If you love being on the water, I think sailing is one of the most rewarding ways to experience Croatia.

I spent a week aboard Symphony, and what surprised me was how little the experience ever felt repetitive. You unpack once, settle into your surroundings and wake up somewhere new, without the constant movement of luggage and hotel check-ins.

The yacht itself was also much smoother and more comfortable than I had expected. Most of the time, you could almost forget you were at sea. The loudest reminder was usually the anchor dropping as we arrived somewhere new.

There was something wonderfully relaxing about knowing that the destination was going to change while everything around you remained familiar.

The daily swim stops quickly became one of my favourite parts of the trip. Some lasted an hour or two, while others stretched to three or four hours. There was plenty to do—swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skis and even the yacht's slide—but there was never any pressure to do everything.

One of my favourite memories happened completely spontaneously. A few of us took kayaks from the yacht to a beach club, had lunch and then kayaked back before the yacht departed. It wasn't something that had been carefully planned into the itinerary. And that was precisely why I loved it.

Some of the best travel memories are the ones that happen in between the plans.

Dubrovnik is undeniably busy, but even with the crowds, I still think its Old City is one of the most magnificent and beautifully maintained places in Europe. The setting is spectacular, the Old City has an energy of its own, and there is a wonderful mix of restaurants, bars and beach clubs to explore.

It is also an expensive destination, so I would go knowing that from the beginning rather than being surprised by it. For me, though, Dubrovnik's combination of architecture, coastline and atmosphere makes it a place worth taking your time over.

Mljet offered a beautiful change of pace from the coastal towns. It was one of the more active stops of the journey, combining a boat ride with a walk through the national park. The scenery was gorgeous, and we also visited an ancient monastery, which added a completely different historical and cultural dimension to the day.

I enjoyed the contrast. After spending so much time around the sea and lively island towns, Mljet gave us the opportunity to slow down and experience Croatia's greener, quieter side.

Korčula surprised me. I had expected a quieter island stop, but it felt much livelier than I anticipated. There are plenty of restaurants and bars, and enough happening in the evenings that it never felt sleepy.

It was also where I had one of the standout meals of the entire trip at Maha. That combination of good food, atmosphere and island character made Korčula one of the places I would happily return to.

Vis has a fascinating military history, and discovering that side of the island made our visit particularly interesting. There was something compelling about exploring an island known for its natural beauty while also learning about the role it played in the past. It added another layer to the experience and made Vis feel very different from some of the other stops along the route.

I left feeling that I had only scratched the surface. In fact, I would personally return to Vis to dive. It is one of the places on this journey where I still feel there is more waiting to be explored.

The wine experience in Hvar was easily one of the best wine tastings I have done. It was intimate and cosy rather than overly formal, which made the experience feel much more relaxed. Alongside the wines, we also tasted olive oil before sitting down to an excellent meal.

Hvar itself also surprised me in a different way. Despite its old reputation as a party destination, it felt quieter than I had expected. There is still plenty of evening energy, with good restaurants and bars, but the atmosphere felt more balanced. For me, the wine experience captured that side of Hvar perfectly.

Milna is small, cosy and wonderfully easy to enjoy. Coffee bars and restaurants line the water, creating exactly the sort of atmosphere I love when travelling by yacht. You arrive, step ashore, wander around, find somewhere to eat or have a coffee, and simply enjoy being somewhere that feels smaller and more relaxed.

There is no need to fill every hour. Milna is the kind of place where the pleasure comes from having nowhere urgent to be.

If food and wine are important to you, I would absolutely make time for Ston and the Pelješac Peninsula. One of my favourite Croatia experiences was taking a small boat out around the oyster beds. We ate exceptional oysters with a local drink and later had mussels in garlic sauce—genuinely divine.

The surrounding wine region is equally worth exploring. I particularly enjoyed the smaller, more intimate tasting experiences rather than anything that felt overly formal or commercial. There is something special about taking your time over a wine, understanding where it comes from and enjoying it alongside local food.

For me, this was one of the most delicious parts of the journey.

Split felt like the natural place to end the yacht journey. Particularly over a weekend, the city has plenty of energy, making it a welcome contrast after days spent moving between islands and smaller coastal towns.

I liked having a proper town at the end of the journey—a place where you can walk through the Old Town, stop for cocktails, have a good meal and gradually ease yourself back into life on land. After a week of waking up somewhere new each morning, finishing in Split felt like the right transition.

Looking back, what I remember most about Croatia isn't just the beautiful coastline or the individual islands. It is the rhythm of the journey itself. There were mornings spent at sea, afternoons swimming off the yacht, evenings wandering through historic towns and unexpected moments that became some of my favourite memories. There was exceptional food in Pelješac, wine in Hvar, history in Vis, nature in Mljet and the energy of Dubrovnik and Split.

But perhaps what I loved most was the freedom of travelling by water. You unpack once, wake up somewhere new and let the coastline decide what comes next.

Croatia gave me a week of movement without feeling rushed—and sometimes, that is exactly what a holiday should be.