Each monthly issue of JAXFAX features a unique destination
which includes an extensive article covering the destination,
plus an interview with the director of the destination's tourist office
JAXFAX works in collaboration with the National Tourist Office
to provide our readers with the most up-to-date information.
A special correspondent is sent on location to sample
that destination and write the "cover feature."
The interview is generally conducted by
our editor, Ryley Hartt or one of our correspondent.
To be featured as a JAXFAX Magazine's "Cover Feature"
a sponsor agrees to run two full page ads in a 12 month period.
In addition, the cover feature destination also receives a "mini feature."
The date of publication of this mini feature is chosen
by the Tourist Office of that destination within a 12 month time frame.
As with the cover feature, the mini feature is produced in
collaboration with the Tourist Office.
Cover features and mini features are listed on the index at right.
Each editorial section with of a monthly issue is also available for download on the left.
Just click on the cover to download that issue.
Both version are completely interactive as in the sample below.
Below is a sample of cover feature
Published With The April 2010 Issue
Sailing Croatia’s Adriatic Coast
By Maria Lisella and Gil Fagiani
At dawn, the sun dapples across the harbor in lemon-drop shapes of light, your berth barely shifts yet you can’t be sure if you’re still dreaming or the low hum of voices is the M/S Skarda’s chef Mladen Kondric, bargaining for the day’s catch with local fishermen on the traffic-free Elafiti island of Sipan. Local cats stalk the freshly caught fish, fishermen air their nets on the walls facing the rising sun and your lunch will likely be a platter piled high with the local catch, grilled bronzino or other salpe, served with white wine from the Peljesac Peninsula, a stop on your itinerary and the vineyards that spawned the popular red Zinfandel wine.
The M/S Skarda was designed as a working man’s vessel, not a modern yacht to ferry travelers from gorgeous island to another. But after being retrofit to accommodate 20 passengers, this small-ship will do just that, transporting clients to captivating islands and towns like Trogir, Korcula, Stari Grad on Hvar, Bol on Brac, Makarska on the mainland and Sipan and Mljet—paying visits to a number of UNESCO sites along the way.
On a small ship like the Skarda, simple pleasures like diving off the side of the ship between ports of call add up to a total sense of disencumbered relaxation. Breakfasts and lunches are taken on board while the Skarda makes port calls and sometimes more spontaneous stops, like drifting into a cove for a swim. By around 3 p.m. the ship makes port and passengers eat dinner on land. Time spent at sea is short but for a passage of perhaps three hours’ time. Dress is casual and dining under a canopy in the open air allows for spectacular vistas while doing the most ordinary things. Clients who charter the entire ship can create their own itineraries with the help of the crew.
The Sea is the Star
After the Dead Sea in the Middle East, the Adriatic is one of the world’s saltiest and most pristine bodies of water. Part of the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic’s eastern side is very clean, clear and profoundly blue. Its healthy waters host a proliferation of spiny sea urchins living on the seabed so swimmers should watch their step and purchase rubber sea shoes to navigate. Lagoons and coves are shaded by pine trees and huddle between large expanses of sea, many of which passengers can dive into, or sit beside.
The Croatian Adriatic coast has over 2,000 islands—almost as many as those found in Norway and Greece. The largest of these are Korcula, Hvar, Brac, Vis, Mljet, Krk, Cres, Losinj, Pag and Rab—some of which Skarda passengers are sure to see firsthand.
From Split, we first called on Hvar’s Stari Grad, a series of old towns called Pharos in ancient times. Stari Grad Plain is Croatia’s newest UNESCO site. A 10-minute walk takes visitors to the fortified Dominican Monastery of St. Peter the Martyr where Tintoretto’s The Mourning of Christ hangs in the chapel. It has remained practically intact since Greek times and the landscape features stone walls, trim and small stone shelters. Visitors can sip local wines in konobas, which are used as storage cellars for wine, olive oil and fishing nets by day and informal bars by night, which lends a feeling of doing what the natives do.
By the end of the trip, we would visit the lively side of Hvar (Hvar Town) with its intricately carved Venetian details, its 400-year-old theater, its promenade with nightlife like no other island, and a fabulous hike to the fortress above the town. Because Hvar is hot, visited by celebrities and yachties, it is one of the more expensive destinations on this itinerary.
The city of Trogir’s street plan dates back to the Hellenistic period, although successive rulers embellished it with fortifications, Romanesque churches, Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period. Trogir has been a UNESCO World Heritage since 1997 when Radoslav Buzancic, now the director of the Institute in Trogir for Monument Protection, and a group of like-minded colleagues initiated the designation. He is now in an effort to gain recognition for Klis and Salona on the mainland above the city of Split (See full story in JAX FAX, Sept., 2009).
The island of Brac is well-known for its beautiful Adriatic beaches, the most famous of which is “Zlatni Rat,” which stretches into the open sea in the shape of a tongue with its tip changing form depending on the winds and tides. If it looks familiar, it is because it is often featured in tourist brochures. The Makarska Riviera, which is “squeezed” between the Biokovo mountains and the sea, ranks among the clearest in the entire Mediterranean and boasts well-maintained trails above the sea that offer hikers panoramic views of this phenomenal perch. The island of Mljet has its own natural phenomenon—the newly designated National Park—with a refuge for a monastery set on its own little island in the middle of the lake. Among the most popular islands, Korcula is best known as the birthplace of Marco Polo, the world traveler, explorer and adventurer. Not only is his home open to the public, there is good pizza to be found there as well.
