Split

Split is a beautiful, ancient city in the very heart of the Mediterranean, in Central Dalmatia. The moment you arrive, this city is certain to captivate you with its atmosphere. Cobbled-stone lanes, romantic bays, cafés and modern bars. Split also boasts several cultural monuments. The most prized gems include Diocletian’s Palace, which together with the historical city centre is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Other interesting monuments that have been awarded three Michelin stars are the Roman Peristyle (inner courtyard of the palace) and the Diocletian Mausoleum (now forming the Cathedral of St Domnius, who is the local martyr and patron saint of the city). There is also a large naval museum in the city. Split is very busy in summer with concerts, folklore performances and various plays being held in the streets.

You can anchor at the ACI Marina in Split, the largest and oldest marina in the Split yachting area. This marina is very busy and is frequently overcrowded (from Friday to Saturday morning, it is mostly fully occupied due to changing crews). The sanitary facilities are very overloaded.

If you would like to look at the town, you can anchor either at the marina or by the new harbour promenade (still not officially permitted, but mostly tolerated). Anchoring is completely forbidden in the western part of the harbour bay, and although a lot of boat owners ignore this, you could be fined up to HRK 1 100. Near the marina you will find three large supermarkets, several smaller grocery stores, and markets where you can buy fresh vegetables, fruit and fish. There is also a hospital in the city of Split, a dentist, pharmacy, post office, bank and ATM, and laundries.

Another marina near Split is the modern Marina Kaštela Gomilica. This marina is one of the newest in Croatia. It offers around 400 berths. Services include: nice showers and WC, connections to water and electricity, WiFi, a restaurant, bar, supermarket, reception and lounge for charter guests, superb technical services, a fuel station, car park and refuse containers. Marina Kaštela is located in the small and ancient intimate town of Gomilica. The town comes to life in summer with various cultural events and festivities.

Marjan Hill rises up above the town with a beautiful forest park, walking trails, and winding paths that fans of walking and running will appreciate. If you conquer the hill, a wonderful view over the bay and a medieval rock chapel awaits you.

The ancient town of Trogir is one of the most beautiful towns on the Adriatic coastline. The town is surrounded by fortified walls with defensive towers and is interlaced with a maze of narrow cobbled-stone lanes and small squares. The centre of the old town is a UNESCO heritage site. Here you will find wonderful Romanesque churches, Baroque buildings, palaces, monasteries, basilicas, museums, and galleries. Pride of place in Trogir is taken by Trogir Cathedral which dates back to 1240, designed by Master Radovan. Trogir is a treasure chest of artworks. The town of Trogir is on an island, which is connected to the mainland and the island of Čiovo by bridges. There are many restaurants, bars, and nice cafés in the town centre and at the waterfront. A doctor, dentist, pharmacy, and large children’s playground are also in the town. Marijana is a good restaurant with a WiFi connection. Other good restaurants are the Calebotta, Pašike, Tragos, Konoba Teuta, Monika, Pizzeria Kristian, Restaurant Kaleta and the konoba, Best.

You can anchor at the ACI Marina in Trogir or moor directly in front of the old town by the quay (berths must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance on tel. +385 91 54 74 491 for a fee of EUR 4/m plus EUR 10 for water and electricity). You can anchor west and east of the old town (outside the sailing channel). When strong westerly winds are blowing, there is a danger of choppy waves in the channel and the town harbour may be flooded. There is also a danger of waves when a Bora is blowing (in the eastern part of the marina).

ACI Marina, Trogir, offers 162 berths, connections to water and electricity, showers and WC, a restaurant, bar and café, ice, WiFi, two supermarkets, a laundry, technical services, information centre, ATM, gas cylinders and a fuel station. Nearby is a bakery, a scooter rental point, and the Musto shop which sells yachting clothing.

It is also possible to anchor at the nearby Donji Seget Marina. This marina is an ideal place to set out on a family sailing holiday with children. There is a nice restaurant in the marina with a bar and café, and between the bar and the restaurant is a lovely pool where your children can swim while you wait for your boat to be made ready. The WiFi here is very fast. The marina complex also includes a supermarket, laundry, taxi rank, and scooter rental point. Water taxis run regularly day and night from the marina to old Trogir. Not far from the marina is the town harbour Seget, where you can buy fresh fish at the fish market.

Veli Drvenik is a small harbour with a breakwater (3–4 moorings) and several buoys. In front of the restaurants outside the harbour, right next to the anchorage (a fee of HRK 20/m, depth 6 m, is charged for anchoring) you will find a very nice island and harbour. There are two good restaurants and a bar not far from the harbour. The village has a supermarket and a bakery. There is an unfinished marina here dating back to 2009.

Another two anchorages can be found at Mala Luka Bay (an uninhabited bay, mooring fee HRK 10/m) and Solinska Bay (beach and swimming, pebbles and fine sand on the beach, anchorage depth - about 8 m). You can swim at Kokošinje Bay (nice beach with pebbles and fine sand). Another beautiful place is Krknjaš Bay, an anchorage with turquoise water when lit by the sun. The bottom is mainly rocky at the northern part of the anchorage. There are two breakwaters, a restaurant and five buoys for diners.

