After a long bus ride from Sarajevo, we arrived in Dubrovnik tired but completely wowed. From endless stone steps and sunset spritzes to walking the Old Town walls and finding Game of Thrones filming spots, our first taste of Croatia was equal parts beautiful and chaotic and the perfect prelude to our Adriatic cruise adventure.

Mostar stole our hearts with its fairytale bridge, turquoise river, and cobbled old town buzzing with life. We wandered through markets scented with coffee and grilled cevapi, watched brave locals dive from Stari Most, and soaked up stories of resilience. It’s a city that’s beautiful, raw, and unforgettable – where every stone seems to whisper history and hope.

Booking a place to stay can feel like playing travel roulette, but after years of trial, error, and one too many bathrooms without doors, we’ve learned a few things. As a former travel agent, I (Mish!) like to do my research. We usually book ahead so we can find something fabulous, but not too fabulous for the budget.

One year ago, we were a few drinks deep with some of our best friends when someone floated the idea:"Let’s do the Camino." We laughed. We cheered. And then, surprisingly, we followed through. Twelve months later, we were standing in front of the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, sweaty, emotional, and overwhelmed, in the best possible way.

If you’d told me back on Day 1, windswept and wide-eyed in Matosinhos, that we’d soon be striding into Santiago de Compostela with full hearts and tired feet, I’m not sure I’d have believed you.

By now, the Camino had become a rhythm. Wake. Walk. Eat. Repeat. We’d started to trust our legs, our gear, and even our dodgy Spanish. But with all good adventures, there’s always a twist...

Camino had started to feel less like a challenge and more like a lifestyle. Early mornings, lacing up boots by headlamp, walking with the sunrise, finding our rhythm. But the Camino isn’t one long beach walk. Sometimes, it’s a mountain. A very big mountain.

You know those days when you've been staring at a screen for too long, and your brain quietly whispers, “maybe you should be on a yacht right now”?Well… I listened. On a particularly long workday, I found a last-minute deal that felt too dreamy to ignore — a 10-day small ship cruise through Croatia aboard the MV Princess Eleganza. Croatia has always been high on our must-visit list, and suddenly, the timing just felt right.