OPEN SEA sailing ADVENTURE
A surprisingly diverse journey for fans of the deep blue sea and hidden coves who prefer authentic and rarely seen nature and the absolute silence that only far away lighthouses of the open sea can offer.
On this journey, we tour big and small islands, we enter their interior, explore famous and less-known sea caves, and swim in their turquoise blue sea. Our final destination is in the open sea: the island of Lastovo, the most distant inhabited island in the Adriatic Sea, which together with 44 islets in a protected archipelago forms a surreal oasis of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and peace. The main highlight of the tour is Lastovo Island, immersed in the sea, far from the mainland, all crowds, and even light pollution. It offers a view of the crystal clear night sky scattered with stars like almost nowhere else in Europe. Millions of stars leave observers breathless. Stars are not our only guiding light on our journey. As we sail, we will also explore and get to know more about the lighthouse phenomenon on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. All the monumental lighthouses built in inaccessible areas bear witness to the construction feats achieved in the 19th century. The lighthouses built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire still show the way to sailors today. We will tour four lighthouses, each of which offers a unique view of its position and architecture.
| Day | Activities | Locations | Lodging | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival (by 12h), sailing, sea kayaking, sightseeing | Šipan Island | Yacht | B |
| 2 | Sailing, hiking, cycling, sightseeing, SUP | Mljet island & National Park | Yacht | B |
| 3 | Sailing, exploring, sightseeing, SUP | Lastovo Island | Yacht | B |
| 4 | Sailing, exploring, cycling, SUP, watching the night sky | Lastovo Island | Yacht | B |
| 5 | Sailing, SUP, sightseeing | Korčula Island | Yacht | B |
| 6 | Sailing, wine tasting, depature and transfer to Dubrovnik (by 18:00) | Pelješac peninsula, Dubrovnik | B |
Accommodation: Over the course of this program, we will travel and stay on the sleek and elegant OLIVIA ADRIATICA Sun Odyssey 54DS (16.75 m) sailboat, which offers an impressive sailing experience with a great dose of comfort. The OLIVIA ADRIATICA is a boat that offers safety and a comfortable stay at sea with great design, solid performance, a high quality of construction, and superior equipment. The boat has 3 double cabins, each with its own toilet and shower, along with a separate cabin for the crew. There is two standard double, and one master double cabin with even more space and comfort. The central salon is large and offers a comfortable space for shared living. The boat is equipped with air conditioning and heating, a TV, WIFI, an electrical generator, and everything you might need while resting and relaxing. The small onboard library offers books to suit everyone's interests.
Eco Challenge: The Blue Bag is an initiative with the aim of giving the sea what it gives us; purity, beauty, love... If each sailor were to fill just one bag of drifting refuse per year, the sea would say: 'THANK YOU'. The Blue Bag isn't an obligation, instead, it is a challenge. As part of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea is considered to be one of the cleanest seas in Europe. Croatia is amongst the top three countries, along with Cyprus and Malta, in the cleanliness of the sea. Still, our sea has been affected with the appearance of refuse that is the result of irresponsible behavior by sailors, but also by the significant effects of sea currents that travel from the southeast to the northwest, bringing in garbage from the middle of the Mediterranean. That is why we have launched the Blue Bag environmental initiative. When our crews spot PVC garbage on some inaccessible shores, they hop in a kayak or on a SUP board and collect it in characteristic blue bags. Guests on our boats have more than gladly accepted this initiative as part of the adventure and the high degree of environmental culture we promote.
Meals: Breakfast will be served with a plentiful buffet consisting of several types of cereal, butter, honey, jam, prosciutto, cheese, eggs, yogurt, fruit, juices, coffee, tea, and milk. Some of the lunches will be picnics, which enables us to be flexible with our route. You will be able to buy lunch packs or groceries from local stores, and the boat kitchen is there for you to use. If you are booking the entire boat for your group, we can organize a boat chef to cook for you during the trip with a surcharge
Gourmet Experience: Along with our adventurous activities, the sun and the sea awaken the most primeval feelings that are hard to resist, so we invite you to let go and enjoy dinner in a hedonistic way with an abundance of traditional regional offers of food in island restaurants. Meals are organized as a combination of onboard meals and selected restaurants for dinner. In the evening, after we have anchored the night, there are fantastic local restaurants and taverns. They have received excellent feedback from guests in the past for their value for money, and we recommend you try specialties with authentic Mediterranean cuisine.
PRICES IN EUROS FOR 2024
| Spring | Preseason | Season | Postseason | Autumn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starts | April 20 | June 01 | July 20 | September 01 | October 05 |
| Ends | May 31 | July 19 | August 31 | October 04 | November 01 |
| Standard cabin | 1271 | 1412 | 1569 | 1412 | 1271 |
| Standard cabin single use | 1589 | 1765 | 1962 | 1765 | 1589 |
| Master cabin | 1421 | 1562 | 1719 | 1562 | 1421 |
| Master cabin single use | 1739 | 1915 | 2112 | 1915 | 1739 |
All prices are per person.
- Maximum number of participants: 6 guests per group.
- Minimum age: 8 years if accompanied by parent(s).
- Accommodation: Single-use rooms are available upon request with a 25% surcharge.
To book the whole boat (6-8 people) see the "PRIVATE TOUR" offer or contact us for the details.
