We are going to Croatia, located across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, in late August and early September for a cruise along the Croatian coastline aboard a 125-foot, 38-passenger cruise ship. Our first two nights in Croatia will be spent visiting Dubrovnik, a walled city which has been under the rule of many different empires, including the Romans, Byzantines, Italians, Austrians, Nazis and Communists. Part of the old Yugoslavia, it declared its independence in 1991. Years of post-independence violence and strife in the 1990s have given way to peace, and the country has become a popular vacation destination with its colorful old cities and Mediterranean coastline combining for an attractive package. August 29-30, 2013: We leave Nashville a little after 3 p.m. on August 29, and have just one hour and 20 minutes before our flight leaves New York for Frankfurt, where we arrive at 10:30 a.m. on the 30th. We have a five-hour layover in Germany before our flight to Dubrovnik, which arrives at 5 p.m. Sharon and I will spend our first night in Croatia at the Hotel Stari Grad (http://www.hotelstarigrad.com/index.php?lang=en) inside the old walled section of Dubrovnik. It is one of very few hotels within the city walls, which date back to the 12th century and whose major development occurred in the 14th Century. Though the hotel does not have a full service restaurant, it does offer breakfast and the roof of the building has a patio bar featuring a great view of the city. There are several good restaurants nearby. The hotel is formerly the home of a wealthy family and was recently remodeled. It is in a section of Dubrovnik which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage area. (This designation means that a place has special natural or historical significance and should be preserved. The U.S. has 21 of them, ranging from the Statue of Liberty to Mammoth Cave. Croatia has eight, and we will see the majority of them during our visit. There are 981 of these designated places in the world.) We will probably rest for a while upon arrival and then go exploring Dubrovnik.

Roof of the Stari Grad Hotel

August 31, 2013: This is a free day for exploring. Our ship, the Princess Aloha (no relation to Princess Cruises,) will be available for boarding after noon, but we can check in whenever we like in the afternoon or evening. We will be staying in Dubrovnik on the ship tonight. There is a welcome dinner/reception scheduled for this evening. Many of the places recommended by TripAdvisor for seeing in Dubrovnik are either near our hotel or are islands which we will visit on our cruise. I am really looking forward to seeing the old section of the city and shooting photos of the red-roofed buildings.

Our ship's dimensions are described above, but here is more information about the vessel that will take us up and down the coast of Croatia. It has a 720-square foot sun deck (with plenty of shady areas, too.) The ship, which is brand new, has free wifi in common areas, and it offers a couple of ladder/jump areas for entering the water when the ship stops for swimming opportunities. Late August temperature highs are around 80.

 The Princess Aloha

Our Cruise Stops

 Dining Area

Passenger Cabin on the Ship

September 1, 2013: The ship has an organized sightseeing tour of Dubrovnik in the morning, and then sails around lunchtime for Mljet Island. The island is not far from Dubrovnik, and features a national park through which much of the island's environment has been protected. It has two saltwater lakes, and pristine waters for swimming and diving.

Mljet Island

Our itinerary calls for exploring the island and swimming if the weather cooperates. We will stay on the ship in Mljet for the evening and have dinner on the boat. September 2, 2013: Mljet-Pucisca (Brac Island): We sail up the coast past the island of Korkula, which we will visit later, and pass several coves and inlets. Our destination is Pucisca, a town known for a white stone which has been used in famous buildings like the White House and the Parliament House in Vienna. I looked several places to see if I could find out what kind of stone this is, but never got a description beyond "qualitative white stone." It is both quarried and sculpted in the area.

 Pucisca's Location

Aerial View of Pucisca

Pucisca dates back to before 1200, and has a population of less than 3,000. I have read blog posts from travelers who say this is the most beautiful seaside town in Croatia, citing the white stone buildings and clear waters as among the reasons. We will have dinner in town this evening. TripAdvisor has several highly recommended places. September 3, 2013: Pucisca-Omis-Split: We will have a buffet breakfast on the ship (as is the case each morning) and will sail for the Middle Ages city of Omis. The small seaside town on the coast was once the home of pirates. In a small city of adept seamen, locals found that robbing Venetian ships was a lucrative profession. Fortresses dot the skyline from back in the day when Omis needed protection from its many enemies and invaders. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful spots along what is known as the Adriatic Riviera. We will just stop here briefly for a swim if the weather is good.

