Sailing Week from Split: 7-Day Round-Trip Itinerary
Split: Full-day sailing tour to Solta and Brac
Sailing from Split: the honest picture
The Dalmatian coast is one of Europe’s premier sailing destinations — and one of its most misrepresented. The brochures show sleek hulls in turquoise water with nobody else around. Reality in July and August: extremely busy marinas, berths that must be booked weeks ahead, and Hvar and Korčula harbours packed with charter flotillas. The Dalmatian sailing experience is still wonderful — but it is social, busy and logistically demanding in peak season.
If you are chartering for the first time or sailing with people who have not done it before: a skippered charter is strongly recommended. The skipper handles navigation, marina booking, weather routing and boat handling. You enjoy the experience. A bareboat charter (self-skippering) requires an RYA Coastal Skipper licence or equivalent, practical offshore experience, and confidence handling a 40+ ft boat in crowded marinas.
See our bareboat vs skippered charter guide and sailing from Split guide for full context.
Prices (2026 estimates): A skippered charter on a 40 ft sailing yacht for a week (Split–Split round trip): €3,500–6,000 total for the boat (8–10 berths). Add fuel (€200–400), provisioning (€100–200/person for 7 days), marina fees (€80–150/night in key marinas), and mooring outside marinas (€15–40/night on buoys). Bareboat is €2,000–5,000/week for the boat (all skill and insurance costs on you).
Day 1 (Saturday): Arrive Split — board and provision
Most Dalmatian charters run Saturday to Saturday. Board your vessel in Split marina (Luka Split or Marina Kaštela, 8 km west of Split Old Town) and spend the first day provisioning and briefing.
Supermarkets near the marina stock everything you need for 7 days. Buy wine, olive oil and cheese at the market in Split’s old town for the best quality; bulk provisions (pasta, tinned goods, breakfast items) at Konzum or Spar.
Spend the afternoon checking boat systems, safety equipment and chart plotting. Sailors: review the ACI (Adriatic Croatia International Club) marina network — the most reliable option for berths, with a booking system that allows advance reservation.
Evening in the marina or a short walk to the old town. Do not sail this evening; board and settle.
Skipper note: If on a skippered charter, your skipper will handle provisioning guidance, weather briefing and marina booking for the week.
Day 2: Split to Šolta or Stomorska (20 nautical miles)
First sailing day: an easy hop to Šolta — a quiet island west of Brač that many sailors bypass in favour of more famous destinations. That is exactly why it is good. The main town of Maslinica on the northwest corner has a small marina and a couple of excellent waterfront restaurants; the village of Stomorska on the east coast is tiny and charming.
Sailing conditions: the morning is typically light. The maestral (northwest wind) builds in early afternoon on most days from May–September, giving 10–18 knots of breeze for comfortable upwind or reaching sailing. The jugo (south/southeast wind) is the other prevailing pattern — warmer, wetter, and less pleasant.
Moor in Maslinica marina or anchor in one of Šolta’s sheltered bays (Nečujam, Rogač). Anchor in calm weather — get off the boat, swim, sun. This is what Dalmatian sailing is actually for.
Day 3: Šolta to Hvar Town (25 nautical miles)
Sail southwest from Šolta toward Hvar. The crossing from Šolta to Hvar Town takes 3–4 hours in moderate conditions. The Pakleni Islands (Pakleni Otoci) run along the northwest shore of Hvar and provide excellent anchorages and buoy fields — the main alternative to the very busy Hvar Town marina.
Hvar Town marina: The Hvar harbour is extremely busy in July–August. ACI marina Hvar has berths; reserve in advance. The public harbour (riva) is free but exposed to wash from passing traffic. Arriving by 14:00 gives you a better chance of a berth.
Afternoon and evening in Hvar Town: the Španijola fortress walk, the main square, dinner at one of the harbour restaurants. Hvar has more high-quality restaurants than any other Croatian island.
Day 4: Hvar to Vis (20 nautical miles)
Sail southwest from Hvar toward Vis. This is one of the best sailing days of the week — open water, reliable maestral, and arrival at Croatia’s most authentic island.
Vis Town harbour has a long riva (waterfront quay) where yachts moor stern-to. The town’s main road runs along the riva; restaurants set up tables a few metres from where you are tied. This is Dalmatian sailing at its finest — entirely unpretentious.
In the afternoon or following morning: excursion to the Blue Cave on Biševo (5 nm from Komiža). Book through local operators in Komiža or your marina.
Vis also has the best restaurant scene on any Croatian island outside Split — Jastožera (lobster house in an old fish processing cave), Villa Kaliopa (garden restaurant in a Renaissance palazzo), Bako (Komiža, seafood). Reserve ahead in summer.
Day 5: Vis to Korčula (40 nautical miles — the longest day)
The longest sail of the week: Vis to Korčula Town. From Komiža it is about 40 nm (from Vis Town, slightly less). Leave early (07:00–08:00) to make the most of the day.
Sailing route options: direct southeast toward Korčula, or via the Hvar channel and past the island of Lastovo (further, not practical for this itinerary). The direct route crosses open water; the Pelješac channel is well-protected and scenic.
Korčula Town marina is well-organised with good facilities. Mooring on the riva directly in front of the old town is spectacular if you can get a spot. Reserve through ACI or the local harbour authority.
Evening: Korčula old town is one of the most beautiful in the Adriatic — the medieval fishbone-grid streets, the Cathedral of St. Mark, the Pošip white wine. Dinner in the old town; the Marco Polo experience (debated but entertaining).
Day 6: Korčula to Brač — Bol and Zlatni Rat (45 nautical miles)
Sail north-northwest from Korčula, through the Neretva channel, past Hvar and toward Brač. Arrive at Bol on the south coast of Brač — the home of Zlatni Rat beach and Croatia’s best wind sports.
The marina at Bol is small but manageable. Anchor in the bay if no berths available. The maestral here is particularly consistent (Brač’s south-facing coast funnels the afternoon wind), making Bol one of the best windsurfing destinations in the Mediterranean.
Zlatni Rat beach in the evening, after the day-trippers have gone, is genuinely beautiful. Pebble-and-sand with extraordinarily clear water.
Day 7: Brač to Split (10 nautical miles — return)
A short final morning sail back to Split. The crossing from Bol to Split takes 1–1.5 hours. Time it to arrive at the marina by 10:00–11:00 for check-out procedures.
If you have time: a final swim in the Brač channel before heading in.
Return the boat, collect luggage from the cabin, and head to Split for a last afternoon in the old town or directly to the airport (SPU, 25 km west of the city).
Sailing practical information
Best season: May–June and September for sailing. The maestral is reliable; marinas are less crowded; prices are lower. July–August is peak season: consistent wind but extremely busy marinas (book ACI berths at least 4–6 weeks ahead).
ACI Marina network: ACI operates the main yacht club marinas throughout the Dalmatian coast and islands. Membership gives discounts on berths. Reservations: aci-marinas.com.
Weather: Check Meteoblue or MeteoAdria for Dalmatian sailing forecasts. The jugo (south-southeast wind) can build quickly and makes overnight passages inadvisable without proper offshore experience. The bura (north-northeast katabatic wind from the mountains) can be very strong in winter and spring — less common in summer but possible after cold fronts.
Mooring options: ACI marinas (most expensive, €80–150/night for a 40 ft boat); town marinas and municipal harbours (cheaper, variable); buoy fields in bays (€15–40/night); free anchoring in unsheltered bays.
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