There is no doubt that the Dalmatian coast is one of the most popular and fastest expanding tourist destinations in Europe. With great weather, warm and clear seas, beautiful cities, deserted islands, great nightlife, stunning national parks, friendly people... oh and cheap beer and great seafood too. In short, the Dalmatian Coast has it all, and from the deck of a traditional sailing boat, cruising down the Adriatic is the best way to see it.
The emphasis isn't on hardcore site-seeing (even though there are heaps to see if people want)... its more about kicking back on deck with a beer late morning and watching the islands go past... sunbathing on the boat, jumping off into the water for a swim... and then checking out the island late afternoon... and the great thing is that your accommodation is on the move so you don't need to checkout and relocate everyday. As long as you're back onboard by sunrise you can wake up to the next destination!
What's a typical day like?
The boat will leave early in the morning (so make sure you're back on board before sunrise!). Breakfast is included on the boat between 8 and 9am (if you're up!) and afterwards it's time to kick back on deck, book in hand, sunnies on, Bob Marley's playing on the speakers, the sun is shining and you're watching the islands go by!
We stop for a swim late morning in a secluded cove, just in time for last night's partygoers to emerge from their cabins for a refreshing dip in the crystal clear waters. The boat gets going, we have lunch on board around 1pm and at some stage the Guide will have a chat about where we are going today. Breakfast and lunch are included on the boat (3 course cooked lunch everyday... you won't go hungry) and by around 2pm we have usually arrived at our destination.
Your Busabout Guide gives a brief orientation walk of the town (or in Dubrovnik's case, an epic guided walk around it's famous medieval walls) then it's free time to have a wander around, check out the sites, have a swim, shop for local souvenirs then meeting back for a group dinner (optional, in town at your own expense) and some bars later, have a few cocktails and dance the night away at a club.
Our Guide Andrea loves her job so much, that she makes it her mission to get EVERYONE to sail the ocean blue in her fave part of the world.
Check out her Top Ten reasons why Croatia Sailing is the mutt's nuts.
1. The Adriatic
Sorry, Mediterranean, but you've got nothing on this sea. It's warm enough to spend hours swimming, salty enough to float, clear enough to snorkel and so blue that you can hardly wait to jump into it! (And, thankfully, you won't have to, because swim stops are always just around the corner!)
2. The People
Backpacker, meet a country that is happy to get to know you. From your boat crew to bar staff, to the Cat Man of Korcula, your Guide will introduce you to all the characters who make Dalmatia the special place it is. Most speak English, but a 'hvala!' never hurts (nor does a 'pivo!').
3. The Parties
Rave in a cave in Makarska, drink cocktail buckets in Dubrovnik, and pole-dance in Korcula. Then see for yourself why Split is becoming one of Europe's most exciting party destinations, with nightly concerts on the Riva, big-name DJ's, and a beach club that regularly sees 20,000 people dancing along its shores until dawn.
4. The Boats
So they might not be luxury yachts. But with a local crew, a Captain who might let you take the wheel, and the best meals you've had since you left your Mum's, there's no better way to sail the rugged coast than on a wooden boat that will feel like home by the very first day.
5. The Guide
All the people who work on our boats love Dalmatia, and our Guides are no exception. They love Croatia, its people, its history, and its sights. They are there to help and to teach you anything you need too know (even if it's just the best place for a coffee!)
6. Hvar
This longest, sunniest and sexiest of all the islands is guaranteed to show you one of the best nights of your holiday. Tequila boom booms, bars lit on fire, silent discos, full-moon parties and a nightclub in a monastery. Get ready for it!
7. Bol
Just when you thought it couldn't get better, you arrive in beautiful Bol, where all the best things in life are found. Swim in the crystalline waters around Golden Horn, Croatia's most famous beach; drink local vino at one of the continent's most sophisticated wineries; try the fresh catch of the day chosen for you by chef Vinko, followed by homemade ice cream and an open-air cinema. Heaven!
