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contiki croatian island hopper: dubrovnik - split

what to do at each tour stop!

- dubrovnik

climb the city walls. it’s super tiring and very hot, but the views are incredible- orange roofs and blue sky and water as far as you can see. 

go up the gondola to get a different perspective of the city.

stay as close to the old town as possible, we stayed at the hotel adriatic and completely regretted it. dated hotel with tired facilities and the surrounding area had a ‘dodgy’ vibe. 

visit one of the cliff bars! i definitely recommend visiting one of these- you can have a few drinks and even dive off the side and into the water.

experience the dubrovnik nightlife at galerie bar (in an old town alleyway and serves cocktails in sandcastle buckets) and revelin (basically an insane rave in an old fortress inside the city walls)

- korčula

see the (supposed) home of marco polo and climb the bell tower for the best views of the town

head to massimo’s cocktail tower- a bar in a castle turret where they use a pulley system up the side to send you your drinks, and then to tramonto’s cocktail bar to share a giant cocktail (in a vase with lots of colourful straws) and watch the sunset. 

- hvar

take a walk up to the venetian fortress for a great view of the island. 

catch the water taxi out to carpe diem for a nightclub experience you won’t find anywhere else! it’s on its own island and has several bars, a swimming pool, a pizza kiosk and the dance floor is outside and in between the trees. amazing!

- stari grad

we had to spend the night in stari grad due to a weather warning. there really isn’t much to do here, but our contiki leader organised a winery visit for us which was great. it was a beautiful place and we got to try some delicious locally grown food and wine.

- bol

rent bikes (and bike locks) and ride from the port down to the incredible beach.

have a go on the inflatable water playground, so much fun but much harder and more tiring than it looks! 

go for an inflatable biscuit ride! we had the best time doing this, the boat tows you so fast, we could not stop screaming and laughing!

- makarska

go parasailing! could not recommend highly enough. if you’re thinking about doing it, markaska is the perfect place. beautiful views of the mountain and coast from so high up, and it isn’t scary at all like i thought it would be. 

jetskiing is another great watersport option if the thought of parasailing is too much- we did both and had so much fun!

deep makarska is an absolute must visit- where will you ever have the opportunity to party in a nightclub inside a cave!? absolutely amazing and has it’s own little beach area as well. 

- split

we honestly didn’t spend that much time in split at all, apart from climbing up this cathedral bell tower, which like most bell towers in croatia, offers a good view of the town and is beautifully built.

- krka national park

this is an absolute MUST SEE! it’s not included in any of the contiki tours but you can easily organise your own day trip from split with an external company. we did ours as a private tour with split excursions and they were great. we were picked up from our contiki boat and taken to the waterfalls where our driver left us to explore and have a swim in the waterfalls at our leisure. krka is literally heaven on earth, you have to see it to believe it!

- a few notes about contiki

this was my second contiki tour, and probably not my last. i love the way the company runs and how much you can see in a country or city in such a short time. there was so much in every city that i wouldn’t have even known existed if it hadn’t been for our guide, i highly recommend going with a tour company so you get the same experience. on this tour you stay on board the boat every night. the boats are clean and tidy, and although the rooms are small, you rarely spend much time in them. the dining area and bar is great, the drinks are well priced and the food is fantastic. the top deck of the boat is perfect for a morning tanning session, and you absolutely MUST jump off it at at least one swim stop! 

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what to do in new york

- statue of liberty

the statue of liberty is such an icon of new york, you really can’t miss it! there are two ways to see her- either on the free staten island ferry, or on the statue of liberty cruise which goes right to the monument and includes a trip to ellis island. i’ve done both, but highly recommend the second option for the amazing views of manhattan, and for the opportunity to go right up inside liberty’s crown! this books up months in advance, so make sure you get in quick.

- times square

it’s pretty much impossible to go to new york and not see times square. it’s crazy and busy and full of weird mascot characters but it’s amazing to see all the bright lights, especially at night! shopping is also best when it’s late, as it’s a bit less crowded. most of the chain stores are open till after midnight- it really is the city that never sleeps.

- one world observatory

the one world trade center is currently the tallest building in the western hemisphere, so it’s no surprise that it’s where you’ll find the best views of new york. go on a blue sky day so you can really make the most it!

- rockefeller center

after the new one world observatory, the rockefeller center has the best view of manhattan. it’s better than the empire state building because you can actually see the empire state building, and you can combine your visit with a trip to the nbc studios, who have a fantastic studio tour and offer opportunities to be a live audience on their shows!

- broadway

going to at least one show on broadway is an absolute must! there is so much to choose from, which is great as there is always something for everyone, but hard on the wallet! my favourites right now are wicked, hamilton, matilda and the book of mormon!

- helicopter ride

this one is a bit more expensive, but totally worth it if you’re looking for something a bit different. a helicopter ride of new york is the only way to see it all at once, and offers such a unique perspective (and photo opportunity!)

- central park

there is so much to see in central park, you can spend a whole day just walking through it! don’t miss the ice skating rink, it’s much less crowded and nicer than the one at the rockefeller centre.

- brooklyn bridge

there are SO many bridges in new york, but the brooklyn bridge is by far the best one! the best way to visit it is to catch the subway to dumbo, have a walk around and lunch there (at shake shack obviously), and then walk back to new york over the bridge. it isn’t a long walk and the view is worth it!

- empire state building

if you have time, the empire state building does still offer a great view, and it’s great to read and hear about the history behind it. if you want something a bit different, i’d recommend going at night! there are hardly any lines, you can go straight up, and of course, new york is even more beautiful in the dark!