We were all strangers saying hello, and by the end of our trip, we were all friends saying goodbye and laughing at the shared memories of the week that was Sailing and Hiking in Croatia.
The excitement began in Split, Croatia, a fascinating town on the Dalmatian coast. We began with our celebration dinner at the marina and were excited to board our privately charted boat the next morning.
Boarding the boat was a fun experience, and we all unpacked and settled into our cabins before arriving at our first port.
Our Hiking Adventures
Each day, we hiked the beautiful rocky coastline, and each day was very different.
Biokovo National Park was spectacular as we drove into the mountains and walked on a glass scenic platform high above the coastline below. We then hiked to the summit point through rocky and harsh terrain. It was an exhilarating feeling to be at the summit, and it was a relief when we had a bus waiting for us 2 kilometres below the summit point to return us back to our boat.
Exploring the port towns, admiring the beautiful old houses and forts, we couldn’t resist sampling the delectable Croatian cuisine. The irresistible desserts and occasional seaside beverages were hard to resist.
We embarked on an adventurous hike to the Abbeys, and even tackled a steep ascent through vineyards on an island. Along the way, we delighted in a refreshing morning tea in a cool cave. Finally, we reached the summit of Saint Nicolas, blessed with glorious weather – clear skies, sparkling ocean, and invigorating fresh air. It was an absolute blast!
We also walked through the Stari Grad fields, a UNESCO site that has served as agricultural land for over 24 centuries, still maintaining its authenticity today.
Just when we thought our journey was over, we paused for a refreshing drink, only to realise we still had another 2 kilometres to reach our boat docked for the night.
There is more to our adventure than hiking though!
We arrived at some scenic places to enjoy a drink and meet the locals.
We explored an old village and tried a traditional meal called ‘Under the Glass Bell’.
Mijet National Park saw us all sitting at the summit at the fire tower, with surrounding views and the promise of a swim on our return.
The group gathered on the roof deck of our boat, observing the world as it passed by during our journey to the next port. During the night, our evenings were spent on the deck, stargazing.
We learned about olive oil, sampled oils and olives from the Captain’s property, and had a lovely crew who took care of us and fed us very well.
We swam in crystal clear and beautiful waters. The captain of our boat anchored for us, and the group could jump off the boat into deeper water, and we all swam and splashed around with no one else in sight.
It was a magical and great experience as we all cheered each other on to jump off the bow of the boat – challenging and rewarding, refreshing and calm.
We celebrated our achievements on return to port with our guide and boarded the bus for Plitvice Lakes and Zagreb.
The CREW travelled inland to forests and bear country, viewed spectacular waterfalls, and then arrived in Zagreb for a tour of the old Town and our Celebration Dinner.
We packed in so many adventures and new experiences into our time in Croatia and learned a lot about this place and its people. We also enjoyed sharing these experiences as a team and successfully hiked and cruised this magnificent part of the world in spectacular weather.
Thank you to all the women who were on this trip for being so generous in sharing and helping one another make this a special trip.
Živjeli, ladies, to an awesome trip!
Expressions of Interest for our 2024 Multi-Day Adventures are now open.
To find out about where we are headed and how you can be involved, register for our Showcase event on August 2, 2023.
If you are interested in participating, learn more about upcoming adventures or become a member of Women’s Fitness Adventures.