Included:
- 5 nights accommodation on a yacht (en-suite bathroom)
- 6 breakfasts
- Fuel, water, cooking stove gas
- Activities and use of equipment (kayaks, bikes, canoes, paddleboards, snorkeling gear)
- Local taxes, permits and marina fees/lighthouse docking fees
- Byboat & outboard engine
- 2 crew members: yacht skipper & guide
- Insurance
Not Included:
- Optional trip
- International airfare to/from Croatia
- Mljet National Park entrance fee
- Ston city walls entrance fee
- Other marina related costs
- Items of a personal nature and gratuities to your guide(s)
- Lunches and dinners
- Arrival and departure transfers
PRICES FOR 2023 PRIVATE TOURS
| Spring | Preseason | Season | Postseason | Autumn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starts | April 22 | June 03 | July 24 | September 02 | September 29 |
| Ends | June 02 | July 23 | September 01 | September 28 | October 27 |
| 4.800 EUR | 5.600 EUR | 6.300 EUR | 5.600 EUR | 4.800 EUR | |
Obligatory extras:
Skipper: 180 EUR per day
Hostess: 125 EUR per day
Included:
- 5 nights accommodation on a yacht (en-suite bathroom)
- 6 breakfasts
- Fuel, water, cooking stove gas, internet connection
- Activities and use of equipment (kayaks, bikes, canoes, paddleboards, snorkeling gear)
- Local taxes, permits and marina fees/lighthouse docking fees
- Byboat & outboard engine
- Insurance
Not Included:
- Optional trip
- International airfare to/from Croatia
- Mljet National Park entrance fee
- Ston city walls entrance fee
- Other marina related costs
- Items of a personal nature and gratuities to your guide(s)
- Lunches and dinners
- Arrival and departure transfers
Day 1: Sailing Dubrovnik to Šipan island
We head out from Dubrovnik and head towards Elaphiti archipelago to visit islands and the lighthouse of St. Andrew before reaching Šipan island. The island, which is only 16 square kilometers in size, is home to old summer estates and 34 churches that bear witness to a rich history that peaked during the era of the Dubrovnik Republic. Interestingly, Šipan was inscribed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the island with the greatest number of olive trees in comparison to its size. The olive tree is a symbol of the Mediterranean. It has left its mark on civilization and has been respected since ancient and biblical times. Here we spend the night and prepare for longer sailing tomorrow. At Šipan island you can choose between bicycles and sea kayaks for our guided tour.
Day 2: Mljet National park
The next day we head to Mljet Island and its national park. Mljet is the most forested island in the Adriatic, and the National Park contains two salt lakes, with a Benedictine monastery on the Isle of St. Mary. We will go to the national park, hike, walk, cycle or canoe, take a boat tour or visit the monastery of St. Mary and swim in the crystal clear turquoise waters of the lakes before returning to the village for dinner.
Day 3: Sailing to Lastovo and lighthouse mysteries
After departing from Mljet we head towards Lastovo, an offshore island with a long history and clear sky. On the way, we will visit one of the monumental south Adriatic lighthouses (Glavat). You'll have a chance to swim or SUP in hidden and unspoiled places. Towards the end of the day, we're sailing on to Lastovo where we are spending the night in one of many coves of the southern Lastovo coast. The Lastovo tour also includes a climbing to Struga. We guarantee that this lighthouse from 19th-century with its architecture and the view it provides is something you won't be forgetting soon.
Day 4: Nature park Lastovo
For kayakers and divers, Lastovo is a hidden gem of the Adriatic. Discover its blue caves, impressive cliffs and reefs and secluded islands or the archipelago which is also a protected natural park. You will discover the inner parts of the island and cycle through many cultural and historical landmarks Lastovo has to offer. We will reach the town of Lastovo on the other side of the island and enjoy the calm atmosphere there. The city was built inland thus protecting the residents from pirates and conquerors. Military history buffs will find many remains of old and new fortifications. We end our day with dinner in a calm seaside restaurant for some local cuisine and wine. At night, well after the sunset, for your enjoyment, we will visit one of Lastovo's peeks where lies one of the best European stargazing locations.
Day 5: Lastovo - Korčula sailing
After 2 days on Lastovo, we turn back to sailing as we cross the wide channel to Korčula island and enjoy some casual paddleboarding along the way. The island Korčula with a rich culture and past where every stone has history imprinted on it has been famous since the 6th century B.C. when it was known as an ancient Greek colony under the name of Korkyra Melaina (in translation 'Black Korčula', for its dark green pine forests). Korčula is also known as the hometown of the Polo-Depolo family, including the 13th-century explorer and traveler Marco Polo, author of the book 'Il milione' with which he was the first European to present facts about China and other Asian countries. Discover the town and Marco Polo museum, ancient walls and architecture and a coffee in a classic destination of nautic visitors from all over the world.
Day 6: Korčula - Pelješac peninsula
We're starting the day with sailing to Pelješac peninsula, a place where untouched nature coincides with cultivated slopes covered with vineyards resulting in one of the best wine regions in the world. This is where your sailing ends and you will continue the tour with our comfortable and air-conditioned shuttle. This way we can guide you through several wineries for wine tasting. After the wine tasting, we will be visiting Ston, a medieval little town whose history reaches back as far as the 14th century. It is a small town with the longest stone wall in Europe (5,5km), with narrow quiet streets, noble ancient houses and with traces of ancient cultures. Its former value as a „salt city“ gets confirmed even today in the plants of the oldest active salt-works in the world. These saltworks have remained faithful to the tradition and to the natural way of salt production which has not changed since remote ages. The gourmets among you will find out why the Pelješac is paradise for wine and clamp enthusiasts. Late afternoon you will be traveling back to Dubrovnik with our shuttle.
Notes
This itinerary and the duration of the activities are subject to change due to group abilities and preferences, weather conditions and forecasts, water levels, special events of interest, etc. LuxMediterranean Experience guides and trip leaders will do their utmost to ensure the best possible experience for their clients without compromising safety at any time. This may mean changing the original itinerary to avoid discomfort or risk which could be caused by exceptional situations. LuxMediterranean Experience reserves the right to alter the itinerary without prior notice.
