A week from Kaštela: Krka, Vis, Hvar, Brač
Central Dalmatia is Croatian charter in concentrate: in a week from Kaštela you sail up a river into the Krka national park, take in three big islands, moor in the busiest party harbour on the Adriatic and in bays where there is nobody but you. The loop is about 150 nm: two long days for Krka and Vis, and legs of two to three hours for the rest.
Day by day
Marina Kaštela
- Kaštela43.545, 16.400
Handover after 17:00, the big provisioning run at the Tommy supermarket by the marina. Kaštela is Split's main charter base: the airport is ten minutes away and open water starts just around the headland.
Kaštela → Skradin
- Skradin43.817, 15.923
North-west past Trogir and Šibenik, then through the narrow St Anthony channel between cliffs and up the river Krka to Skradin. The marina lies in fresh water, and in the evening the town empties along with the last bus.
Krka national park
- Skradin43.817, 15.923
A day without a passage: from the Skradin quay the park boat runs up to the Skradinski Buk falls — a seventeen-step cascade, wooden walkways and an old power station, the second in the world after the one at Niagara. Back by lunchtime, with the afternoon left for the river.
Skradin → Vis (Komiža)
- Komiža43.044, 16.093
The longest day of the week: down the river, out through the channel and south into open water. Vis was a closed military island until 1989 — which is why it survived intact. Komiža is a fishing town under a mountain; for dinner order peka before 17:00.
Vis: the Blue Cave and Stiniva
- Blue Cave42.978, 16.010
- Vis43.061, 16.186
In the morning, 5 nm to the island of Biševo and the Blue Cave (go before 11:00, while the sun still lights it up). After lunch, Stiniva bay and its rock gateway. Night in Vis town.
Vis → Hvar
- Hvar43.172, 16.442
Moor on the town quay in Hvar or take a buoy off the Pakleni islands. In the evening, the Fortica fortress and the liveliest waterfront on the Adriatic.
Hvar → Brač (Bol)
- Bol43.262, 16.655
Bol sits under Vidova Gora beside the Zlatni Rat spit, which changes shape with the wind and the current. Quieter and cheaper is Milna on the west of the island, and it is closer to Kaštela.
Bol → Kaštela
- Kaštela43.545, 16.400
A last leg along the north coast of Brač, refuelling in Kaštela, handover by 17:00.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Wind: in summer the daytime maestral of 10–18 knots from the north-west is on the nose on the way to Krka and behind you coming back to Vis and Kaštela. The bora and the sirocco belong to spring and autumn — watch the forecast on the day you cross to Vis.
- Krka: park admission is paid separately from the berth in Skradin marina, and the boat to the falls is included in the ticket. In July and August buy tickets online the day before — the daily visitor quota sells out.
- Berths: Croatia is the most pay-as-you-go area in the Mediterranean, with town quays and buoys all charging (Hvar most of all). Nights at anchor save real money: Stiniva by day, the bays of Šolta and Brač.
- If the loop needs a weather margin, Skradin is the first thing to drop: without it the route falls back to the classic 90 nm around three islands.
When to go and what it costs in Croatia
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Croatia
All boats in Croatia
How long is the Split — Hvar route and where do you stay overnight?
8 days and about 150 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Split. Overnight stops in order: Kaštela, Skradin, Skradin, Komiža, Vis, Hvar, Bol. The longest leg is day 4, 45 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Split — Hvar route?
Croatia's season runs May to October. July and August are the peak, with the highest prices; in June and September the sea is warm and boats and berths cost less. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler, with the odd bora or jugo, but the lowest prices of the season. From November to March most of the fleet is out of the water. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is October: a median of ≈€144 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€205. The most boats with 20% off or more are in October: 76%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Croatia for a week starts from €1,200 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Croatia”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