8. The Grub
The prawns might not be king, but you'll eat like one on the islands; mussels in wine sauce, grilled squid, fresh olive oil, Dalmatian cheese and smoked pršut. Top off your meal with the locals' favourite digestif, rakija, that puts any grappa or ouzo to shame!
9. The Sports
Kayaking in Mljet, parasailing in Makarska, mountain hiking in Omis, tubing in Bol... and that's after you spend the day diving off the boat!
10. The Relaxation
Take off your shoes. Put on your swimsuit. Grab a beer and a lilo. Crank up some tunes, and head to the top deck of your boat to watch the islands, the mountains, the sea and maybe even some dolphins swim by. Welcome to one of the best weeks of your life.
The boats all have a Croatian crew, usually a Captain, a chef and one or 2 waiters / cleaners / deck hands / sailors, and your Busabout Guide. The Captains are usually old hearty sea dogs that speak very little English, the deck hands usually young English speaking Croats on their University holidays and of course your English speaking Busabout Guide too. The boats contain between 14 and 32 passengers, all cabins are for 2 people, some ensuite, some not, some below deck (close those windows when we're sailing) some above, with plenty of room up top for sunbathing. All the boats have a bar, which does mean no cheeky duty free bottles of vodka on deck (just a license thing on all the boats), but the beers are cold and cheap and they usually have a few pretty reasonable spirits too.
Meet the Fleet
Welcome to your home on the Adriatic for the best week of your Busabout summer! Be it Ensuite or Standard, Above Deck or Below Deck, the Busabout fleet are some of the best traditional Croatian sailing boats on the coast! No need to check in and out every day, you'll wake up sailing to the next paradise island every morning, jumping from the deck at a swim stop into the crystal blue waters of some secluded bay! So just grab a beer from the bar downstairs, head up to the sundeck and reset your watch to island time!
Viktorija
The stunning and spacious Viktorija is one of our newest, biggest and best boats in the fleet! Proud brothers (and Captains) Neno and Zoran are at the helm of our Island Hopper flagship and with it's large roof top sun decks, beer on the tap and modern cabins (both standard and ensuite) you're bound to be the envy of the seas rocking up to every port at night on the great week that lies ahead!
Plomin
The recently refurbished Plomin has it's first year with Busabout in 2011, however we're certainly no strangers to its Captains – officially the loveliest couple in Croatia, Captain Ante and his wife Amalia (or Mama as you'll be calling her!) will keep you endlessly entertained with their energy, laughter and fizz for life and all things Croatian! You'll be right at home on this family run boat and with 34 people on board (ensuite rooms), including some double bed cabins for couples too, we're excited to work with Ante and Mama once more on their new ship.
Ika
Sailing alongside his parents on the Plomin, the youngest Captain of our fleet (and possibly Croatia!), Luka will show you all the best spots of the Dalmatian coast he's been sailing since he was in nappies! Awarded the gong as our 'Best Boat 2010' The Ika's new and spacious ensuite cabins, most of which are above deck, are amongst the finest of the fleet.
Istok
The smallest of our fleet but with the biggest personality. From the moment you kick back on the roof sundeck of the Istok with your 13 other new mates on board, you'll realise you're in for an awesome week on the baby of the fleet! Sneaking into all the little bays and docks the other boats can't (but still joining them for nights out), the Istok family is a close and special little tribe. At the helm is one of our youngest (and coolest) Captains, Tonci who pioneered the One Way Sail with us back in the day, and after a week on his boat, you'll have some unforgettable memories, super stories and heaps of fun.
Split
With a population of 200,000 Split is the second biggest city in Croatia next to the capital Zagreb, the principle city of the Dalmatian coast, major port for ferries to Italy and the starting point for most people on the sailing tours. It's the soul of Dalmatia... it's where the locals live, work and party, wedged between the Biokovo mountains and the palm lined Adriatic coast and framed by the luxurious ancient palace of Roman Emperor Diocletian. Welcome to Split!