Maslinica Harbour, built in the spring of 2012, is a beautiful marina for about 50 yachts. Each berth has connections for water and electricity. There is also a WiFi connection here, showers, and WC (the sanitary facilities are well maintained and clean). The monastery in the harbour has been converted into a luxury hotel with a superb but relatively expensive restaurant. A little way from the marina are another four restaurants (a little cheaper, but not of comparable quality), cafés and a grocery. The marina offers mooring on a so-called hourly basis until 15:00 but if you stay for less than an hour, you pay nothing. The marina is well sheltered but the Bora and southeasterly winds can cause rough waves. Maslinica is a small fishing village comprising a lot of old stone buildings, old fisherman’s houses, and an 18th century castle. The castle originally served as defence against pirates. A little way from Maslinica is a lovely bay with an anchorage called Šešula. It is advisable to attach the stern line to the shore at the narrow northern spur. Anchors do not hold fast in places. There are two new restaurants here (built in the summer of 2014) offering several buoys. There is a WiFi connection at the Šišmiš restaurant. The depth of the anchorage is 4–5 m, the bottom is sand and rock, sheltered from all winds. Fish are bred here.

There are several lovely little bays between the rocks on the western coastline of Šolta. My favourite is Tatinja Bay. You anchor here at a relatively great depth, so I always tie up to the shore. There are usually only a few boats here, so you can enjoy some privacy. The small pebbled beach is suitable for children and snorkelling is lovely amongst the rocks.

Other anchorages can be found in Poganica, Podražanj, Travna, Zaglav (beach, sandy bottom and seaweed), and Tatinja bays (lovely snorkelling, three anchorages, bottom mostly seagrass, some waves when a northwesterly wind is blowing, depth 8–12 m), Jorja anchorage (small family restaurant, buoys for diners, depth 7 m), Senjska (beach), Grabova (beach), Stračinska, Vela Travna, Livka anchorage (a holiday resort is being built there), Lestimirova (beach) and Krušica Gornja. Stomorska Harbour has about 20 mooring berths at the quay, water and electricity and small-scale sanitary facilities (on the first floor of the post office building). A beach is nearby. On and around the harbour are seven restaurants (good restaurants that offer WiFi are the O´la la and the Luna, Volat and Konin), two supermarkets, an ATM and refuse containers. Nečujam is a very popular bay. There are three anchorages there (if a Bora is blowing, the anchorage at the southeastern corner is sheltered, you will have to tie your line to the shore), one breakwater, two restaurants, a supermarket, beach and a shipwreck! Another popular harbour is Rogač. There are several restaurants there, a café, bar, WiFi (in the Café Bar Rogač), a bakery, connections to water and electricity, WC and showers, an ATM, refuse containers and a fuel station. There are also two anchorages in Rogač Bay with two beaches and slides for children.

About 20 NM away you will find Vis Harbour where you can park either in the main harbour (VIS Luka), or in the eastern part of the bay in a quieter location, in the smaller harbour of Kut. In VIS Luka Harbour, there are a lot of mooring berths by the town quay with water, electricity and small-scale sanitary facilities. Anchoring is also possible in the harbour bay (anchorages are largely unprotected during a Bora and Sirocco, with strong gusts mainly from the east; ferries can cause tall, unpleasant waves; you have to pay for anchorage but there is a fuel station here). There are many restaurants in the area around the harbour, two fish markets, two cycle and scooter rental points, a wine bar, a doctor, a dentist and a pharmacy. The quieter Kut harbour offers moorings, water, electricity, sanitary facilities, several restaurants, bars, shops and an ATM. From Vis Luka Bay, you can take a trip 8 NM along the northern coastline to Komiža Harbour (one of the most beautiful harbours in this area).

From Komiža, we recommend that you sail to the island of Biševo and the beautiful Modra Špilja Cave (a crossing of approximately 5 NM).

Modrá špilja (cave) on the island of Biševo is the most popular destination for yachtsmen. The cave is a magical blue thanks to the light which gets into the cave only via an undersea tunnel. The most beautiful light here can be seen between 09:30–11:30, but under no circumstances should you go there then, as that is when everyone visits. The ideal time to visit is very early in the morning up to 08:00. The light is very nice then, there aren’t any tourists or other boats, and there is nobody collecting an entrance fee. Swimming into the cave is forbidden, but you can do so early in the morning. This is the most wonderful way to get into the cave. The standard way to get in is by dinghy, through a side tunnel. The cave is 35 m long and 17 m high, the space for the boat trip is 1.5 m high and the fee is HRK 30 per person (you pay if you don’t get there early enough). Anchoring in front of the cave is not possible as it is very deep there. One member of the crew has to stay with the boat and wait with the engine running until the rest of the crew returns from the cave. It is possible to anchor southwest of the cave in Balun Bay at a depth of 10–15 m. A few boats can moor up to the quay in Mezuporat Bay where there is also a beach. Entrance to the cave is not possible if a Sirocco is blowing! You would not sail here then, because the waves will not allow you into the cave and you should certainly not attempt to do so: it is very dangerous.

