Biševo's Modra Špilja — sunlight filters through an underwater opening and fills the cavern with an otherworldly electric-blue glow. A bucket-list moment that genuinely has to be seen in person.

A working fishing port on Vis that has retained more of its authentic character than almost anywhere else on the Croatian coast. A good spot for a short walk along the waterfront and a coffee before moving on.

A narrow gorge in the cliffs opens up into a small, perfectly sheltered pebble cove that was named Europe's Best Beach in 2016 and has lost none of its drama since. The swimming is exceptional and the setting one of those places that seems impossible until you're standing in it.

Green Cave on the island of Ravnik - cave where swimming is actually allowed. You enter the cave by water, floating through a low opening into a cathedral-like space where the light plays off the surface in shades of green and turquoise.

Blue Lagoon (Budikovac) A calm, shallow, crystal-clear bay off Budikovac island — a beautiful spot for a relaxed swim and snorkel before the last leg of the day. Paddleboards, swimming tubes and snorkeling gear are already on the boat.

The day closes either in Hvar town for sightseeing, lunch and a coffee on the main piazza, or — our personal recommendation — at the Pakleni Islands, where the restaurants are right on the water and the atmosphere is far more relaxed at the end of a long day. Your skipper will help you make the call on the day before the cruise back to Split or Trogir.