Sailing Holidays in Croatia: The Perfect Getaway

Dream Sailing Holidays in Croatia: Catamaran and Sailboat Cruises

 You’ll encounter a plethora of picture perfect destinations like Zadar, Dubrovnik, Split and many more on your sailing holidays in Croatia. Navigate breathtaking landscapes as you sail the Croatian coast on a sailboat or catamaran.

Get ready to make some memories with family and friends

Croatia really is the ideal place to set sail with your family and friends with a multitude of fascinating islands located just off the coast. Get ready to explore them with your party before retiring to the boat in the evening. Even if you would rather stay in one place, there are plenty of ways to ensure that your sailing holiday in Croatia is one you’ll never forget.

You can use this opportunity to try out different water sports, such as water skiing, scuba diving, and snorkelling or, if you are travelling with young kids, the inflatable water toys never fail to keep the kids amused.

If you’re travelling with a significant other, you could also treat them to a romantic dinner on board, while soaking in the sight of a sensational sunset. If you have opted for a crewed cruise in a sailboat or catamaran, this is the perfect way to relax in the evening, and may even give you the chance to try some of the local cuisine if you ask the cook to prepare some traditional Croatian dishes.

Top destinations and sailing routes for your Croatian cruise in a catamaran or sailboat

There are so many awe-inspiring destinations to visit when you set sail for the Croatian coast that it can be difficult to whittle down your itinerary. The port city of Split is an especially popular travel destination, as well as the smaller coastal towns in the surrounding area, such as Šibenik and Primošten. In fact, these are among the most popular holiday destinations in Europe, with a lively bustling atmosphere that ensures a sailing holiday full of fun and adventure. There are a plethora of idyllic islands to discover when you go on a seven-day, customised cruise in a sailboat or catamaran from Split, including Brač, Hvar, Vis, and Korčula. Split is also home to Resnik airport, which is regularly served by countries from all over Europe, including Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Belgium, the UK, Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Sweden. From the airport, you can arrive at your base in Spain within 30 minutes and most of the surrounding cities are also only a 45-minute drive away.

On the northernmost archipelago on the Adriatic coast, you will find the Kornati Islands, as well as a spectacular array of national parks and spectacular landscapes. This area is perfect for a sailing holiday of a week or more as you will always manage to find a quiet spot for you and your family to relax in nature here. If you want to go here for your cruise in a catamaran or sailboat, you should start your nautical adventure in Zadar, Biograd na Moru or Sukošan before letting the diverse marine life and Telašćica Nature Park in the area blow you away.

If you’re after something a little more peaceful, you should head north to the Istrian peninsula. Also considered the largest peninsula in the northern Adriatic, this picturesque peninsula lies between the Gulf of Trieste and Kvarner Bay and is famous for its untouched natural beauty and the diversity of its cultural history. When planning a sailing holiday here, you should start at either Pula or one of the surrounding coastal towns such as Mendulin. You can also set sail for Krk or Lošinj as you discover some of the breathtaking wonders of the Adriatic Sea.

If you decide that the south is the perfect place for your sailing holiday in Croatia, Dubrovnik is waiting for you. Dubrovnik is one of the most famous tourist destinations on the Adriatic coast, with an impressive number of historical sites and a unique atmosphere that infects the soul of everyone who visits. Dubrovnik is a great place to start your cruise in a sailboat or catamaran if you fancy visiting the Elaphiti Islands, a gorgeous group of 13 small islands, separated from the mainland by the Kolocep Canal.

How much does a sailing holiday in Croatia cost?

The price of a Croatian cruise in a sailboat or catamaran varies greatly depending on many different things. Some of these include the duration of the trip, when you want to go, and the size, comfort, and equipment of the boat you want to rent. If you’re an experienced sailor, you do have the option of renting a bareboat, but for a more luxurious sailing holiday in Croatia, it might be better to find a boat hire with a skipper and even a crew. Even the most experienced sailors can learn a lot from a skipper who will have intimate knowledge of the specific area where you’re sailing. A Croatian cruise in a catamaran can cost anywhere from around £2448 per week in low season, or £5150 per week in high season. A cruise in a sailboat, on the other hand, can cost around £1680 per week in low season, or £2777 per week in high season.

Included services and additional charges

Typically, the hire price only includes the rental of the boat so you must check before your sailing holiday for any additional costs you may have to face. You can find this out by asking the boat owner directly. Some mandatory extras can include things like the charter package and tourist tax. In Croatia, the tourist tax usually costs around £1.25 or 10 kuna per person per day. The charter package will typically include all administrative expenses and check-in/out documents, the final cleaning of the boat, necessities such as bed linen, cutlery and crockery, and a diving inspection of the boat to ensure no damage has been done.

