Adriatic adventure: Seeing Italy and, across the water, her new best friend Croatia

It was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who famously coined the phrase 'Iron Curtain' in 1946 and, in doing so, entrenched post-war divisions between the democratic west and the communist east. But, 67 years later, those tensions have been washed away. 

And now with Croatia being lapped up by the European Union (the country became the 28th member on 1st July) there has never been a better time to take advantage of rosy relations around the Adriatic Sea.

Magical: Rocca Calascio is a 10th-century fort that offers unparalleled views of the Italian countryside

Italy, in particular, has taken on a 'big brother' role by encouraging Croatia to develop its tourism and smoothing down the few edges still evident from its Soviet past. Indeed, the EU-backed IPA Adriatic Cross-border Cooperation Programme's motto is: "Let's grow up together."

And while there are already many established vacation hotspots, by acceding to the EU the country can expect a healthy boost from holidaymakers. 

The island of Hvar has already gained notoriety as a summer playground for A-listers - including Prince Harry, Tom Cruise and Beyonce (who named her first baby, daughter Blue Ivy, after an indigenous flower). Aside from affordably hobnobbing with celebrities in glitzy beach clubs, there is rich culture to uncover, including Croatia's first-ever town, Stari Grad, and the oldest communal theatre in Europe, found in Hvar Town.

Playground for the stars: Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z holidaying in Croatia in 2011

But when it comes to culture few can beat the Italians and it's little wonder that it was the Venetians, from the 12th century, who lay the foundations for modern Hvar. 

The island, which houses 11,000 people - with 4,000 in the capital, Hvar Town - is the ideal place to conclude a holiday after visiting the Italian regions of Abruzzo and Le Marche, found by an 11-hour overnight ferry across the Adriatic Sea.

 

The east coast of Italy - bar Venice - is seldom in the top five of British tourists' must-do lists. But add Croatia into the mix and you have an amazing two-centre break on your hands. 

A cheap flight from London to the biggest city in Arbuzzo, Pescara - a coastal city heavily bombed in World War Two - threw me close to the exhilarating and verdant Apennines. The area is known as the "green heart of Italy" and I marvelled at the lush landscape and snow-capped peaks in the Gran Sasso massif, one of three national parks in the area, in which wolves and bears can be found.

Aiming high: Corno Grande is the tallest peak in the Apennine Mountains and can be hiked in five hours

I located my inner shepherd around Rocca Calascio, a magical 10th-century fort which, at 1,460 metres, is the highest in the range and offers unparalleled views, as evidenced by films such as Michelle Pfeiffer's 1985 flick Ladyhawke.

Boasting over 500 castles, Abruzzo is a fascinating outdoor museum. Near to the tallest peak, Corno Grande - which can be hiked by non-experts in five hours from Teramo - lies the second-largest fortress in Europe (behind Salzburg's Hohensalzburg) at Civitella del Tronto. It was the location for the last stand for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1860, weeks before the Kingdom of Italy was formed.

Again, the vistas are wonderful from the top: from here I could spy the Adriatic Sea in the distance while the Apennines loomed in the opposite direction. 

I then ambled down to Zunica (www.hotelzunica.it/en), a 133-year-old hotel-restaurant that can be reached via the 'smallest road in Italy'. It's best to squeeze through en route rather than after lunch, as I discovered after sampling the unusual but highly-recommended pear and goat’s cheese risotto, and a rich pecorino cheese soup with croutons and black truffle.

Princely pad: The regal Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi is a wonderful place to stay

Further north is the region of Le Marche, with hill towns to rival those of Tuscany and Umbria. It's, pleasingly, significantly cheaper and there are certainly no £14 ice creams here, as in Rome. Known as 'Little Tibet', it is the place that writer Guido Piovene described in 1957 as "the most typical Italian landscape...with its range of landscapes it is a distillation of the world".

The regal Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi hotel (www.seghettipanichi.it) close to the historical town of Ascoli Piceno is a wonderful place to stay and, strolling around the exceptional gardens, I relaxed and played prince for a while.

This fine guest house is perched on top of a hill and, while you can stay in the luxurious rooms in the grand main building, there are reasonably priced apartments a hyacinth's throw away by the swimming pool - ideal for families.

Nearby medieval town Offida may have only 5,000 inhabitants but it too offers a wealth of ancient culture, not least the deceptively large Santa Maria della Rocca church, which dates back to 1330. 

The Piazza del Popolo ('People's square') in Ascoli and (right) catch of the day at Gariful in Hvar Town

And from Ancona ('elbow' in Italian), further north, I sailed to Croatia. Taking a cabin overnight saved me travelling time and added adventure to the trip before I docked at Split around 8am, providing the whole day to investigate this handsome city.

A 45-minute boat-ride away is the island of Hvar, and from Stari Grad - where the ancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BC, making it one of the oldest towns in Europe - it's a mere 20 minutes' drive to Hvar Town, the party capital of the island.

Rather than just rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, especially during the peak season (May to September), the intrepid traveller will find more satisfaction by seeking out the summer house of Renaissance poet Hannibal Lucic, or perhaps the theatre. 

While in desperate need of refurbishment (Cruise did not put his hands in his pockets when taken there in September), it is charming and serves as an important cultural reference point, as does the lavender festival in June.

Party island: Tourists can hop over to Hvar Town on an overnight ferry from Italy

And then there is the tingly tranquillity of Paklinski, an archipelago of 16 tiny islands, located a 15-minute trip from the harbour. On one – Sveti Klement – I discovered Palmizana (www.palmizana.hr), a paradisal resort run by bohemian grandmother Dagmar Meneghello, who, as a contemporary art obsessive, serves up vibrant rooms and excellent seafood. 

That eatery competes for top billing with the stupendous Gariful (http://hvar-gariful.hr), found on the waterfront at Hvar Town, very close to the boutique Riva Hotel, where I stayed.

Were he still alive, Churchill, one suspects, would have luxuriated in the lobster, syrupy Bastijana Tomic 'Prosek Hectorovich' dessert wine (www.bastijana.hr) and many other delights the EU's latest member has to offer. 

Now, with the Iron Curtain well and truly banished, you too should make the most of the partnership between Italy and Croatia, and revel in a two-country break that offers an affordable fusion of culture, coast and classy calm.