the jet-setting island of Hvar. Meals BLD
8. THE TREASURES OF HVAR
A favorite sun-kissed playground of the rich and famous, the island of Hvar welcomes you with lush vineyards, aromatic fields of lavender, and cultural treasures destined to leave you enriched and inspired. Island exploration includes a tour of Hvar Town, home to intricately carved Venetian architecture, and Stari Grad. You’ll also see Spanjol Fortress, steeped in medieval charm; it
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