Sailing Croatia from Dubrovnik to Split | 5 Nights on Faros, a 43' Sailboat
Each morning I’d wake up, no longer aware of the slight sway beneath us, and wander up the stairs to the deck - the warm sun shining on my face - and take a deep breath in. Eyes closed, arms slightly wide, inhaling the sea, sunshine, and beauty around me; a moment of gratefulness to start the day. Then I’d head back downstairs and start making toast on the griddle. Cheap, unhealthy white bread that was a treat in itself, slathered in butter and local jam. Four slices for Bartool, our skipper, and two to three slices each for my husband and me. Back up on the deck, we’d all savor our breakfast, peering around to see who else was up at the marina, or who had already packed up and left, and then Kelly and I would head below deck to change while Bartool set us in the direction of our next location.
We’d “sail” (really we would motor almost everywhere) for two to three hours to our next location, blue waters surrounding us, light waves, and rocky coastline with shrubs and the occasional red tiled house in the distance. We’d pass uninhabited islands, lighthouses, and other boats. I’d read, the hum of the motor and waves in the background, looking up to take in the scenery every 15 minutes or so. We were exploring, traveling, and experiencing all at the same time. Unlike a car journey, our sailing from place to place felt like an experience all its own, totally relaxing and yet, gave the sense of accomplishment because we had traveled from point A to point B. Of our two weeks in Croatia, our time on Faros, our 43’ sailboat, was my favorite portion of the trip.
5 Night Sailing Itinerary | Dubrovnik to Split
Day 1 | Dubrovnik to Slano
Start (or end) your trip in the beautiful walled town of Dubrovnik. We departed midday and moored in Slano, a small sleepy town with a natural bay, for our first night. After enjoying perhaps the best grilled white fish of the trip on a charming vine covered patio with views of the ocean at restaurant MIRAKUL, we stumbled upon live music at the marina restaurant and savored a glass of local wine as the sun set in vivid oranges and pinks. We couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to boat life, especially because the Slano marina was the biggest, newest, and nicest of the trip.
Read our full post on where to eat and what to see in Dubrovnik here.
Day 2 | Slano to Mljet
From Slano we headed to Mljet, an island known for its national park. Arriving about an hour before sunset into Pomeno, the bike rental companies at port refused to rent us bicycles because it was too close to closing, so we hiked a little less than a mile just past Mali Most bridge and convinced the more laid back bike rental companies there to let us borrow some bikes. Our speedy bike ride took us just far enough to see Sveta Marija, an island housing a Benedictine Monastery, church, and restaurant. Had we had more time we would have loved to ferry or kayak to the island to enjoy a meal there, but as it stood, we had to book it back to the bike rental to return our bikes. You could easily spend a whole day hiking and exploring Mljet.
You can find more information on how to visit to St. Mary’s Island in Mljet National Park here. To see our photos from our time on the island, click here.
Day 3 | Mljet to Korčula
We departed Mljet early and made our way to Korčula, the home of Marco Polo and many beautiful bougainvillea covered buildings. With numerous restaurants lining the city wall overlooking the sea and ancient alleyways filled with shops, it's no surprise that Korčula is a popular stop on any Croatian island hop.
You can read our full guide to Korčula here.
Day 4 | Korčula to Paklinski Otoci via Otok Šcedro
Continuing on our journey, we made our way to Paklinski Otoci which is an island across from Hvar frequented by sailors and yachters. With a small market and only a handful of restaurants, the best thing to do on Paklinski Otoci is explore the hiking trails and find yourself a small stretch of rocky beach to call your own. While one end of the island beats with the thrum of dance music from day drinkers, the other end is calm and deserted. While we enjoyed Paklinski Otoci, the real highlight was stopping at Otok Šćedro island on the way. The normal itinerary would have taken us to Hvar, but we asked our skipper to take us somewhere secluded instead. We spent the day in a gorgeous bay, all to ourselves, and it truly was the highlight of the trip.
Click here for a our post about our night in Paklinski Otoci and click here for images from our beautiful stop in Otok Šćedro.
Day 5 | Paklinski Otoci to Maslinica
The utterly fantastic thing about a Croatian sailing tour is that each day gets better and better. As we arrived into Maslinica, I was charmed yet again. This time due to the 18th century castle dominating the small village of Solta where we docked. Fanning out from this impressive structure were limestone houses and brightly colored fishing boats.
Read our full post on Maslinica here.
Day 6 | Maslinica to Split
Unfortunately our sailing vacation had to come to an end at some point, and so we left Maslinica and headed for Split - Croatia’s second largest city with a substantial Roman past.
On what to do and where to eat in Split, see Bon Traveler’s 48 hour guide here.
Planning Your Own Croatian Sailing Adventure
Cost
A private sailing adventure is definitely a splurge. The more nights you stay on the boat, the more cost effective it becomes. You can really save money if you know how to sail and do not need to hire a skipper, but for land dwellers like us, a skipper was a must. For a boat large enough to accommodate 4 adults and a skipper comfortably, you’re looking at around $1,000/night. That includes all of your mooring costs, the skipper hire, and gas. It does not include food for you or the skipper (as the guests, you are expected to provide food for the skipper in addition to yourselves).
Where to Book
We booked our sailing trip through & Adventure. They were one of the few companies to offer trips shorter than 7 nights, so if you’re crunched for time, we highly recommend. Now that we’ve experienced the bliss that is sailing the Croatian coast however, we would stay a whole week (or more!) on a boat next time!
Route
Most tours start in Split and end in Dubrovnik, but if you book a private boat, the itinerary is really up to you! If you add another week, you can travel even farther!
