Picture a golden hour speed boat ride along the Adriatic Sea after you visit a picturesque seaside town. Can you taste the salty sea air on your lips? No, you aren’t in Italy.
Imagine dining on freshly caught oysters on a private boat ride, paired with local wine. No hot sauce or vinegar needed; the oysters are that good on their own. No, you aren’t in Greece.
See yourself enjoying a rustic dinner among 100 of your newest friends on a family-owned farm as the sun sets. The family has been preparing your dinner for hours before your arrival. No, you aren’t in Spain.
This is the Croatia and Montenegro I found aboard my first expedition cruise with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, a small-ship journey along the Dalmatian Coast.
Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast and Montenegro tour
Our seven-day National Geographic – Lindblad Expeditions journey began in Split and ended in Zadar, with stops in between at coastal towns including Korčula, Komiža, and Hvar. While the majority of our trip was spent in Croatia, we did have one day in Montenegro, specifically Kotor (my new favorite cat capital of the world). Each day, you get the option to participate in one of three or four different excursions ranging from city walking tours to culinary experiences to hikes. Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of this new itinerary:
Day One
The first full day on this itinerary brought us to Mljet National Park, where we could opt to hike or bike. I opted for a challenging guided hike that led to a vista with some incredible views of the Small and Great Lakes, the neighboring sea, and the surrounding islands. In the afternoon, our ship The Orion relocated to the island of Korčula, where passengers had the choice between a walking tour of the Old Town of Korčula or a wine tasting. Either option ended with a Moreska Sword Dance performance before we made our way back to the ship for dinner.
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Day Two
We spent all of our second day of the cruise in Dubrovnik, perhaps most recognizable to some for its role as the backdrop for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. Guests seeking a bird’s-eye view of the city’s Old Town could join in a city walls tour. Since we had free time in the afternoon to explore Dubrovnik, I decided to spend the morning in the neighboring town of Ston on a Dalmatian Coastal Highlights tour, which included a walk along a different set of Old Town walls. The highlight of this excursion was a boat trip to oyster and mussel beds, where we were served a light lunch: freshly prepared oysters (shucked boatside) and mussels cooked in buzara, a delicious stew.
Day Three
We left Croatia for the day and crossed over into Montenegro, where a small number of us who had decided to wake up before sunrise were treated to a welcome committee in the form of two striped dolphins welcoming us to the Bay of Kotor. The city of Kotor is best known for its population of cats that are as much a part of the cultural fabric of the town as its human residents. After spending the morning strolling the streets of Kotor, I set off on a speedboat to tour the surrounding coastal areas, which included a visit to Our Lady of the Rocks, the town of Perast, and a former naval submarine tunnel. Others were treated to a recital by internationally renowned guitar players.
Day Four
The fourth day brought us to Komiža, another Croatian town with deep economic and cultural ties to the sea. My excursion included a sampling of Komiška pogača, a delicious pastry filled with savory ingredients like fish, tomato, and onion. The tasting tied into a tour of the town’s Fisherman’s Museum, where we learned about the importance of the fishing industry to the town. Other guests visited the neighboring Blue Cave and Monk Seal Cave by speedboat. At the end of the day, all guests were treated to a brief walking tour of the city of Hvar before setting off to the beautiful Hora Farm for a rustic group dinner off the ship.
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Day Five
We spent all of day five in the town of Sibenik. Activity options included a walking tour and a hike through nearby Krka National Park. The afternoon allowed for ample free time in the city. In the evening, we were treated to a music show put on by the crew members of the National Geographic Orion. This was incredibly special and highlighted how much of a community is built in such a short amount of time on board. I felt sad that the next day would be our last full one before heading home.
Day Six
The last full day of this itinerary was in the city of Zadar. As in Dubrovnik, I chose to take one of the tours outside the city in the morning because I knew I would have free time to explore that evening. I joined the group and headed to the neighboring island of Pag, where we toured a Lace Museum and a lace-making workshop before sampling award-winning Pag cheese. Other morning options included hiking excursions and tasting experiences. Our final evening closed out with a multi-course dinner onboard.
In partnership with Food and Wine Magazine
This itinerary is new to National Geographic – Lindblad Expeditions, curated in partnership with Food & Wine Magazine. This unique relationship is best reflected on board, where wines from the region are paired with dinner. Dinner selections reflected the local cuisine, with dishes such as Dagnje na Buzaru, or Steamed Croatian Mussels, as well as local Grilled Octopus and Grah Varivo, a Croatian Vegetable Bean Soup.
