Sailing Croatia

A holiday spent sailing around Croatia is a unique experience that few get to experience. If you do, you are very lucky. Some may say it is life changing, even. There aren’t many opportunities that allow you to wake up in the morning and jump into the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, spend the afternoon hanging out with new friends from all over the world, and then finish the night partying in the coolest venues and/or being rocked to sleep by ocean movements under the stars. Having been a tour guide for several Sailing Croatia trips over the years, I have acquired lots of insider knowledge that can help you plan one of the most amazing holidays you'll ever take. Get ready to sail Croatia!

Sailing Croatia: One of the best holidays you can take

A holiday spent sailing around Croatia is a unique experience that few and very lucky people get to partake in. Some may say it is life changing, even. There aren’t many places you can wake up in the morning by jumping into the crystal clear blue Adriatic Sea, spend the afternoon hanging out with new friends from all over the world, and then finish the night partying in the coolest venues and/or being rocked to sleep by ocean movements under the stars. Having been a tour guide for several Sailing Croatia trips over the years, I have acquired lots of insider knowledge that can help you plan one of the most amazing holidays you'll ever take. Get ready to sail Croatia!

Why Sail Croatia?

There are so many reasons Croatia is a fantastic destination. From its rich, recent, turbulent history, to its unbelievably crystal clear waters, not to mention its active nightlife and amazing food, there is something for everyone in this stunning country.

  • You'll never forget the stunning scenery.

    Croatia has some of the clearest water I have ever swam in, and weather comparable to the Mediterranean - sunny almost all of the time! There are lots of ancient ruins, gorgeous national parks, opulent mountains, and pretty much breathtaking beauty all around.

  • There is a ton of history, both ancient and very recent.

    Croatia has quite an eventful and turbulent history. It was almost constantly fought over from when it was part of Ancient Greece and Rome. From the Ottoman Turk and Venetian Empire days to its breakup from Yugoslavia in the early 90s, it’s had a long ride. It was wrenched from the Austro-Hungarian Empire by Napoleon in the early 1800s, was a Nazi puppet state in WWI, and went through a massive war for independence in the early 90s to become its own country once again. When you visit Croatia, you can learn all about its ancient and recent history. From one of the most well-preserved ancient Roman palaces which makes up the center of Split, to a museum about the Croatian War on Independence and the siege of Dubrovnik inside a fortress in Dubrovnik, you can learn a lot about what these people went through.

  • Croatia is quickly becoming one of Europe's hubs for music and festival culture.

    There are literally dozens of festivals here in the summer, from Croatia's party capital Zrce beach, to an ancient Roman colisseum in Pula, to a beach party in a fancy hotel in Hvar. Check out Hideout, Outlook, Sonus, Dimensions, Love International, Electric Elephant, Ultra Europe, and much more! Many sailing weeks include Ultra Europe, which is located in Split, so I have included my guide to that festival here. Ultra Europe is definitely the craziest and busiest week in southern Croatia, and companies such as Busabout, Yacht Week, and Sail Week Croatia have packages to include the festival.

  • Game of Thrones was filmed here, and you can tour filming locations!

    Game of Thrones was filmed largely in Dubrovnik, Croatia's most famous medieval walled town. You can take special Game of Thrones tours in this city, and see where certain scenes and episodes were filmed. You can also take historical, city, and Jewish quarter tours of Dubrovnik.

  • Croatian food is amazingly delicious, especially (but not limited to) the seafood!!

    Croatian food is absolutely to die for. With some Italian and Turkish influence mixed in with its own cultural cuisine, Croatia has unique and delectable favorites. Seafood here is second to none, and they do meat and wine expertly as well. This article has some more great examples of what you can eat here.

Companies That Will Take You Sailing Around Croatia

There are dozens of companies out there and they are all slightly different and cater to specific demographics. Some companies have bigger boats that house 20-40 people, and some have smaller 8-10 person yachts that sail together in what is called a 'floatilla.' These boats will have a skipper and usually a hostess on board. The bigger boats come in B, A, and A+ class. B class boats have shared bathrooms, A class have ensuite bathrooms, and A+ are usually the bigger white boats that have air conditioning and hot breakfast. These boats will be run by a full Croatian crew and may have a tour guide as well, depending on the company. Companies like Topdeck, Sail Croatia, Busabout, and Contiki tend to have a primarily Australian/Kiwi clientele, whereas other companies like The Yacht Week tend to draw more Americans, Swedes, and other nationalities. Find out which one is best for you!

