7 nights onboard Le Bougainville

Croatia's Dalmatian Coast by Sea - with Smithsonian Journeys

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

The eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, the Dalmatian Coast, is rich in the culture and art of the ancient, medieval, and Renaissance worlds and home to some of the most charming and welcoming towns and villages to be found anywhere. The relatively short distances traveled on this voyage (it is less than 350 nautical miles from Venice to Dubrovnik) means that you have ample time to explore each port of call and savor what it has to offer— the time to relax and soak in the sights and sounds, tastes and smells of a very special corner of the world.

After Venice, your first stop is in Rovinj on the Istrian Peninsula, where you may choose to tour the city, once the center of Venetian administration of the peninsula, or participate in a truffle hunt and tasting, or sample the vintages of the Matosecic wine cellar.

A menu of choices awaits you in Zadar: a tour of the ancient city's Roman ruins and medieval churches that includes a tasting of the local maraschino liqueur; or an exploration of the unique vegetation and marine fauna of the uninhabited Kornati Archipelago.

The third day of your voyage begins in Primošten with a visit to Krka National Park and its famous travertine waterfalls, after which you sail to Split, home of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diocletian's Palace, a massive structure that encloses the entire medieval town. Le Bougainville remains docked here until midnight, affording the opportunity to linger ashore well into the evening.

On the incredibly fertile island of Hvar, known for its fields of rosemary, lavender, and laurel, tour the island’s charming principal town of Stari Grad, or get away from the coast and visit a lavender farm in the countryside, where you will encounter some of the most beautiful views available on Croatia.

About 30 miles from Hvar is the island of Korcula, where a morning tour of the quaint streets of this medieval city, once home to Marco Polo, includes a performance of the Moreška sword dance. During lunch, sail to nearby Mljet Island, which local legend identifies with Calypso and Odysseus’s seven-year dalliance, to explore Mljet National Park.

You will want to be on deck as Le Bougainville sails into the deep, fjord-like Bay of Kotor to the UNESCO World Heritage town of the same name. This delightful place is the pride of Montenegro, and you will have a full day to explore its richly varied history. Or, if you prefer, you may enjoy a leisurely day at a beach club, where you can relax, stroll the beach, and swim.

Set on a rocky peninsula jutting into the sea, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Dubrovnik, the final stop on your voyage, is, despite a devastating earthquake in 1667 and the ravages of many wars, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities.

Leaving from: Venice
Cruise ship: Le Bougainville
Visiting: Venice Rovinj Zadar Split
From
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Ponant

When searching for a luxury yacht expedition cruise, there’s one name above all else that you need to know – Ponant Cruises. Founded in 1988 by former French Merchant Navy officers, Ponant combines succulent luxury with authentic adventures on all seven continents.

From classic Mediterranean itineraries and Caribbean sailings, to bucket-list expeditions around Greenland and Antarctica, Ponant cruises proudly counteract the banality of mainstream voyages with a unique take on the concept of small-ship cruising. It’s the absolute trip of a lifetime.

184
Passengers
118
Crew
2019
Launched
9976t
Tonnage
131m
Length
18m
Width
13kts
Speed
5
Decks
EUR
Currency
Cruise Itinerary
Day 1
Venice, Italy
Day 2
Rovinj, Croatia
Day 3
Zadar, Croatia
Day 4
Split, Croatia
Day 4
Primosten, Croatia
Day 5
Hvar Island, Croatia
Day 6
Korčula, Croatia
Day 6
Mljet Island, Croatia
Day 7
Kotor, Montenegro
Day 8
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ship Details
Ponant
Le Bougainville

Welcoming and spacious common areas, refined open-to-the-sea design, sleek exterior lines, a marina to make access to the ship's zodiac inflatables easier, hi-tech equipment, an outdoor pool, a multisensorial underwater lounge… Le Bougainville represents the new generation of ships designed to combine discovery and exploration with luxury, even in the planet's most remote and isolated regions.

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