Plan it: Best Sailing Routes in Croatia, Day by Day
If you ask us for a first week out of Split, this is usually the loop we suggest. It is short enough to stay relaxed and gives you one proper open-sea crossing. It ends at islands with good harbours a few hours from base.
November is a good month to plan it. Next summer's boats are on the site, and you can pick dates calmly.
Before you leave
Most charters out of Split start on a Saturday afternoon from ACI Marina Split or Marina Kaštela, and end with the boat back in its home marina on Friday evening. The charter company checks the skipper's licence and VHF certificate at check-in, so have both to hand.
Three winds matter here:
- Maestral, the north-westerly that fills in most summer afternoons. Friendly, steady, good sailing.
- Bura, the north-easterly. Gusty and cold, strongest in the channels near the mainland.
- Jugo, the south-easterly. Brings cloud and a long swell, and makes the crossing to Vis uncomfortable.
Check the forecast every morning and be ready to swap days around.
The week, day by day
Saturday: Split to Šolta. After check-in, a short hop across to Nečujam on Šolta's north coast. The bay is sheltered and has a buoy field, collected by boat in the evening. If you would rather be in a marina, Maslinica on the west tip has one.
Sunday: Šolta to Vis town. The open crossing of the week, roughly 25 nautical miles. Leave early, before the maestral builds. In Vis town you can take a buoy in the bay or a place on the town quay; both are paid, the quay costing more.
Monday: round to Komiža. Sail around the south of Vis, anchoring for a swim along the way. Komiža has a town quay that fills early in high summer and anchorage off the beach. From here the Blue Cave on Biševo is close; local boats take visitors in.
Tuesday: Vis to the Pakleni Islands. Head north-east to the islands off Hvar town. ACI Marina Palmižana on Sveti Klement is the easy choice. Ždrilca and other bays in the chain have paid buoys. Water taxis run to Hvar town for the evening.
Wednesday: Stari Grad. Round the west end of Hvar and into the long inlet to Stari Grad, one of the oldest towns in Croatia. The town quay is paid and well sheltered from the maestral.
Thursday: Milna on Brač. Across the Hvar channel to Milna, a deep, protected inlet with ACI Marina Milna and a town quay. Bobovišća, a quieter bay to the north, has buoys if you want a calmer last night.
Friday: back to Split. A short morning sail. Fuel up and be back in your base marina by the time the charter company asks, usually early evening.
About mooring fees
Almost every night on this route costs something. Buoy fields, town quays and marinas all charge, and the amount depends on boat length and the month. As a very rough, approximate guide, expect anything from a few tens of euros on a buoy to well over a hundred in a busy marina in August. Anchoring in an open bay is often free, but not everywhere. Keep some cash aboard, as buoy collectors do not always take cards.
If you would rather not handle the boat yourself, our own skipper can be added to a bareboat for the whole week.
To see which boats lie in Split-area marinas for your dates, use the boat search on our site, or send a quote request and we will reply by email with the boats free that week and some route ideas.