  • Busabout

    Busabout is a freestyle travel company that does bus tours of Europe and Asia, and also has a great Croatia sailing program. They have B, A, and A+ class boats for younger 18-39 year old travelers, and have a great guide on each boat!

  • Contiki Croatia Sailing

    Contiki is another tour company for young people who do tours all over the world. Contiki Croatia is similar to Topdeck and Busabout!

  • Koda Sail

    Koda Sail is a new sailing company that caters to the older-but-still-young traveler, with a demographic in their thirties. They travel on A+ boats and identify with being able to afford a few more luxuries than a lot of the younger counterparts.

  • MedSailors

    MedSailors is another floatilla-style sailing holiday, with multiple 8-10 person boats sailing together, with a skipper on each boat. They cater to a younger crowd as well, between 18 and 35 years old.

  • Sail Croatia

    Sail Croatia is best known for being the party-central of Croatia sailing. They have cruises for older people and active cruises, but most of their boats fall into the partying category. This company does not have a specific tour guide on each boat but will still give you all the necessary destination recommendations.

  • Sail Week Croatia

    Another floatilla-style sailing holiday, Sail Week Croatia provides either adventure, party, or Ultra music festival sail weeks.

  • Set schedule not for you? Take the ferry!

    If you aren't really about having a set itinerary and one day in each port, the ferry system in Croatia is very reliable, fast, and frequent. Jadrolinija ferries connect all the islands between Split and Dubrovnik, and are quite affordable too!

  • The Yacht Week

    The only Croatian sailing company that Americans tend to know about, The Yacht Week is a very popular party cruise in the form of a 'floatilla.' Unlike many other companies with bigger boats, the Yacht Week runs dozens of smaller 8-10 person boats that dock up together at swim spots and ports. They have lots of specially organized parties as well!

  • Topdeck Croatia Sailing

    Topdeck is a company that does 18-30-something tours in Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Australia, and they happen to have a fantastic Croatia Sailing option. This is the company I'm a tour guide for, and I must say all the guides are complete legends and will do anything for their passengers! These tend to be party tours as well (who am I kidding, they definitely are) but there is always something for everyone! These boats are either A or A+ class, for about 25-35 people.

  • Travel Talk Tours

    Travel Talk is another company that does tours all over Europe, and also Croatia Sailing. They have two different routes and are well known for having a real pirate ship as one of their boats!

Destinations in Croatia and Beyond

Sailing trips tend to stay on the Southern coast of Croatia, between the coastal capital Split, and the southernmost tourism capital, Dubrovnik. Most sailing trips will last seven days, and dock at a different island/port each day. There is so much to see! Check out some of the places you can see on your sailing trip, and some places to plan out for before and after!

Sailing Destinations Within Croatia

Here are some destinations you can (and most likely will) visit on your sailing trip!

  • Brac, a beautiful stone mining island.

    Brac is one of the largest Croatian Islands, and is home to many quaint small towns. Chances are that your sailing trip may stop somewhere on Brac. Brac is home to the famous V-shaped beach, Bol, and is also the place where all the white stone used to construct Croatian towns is quarried. They export this stone a lot as well - it was even used in the White House in the USA!

  • Dubrovnik, a famous medieval walled town.

    Any and all sailing trips will absolutely visit Dubrovnik, one of the tourist capitals of the country! By this point I have been to Dubrovnik over 20 times, and am fairly confident that this Dubrovnik guide will be among the most comprehensive you will find!

  • Hvar, a beautiful party island.

    Hvar is as rich in culture as it is popular in nightlife! Just a short sail from Split, you cannot miss this destination. It's one of the nightlife capitals of Croatia with a famous nightclub just a few minutes from the port. There's fantastic food and beach bars, and you can try local wine and lavender products! My guide here will tell you all you need to know about visiting this paradise of a place.

  • Korčula, a mini-walled town on the sea.

