Croatia was where it all began for us. The birthplace of both our Director Sasha and High Point Yachting itself, we have a wealth of insider knowledge to share with you. It is the ultimate destination for all the dedicated sailors out there. The charming towns give way to beautiful rocky and pebbly beaches, engulfed by turquoise seas that lap at its shores. And the delights don’t stop there: the restaurants serve an array of mouth-watering dishes, heavily influenced by Mediterranean cuisine, all of which are accompanied by the finest wines originating from one of 300 geographically-defined wine-producing areas.
Central and Southern Dalmatia offer a great combination of charming towns and ports and beautiful bays, both on the islands and on the coast. It is an area that people revisit over and over again. Here you can find insider knowledge from the experts and some useful tips on where to go and what to do.
Crewed charters are one of the most elegant ways to travel sustainably and many yachts are navigating innovative new solutions to ensute their environmental impact is lept to a minimum.
With an industry that relies on the health of our oceans, at High Point Yachting we are passionate about educating all those we work with on the importance of sustainability conscious charters.
With over thousand islands and many not-to-be-missed sailing routes in Croatia, where do we begin our yacht charter?!
Perhaps the most popular route is Split – Central & Southern Dalmatian islands – Dubrovnik. This is an area rich in history, amazing architecture, charming old towns and beautiful bays. High Point Yachting offers a fantastic selection of crewed sailing yachts, gulets, catamarans and motor yachts for a memorable yacht charter in Croatia.
Although Croatia has been part of the European Union since 2013, the country still uses the Croatian Kuna as its currency. Yacht charters are quoted and paid in Euros, but when in Croatia, everything is charged and paid for in the local currency.
English is widely spoken in Croatia
The gastronomy on the Dalmatian coast is exceptional. It is particularly rich in sea food, but also offers some excellent speciality meat and vegetable dishes
The local wines are varied and at the top end of the market, comparable with the best in the world
There is an Oyster farm in Ston on Peljesac peninsula, alongside some of the best wineries in Croatia
There is a wonderful restaurant on Palmizana, tucked away among the pine trees and cactuses, in the most beautiful and wild botanical garden, with colourful works of art everywhere around. The owners have been collecting modern art for half a century.
Dalmatia is home to five UNESCO’s World Heritage sites – Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir, Sibenik, and the island of Hvar.
With over a thousand islands and many not-to-be-missed sailing routes in Croatia, where do we begin? Perhaps the most popular route is a one-way route between Split (or Trogir) and Dubrovnik. One-way route can be organised with crewed charters, but it is subject to a yacht’s availability. Many consider it a must as it covers the most popular cities in coastal Croatia, Trogir, Split and Dubrovnik. Split and Trogir are next to Split Airport and Dubrovnik is a short drive from Dubrovnik Airport. Both are international airports and there are many flight options that will allow guests to fly into one airport and out of the other.
Trogir, Split and Dubrovnik are incredible cities, all UNESCO stamped. We highly recommend spending an extra couple of days at least in each one just to explore them. It is well worth it. They are towns with incredible histories, culture and architecture.
The Dalmatian islands are quite close to each other which allows for shorter daily legs and time for on-land activities, too. The area offers a perfect combination of charming old ports and beautiful anchorages. This area has always been a gourmet paradise for foodies and there are similar treats in store for wine lovers, too! In the middle ages these islands were on the main trading routes from Venice to the East. As a result, there are some stunning towns on islands such as: Korcula, Hvar, Starigrad, and Vis.
Trogir is one of the most beautiful Italianate towns on the Adriatic coast. It lies on a small island between the mainland and the island of Ciovo. This is an immaculately preserved town with a maze of cobalt street and stone houses, with amazing architecture and something interesting to see wherever you look.
Right on the edge of the town, there is a Kamerlengo Castle, or the remains of it. It can still be visited and views from the walls are fantastic, across the town and its waterfront. St Laurence Cathedral is built in the Romanesque and Gothic styles. It is part of the reason the town is UNESCO listed.
The Benedictine Nunnery in the town is over 900 years old and was dedicated to St. Duje originally, the patron saint of Split, who was martyred by the Emperor Diocletian. According to folk tradition, the church’s larger vestry was the meeting point for the first Christians and St. Duje. An early Christian inscription was recently found there. It is now dedicated to St Nicholas. The monastery houses the oldest painting in Trogir, the “Madonna with Child”, and the Kairos Collection. The marble relief of Kairos, the God of Luck, dates back to the 3rd or 4th century BC and was made in a workshop in Athens. There are similar foundations in Dalmatia in Zadar, Šibenik, Hvar, Krk, Pag, Cres and Rab.
A few miles to the south Split, built around the Emperor Diocletian’s Palace, offers incredible Roman remains and a vibrant Medieval town centre with restaurants, bars and the famous waterfront Riva, an ideal place to sip an espresso before boarding a yacht.