In the case of some boats, things like towels, WIFI, etc. are not included in the charter package, but they can almost always be added on for an additional fee. Depending on what type of boat you hire, extras such as paddleboarding (£85 to £120 per week), kayaks, snorkelling and diving equipment, and doughnuts might be offered. This is usually the case if you book a cruise on a sailboat or catamaran. For larger crewed hires, such as gulets and yachts, larger water sports accessories, such as jet skis, water skis and wakeboards may even be included in the base price.

Book a sailing holiday in Croatia with a skipper and crew for the most relaxing trip possible

If you want a cruise in a sailboat or catamaran which gives you the chance for the ultimate relaxation, booking a sailing holiday in Croatia with a full crew is a fantastic idea. Whoever your skipper is, we can guarantee that they will have intimate knowledge of the area, which means you can set sail for the most breathtaking places in the Adriatic Sea without having to lift a finger. The crew available for your boating trip will be dependent on the type of boat you decide to rent but will usually consist of four to six members, which will include a captain, a cook, one or two hostesses, and at least one deckhand.

Hire a crewed gulet

If you want a traditional sailing holiday, you should hire a traditional gulet. A gulet is a large wooden sailing ship, which is perfect for large groups and families. They typically accommodate up to 24 guests and on these boats, you will always travel with a crew of between four and twelve people depending on how big it is. As gulets are mostly family-owned, it is also likely that your crew will be a family who has been sailing together for years.

Hire a crewed motor yacht

Like gulets, you always hire a large motor yacht with a full crew of between eight and ten people. Such boats can fit up to 38 people on board, making them perfect for team building events, or even large family celebrations.

Most people hiring large motor yachts will book either half board (£293 to £376 per person per week for breakfast and either lunch or dinner), or full board (£376 to £460 per person per week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Usually, the base price of large motor yachts will include some of the features that you would have to pay extra for on smaller boats, such as four hours of sailing per day, final cleaning, tourist tax, air conditioning, water sports equipment, moorings, WIFI, and towels.

Hire a smaller crewed yacht

If you want a more intimate sailing holiday with your loved ones, a smaller yacht is perfect for you. These boats will usually have five to six cabins and will be rented just with a skipper, meaning you can enjoy a slightly calmer, more family-oriented trip. With smaller yachts (and also crewed gulets), you will usually pay an APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance), which is a deposit of around 30% of the total hire price and covers all additional charges you might incur during the trip, including food and drinks, mooring at marinas other than your port of origin, WIFI, and many other things.

When is the best time for a sailing holiday in Croatia?

Croatia, along with the rest of the Adriatic coast, has a Mediterranean climate, which means you can look forward to long, warm and sunny summers. Croatia’s high season starts in late June and ends in early September. During these months, beaches and also the coastal towns and cities are usually very crowded, so if you want to make sure you get the boat you want, we encourage you to book your sailing holiday in Croatia as early as possible. Boats can be all booked up as early as six months in advance so if you’re trying to book later than this, you should be prepared for the possibility that you won’t find a boat that has all the amenities you’re looking for.

If you would prefer a quieter holiday when there aren’t as many holidaymakers, we recommend the quieter months of April, May, September, October, or November. In these months, not only will there be more boats available, meaning you only need to book around two months in advance, but the prices will also usually be lower. Our favourite time for a cruise in a catamaran or sailboat is actually September until the beginning of October. During this time, the winds won’t be too strong and you won’t have to compete for your space on the water with thousands of other tourists. In April, May, and November, you will have to keep checking the weather forecast, as it can be quite cold and rainy.

What sort of experiences can you enjoy during a sailing holiday in Croatia?

As already mentioned, there are many amazing areas that you can explore during your Croatian cruise in a catamaran or sailboat. However, you can also try out a variety of different water sports, such as windsurfing, scuba diving, and paddleboarding. If you are renting a larger boat, you may even have the option of adding a jet ski to your charter.

You can also use your sailing holiday in Croatia as an excuse to explore the country in a culinary sense, especially if you opted for a crewed charter and thus have a local Croatian chef on board. Maybe you want to try Strukli, a pastry filled with cottage cheese and sour cream, or maybe you’d prefer to sample the traditional black risotto. Whatever you decide on though, we can guarantee it will be mouthwatering and an excellent window into Croatian culture.

Which is better, a cruise in a sailboat or a cruise in a catamaran?

While both boats will surely give you a memorable experience for your sailing holiday in Croatia, each boat is slightly better suited to a different sort of holiday. A cruise in a catamaran is synonymous with luxury, with the double hull structure giving ample space on board, as well as increased stability, which reduces the risk that one of your party will suffer from seasickness. The extra space onboard creates the perfect environment for a family voyage, with the enhanced stability creating a safe environment, even if you’re travelling with young kids.

If you choose a sailboat for your sailing holiday in Croatia, however, you will certainly get a more authentic experience. While the single hull structure means less space on board, it should still have all the necessary onboard amenities for a comfortable trip. The only slight drawback of setting sail in this boat type, is that they are less stable, which increases the risk of seasickness.