Islands of Kvarner Bay Premium
SAILING HOLIDAY: Take in the highlights of the northern Adriatic with this Croatia sailing holiday around Kvarner Bay. Explore the historic towns of Rab and Zadar, lose yourself on the serene and sparsely populated islands of Cres and Ilovik, and tour beautiful Opatija. With plenty of swimming stops and free time to delve into quaint local restaurants and hike amongst stunning Croatian scenery.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes
Tour overview
Itinerary
Day 1 Welcome to Croatia!
Day 1 Welcome to Croatia!
Saturday. Opatija - Krk. Welcome to Opatija in northern Croatia. We set sail at 13:00 and lunch is included onboard. We sail first to Krk, which is the largest of all the Croatian islands. We stop for a swim in the crystal clear sea en route to the harbour at Krk town, where we spend the night. The town is a vibrant one, with loads of great restaurants and bars to enjoy. There are also lots of secluded bays and beaches to discover along the coast.
Day 2 Romantic Rab
Day 2 Romantic Rab
Krk - Rab. Departing Krk, we head to Rab, an island just off the coast. Rab is known as the "Island of Love" and we'll enjoy a guided tour of the romantic Rab town. Admire Romanesque churches, historic stone walls and ancient streets. You will see many artists working outside in the street, and we enjoy an included tasting of the local delicacy: a cake with a secret recipe known as Rapska torta. If the weather is good, you may wish to walk to the top of Kamenjak Hill to watch a beautiful sunset.
Day 3 Exploring historic Zadar
Day 3 Exploring historic Zadar
Rab - Zadar. Departing Rab, we pass the unusual island of Pag and stop for a swim at the tiny island of Maun. Arriving into Zadar, we join an included guided tour. Zadar is the centre of this region and the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. Marvel at the historic Roman Forum, the medieval basilica of Saint Donatus and the imposing city walls, which date back to the 16th century. The waterfront is a great place to spend this evening, so we recommend you head out for a meal and wander down to the Zadar Sea Organ to listen to the unique sounds it produces.
Day 4 Rural Croatian islands
Day 4 Rural Croatian islands
Zadar - Molat or Olib. Today's schedule is flexible, as we begin our northbound journey back to Opatija. We will sail to the islands of either Molat or Olib, depending on which has room for us at the harbour! These islands are close together and fairly similar, both boasting peace and serenity. They are both sparsely inhabited so you could take a nice walk along the coast before our included Captain's Dinner onboard this evening.
Day 5 Exploring Losinj
Day 5 Exploring Losinj
Molat or Olib - Ilovik - Mali Losinj. Enjoy breakfast and a swim before we set sail once again for Ilovik, whch is home to just a few hundred people. After a quick stop here, we continue to Losinj. Known for its lush pine forests and long days of sunshine, Losinj is one of the most popular destinations in the northern Adriatic. Docking at the town of Mali Losinj, the rest of the day is free to wander along the waterfront or head to nearby Veli Losinj.
Day 6 The nature of Cres
Day 6 The nature of Cres
Mali Losinj - Cres. Today we have a short sail to Cres. This island used to be connected to Mali Losinj, but the Romans separated the two by digging a narrow channel. Cres town is a typical medieval settlement, with narrow streets and beautiful stone architecture. And the wider landscape of Cres is dotted with olive groves, vineyards, and oak forests. There is time for you to head out and explore as you wish.
Day 7 Opatija sightseeing
Day 7 Opatija sightseeing
Cres - Opatija. Today is our last day of sailing as we make our return to Opatija. The famous Opatija Riviera is best seen from the sea, and we'll take in the best possible views. Arriving in Opatija after lunch, there's free time to head out and explore - we recommend a walk along Croatia's longest seaside promenade! (Please note that on Premium Plus cruises, there is an included tour of Opatija). For dinner, why not head to the nearby village of Volosko, home to some of the best fish restaurants in the country? Back onboard, we'll enjoy a farewell party.
Day 8 Goodbye Croatia!
Day 8 Goodbye Croatia!
Saturday. Gather for one final breakfast, followed by goodbyes with all the new friends and the crew before they see you off in the port of Opatija.
Tour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Prices & Dates
Ship Catagories
Premium ships are a class above our traditional ships and are bookable as an upgrade on most sailing trips. The Premium ships feature slightly larger en suite cabins (8 – 14 square metres, twin or souble share on request). All cabins have air conditioning and most common areas do too. Cabins also benefit from hair dryers and safety deposit boxes. Towels and bed linen are changed twice weekly. Most of our premium ships include a tour of Dubrovnik with an English speaking guide. Additionally, premium ships offer plenty of hot water, towels, linen, a TV and sound system in the reception area, board games, WiFi in common areas (when in port) and extensive sun and shaded deck space to lounge about!
Premium Plus ships are mini-deluxe vessels with all the features of our Premium ships but they are larger in size offering ample deck space. Premium Plus ships are used as an upgrade (from Premium) on our cruises and include all of the above.
Tour Reviews
We had a fabulous time. The islands were beautiful, unless you took a trip like this one could never appreciate the beautiful scenery in such a short time frame, or even know where to start looking. Josephine was a brilliant tour guide. She was friendly a d very knowledgeable, she really gave us a lot of local knowledge about each place and its history as well as the hidden places of interest. The ships crew was also brilliant, polite, helpful and good humoured. A great experience. It wasn't clear when I booked, that I was booking a cabin down below. I then had to upgrade on board, as I was unhappy initially.
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