Sail of the century

Chartering a yacht for a week may not be the most obvious choice for a summer holiday, but the freedom and adventure of sailing, especially in a sea as beautiful as the Adriatic - one of the cleanest in the world - guarantees an experience you will cherish for years. Sitting on the sun-warmed teak deck, gazing at the horizon in search of dolphins, this state of ease, fjaka, finds its way into your bones. The rhythm of the boat's movement through the turquoise ocean, the warmth of the sun and lungfuls of fresh sea air impart the sense of well-being that holidays promise but don't always deliver.

Flying into the ancient city of Split, the sweeping azure coastline is sprinkled with countless lily-pad islands, just begging to be explored. The Roman emperor Diocletian established the city of Split in 295AD, and it is celebrating its 1,700th anniversary this year. Diocletian's palace forms the walls of this ancient settlement and the heart of this fascinating city, which is now crammed full of buzzing cafs, bars and boutiques.

We were met at the airport by our skipper for the week, Robbie, his languid stroll towards us conveying fjaka with every unhurried step. Sail Croatia, which had organised the trip, is an English/Croatian company that provides all-inclusive yachting holidays that offer the opportunity to do as much or as little dry-land sightseeing as you wish.

The skippers are all native Croatians (fluent in English) with decades of sailing experience and a wealth of local knowledge and contacts. All this is at our disposal for the week, which is just as well, as the extent of my knowledge of the sea goes as far as ferries from Largs and knowing that it's cold. Experienced sailors, possessing an RYA licence, can charter a Sail Croatia yacht without a skipper, while still making use of the company's local knowledge and bespoke concierge services. But we are grateful for Robbie in many ways, not least for his Ancient Mariner wisdom, a love of late-night philosophical ramblings and his Barry White CDs, which he puts to good use to get us in the mood for a night out.

The Dalmatian coast is often compared to the Mediterranean Riviera resorts of Italy and France. Split and the nearby city of Trogir, both Unesco world heritage sites, have all the charm of Riviera towns. Warrens of ancient, narrow alleyways open on to stone-paved piazzas housing open-air cafs and restaurants, and on any balmy summer evening the streets are a catwalk for slow-paced strolling by good-looking locals. There's something distinctly more down-to-earth about the Croatians than their Mediterranean cousins, however. They know all about la dolce vita.

Their towns are rich in history and culture. Layer upon layer of it lies in the smooth, polished stones laid down by Romans, Venetians and Byzantines. The local people carry this legacy lightly, with ease and style. They are proud of their rich cultural heritage, but not precious about it. You can easily find yourself sitting at an unpretentious pavement caf, which just happens to be located on the site of a 1,500-year-old Roman palace, the remains of crumbling pillars at your feet.

Over the centuries, the Croatian people have been witness to a vast amount of change, not least the break-up of Yugoslavia and the outbreak of the bitter Homeland War in 1991. Croatia's push for independence from the Yugoslav Federation in the late 1980s collided with the drive for dominance by Serbia's president, Slobodan Milosevic. The result was bitter fighting and tens of thousands of deaths and displaced people. Following United Nations intervention, these troubles came to an end in the mid-1990s, and Croatia is now a stable democratic republic, anticipating imminent acceptance into the European Union.

Split's harbour, for centuries a place of trade, exporting Dalmatia's wonderful wines and olive oil, is now alive with luxury yachts. Ours is one of them, and from here we embark to explore some of the islands we had spotted from the air.

First we head for Vis, the furthest island from the mainland and the oldest settlement in Croatia. First populated by the Greeks in the fourth century BC, most of the major European powers have fought for over it at one time or another.

After an hour of cruising, Robbie abruptly shuts off the engine. The silence is shocking, and the boat moves with the swell as he rigs up the sails. The sheets go up, the wind catches and suddenly we take flight on the waves. Carried by the elements, the boat comes to life and we ride its bare back, salt spray in our faces, hair flying behind us, gasping with exhilaration.