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NatGeo – Lindblad Expeditions veterans are familiar with the brand’s tradition of bringing on specialists and experts to complement your excursions with daily talks and seminars. This sailing was no different, with photography experts, naturalists, undersea specialists, and local experts enhancing the experience to a level far above and beyond what I’ve experienced on other trips. Unique to the Food and Wine Magazine itineraries, however, is the addition of a wine specialist.
So, in addition to getting expert tips on how to optimize your iPhone for nature photography and learning about the local wildlife, you can also learn how to identify various flavor notes in regional red and white wines and what they pair best with during an onboard wine tasting.
The culinary experiences continue off the ship, where a number of food-related excursions are at your disposal. The oyster farm I visited outside of Ston has been run by the same family for 500 years. Excursions like help guests understand both the cultural and economic significance of fishing and seafood harvesting. Its roots run deep in Croatia.
While there’s plenty to do if you’re a foodie, it wouldn’t be a National Geographic – Lindblad Expedition if there wasn’t also plenty of adventures. Along with challenging hikes in the Mljet and Krka National Parks, there are boat tours of the Blue Caves outside Komiža. And if you want to fully immerse yourself in the great outdoors, there’s a full-day excursion on the final day to Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Exursions run the gamut of activity levels. Some are easy, requiring at most a short walk to and from a bus. Other options such as hikes, include strenuous climbs with elevation gain. Don’t be deceived by the city walls either—you’ll definitely get your steps in by climbing more stairs than I think anyone anticipated.
All excursions—including hiking, cooking classes, and walking tours—are carefully planned and executed with the utmost care and attention to detail. If you want to fill every moment, you can. But if you prefer to take it easy at any point (or “play hooky” as I decided to do one morning to have the ship to myself), there’s zero guilt by anyone. In fact, I’d encourage you to find time to spend on the ship, as the Orion itself plays a major role in what made this voyage so unforgettable.
National Geographic Orion
This voyage was aboard the National Geographic Orion, a fan favorite among the fleet of National Geographic – Lindblad Expeditions ships. It’s easy to see why the Orion is so beloved; the common areas, like the Outdoor Cafe, are perfectly situated for breakfast and lunch outside (what could be better than sipping your coffee along the Adriatic Sea?).
One reason for the Orion’s popularity: her maximum capacity of 102 guests allows for a sense of community to form over your expedition. Trust me, you won’t need the name tags by the second or third day.
Other common areas include the Lounge, the heart of the Orion, where daily recaps and briefings take place, along with an educational speaker series and nightly events like live music and trivia.
My favorite room was the Observation Lounge, a library of sorts with books on seemingly every geographical and ecological topic you can think of and plenty of tables to read, get some work done, or sip on a coffee (pro tip: this is where you’ll find the coffee machine that makes lattes, Americanos, espresso, flat whites, and more).
The main restaurant serves as a place where personal anecdotes of the day are exchanged while you dine on a remarkable menu that rotates daily. All meals feature locally-sourced ingredients from wherever you are sailing (when available) and are a reflection of Nat Geo-Lindblad Expeditions’ standard of excellence.
There is one final location on the ship I need to mention: the bridge. Unlike other cruise lines, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has an open bridge policy across its fleet. This means that any guest can visit the ship’s bridge at any time to take a peek behind the curtain and see the captain and their crew at work operating the ship. It’s an awesome opportunity you must take advantage of at least once or twice during your voyage.
Is this expedition right for you?
National Geographic – Lindblad Expeditions is a family-friendly cruise line with activities that cater to all sorts of activity levels and interests. Each itinerary is carefully designed to provide something for everyone to enjoy.
This itinerary (Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast and Montenegro) is perfect for adventure seekers who enjoy as much time strolling the streets of ancient cities as they do hiking through national parks. It’s also a great itinerary for food and wine enthusiasts, as are the other Food and Wine Magazine-partnered options around the Mediterranean Sea.
This itinerary starts at $9,523 per person for double occupancy. Included in that price are transfers to and from the airport, accommodations on the ship, meals as indicated in the itinerary (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), daily activities and excursions, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, and basic Wi-Fi with the option to upgrade. Not included in the price are airfare, trip cancellation insurance, or any other travel insurance, and visas.