How many people get to claim the Palace as the view from their hotel or apartment room?
Split is an incredible town with centuries-old stories. It was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian in 305AD as a retirement residence. It has been lived in ever since and the locals are very proud of it. It is a home to beautiful piazzas, quirky shops, excellent restaurants and bars and a beautiful promenade by the sea. It is full of life and an ideal base to spend some time in. There are several great boutique hotels, but the restored apartments right in the palace are what we most recommend. Experience this extraordinary city by living within the 1,700 year old walls. This is a city with a great vibe.
Saved from any unsightly development by the island’s secret military status under Yugoslavia, both Vis and Komiza are charming towns.
The island was originally a Greek settlement, but it was also the centre of the Yugoslav resistance in the Second World war and remained a military base after 1945. Foreigners were only allowed on the Island after the 1990s. There is a great round-the-island tour that shows the role the island played in the war.
This is done in a 1974 terrain vehicle, used for getting to the places that one can’t reach on foot, including the highest peak on the island, from where the view is just wonderful. The tour ends in the local Winery and dinner in a family run local restaurant where one can also enjoy a Peka, a traditional Dalmatian way of cooking. A peka is a large, domed iron lid that covers and bakes food for a long period of time (around 6 hours). The secret of its success is that it stews and roasts at the same time.
Both Vis and Komiza are beautiful ports with old stone houses and they offer some excellent restaurants tucked away in their narrow streets. The Island of Bisevo nearby hides an extraordinary natural phenomena—the Blue Cave. At noon, the sun pours into the cave from under the water, creating the most magnificent turquoise light.
Hvar town is known as the hippest destination on the Adriatic, a place where you want to be seen. But this beautiful town has something for everyone: incredibly glamorous night life, exclusive restaurants, a great art scene, wonderful views from the 17th century fortress, a magnificent piazza, one of the oldest public theatres in Europe … and the perfect climate. During the day, a set of small islets right across from Hvar town, offers tranquil bays, beautiful beaches and several great restaurants. Sail around them to find your perfect spot, drop anchor and enjoy the blueness of the sea and the relaxing atmosphere.
PALMIZANA, is a heaven for foodies, art and nature lovers! Palmizana is on St Clement Island, right next to the island of Hvar. It’s a jewel, a little heaven on earth, a sanctuary, an art gallery, a gourmet paradise, a place full of exotic plants and wonderful aromas, an extravagant cornucopia of delight for the senses. The pine woods are full of beautiful and exotic plants, gathered here by the owners to create a botanical garden. But it maintains its wild feel.
At the centre of the island is the Meneghello restaurant, set in the woods, overlooking the bay. Here you can enjoy a fantastic meal surrounded by the owners’ collection of modern art. They have been collecting for over half a century. Exhibitions are held regularly in the restaurant and the surrounding area. There is something new to see every time you visit.
The town of Korcula, on the island of Korcula, is a Venetian town with old medieval streets and walls, and beautiful Renaissance churches. The entire town is a historic monument and believed to be the birthplace of the traveller Marco Polo. On the western side of the island, there is a peaceful little port of Vela Luka, with a brand new marina Korkyra and the most magical sunsets!
Korcula is well known for some of the best wineries in Croatia
Over the water are the lofty peaks of the Peljesac peninsula, whose slopes produce some of the best wine in Croatia while the bays offer some of the finest oysters in the world. Orebic and Ston are historical towns. The walls of 14th century Ston are still extraordinary. It used to include 40 towers and five forts, and stretched for 7km. Twenty towers and 5.5km of wall are still standing, arching far up the hill between Ston and Mali Ston.
This beautiful and green National Park offers several peaceful anchorages, ideal for a leisurely evening on board. But this quiet island has an interesting history too. The 12th century monastery in the interior of the island on the Big Lake is well worth a visit.
This beautiful and completely green island is a National Park with several fresh water lakes. It offers peaceful anchorages, ideal for a leisurely evening on board. The island remains quiet, away from the crowds. It is a perfect place for hiking or bike rides.
This quiet island has an interesting history too. The 12th century monastery in the interior of the island on the Big Lake is well worth a visit.
Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan make the Elafiti Archipelago. All are beautiful to visit and offer great anchorages. The island of Sipan is particularly interesting. Sipan retains an air of faded glamour that dates back to the 16th century when the Dubrovnik aristocracy used it as their summer retreat. The remains of those summer houses are still there.
The hills are full of vineyards, olive and citrus groves, some sleepy villages, lovely bays and there is the pretty little town of Sipanska Luka (with a traditional Dalmatian feel with terracotta roofed houses, marble streets and some great fish tavernas).
There is so much that one can say about Dubrovnik, one of the most beautiful and best preserved towns in the world – rich in history, beautiful architecture, set in a fantastic landscape, glamorous, romantic, great cuisine… Unmissable. We highly recommend spending a couple of days or so in Dubrovnik before or after your charter.
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