We sail like this all afternoon. The sense of time passing alters quite dramatically while at sea. Hours pass slowly, and after a couple of days I find that I have adjusted to nature's rhythms, rising early with the sun, sleeping under the stars, and spending the long hours in between in a state of blissful empty-mindedness.

We moor in the harbour of sleepy Vis town. A 40-minute walk is all it takes to cover the entire area, with its narrow cobbled streets, slow-paced locals, the odd priest on a bicycle, and heavily laden lemon trees in every garden and terrace.

The island's interior is home to more recent history. Driving us up the steep, winding road - without a second glance at the sweeping views of the coast below us - Oliver, our guide for the afternoon, takes us to Tito's Cave, the hideout used by the leader of the Croatian resistance during the Second World War. We climb 300 steps to the cave, cut into the rosemary-scented hillside. With an almost 360-degree panorama, it would have been impossible to launch a surprise attack on this den. Looking towards the west on a clear day, you can see as far as the coast of Italy.

Beeping his horn in salutation at every person we pass - "We all know each other on this island" - Oliver drives us to his family's vineyard. We are met by his father, who immediately offers us a glass of his award-winning red wine. The vineyard has been in his family for four generations, and as we sit sipping in his olive-covered courtyard, he cooks us our evening meal. This is typical of life on the Dalmatian islands.

Perhaps a legacy of Tito's communism, the absence of big hotel chains and package holidays in Croatia allows family-run businesses the chance to offer tourists hospitality and an insight into authentic Dalmatian customs. Many locals supplement their incomes by opening their home as a tavern or inn, a konoba. You're unlikely to be offered a menu in these places - more often than not the meal on offer consists of the day's catch. Grilled fish marinated in lemon juice, garlic and olive oil may not sound like haute cuisine, but when it's this fresh and of such high quality, cooked with such delicacy and eaten al fresco with your host, you couldn't ask for more.

Eating and drinking at the tables of local people provides the opportunity to talk and get to know them. Croatians love conversation, and once on the subject of politics or philosophy or the meaning of life, you're in for a stimulating and entertaining evening.

The next day we sail to the island of Hvar. The town and harbour here have a distinctly more sophisticated feel than sleepy Vis. Settled by wealthy Venetian merchants, the small town's central piazza is the largest - and possibly the most elegant - in the Adriatic, after St Mark's in Venice.

Hvar town is the only place to be seen in high season, a favourite place for fashion-conscious Croatians and Italians to stroll the palm-tree-lined riva, promenade, and hop from one open-air bar to the next. More evidence of the civilised and cultured life of Hvar is that it boasts the oldest indoor public theatre in Europe.

The island is also famous for its lavender production. Visit in June to experience the scented purple blossom-covered interior. You can even participate in harvesting the herb, or just treat yourself to a bottle of the highest quality essential oil.

Another island, with an altogether different feel, is Brac. Underpopulated, seemingly undiscovered, Brac is a Robinson Crusoe fantasy of an island. Sheltered, hidden bays offer crystal-clear water for swimming and snorkelling or just to moor in for splendid midnight star-gazing.

Brac's majestic interior is worth exploring. Follow the footpaths through the pine forests to the magnificent 16th-century Franciscan monastery. Hidden from view in every direction, it appears suddenly, cut into the rock before us after a steep 40-minute hike. Its richness and splendour are well worth the journey. It's a hidden treasure, just like the rest of this beautiful and fascinating country.

Fact file Croatia

The standard package from Sail Croatia (020 7751 9988 www.sailcroatia.net) includes route-planning, skipper and crew selection, a starter pack, airport transfers in Croatia, local contact list, digital camera loan and bed linen. Prices start around 2,075 for a week on a skippered yacht that sleeps six people.

Croatia Airlines (020 8563 0022, www.croatiaairlines.hr) operates from Glasgow to Dubrovnik and from Manchester to Split from around 280 return.