Croatia yacht charter: the perfect charter holiday

Croatia yacht charter: the perfect charter holiday

Do you want something less obvious than the Caribbean or the French Riviera? Somewhere with a fabulous climate, intoxicating scenery and every conceivable asset you need for the perfect luxury yacht charter? Then you should take a look at Croatia. While fans of hit TV series, Game of Thrones, will love the ancient fortified ramparts of Split and Dubrovnik where much of the footage was filmed, there’s much more to Croatia than spectacular nautical towns and cities. With scattered ranks of islands, outcrops and inlets extending the entire length of its sun-drenched Adriatic coastline, there is always somewhere to shelter from the breeze, to enjoy safe family watersports or to head ashore for a private excursion, well away from the tourist throng.

In fact, such is Croatia’s modern appeal that it’s become a very practical and user-friendly place to charter a yacht too. There are plenty of charter yachts of every size and type to choose from, plus a shoreside infrastructure that is beautifully geared up for visiting yachtsmen. The prices are accessible, the richness of cruising options is ideal for a customised itinerary and the wonderful climate provides a reliable summer season all the way from May to October. In fact, with budget air travel enabling you to head directly to Pula, Split, Zadar or Dubrovnik without excessive cost or complication, Croatia is as perfectly primed for a great yacht charter holiday as anywhere in the world.

Yacht charter Croatia: cruising options

With more than 1,200 islands, a range of glorious UNESCO-protected towns and cities and a long unspoiled coastline punctuated with olive groves and vineyards, the yacht charter options here are virtually endless. Whether you’re into island hopping, local wine, secluded anchorages or cultural antiquity, there are no shortage of places to find it – but for most, the following three itineraries offer a useful way to kickstart the thought process…

The first encompasses the north of the country, taking in Rjeka and Zadar and finishing in Sibenik and the beautiful Krka River and National Park. The second hovers around the centre, running out of Trogir and taking in highlights like Vis, Brac and the Drvenik Islands before returning to base. The third, which covers around 160 nautical miles from Split to Dubrovnik, is arguably the most exciting of the lot. After all, as the main city on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast and an active port town, Split blends winding medieval streets with plenty of urban bustle and a glorious waterfront, headlined by the endlessly gregarious Riva promenade. And Dubrovnik’s vast city walls, world-class restaurants and atmospheric antiquity must surely rank it among the world’s most striking charter destinations.

Whichever part of the country you favour, four places worth keeping in mind are Hvar, Bisevo, Korčula and Mljet. For boutique shops and restaurants that feel almost like the chic shopping promenades of the French Riviera, the port of Hvar is fantastic. It also delivers a lovely al fresco café scene, a buzzing nightlife and easy access to a range of nearby islands, bays and anchorages. A short hop west, the Dalmation island of Bisevo offers a more organic brand of entertainment, with wonderful scenic sands and crystal clear waters at Porat Beach, plus some great fishing spots and a glowing sea cave on the eastern shore known as the Blue Grotto.

To the south of Hvar, Korčula is a blissfully relaxed Croatian island, with an impossibly idyllic port city (Korčula Town), replete with gorgeous Gothic and Renaissance architecture, all wrapped up in vast anti-piracy fortifications. When you’ve had your fill of the town’s astonishing time-capsule loveliness, the outlying vineyards and olive groves are also well worth a visit. And if you want to get more active, nearby Mljet is a fine natural retreat with superb anchorages at Pomena and Polace, as well as some famous sites for shipwreck diving and some serene saltwater lakes that make a memorable diversion by tender.

 

Discover more about your dream yacht charter holiday in Croatia and our charter yachts available.