    Home of the little walled town, or a 'mini Dubrovnik' as many like to call it, Korčula, Croatia is nothing short of charming. With water so clear it almost seems impossible, views of a dramatic cliffy Peninsula, and quiet alleyways of an old town teeming with flowers, vines, coral shops, and old Venetian blinds, it’s almost like a bit of a fairytale – like many places in Croatia, really. Here's my guide to all the best places to eat, adventure, watch the sunset, and go out in Korčula!

  • Makarska, an activity-filled town under the mountains.

    Makarska just miiiight be my favorite stop on tour. Maybe. It's too hard to decide!! It definitely has some of the best scenery, being situated at the foot of the tallest mountains on Croatia's coast, Mt. Biokovo. In Makarska, you can parasail, jet ski, banana boat, play on wipeout courses, get a massage, cliff jump, hike, swim in clear waters, or relax on the 2km beach during the day, and the nightlife is equally as good! Makarska is the home of the famous "Cave Party," or a club called "Deep" which is literally inside a cave, and a number of other bars and clubs.

  • Mljet Island, a secluded and pristine national park.

    Mljet Island may be one of the most scenic places in Croatia. Half of the island is taken up by a gorgeous national park made up of two salt water lakes connected by a few small channels. You can hike, bike, or kayak around, or visit a monastery on an island in the middle of the bigger lake. There's also a few incredible caves on Mljet, and so many places to explore.

  • Vis, a stunning ex-military island.

    Vis was used for the Croatian Military until 1991; they say there are over 50km of tunnels on the island and that there were even still land mines until '08!! Today, it's a stunning small town with many sights to see, such as the Fortress-turned-party venue Fort George, a monastery, and some fantastic restaurants. Many people like to rent a moped here and explore!

The Rest of Croatia and Beyond

While you are in Croatia, it would be a wonderful idea to plan out some nearby destinations for before/after your sailing trip. The Balkan countries are so beautiful and historically rich, and most destinations are just a bus ride or a short ferry away.

Funny, Interesting, and Inspiring Content About Sailing Croatia!

  • 20 signs you have sailed to Croatia!

    Sailing Croatia is a unique experience that very lucky people get to partake in. Some may say it is life changing, even. Life changing in a few hilarious ways. There aren’t many places you can party almost as hard as you explore beautiful islands, or wake up in the morning by jumping into the crystal clear blue Adriatic Sea. There’s no better hangover cure! Docking up next to music-blasting ships full of tons of other young people each afternoon, eating fantastic meals, partying in the coolest venues, ziplining high above canyons, and making lifelong friends in the process are just a few of the things we do. If this all sounds familiar, here are 20 more signs that will surely spark some good memories of your sailing trip.

  • The 20 most ridiculous questions ever heard as a tour guide.

    As amazing as the job is, sometimes the role of a tour guide is jokingly referred to as 'adult babysitting.' When you are in charge of 30 new people each week, you meet a massive, extensive range of humans. You meet great ones, you meet annoying ones, you meet kind ones, and you most definitely meet some dumb ones. It’s not necessarily their fault, they’re just sometimes a little…. slow… and as the tour guide, you are the one who must answer all of the crazy questions people come up with with a smile on your face.

  • There are also some important safety tips to know before you go!

    Croatia is largely lots of fun and games, but there are also some things to be wary of when you are having loads of fun sailing the high seas. These tips are great to remember before you go!

Meet The Author!

  • Meet Kimmie, blogger behind adventuresnsunsets.com

    My name is Kimmie Conner, and I was born and raised in California to a pilot father and a flight attendant mother. I like to say that I’ve had travel in my blood from the start! My two favorite things are adventures & sunsets - and although I am a big traveler and am constantly on the move, these two things can be enjoyed no matter where in the world you are. I'm a big advocate of always appreciating the place where you are and finding overlooked beauty even in the repetitive and mundane, so although A&S focuses on travel it also highlights the importance of always being happy in the present. For the past two years I have been working and traveling around the world, starting off in London for half a year, and moving on to two seasons tour guiding in the seas of Croatia. I've traveled through some of Southeast Asia and Australia, lived in Sydney, lived in the remote country of western Australia, and am planning Africa, another season in Croatia, and South America next. I have been working through all my travels and am hoping to shift more fully to the digital nomad lifestyle in the coming year. You can find me on Instagram @kimmconn and on Facebook at Adventures & Sunsets. I would love to have you along for my crazy journey and answer any questions you may have!

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