Meet at the group accommodation in Kastel Kambelovac. Close to Split Airport, the town has fortified walls (hence the name Kastel), meandering streets, picturesque churches, a beach, sheltered coves and coastal footpaths. There are plenty of small local bars and restaurants where you can enjoy a drink whilst looking out over the islands of Solta and Brac.

After taking the ferry to Brac, we'll transfer across the island to the starting point of the day's walk. Then, hiking downhill on a steep trail, we'll arrive at the hermitage of Blaca which was originally established in a cave used as shelter by priests escaping from Ottoman persecution in the mid 16th century. The hermitage gradually grew up around the cave and its collection of buildings and retaining walls is now quite spectacular. There was a religious presence here until 1962 and a school run by a resident priest, Father Nikola Milicevic, who was a poet and well known astronomer. Our guide will take us on a tour of the site, before we continue our walk down to the coast. There's the option of a refreshing swim, before we continue along the coast to the village of Murvica with its views across to the island of Hvar. We'll transfer inland from here to our accommodation in the area of Nerezisca.

One of the best Adriatic viewpoints, Vidova Gora (780m) is the culmination of a limestone ridge that stretches along the southern coast of Brac. We hike up onto this ridge through open coniferous woodland that includes Aleppo pine, the resin of which is used to flavour the famous Greek drink of Retsina. From the summit there are panoramic views and we can look down to the distinctive golden beach of Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn). Descending, we follow a rock trail southwards to the coast at Bol, once a sleepy fishing and now a popular tourist destination. This is another opportunity for a swim, before driving back to our accommodation.

Driving back to Bol, we take a ferry to the nearby island of Hvar, then continue our drive through lavender fields, olive groves and vineyards to the pretty village of Vrisnik. Here, the old stone houses with their wooden shutters and compact gardens bounded by drystone walls are overlooked by the striking church of Saint Anton Opat. Today's walk leads westwards from here to the top of the island at the peak of Sveti (Saint) Nikola (628m) with views towards the islands of Korcula and Vis. From the tiny church on the summit, we descend to the village of Dol and from here drive to the town of Hvar where we have some free time for exploration. Hvar is one of the jewels of the Croatian islands with 13th Century walls, Gothic palaces, traffic-free streets and a magnificent central piazza dominated by Saint Stephen's Cathedral. It's also rewarding to wander away from the main square into the maze of white-washed alleys and winding stone streets where the people of Hvar live. After our visit, we'll take the ferry across to the island of Korcula and drive to our hotel in Lumbarda at the eastern end of the island.

A free day for relaxing by the hotel pool or for independent exploration. There are a number of beaches just a short stroll from the hotel and the town of Korcula (which we will walk to on Day 7) is a short bus or taxi ride away. Korcula is likened to Dubrovnik on account of its cluster of orange-tiled stone houses and towering 13th Century walls. It's a great place to explore, with the Land Gate, Sea Gate, St Mark's Cathedral and Abbey Treasury all highlights. Another alternative today is to hire bikes and see a little more of this island which may have been the birthplace of Marco Polo. There is also the option today to take an independent excursion to Dubrovnik itself, which is 3 hours away by ferry and bus. The tour leader will be able to advise about this and an early start is recommended. Dubrovnik needs no introduction - it is deservedly one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.

After breakfast we take a catamaran to the island of Mljet, the western end of which is a national park. Disembarking at Pomena, our walk today will take us alongside two saltwater lakes called Veliko and Malo Jezero (Large and Small Lake). On an island in the larger of the lakes there is a church (Sveta Marija) and a former Benedictine monastery built in the 12th Century. Walking again through forest of Aleppo pine, we'll ascend to the viewpoint of Mount Montokuc (256m), looking out en-route for some of the more than 100 types of birds and several animal species, including fallow deer and wild boar. After enjoying the beauty of Mjlet, we'll return to spend a third night at our hotel on Korcula.

This morning we'll walk along the coastline from our hotel to the town of Korcula with views across to the Peljesac Peninsula and plenty of places to stop for a swim before reaching the town. There will be time for a cafe stop, before catching the ferry to the mainland and transferring to Split. The afternoon is free to wander through this UNESCO World Heritage listed town, with its maze of cobbled streets, meandering lanes and welcoming pavement cafes. The Riva Promenade is dotted with palm trees and beautiful buildings and the perfect place to look across to the islands. In the late afternoon we'll take the short transfer to Trogir which is set on an island connected to the mainland by bridges. Trogir's streets and buildings are decorated in Venetian style and its historic town centre is one of the best examples of Dalmatian architecture. It is another UNESCO World Heritage listed site and a superb place to enjoy our final night.

KE package services end after breakfast and you should make your own way to Split Airport to catch your homeward flight. If you have time to explore before your flight, Trogir has much to recommend it including a number of wonderful palaces in the old town.