1st June 2018, summer is well and truly here which means summer travels and new visitors to Split. If you are visiting Split for the first time, why not get a taste of #sealife and do a day trip with Polaris or simply enjoy an evening on their sunset cruise?
With temperatures in the 30s and sea temperatures of 22 – 25°c, it is safe to safe that the summer season in Croatia has well and truly arrived. And, with that, Split is ready to greet thousands of new tourists to the city, keen on exploring Split and the surrounding islands.
If the idea of packing up your belongings every few days and island hopping doesn’t really appeal to you – moving from one hotel or hostel, to the next; then basing yourself in Split and doing a day-trip is the perfect way to allow you to explore, get a dose of vitamin sea and still return to your comfy abode in the evenings.
If this sounds interesting, then consider a day-trip or sunset cruise with Polaris.
After years of living in Croatia, I have never really done many of the ‘touristy’ things because, well, I live here and I work on a boat, so I have been very fortunate that my job has allowed me to explore this stunning coastline. However, last year in aid of understanding more of the tourist offerings, Daniela Rogulj (Total Split Editor) and I, tested out some of these trips and we were pleasantly surprised.
The first was a sunset cruise with Polaris which leaves from the Split Riva (waterfront). I hate to say it, but the words ‘sunset cruise’ always sounds a little cheesy to me but… I was very wrong. Polaris was originally built during WWII and used in the Normandy invasion, it is no surprise she survived, a sturdy seafaring boat, who has been lovingly maintained and restored. First impressions of the boat, is that she has character and soul, which is matched by the crew and in particular, the Captain – Marin Novakovic, who we have interviewed before as a character of the sea.
We were welcomed with drinks and snacks and serenaded for the evening by the very talented Triangl Band. At sea, with a glass of wine in your hand, watching the sunset and listening to live music on a gorgeous boat, is there a better way to spend an evening?
The sunset cruise happens every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evening, departing from the Split Riva at 19:00 and returning at 21:00. The cruise, drinks, snacks and live music, all come to the sweet tune of €40.
Polaris also offers day-trips and are available for private events. Last year, we hired Polaris for our TCN summer party, for a much-needed respite from our laptops. It was something very similar to their 2 Island Swimming Cruise, we began from Split in the morning and set course to the island Šolta, where we had free time to explore and decided to partake in an olive oil tasting. Then, we sailed to island Brač, where we anchored, enjoyed swimming and a gorgeous, fresh lunch prepared by the Polaris crew. It was a wonderful afternoon of swimming, relaxing, food, drinks and music but I won’t go on about it, you can see pictures and a video below.
As well as their “2 Island Swimming Cruise” (every Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday), Polaris sail to island Brač (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) so guests can have time to explore the town of Bol and visit the famous Zlatni Rat beach. The morning starts at 8.30 am where Polaris sails directly to Brač, offering snacks and coffee along the way and arriving at 11.15 am – giving guests free time until 16.30 to really enjoy the island. Upon departure and return to Split, they serve a lunch/early dinner en route, as well as all drinks included, arriving at the Split port at 19.15.
These trips are perfect for individual travellers, groups of friends and families – Polaris even offer a 50% discount for children between the ages of 3 – 12 years and children younger than 3 years are gratis!
Copyright: Forever Photography, the TCN team at sea!
There are so many different tours and tour companies on the market but I can personally recommend Polaris if you want quality, value and a genuine approach to tourism and hospitality. Marin has been at sea his entire life and comes from a long line of seafarers, and his crew has been with him for 17 years – which should say it all really. They also pride themselves on not cramming in passengers like many fish picnics, opting for comfort and experience over profit.
Copyright: Forever Photography, The Polaris Crew,
If you are looking for a relaxed day-trip or a unique way to spend an evening in Split, this is it.
For more information on the tours and pricing, you can find all details on their website here.
