Dramatic landscapes are a keynote of Brac, Croatia’s third largest island, off the coast of Split. Sheer cliffs plunge to dazzling seas and limestone cottages wreathed in pink magenta gaze out to white pebble beaches. Summer brings sunseekers and adventure lovers to the beach town Bol, on the south coast, drawn as much to its sparkling beaches and top seafood as the world-class mountain biking, hiking and windsurfing. Snag a spot at Stina Winery for aperitivo hour and graze on local wine and cheese by the sea. The co-op runs daily 5pm tours, with tastings of its top drops made from indigenous Croatian grapes.

It’s no surprise that Croatia’s sunniest island is a magnet for hedonists, yachties and sun-lovers. Beyond the town of Hvar and its late night beach clubs, is a haze of lavender fields, wineries and olive groves. The island’s Stari Grad Plain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the perfectly preserved parcels of olive trees planted by early Greeks. The laidback north coast is also home to Maslina Resort, a barefoot lux escape with Michelin dining. Don’t miss the Pakleni Islands, a chain of green isles with crystal-clear waters, hidden beaches and eye-candy lagoons best explored by boat.

Korcula flies under the radar, but this wine island near Hvar has luxury in spades. The miniature walled city of Korcula boasts three Michelin-starred restaurants including LD, within the stunning Relais & Chateaux hideaway Lesić Dimitri Palace. Outside the city walls, olive groves and vineyards march to the sea and more than a dozen cellar doors showcase the island’s indigenous grapes. Taste the local pošip at PZ Posip Cara, a co-op of local growers with an excellent cellar door amid rolling hills and vines.

Time slows down in the Elaphites, a storybook archipelago of thirteen islands near Dubrovnik. The largest is Lopud, a serene car-free haven with a slip of white sandy beach, warm turquoise lagoons and luxury bolthole Lopud 1483, a restored 15th century monastery with historic art tours and five art-filled suites. In summer, join the speedboat set in Sipan for world-class seafood. Konoba Kod Marka is a favourite with yachties but Bowa wins points for its secluded boat-only access and tasting menu that sings of the sea and soil.

It’s no surprise that Dugi Otok means ‘long island’. This 45km blade of green near Zadar is only 4km at its widest point. Amid this wild landscape, fragrant with pine, fig trees and herbs are hilltop villages, sleepy hamlets and Villa Nai 3.3, a sybaritic eight-suite stay carved into the terracotta hill of an ancient olive grove. There is plenty of quiet space and natural beauty, from the shallow aqua waters of Veli Žal beach to the dramatic cliffs and salty, emerald expanse of Lake Mir in Telašćica Nature Park.

Music festivals might have put Pag on the map, but there is more to this moonscape, off the coast of Zadar, than international DJs and dub beats. Beyond the bikini-clad revellers in Novalja and Zrće Beach, is a foodie destination worth exploring. The windswept island is known for its wild-sage fed lamb and salty paški sir, a hard sheep’s milk cheese similar to Italian pecorino. Wind south, through a moonscape whipped bare by wild bura winds, to discover the ‘white gold’ salt pans that first brought the island its wealth.

Set sail in the Croatian islands for the ultimate fjaka. On a private skippered yacht, days unfold at a drowsy pace of swim, eat, sleep repeat. Near Zadar is the Kornati National Park, a stark and wild archipelago of 89 islands adrift in translucent waters. Nightfall, hyper-local konobas prepare a simple catch of fish, either grilled or simmered in a tomato brodet. Sail Croatia’s one-way private yacht tours from Split or Dubrovnik are a rolling food and wine feast far from the holiday crowds, with moorings in tiny ports, secluded bays and little-known islands.