EXPLORE CROATIA
Croatia, Island by Island
More than 1,200 islands, islets and reefs lie off Croatia’s Adriatic coast, and cruising here is mostly a matter of hopping between them. A morning swim off the Pakleni islands can be followed by an afternoon in the cellars of a Roman emperor’s palace in Split and an evening at anchor below the walls of Korčula. The hops between the Dalmatian islands rarely take long and the sea is very clear, so the old stone towns and the empty coves fit into the same holiday.
A Coast Made of Islands
IN DALMATIA, THE NEXT ISLAND IS NEVER FAR AWAY.
Croatia’s mainland coast runs for about 1,880 kilometres, from Istria in the north to the border with Montenegro beyond Dubrovnik, and the shores of its islands add more than twice that again. Istria is a broad, green peninsula with Venetian harbour towns. South of the Kvarner Gulf, Dalmatia holds most of the islands, from the bare Kornati to Hvar, Vis, Korčula and Mljet.
Hops between anchorages are rarely long. Brač, Šolta and Hvar sit within a few hours’ sail of Split and of each other, and the channels separating them are often calmer than the open Adriatic. The Kornati are denser still: the national park alone covers 89 islands, islets and reefs.
Days ashore follow the rhythm of the islands. Many konobas, the traditional family taverns, keep moorings so that boats can tie up for a long lunch of grilled fish. Afternoons are for wandering through Venetian lanes, and evenings for a drink on the riva, the waterfront promenade, while the yachts return to harbour.
Most first visits focus on central Dalmatia, cruising between Split, Hvar, Vis and Korčula, or follow a one-way route from Split down to Dubrovnik. The Kornati, the Krka river and Istria are often saved for a second trip.
Six Stretches of the Croatian Coast
Six cruising areas run the length of the coast, from the Venetian towns of Istria to the walled city of Dubrovnik, each with its own islands, harbours and protected parks.
Dubrovnik, Mljet and the Elaphites
Istria
Zadar and the Kornati Islands
Šibenik and Krka
Split, Hvar and Brač
Vis and Korčula
Dubrovnik, Mljet and the Elaphites
Istria
Zadar and the Kornati Islands
What to Do Along the Way
Swim in Clear Adriatic Coves
Most of the Croatian shore is rock and pebble rather than sand, and the sea is very clear. Good swimming stops include the coves of the Pakleni islands, the quiet bays of Šolta and Vis, and the water outside Stiniva, where the crew can launch paddleboards and snorkelling gear from the swim platform. Telašćica adds a swim in the salt lake of Mir, and on Mljet you can swim in the national park’s lakes. Inside the parks, anchoring is restricted to marked areas, and the captain plans each stop around those limits.
See the Blue and Green Caves
The islands around Vis are known for their sea caves. On Biševo, the Blue Cave glows blue when sunlight enters through an opening below the water, best seen from late morning to early afternoon on a sunny day. Only small licensed boats may go inside, so visitors transfer to them at Biševo, and swimming in the cave is not allowed. On the islet of Ravnik, off Vis, the Green Cave is lit by a shaft of sunlight through a hole in its roof, and you can swim beneath it. A southerly swell can shut both caves for the day, so it helps to leave a spare morning around Vis.
Walk the Walls of Dubrovnik
The walk around Dubrovnik’s city walls is almost 2 kilometres long, with views down into the streets of the old town and out across the sea to Lokrum. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter, and look across to Fort Lovrijenac, which stands on its own rock outside the walls. On the Pelješac peninsula, the walls of Ston run for more than 5 kilometres across the hills between Ston and Mali Ston, built by the Republic of Dubrovnik to protect its valuable salt pans.
Visit Croatia’s UNESCO Towns
Romans, Venetians and Habsburgs all left their mark on this coast. In Split you can wander through the cellars and the peristyle of Diocletian’s Palace, and nearby Trogir is a medieval town on its own small island. Šibenik’s stone cathedral, Poreč’s Euphrasian Basilica and the Greek field pattern of the Stari Grad Plain on Hvar are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ask the crew to book a licensed local guide, who can explain in an hour what would take a day to work out alone.
Spend Evenings on the Riva
Once the excursion boats have gone, the waterfronts fill with people out for the evening. Take the tender ashore for a drink on the riva in Hvar or Split, listen for klapa, the unaccompanied harmony singing of Dalmatia that UNESCO recognises as intangible cultural heritage, or watch the Moreška sword dance in Korčula. From 10 July to 25 August, the Dubrovnik Summer Festival brings theatre and concerts to the squares and forts of the old town.
What to Eat and Drink
Order Fish from the Grill
On the coast, fish is usually cooked na gradele, on a grill over wood embers, then dressed with olive oil, garlic and parsley and served with blitva, Swiss chard and potatoes. Fresh fish is often sold by weight, so the waiter may bring the morning’s catch to the table for you to choose. Start with octopus salad, and try crni rižot, a risotto turned black with cuttlefish ink.
Eat Oysters in Ston
The European flat oyster has been farmed in the bay of Mali Ston, where fresh water mixes with the sea, since at least the days of the Republic of Dubrovnik. Eat them raw with a squeeze of lemon at a restaurant on the water in Mali Ston, along with mussels from the same bay, then walk off lunch on the walls of Ston.
