What 6905 DialAFlight clients thought of Europe

We loved the hotel, our room with balcony and the place. Thank you so much for your suggestion and recommendation

Fantastic service and support throughout adding a sense of security to the trip. I received friendly advice and back up from Jay some years back and also from Jessica

Thanks to Marie Mckeown for putting together a stress free and memorable holiday to Iceland

Noah was very helpful and knowledgeable

Very personal service from all the team

I had issues when checking in online to allow our group of four to sit together.

You are all brilliant! I already knew this, but I can confirm it again. Nicole's support as always continues to be fantastic!

Thanks Billy, we had a wonderful time. Hotel was wonderful, great staff, comfortable rooms and great food at their restaurants.

A great holiday if a little tiring

When we did find problems checking in these were quickly renedied by Manny.

Everything went to plan

Always excellent

All went very well: excellent apartment in a lovely city. A great antidote to the English winter…

Amazing experience from start to finish. Ivor and his colleagues are simply exceptional. Keep up the good work.

Scandic Hotel recommended and was great. Flight connection on return was a rush but made it.

We had a BA City break ruined by a bomb - and needed to find a break for the same price within 20 hours. Ian as always came up trumps.

From first phone call to every arrangement requested. Everything happened perfectly with Sean and Oliver guiding the process. Thank you for making it happen and giving me assurance when concerned, you are brilliant!

Have already recommended

Unfortunately our flight was delayed 8 hours at Heathrow termimal 5 because of fog - all very frustrating but no one's fault. It's a risk one takes when flying

Big thanks once again to Jack and his team. Five star service - wouldn't book anywhere else.

Always a great service from Samuel

Always very helpful and fast to respond - Colin Barlow very helpful in particular.

Everything went smoothly and as expected.

As always brilliant!

Howard suggested a wonderful holiday within our means. The accommodation was good with loads of activities and places to go.

Thank you Troy. Would highly recommend

It was a shame that our flight was cancelled by British Airways coming home. But Des sorted it out. We had a lovely time in Copenhagen and we are all looking forward to booking our next trip

All went very well. Jonathan always looks after us

Appreciate the help and confidence you gave me booking this holiday….have used many times in the past

Up to the usual high standard.

Style and history

The magic of 1200 islands

Full of style and history...Frederick Tratt explores the unspoilt gems off Croatia's fabulous coastline

Even in the communist era, Yugoslavia attracted holiday-makers in large numbers from western Europe, including a devoted following from Britain.

It was in marked contrast to the likes of East Germany or Romania and other Russian-dominated countries which were far from being contemplated as holiday destinations.

But Yugoslavia's then ruler Marshal Tito understood the concept of a market-based economy and often upset Moscow by running his country on a communist model very different from the Soviet-approved version.

Many of the 1200 islands are no more than blobs of rock unspoiled by hi-rise hotels

More than Dubrovnik and Split
Many British visitors flocked to Dubrovnik and Split in those days. After Yugoslavia dispensed with communism the whole region faced a decade of strife which meant a hiatus in travel there - but with peace, the independent country of Croatia was to emerge with Dubrovnik and Split quickly reclaiming their status as star tourist attractions.

And it rapidly became apparent there was much more to Croatia than most realised. For a start, it has more than 1,200 miles of coastline and 1,200 islands. Most of the islands are just blobs of rock in the Adriatic, but of the 50 that are inhabited several are destinations in their own right. Hvar is a perfect example.

What they all have in common is that they have come to the package holiday party very late. For many of the islands it's not just that the Tito regime didn't develop them as holiday places, visitors were actually banned: Tito feared a seaborne invasion (from the West and probably the East, too) so there were elaborate early-warning stations and other defensive structures intended to protect Yugoslavia.

Even today, on many of the smaller, uninhabited islands, visitors are not allowed to stay overnight - but this is now for environmental rather than defence reasons.

So the unexpected benefit of this is that while many other Mediterranean islands were throwing up tower-block hotels and ploughing up vast swathes of countryside to build airports, Croatia's islands escaped the worst excesses of modern tourism that can mar some destinations.

With its narrow streets and sunburnt buildings, the ancient town of Rovinj resembles a mini Venice

This nation's charm resides in its natural, unsophisticated but thoroughly stylish ambience. Many of the island towns are perfect gems - including places such as Sibenik, which is an architectural treasure trove.

Pride of place here goes to the Cathedral of St James, built in stone between 1431 and 1536. Sibenik, like the Swedish capital Stockholm, is built over an archipelago. The city is an intriguing maze of narrow alleys and squares with a host of fascinating small shops and fine places to eat.

Rovinj nestles in an arm of the Adriatic where Croatia meets Italy. It has the look of a mini-Venice with narrow streets of sunburnt buildings dominated by the campanile of the Church of St Euphemia.

Another delight is Trogir, set on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Ciovo.

Founded by the Greeks, it was later influenced by the Romans and Venetians.

It is a wonderful mixture of churches, palaces, towers and fortifications. Its Romanesque-Gothic quarter is one of the best-preserved in all of Central Europe.

The quaint fishing village of Mali still holds an ancient charm

An ideal hide-away
One of my favourite places is the former fishing village of Novigrad: the perfect away-from-it-all place to enjoy peace and quiet. If you're looking for a busier environment then head for Dubrovnik, the famous walled city that found itself on the front line of the civil war in 1991.

Like Venice, you have to see Dubrovnik to understand its attraction. The churches, palaces and ramparts are remarkable, with style and history combining in perfect harmony. There are lots of bigger resorts that offer a base for a beachy holiday. It is hard, however, to resist the attractions of Split.

The town offers a pedestrianised waterfront and smart ambience.

The stunning palace of the Emperor Diocletian is in the centre, where you can shop in an underground palace complex or sip cocktails within arm's reach of ancient columns. Perfect.

First published in the Mail Online - January 2019

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