The Inside Passage or “door” to Lopud, Sipan and Kolocep is a very tight canal just north of Dubrovnik that offers great photo opportunities. Just one hour from big-city Dubrovnik, the small islands of Lopud and Sipan are unexpected delights and beloved by those who summer here each year, particularly European families who find the placid beaches perfect for time away. Believe it or not, this small corner of the world has a karaoke bar that stays open until about 2 a.m. Lopud is an engaging town set on the shore at the Uvala (lagoon) Lopud. The small beach is right in town, so you can step out of a cafe, dive in, jump out and set yourself under a tree for a long, cool drink.
Starting in Split
The Skarda sets sail on many portions of the Adriatic from north to south but on this leg, it set sail from Split. For those booking this trip for their clients, advise them to arrive a day or two early and not shortchange their visit to Split. Long known as the gateway to the Dalmatian coast, Split (Spalato as the Romans called it), is not only an ideal base from which to visit nearby islands, but Diocletian’s Palace gives visitors clues to Croatia’s long history. Excursions to Klis and Salona give more insight into the incredibly complex history of what we now know as Croatia.
Diocletian’s Palace was originally built at the turn of the 4th century, not as a fortress but as a place for the Roman Emperor Diocletian to retire to. The site was abandoned by the Romans and came to be inhabitated by nearby residents seeking refuge in the 7th century. This remarkably preserved complex is thought to have housed over 9,000 people at times, and homes and businesses can still be found within its walls even today.
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, the palace complex is still alive with industry, theater productions and merchants selling crafts, local and exotic. One wall faces the bustling Riva or promenade and a pedestrian mall that further protects the walls abutting the shops and cafes below. In the evenings, you are just as likely to see a regional or countrywide boce (bocce) match as you are to attend a classical music concert inside the palace walls.
The Café Luxor, set at the door of the St. Dominus Cathedral and the entrance to the halls below, provides red velvet pillows to place your bottom on the polished white stone. There, waiters will provide tiny trays to keep your coffee from spilling as you watch young men dressed in Roman Centurion costumes smoking and flirting with tourists.
It is never easy to leave Split, but before you do, be sure to attend one or more live performances either in the churches, outdoors or just above town opposite the Mestrovic Gallery. Across the road you will find the Kastelet, once the summer home that belonged to the prominent Kavanjin-Copogrosso family from the 17th century. Mestrovic renovated it to exhibit a cycle of religious art he had been working on for 40 years, a cycle that gives more insight into his soul perhaps than any other collection.
For those who plan well, suggest a three-day stay at the Villa Varos Apartments in the heart of town just outside the walls of the Diocletian Palace. At the rate of 68 Euros or about $90 a night, this deal cannot be beat in one of Europe’s most popular cities. For bookings, contact Joanne Donlic at Joanne.d.o.o@st.t-com.hr. For great local specialties and friendly service dine at Sperun, a block away on Sperun Street,
The other marquee attraction on this itinerary is Dubrovnik, the white, walled city that has been reborn as an enchanting open-air museum, alive with shops, cafes, dining spots and museums and theaters in ancient buildings that were once just bare relics. This summer Dubrovnik is celebrating the 61st edition of the International Summer Festival with non-stop entertainment. Thankfully, the citizens of Dubrovnik took care of the roof damages that resulted from the civil conflict, yet mortar shells still remain in walls of the San Franciscan Monastery just inside Pile Gate as a reminder of recent history.
The tiny M/S Skarda usually drops anchor in Dubrovnik’s main port of Gruz, just out of the range of the mega vessels that demand a deep harbor. A 10-minute bus ride takes you right to the Pile Gate, a perfect start to visit the Old Town of Dubrovnik behind its crenellated white limestone walls. Exit from the bus, walk to the edge of the outlook for a breathtaking view that will convince even the most well-traveled why this place was a valuable and striking fortress in the 7th century and remains one of the great travel icons of modern Europe.
Booking and Getting There
Nothing is as enchanting as the approaches to Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik or Split. The most efficient way to sell trips on this yacht is to target small groups to charter the entire vessel. Because the vessel is about 100 feet, it is well suited for affinity groups like family reunions, girl and guy getaways, small price-sensitive incentive trips or just friends wanting to spend time together in many spectacular places.
Skarda owner Marinko Kolanovic charges $3,000 per cabin for two. Children under 6 travel free and children 7-12 pay half the adult rate. Agents are paid a 10% commission on individual bookings Those who charter the entire boat or fill nine cabins for $30,000 (which includes fuel charges) will be paid a 15% commission or $4,500. Call 917-217-4647; email cruise@skardacruise.com; visit www.skardacruise.com
Many European carriers connect with Croatia Airways through their respective hubs. Some, like Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and Swiss Air Lines have close connections making the transitions smooth. Traveling through Zurich Airport has definite advantages: the airport is manageable, you take a quick train between terminals and there are great chocolates at the Sprungli outlet that must be consumed quickly since their products are not filled with preservatives. Thus the dilemma of whether or not to indulge is prevented from weighing on one’s conscience.
For more information, contact Croatian National Tourist Office at 800-829-4416 or visit www.croatia.hr