Order Peka a Day Ahead
Peka is the Dalmatian way of slow cooking: lamb, veal or octopus with potatoes, roasted for hours under an iron bell covered with hot embers. It takes time to prepare, so many konobas ask you to order it a day in advance. The crew can book it for an evening ashore, and it is well worth planning around.
Start with Pršut and Pag Cheese
A Dalmatian meal often begins with a plate of pršut and cheese. Dalmatian pršut, a ham salted and air-dried in the cold winter bora, has protected status in the EU, as does paški sir, a hard sheep’s cheese from the island of Pag, where the wind leaves a film of sea salt on the herbs the sheep graze. Add olives, local olive oil and bread.
Drink Wine from Pelješac and Korčula
Plavac Mali, a relative of Zinfandel, is Dalmatia’s great red grape, and its best-known wines come from the steep, sea-facing slopes of Dingač and Postup on the Pelješac peninsula. Dingač became Croatia’s first protected wine area in 1961. On Korčula, look for the white wines Pošip and Grk, and in Istria for Malvazija and the red Teran.
Save Room for Rožata
Dubrovnik’s classic dessert is rožata, a baked custard with caramel, named after the rose liqueur that traditionally flavours it. Along the coast, look out too for fritule, small fried doughnuts flavoured with citrus zest and a dash of rum or rakija and dusted with sugar, and for a glass of prošek, the sweet dessert wine of Dalmatia.
When to Sail the Croatian Coast
Charter yachts work the Croatian coast from May until October. High summer brings the warmest water and the fullest harbours, and the months either side offer a warm sea with fewer boats. Three winds matter to sailors here. The maestral, a north-westerly sea breeze, fills in around midday on most summer days and dies away towards sunset. The bora, a cold, gusty north-easterly that falls from the mountains, and the jugo, a warm, damp south-easterly that brings cloud, rain and long swells, blow more often outside the summer.
Best for stone towns and spring walks
Spring brings mild, bright days, green islands and plenty of free berths. At about 14–16°C in April, rising to 17–19°C by late May, the water is bracing rather than warm, so this is the time for exploring old towns and walking in the national parks. The Krka waterfalls run at their fullest after the winter rain, and a passing bora can still bring a day or two of strong, cold wind.
APRIL AND MAY
Best for maestral sailing and long evenings
June evenings stay light until late, and by the end of the month the Adriatic off Dalmatia has warmed to 21–23°C. The maestral is at its most dependable, giving good sailing between the islands on most afternoons. Summer is under way, yet there is more room on the coast than in July and August, so June suits every cruising area, from the Kornati down to Dubrovnik.
JUNE
Best for the warmest sea and busy waterfronts
High summer brings the most heat and the most boats. The sea reaches about 23–26°C, warmest in the south, and Hvar, the Pakleni islands and Dubrovnik are in full swing, with the Dubrovnik Summer Festival running from 10 July to 25 August. Marinas and town quays fill early, above all on Saturdays, when many charter boats change over, so the crew books berths and restaurant tables well in advance.
JULY AND AUGUST
Best for the grape harvest and warm water
The water holds most of its summer warmth, at around 22–24°C, while the crowds thin out as schools go back across Europe. Grapes are picked in the vineyards of Pelješac and Korčula, and the maestral still blows on most afternoons, though spells of jugo grow more frequent late in the month. Warm water, quieter anchorages and harvest-time food make it a strong choice for a charter.
SEPTEMBER
Best for truffles, olives and empty bays
With the sea at around 19–21°C, swimming is still pleasant, and the anchorages are almost empty. Expect more variety in the weather, with spells of bora and jugo between calm, clear days, and some island restaurants shutting for the winter during the month. Istria’s white truffle season is under way, and the olive harvest begins along the coast.
OCTOBER
stone towns and spring walks
maestral sailing and long evenings
the warmest sea and busy waterfronts
the grape harvest and warm water
truffles, olives and empty bays
PLAN YOUR CHARTER
More on Croatia by Yacht
- Croatia Yacht CharterHow a crewed charter in Croatia works, from Istria to the islands off Dubrovnik.
- Croatia ItinerariesSample routes along the Dalmatian coast, added as we publish them.
- Where to Eat and DrinkOur picks for konobas, cafés, bars and beach clubs from Istria to Dubrovnik.
- Yachts for CroatiaBrowse the crewed yachts we offer for charters on the Adriatic.
Choose Your Stretch of Coast
Trying to see all of Croatia in one week means long days under way. It works better to pick one area, such as Istria, the Kornati and Krka, the islands around Split and Hvar, or Dubrovnik with Mljet and the Elaphites, and cruise it slowly. A one-way week from Split to Dubrovnik takes in much of Dalmatia.
Some guests come for swimming, quiet coves and long lunches at a konoba. Others want walled towns, history and a new harbour each night. Most end up with a mix of both.
Send us your travel dates, the number of guests and the Croatian islands or towns you most want to see. Our team will match you with yachts that fit that part of the Adriatic and sketch a route around the winds of the season.