We recommend that you also visit the western coastline of Biševo. There are two bays here with a sandy beach. The more northern Sabulnara Bay has bar on the beach, while Porat bay has two restaurants, an anchorage and buoys. The southern bays of Potok and Trešjavac are also very lovely. You will probably be the only ones there.

On the western coastline of Biševo, you will find Biševska Luka Bay with the most beautiful sandy beach in this area. There is a friendly bar at the beach where both parents and children are catered for. During a sailing holiday with small children, I anchored in this bay for three days (there are buoys there). In the morning I took the children to the beach, we returned to the boat around noon and then went back to the beach in the afternoon and stayed there until evening. The beach is at its most beautiful until 10:00 and then after 17:00 when there is almost nobody there. During the day, cruise ships from Komiža, ferry people to the beach and it is very crowded. The bay is not suitable when westerly winds are blowing.

Also the crossing back to Vis to Stiniva Bay. Stiniva is on the southern side of the island of Vis. This is a wild, romantic bay with a pebble beach (the depth of the water is not suitable for anchoring). Right next to it is the Mala Travna anchorage (you will discover a beach here and a small restaurant belonging to the writer Sdenko Karuza, suitable for quiet and patient customers; depth 6–12 m, mooring to the shore, rocky bottom) and Vela Travna Bay (with a beach and anchorage). Also worth visiting is the small harbour Rukavac with a breakwater (anchorage, beach and two restaurants), the island of Ravnik (the large Zelena Špilja cave at the southern part of the island), and the island of Budikovac with a beautiful lagoon to the west.

The romantic Vinogradišče Bay and anchorage has several superb and expensive restaurants. There are mooring buoys here, too. The crossing from Vis is about 10 NM. A romantic and very popular place is the Palmižana Marina (an ACI marina), offering 180 berths, water and electricity, a supermarket, WiFi connection, technical services, and two restaurants as well as a water taxi to the harbour at Hvar.

Be careful if you are sailing in when it is dark! If you arrive from the isolated danger mark, avoid sailing directly to the green light of the lighthouse as you risk getting stuck on the western side of the entrance to the bay (we recommend that you study this in the Pilot). The Dionisis is a renowned restaurant on the island of Sveti Klement. This can be reached from Taršce Bay (with anchorage and nice beach) or Soline (with anchorage and buoys belonging to the Paradiso restaurant for HRK 200 per day). A nice beach and anchorage can be found at Stari Stani Bay.

Hvar Harbour has mooring by the breakwater. If a southerly or southwesterly wind is blowing, there is a danger of rough waves inside the harbour, and then it is better to stop for the night in Palmižana. Several anchor buoys are nearby (on the southwestern side of the bay). You have to moor up to the shore with a long line far enough away from the shore. Several berths for guests with moorings, water, and electricity are available on the eastern coastline of the bay. There are several discotheques, bars, and restaurants in the area around the harbour. The harbour is relatively busy at night. You will find supermarkets, ATM's, a laundry, a farmer's market and a fish market, a bakery, butcher, doctor, dentist and pharmacy in the town. Hvar is a beautiful, ancient town redolent with the fragrance of lavender. It has its own specific charm and is certainly worth visiting.

Blača Bay is a lovely bay with a beach. You can take a trip to the medieval Blača Hermitage, which will take you about 30 minutes. This hermitage atop a rock, was established to provide protection from pirates and today serves as a museum—a remarkable site that is well worth visiting. The sailing route from Hvar harbour is approximately 11 NM. Bol harbour – a busy harbour offering several mooring berths, restaurants, a supermarket, water and electricity, and a fuelling station. Not far from the harbour is a most beautiful white pebbled beach, Zlatni Rat with a bouncy castle and other water attractions. The Dugi Rat anchorage can be found here, as well as buoys to moor up to.

Milna Marina (an ACI marina) is backed by a charming harbour town. The marina offers 170 berths, water and electricity, WiFi, technical services, an ATM, supermarket, several restaurants and bars and a butcher. Milna harbour has several restaurants, a dentist and a supermarket. If you are sailing past Milna on your last day at sea, it is worth refuelling there. You will save time waiting for the pumps on Friday afternoon in Trogir, where around a hundred boats will be refuelling. You can also refuel in Rogač harbour on Šolta.

Luka bay to the north of Brač is one of the few safe anchorages on this coastline. At the very end of the bay is a restaurant serving good food, a breakwater with moorings, buoys and a pebble beach. This is a great anchorage catering for adults and children alike.

Bobovišče Bay is a lovely bay with a small harbour and small restaurant, berths at the breakwater (11 mooring lines) or at the buoys (25 buoys), a well sheltered location, parking fee HRK 20/m, electricity and water HRK 80. There are also two shops here. Great swimming and an anchorage can also be found at Stivina bay. The crossing from Bobovišće Bay is roughly 15 NM.