Natural wonders and cultural jewels of Dalmatia

Young Ocean Explorers Club in partnership with MAUD FONTENOY FOUNDATION.

Set off to discover the Mediterranean on an all-new 8-day cruise aboard L'Austral: valleys planted with olive trees, national parks featuring striking beauty, and paved old towns evoking a turbulent history.

During this cruise, the emblematic landscapes of the Mediterranean will merge with unimaginable panoramas. The rocky Croatian coastline will transform as you move inland. The lush forests, scattered with lakes into which waterfalls dive, will offer you their summer coolness during an excursion to the Plitvice Lakes or the Krka National Park from Zadar or Primosten.

Although more expected, the pebble beaches that dot the shorelines are no less breath-taking. Dive into the crystal-clear waters overlooked by myriad pine trees in the Golden Cape Forest Park in Rovinj or in the Mljet National Park. On the Kornati archipelago, wooded expanses have made way for a more desert-like decor: the rocky hills scattered with shrubs disappear into the cerulean blue.

The Bay of Kotor combines the beauty of spectacular nature with the jewels of the region's history. Its medieval city will unveil itself in the crook of the cliffs that overhang the jutting sound, creating a labyrinthine sailing route.

Venice the Serenissima has spread remnants of its centuries-long reign along the shores of the Adriatic. On the Balbi's Arch in Rovinj and on the doors of the towns of Zadar or Korcula, the winged lion, symbol of the City of the Doges, still watches over passers-by. From ancient times, Split has kept the Roman Diocletian's Palace and its Cathedral of Saint Domnius while the island of Hvar conserves Stari Grad, founded by the Greeks and considered to be the country's oldest town.

The Pearl of the Adriatic, the former maritime republic known as Ragusa, concludes this journey through time, unveiling a new face among the many facets of Dalmatia. Dubrovnik's slogan is "Freedom is not for sale, not even for all the gold of this world."