active holidays in Croatia and beyond

I did HEAPS of research. Read all the comments on multiple trips available. Have to say, it paid off! Our day was nothing less than amazing. The experience, the food, the chats. Mario showed us real pieces of Dubrovnik life, delicious local food and wine. And let me tell you. A day out on a family boat, pulling oysters from the ocean and eating them with a lovely home made wine in a warm Croatia sunshine? What more could you want. Thank you so much Mario. 11/10.​

Mario is truly gifted at what he does, and you can tell that he's incredibly passionate about the small, local establishments that he features 🙂 Anyone can host a wine tasting, but Mario goes the extra mile to provide you with an authentic experience that highlights the rich culture behind the experience as well. The vineyard itself was beautiful, the food and wine incredible, and the conversation absolutely engaging. If there's a spot open—grab it before it's gone! I would join another of his experiences in a heartbeat and will most definitely look for them the next time I'm in Dubrovnik :)​

Beyond this particular experience (more in a sec), Mario is such a passionate, extraordinary tour guide, I would recommend participating in any tour he leads. Besides being charming, knowledgeable and entertaining, Mario exhibits a clear desire to ensure that all of his guests have the time of their lives. And the oysters picked fresh from the water were extra special. The day was made complete with a short tour of the town of Ston, and a fabulous lunch in a local cafe. This experience is well off the beaten path in Dubrovnik and something you will always remember.​

I booked this experience the morning of, mainly to visit a winery in Croatia before flying out the next day! Upon reading the reviews and reading the itinerary, I was impressed with what to expect. Mario took my group to a beach prior to the winery, and it was the best beach I’ve visited in Croatia, mainly due to the landscape surrounding it. Afterwards, we walked back to the winery, and our group were the only ones there, which felt intimate and like home. Throughout the experience, we shared a lot in conversations (stories and life experiences) and laughed throughout our time together. It was a perfect night to end my last night in Croatia. I hope to visit this country again participate in another experience with Mario! Thanks for an amazing day!!​

Mario made this the most memorable day of our trip. We got to taste unbelievable food with great company from around the world and learn a bit about the history of the area and the trade. He was extremely inclusive, knowledgeable, and had a great passion for connecting travelers and locals for the benefit of both. Mario was an exceptional host for this unique experience, and our 12-day trip would not have been the same without him and Captain Happy's oysters :)​

Don’t hesitate to book this experience, I had a fantastic last night in Croatia with waves, wine and lots of laughs….! My friend and I much appreciated our host Mario’s warm wit as he navigated us towards a scenic hidden beach, (serious Instagram fodder), and took us on a guided exploration of a charming family winery. After discovering the winery’s cellar, gardens and amorous turtles, we closed the evening with an intimate patio dinner and wine tasting where many stories and jokes were shared. Highly recommend! I look forward to visiting Croatia again one day and trying another truly immersive local experience organised by Mario.

Mario introduced my family of five (three adult children, my husband and myself) to the wonders and beauty of Croatia. If you are looking for an active vacation (we kayaked, biked and hiked), there is no better guide. Mario is an accomplished kayaker and biker but understood the varying levels of experience in our group. He is very flexible and accommodating and when we asked to make changes to our itinerary, he did so without complaint. Mario is all about the "personal touch" and found ways to engage each of my family in different activities/interests. He became part of our family and even took my 25 year old son out for a night on the town in Dubrovnik! Mario knows when to give you private time as a family and when to engage. He is a perfect host, tour guide and now, a great friend!

Mario did a fantastic job. First, from email exchanges with him he determined what we wanted out of our tour and then he customized it for us. It was not a canned Montenegro tour. We were only in Montenegro for two days but had a wonderful time. Lots of fun. Mario is a great listener as the tour was exactly what we wanted. Would definitely use him again. He is knowledgeable, friendly, outgoing, and knows his stuff. We have no reservations about recommending him.