Sibenik is a beautiful town and an excellent starting point for exploring the national parks of Krka, Kornati and Telascica Bay. There are boats for rent in the marinas of Marina Mandalina, located near the city center, and Marina Solaris.
What you need: experience, qualifications, visa requirements, etc. – The skipper of the boat is required to have an ICC certificate or equivalent.
Charter Season: The best season to charter a yacht in Croatia is early summer with good winds in May and June, mainly from the S/SE. Mornings tend to be calm and the wind picks up later in the afternoon to around 15-20 knots. The months of July and August in Croatia see calmer conditions, which is fine for those who don’t mind driving around on their yacht.
Climate – The climate of the Croatian coast is typical of the Mediterranean and offers a pleasant holiday all year round. Temperatures in summer average between 26 and 30°C and the sea temperature in summer is around 25°C.
Time difference – GMT +1
How to get there – The nearest airport is Split (SPU). Scheduled services fly from major European cities. There are additional charter flights in the summer.
Currency – The local currency is the Kuna. The euro is accepted almost everywhere in Croatia
Language: Croatian, with a lot of German and English spoken.
Food and drink: Croatian cuisine is typically Mediterranean, with fish, shellfish, fresh vegetables and olive oil taking center stage. Fish varieties include hound’s tooth, gilthead bream, grouper, mackerel, sardines, and sea bass. You will find cuttlefish, octopus and squid, lobsters, mussels, oysters and prawns. These are presented on the grill or in stews and risottos. The local smoked ham is very good. Lamb is also highly prized, especially baked on an open fire. There are some interesting local dishes, some found on individual islands, to be sought out or avoided. Take Vitalec for example: lamb offal wrapped in lamb casing and grilled on skewers, which is not everyone’s idea of culinary heaven. Pag and Dubrovnik produce high-quality sheep cheese. Pag’s is known as Paski-Sir, a hard cheese with a distinctive flavor. The unique flavor comes from the method of rubbing the cheese with olive oil and ashes before letting it mature; Furthermore, the sheep eat a diet that includes many wild herbs such as sage. Dalmatian desserts are also good. The most common ingredients are almonds, eggs, honey, the fruit of the land, dried figs and raisins. Try the Orehnjaca, a sweet bread with walnuts or poppy seeds. Palacinke are pancakes that are usually served with jam or chocolate. Dalmatian wines have been highly appreciated since ancient times. Famous wines include Babic from Primosten, Dingac and Postup from the Peljesac peninsula and Plancic from the island of Hvar. There are also good local brandies and liqueurs.
Suggested Itinerary;
Day 1: Join the ship in Sibenik at Marina Mandalina, located near the city center, or at Marina Solaris.
Day 2 – Sibenik – Skradin – 10 miles. Head NE to the Krka River. Skradin is a small town located on the river and at the entrance to the Krka National Park. The park’s main attraction is a series of waterfalls.
Day 3 – Skradin – Rogoznica – 25 miles. Head back downriver and then follow the SE coast to Rogoznica. This attractive fishing village has a naturally protected harbor with good drafts. Fresh fish is available every day in the restaurants. Try the fish soup prepared in Rogoznica.
Day 4 – Rogoznica – Komiza – 38 miles. Head S to the island of Vis. Komiza is located in a deep bay on the west coast of the island. There are several monasteries and fortresses that are worth a visit. On summer evenings you can see Klape performances, singing troupes and children’s choirs on the promenade or in one of the local restaurants. Komiza is famous for its wines.
Day 5 – Komiza – Vis – 10 miles. Sail around the island to the town of Vis on the NE coast of the island. The town is located in a large, sheltered bay. The port of Vis is located in the SW part of the bay. The island is known for its wide selection of fish. There are ample supplies of tuna and large crabs, so check out the local restaurants.
Day 6 – Vis – Vela Luka – 30 miles. Head E to the island of Korcula. Vela Luka is located on the W side of the island. There are several museums and galleries located in the center of the city.
Day 7 – Vela Luka – Korcula – 25 miles. Head to the E side of the island and to the village of Korcula, a historic and fortified village that is still surrounded by fortified walls. The town has mooring facilities. The western port provides shelter, except from strong northerly winds, when it is recommended to use the eastern port. Korcula’s historic sites include the central Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral of St. Mark, built between 1301 and 1806, the 15th-century Franciscan Monastery with a beautiful Venetian-Gothic cloister, and the town’s massive fortifications.
Day 8 – Korcula – Scedro – 25 miles. Head NW to Scedro, an island off the southern coast of the island of Hvar.
Day 9- Scedro – Palmiza. Head N to the island of Hvar. Palmizana has a marina with 200 berths.
Day 10 – Palmizana – Trogir – 25 miles. Head NE and return to the mainland and to the town of Trogir, which is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of ÄŒiovo. The city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List
Day 11 – Trogir – Primosten – 30 miles. Head NW along the coast to Primosten, famous for its huge and beautiful vineyards. It is also known for the traditional donkey race that takes place there every summer. Primosten’s Raduca beaches have been voted among the 10 most beautiful beaches in Croatia.
Day 12 – Primosten – Piskera – 35 miles. Head west to Piskera, a small uninhabited island in the Kornati Islands National Park
Day 13 – Piskera – Sukosan – 30 miles. Head north and return to the mainland. Sukosan is a popular holiday resort and home to Zlatna Luka Marina. The city itself offers pleasant walks through the traditional narrow alleys.
Day 14 – Sukosan – Murter – 25 miles. Murter is located in the northwestern part of the Sibenik archipelago and is separated from the mainland by a 20 m wide sea channel at Tisno.
Day 15 – Murter – Sibenik – 15 miles. leave the yacht
History of the Area – Croatia has been inhabited since the Stone Age. Croats arrived in what is now Croatia in the 7th century. The first king, Tomislav I, was crowned in the year 925 and Croatia became a kingdom. The Kingdom of Croatia retained its sovereignty for almost two centuries. Croatia joined Hungary in 1102. In 1526 the Croatian parliament elected Ferdinand of the House of Habsburg to the Croatian throne. In 1918 Croatia declared its independence from Austria-Hungary and joined the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War II, the Germans occupied Croatian territory and created the Independent State of Croatia. After the war, Croatia became a founding member of the Second Yugoslavia. On June 25, 1991, during a bloody civil war, Croatia declared its independence and became a sovereign state.