Omis in the "Adriatic Riviera"

Then we go on to Split. The central city there has also been designated a UNESCO World heritage site. The town center is contained within a gigantic palace that belonged to the Roman emperor Diocletian. With almost a half million people in the metropolitan area, Split is the second largest city in Croatia. While its importance as a Roman Empire center is often discussed, its earlier history included being occupied by Greece around 300 B.C. The Roman palace in the city was begun in 294 as Diocletian selected it as his retirement home. It has walls that are as much as 700 feet long and 70 feet high, and it once housed nearly 10,000 people who were there to serve the retired Diocletian after his arrival in 301. The city was bombed during World War II by both the Axis forces under the command of the Nazis and by Allied forces. Today, tourism and shipbuilding are among its most important economic engines. Our activities here will include a tour of the palace and old town, and Sharon I are are on our own to explore and have dinner during the evening. September 4, 2013: From Split to Bol and Hvar: The island of Bol is credited with having Croatia's most beautiful beaches, and our itinerary calls for a stop at the Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) Beach for a stroll or swim.

Zlatni Rat Beach in Bol

We sail on to Hvar, one of Europe's oldest cities with a history dating back to Greek occupation in 384 B.C.

The Stari Grad Plain, a geometrically laid-out parcel of agricultural land, was set up by the Greeks around that same time, and still remains in operation today. It, like many of our other stops, has gained UNESCO World Heritage status.

There are some fortresses on the north side of the island, many dating back to the 16th century. Hvar has been occupied by many different countries and empires through the years. 

Tourism is the island's top industry, and it has been chosen by Conde Nast travel magazine as one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world.

We will find our own restaurant for dinner here and stay overnight on the ship in Hvar.

Hvar

September 5, 2013: Hvar-Korkula: The Trojans reportedly settled in Korkula in the 12th century B.C., and like many Croatian islands and seaports, it has changed hands many times since. Its chief historic claim to fame is that was the birthplace of explorer Marco Polo.

The city's skyline includes the steeple of St. Mark Cathedral, constructed in the 15th Century. We will have plenty of time in the afternoon and evening to explore the ancient city and have dinner there before returning to the ship.

Korkula

September 6, 2013: Korkula-Peljesac-Dubrovnik: We sail back toward Mljet Island and pull close to some dramatic cliffs along that coast. If the weather is okay, we will stop for swimming at one of the secluded bays along the way. The day will include a stop at a winery located in the birth house of California wine grower Mike Grgich. That winery is in the town of Trstenk on the Peljasac Peninsula.

We sail back to Dubrovnik and have an evening on our own - our last of the cruise. September 7, 2013: Dubrovnik-Split: We plan to depart the ship between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and head to the airport to pick up a rental car for a four-hour drive from Dubrovnik to Split, which we visited during the cruise.

We will stay in the historic section in a place called Authentic Luxury Rooms http://www.hotel-authentic.com/gb/index.html. Could have done more with the name, huh? But the hotel gets great reviews, having been built around 1700, but featuring modern conveniences that were added during a recent renovation. It is five minutes walk from the beach and very near the Diocletian Palace which we toured earlier in the trip.

Room at the Hotel Where We Will Stay in Split

We will make a dinner reservation and enjoy an evening on the town. We would like to try a tint place called Villa Spiza for dinner. http://www.tasteofcroatia.org/eateries/villa-spiza-quick-bites-for-urbanites/

September 8, 2013: Visit Plitivice Falls::We will drive about three hours from Split to Plitivice Lakes, a spectacular national park located at the border of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The park features 16 lakes, many of which are interconnected underground, and waterfalls everywhere. The tallest of the waterfalls is 250 feet high. It is Croatia's largest national park, and is yet another Croatian site listed among the UNESCO World Heritage locations. It has not always been a peaceful place. Many wars have been fought here through the centuries, and it was the site of the first battle of the Croatian War in the early 1990s. Serb fighters occupied the park for years. There are walking trails throughout the park, and we hope to get a beautiful day for our visit.

Above: Various Scenes from Plitivice Lakes National Park

We plan to drive back to Split after our park visit, and will turn in our car at the airport.