This 7-day Split sailing route is the classic island-hopping loop most skippers recommend to first-time guests. It starts and ends in Split and takes you through Brač, Hvar, Vis and the Pakleni Islands—with plenty of time for swimming, konoba dinners, and slow mornings in sheltered bays. If you want the full list of routes and variations, browse our croatia sailing itineraries hub.
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights (Saturday–Saturday)
Start & finish: Split (Split or Trogir area). Base guidance: yacht charter split
Distance: roughly 150–180 NM (depending on detours)
Ideal boat: 38–46 ft sailing yacht or 40–45 ft catamaran
Difficulty: easy to moderate, suitable for families (especially with a professional skipper)
Best months: June–September; quieter (and often cooler) in May and October
On the live website, this section will show an interactive map. For now, think of a simple loop from Split down to Brač, across to Hvar, out to Vis, then slowly returning via the Pakleni Islands and Šolta.
You usually sail 2–4 hours a day with swimming stops along the way. Nothing is locked in stone—wind, crew mood and marina availability can always nudge the plan one bay left or right. If you want to turn this itinerary into real boats and prices, start with boat search croatia and filter by Split base + your dates + cabins.
Check-in usually starts around the afternoon, but you can often board earlier to drop bags and shop. Once the skipper finishes the boat handover, a short 10–12 NM hop takes you across to Milna on Brač—a sheltered port with several marinas, fuel, and a great choice of konobas. Island tips: boat rental brac.
If the crew is tired from travel, this is the perfect soft start: a gentle sail, first swim stop halfway, then a walk along the waterfront in the evening. Families love Milna because everything is close and calm. Couples love the stone alleys and small wine bars.
After breakfast you head southeast along Brač and then cross to Hvar Island. Plan for 3–4 hours of sailing, depending on wind and how many swim stops you “accidentally” take. Local guide: boat rental hvar.
Hvar Town is famous for nightlife, but it also has a beautiful old town, a hilltop fortress, and excellent restaurants. In high season, berths in the town harbour can be limited, so many crews either:
take a mooring in the nearby Pakleni Islands and taxi-boat into town, or
stay on the Stari Grad side for a calmer, more sheltered night.
If you prefer quieter places, ask your skipper to anchor in one of the bays on the south side of Hvar instead and visit town in shoulder season.
Today you point the bow southwest toward Vis. This is often one of the most scenic sails of the week—sometimes with dolphins around the bow. The crossing is about 25 NM, so expect a solid 4–5 hours underway with at least one swim stop. Island guidance: boat rental vis.
You can choose between:
Komiža on the west coast—fishing-village charm and a relaxed vibe, or
Vis Town on the northeast—more services and restaurants, still laid-back.
Komiža is ideal if you want to visit the Blue Cave early the next morning.
Many crews use this as a semi-rest day. If weather allows, you leave early from Komiža or Vis and head to Biševo for the Blue Cave. In peak season it’s best to go early to avoid long queues.
After the cave visit, anchor in one of Vis’s famous swim spots (south-side bays) for lunch and a long afternoon in the water. Later, the skipper chooses a safe bay or buoy field for the night—often near the Rukavac side or back toward Vis Town. This is usually the evening when everyone on board finally forgets what day of the week it is.
You start looping back toward Split, but there’s no rush. From Vis you sail northeast toward the Pakleni Islands, a chain of pine-covered islets opposite Hvar Town. The distance is around 20 NM, so again 3–4 unrushed hours with a swim stop.
There are many bays to choose from: some lively with beach bars, others quiet with mooring buoys and calm nights. From here you can taxi-boat into Hvar in the evening or stay in the bay and enjoy dinner onboard.
The route now bends back toward the mainland via Šolta, passing the western tip of Brač and entering one of Šolta’s deep coves like Šešula next to Maslinica. Sailing distance is usually 15–20 NM.
Maslinica is a postcard stone village with a small marina and several konobas. Šešula bay offers good shelter and popular restaurants with mooring lines. This is a great place for a last big dinner ashore—grilled fish, peka, slow-cooked lamb, and local wine.
On the final morning you take a relaxed sail back to Split—only about 12–14 NM, so you usually arrive around lunchtime. Refuel at the fuel dock, return to the marina, and complete checkout prep with base staff.
Most guests spend the last afternoon wandering Split’s old town and the waterfront, letting the sea legs slowly fade. If your flight is late or the next day, you can stay nearby and still have time for a proper goodbye dinner.
Split – main charter base with large marinas, provisioning, and logistics. See yacht charter split.
Milna (Brač) – sheltered harbour, multiple marinas, family-friendly waterfront. More: boat rental brac.
Hvar + Pakleni – buzzing town nights or quiet bays depending on your style. More: boat rental hvar.
Vis Town / Komiža – authentic Dalmatian feel, great swimming, slow evenings. More: boat rental vis.
Šolta (Šešula / Maslinica) – deep coves, konobas, sunset nights close to base.
For facilities, docking style, and what to expect region-by-region, check best marinas in croatia.
This itinerary is ideal if you want variety without long offshore legs. Distances are short enough for families with kids, yet there’s still plenty of real sailing. You get a mix of lively towns like Split and Hvar, quieter evenings on Vis, and bay nights where you fall asleep under the Milky Way.
If you prefer even quieter places, your skipper can swap Hvar Town for smaller bays or calmer harbours on the Stari Grad side, or add extra overnight stops on Brač and Šolta. If you love nightlife, you can spend more time around Hvar and the Pakleni Islands and still return to Split comfortably.
Split is the biggest charter hub in Croatia, so you can choose almost any type of yacht. For families and first-timers we usually recommend 3–5 cabin sailing yachts (40–46 ft) or 40–45 ft catamarans for extra comfort and space.
If you want maximum comfort and stable living space, start with catamaran charter croatia.
If you love the classic sailing feel and often a lower price point, explore sailboat charter croatia.
When you’re ready to shortlist real boats by dates, cabins, and base, use boat search croatia.
In July and August, arrive at popular areas by mid-afternoon—berths around Hvar/Vis/Pakleni can fill quickly.
Stay flexible: the best evenings often happen in the “backup” bay when the first option is full.
Bring soft bags (not hard suitcases). Storage on board is precious.
Ask your skipper where to buy local olive oil and wine from small producers—often better and cheaper than supermarkets.
boat search croatia – filter by Split base, dates, cabins
catamaran charter croatia – comfort + space
sailboat charter croatia – classic sailing feel
yacht charter split – base tips + local guidance
croatia sailing itineraries – more 7/10/14-day routes
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