If your tour finishes here you can enjoy a guided walk around the Palace with your Busabout Guide before dinner and drinks in the old town. If you start in Split be sure to check in at the waterfront before midday – there'll be plenty of Katarina Line reps wandering around to help you in the right direction!
Dubrovnik
The 'Pearl of the Adriatic' is for many people the highlight of Croatia. Ravaged by war in 1991 it's a remarkable feat that very little noticeable damage has scared this stunning medieval city with its limestone and marble streets and squares and the most complete set of medieval fortified walls in the world. The history of the city goes back to a Slavic settlement on the cliffs back in the 7th Century AD, but it was between the 13th and 15th Centuries, after Dalmatia was liberated from Venetian rule, that the complex system of fortresses, guard towers, bastions, ramparts, gates and turrets were constructed to enclose and defend the old town from further would-be invaders. Almost 2000m around, offering stunning views over the Adriatic and the traditional red roof tops, this is deservedly, a UNESCO World Heritage city. Not even a huge earthquake in 1667, which levelled most buildings, could shake the walls. They don't build them like they used to!
We dock up around lunchtime at 'Gruž' or the New Port, but after lunch we can jump on a bus for 5 minutes (don't forget your camera) to the Pile gate where the adventure begins as we check out the old town. Have a wander down the broad medieval paved Stradun high street and begin our walk around the top of the walls over the St. John fortress for great views out to Lokrum Island, over the Ploče gate to the Minčeta tower, the highest point on the walls and the place for that postcard shot of Dubrovnik. Maybe a visit to 'Buža' bar this afternoon could be on the cards if you can find the hole in the Dubrovnik Walls that leads you onto the rocks. Grab a chilled beer, a suntan and maybe a swim and then enjoy some free time checking out the sights of the old town...
Korcula
With a population of around 4000, Korčula town is the highlight of the island of Korčula and its cute little medieval walled town is reminiscent of a mini Dubrovnik. Famed for its expert stone masonry, jewellery making, shipbuilding and its most famous ex-resident, Venetian traveller Marco Polo, the island has over 5000 years of history. Polo, who was supposedly born in Korčula (when under Venetian rule) was one of the first Europeans to travel out to China and Mongolia back in the 13th Century way before Columbus, Tasman and Cook ventured out East. He was captured by the Genoese in Korčula during a huge naval battle back in 1298 that gets proudly re-enacted every summer in the town with big celebrations. During his imprisonment in Genoa he wrote one of the most famous travel books of all time about his journeys 'Il Milione' (Columbus kept and annotated his own copy hundreds of years later for his own travels, so it really was the original Lonely Planet!)
Hvar
At about 80km long the island of Hvar is the longest in the Dalmatian coast and second in total size only to neighbouring Brač. It's also the sunniest place in Croatia with an average of 2724 hours of sun per year. Lush vineyards amongst the rugged mountains, rolling fields of lavender, tiny inlets and secluded coves, not to mention the luscious boutiques and pumping nightlife of the medieval streets of Hvar town make it a must see. As our boats pass the Pakleni islands we get a great view of the town port and Spanola fortress up on the hill as we come into dock about 5pm.
Mljet
One of the most famous and beautiful national parks in Croatia is found in Mljet. The salt-water lakes of Mljet on the northwest part of the island are amazing. Make sure you check out Veliko Jezero (Big Lake) and Malo Jezero (Small Lake) which are only a short walk from the town of Pomena in the middle of the island. Sheltered and surrounded by pine forests, the nature here is stunning! Formed 10,000 years ago by rising sea levels they were originally freshwater lakes until the Benedictine Monks came here back in the 12th Century and dug out a channel to the sea – you can still find their peaceful medieval monastery on the island of St. Mary in the big lake (yes – an island in a lake on an island!).
Once you've bought your National Park Entrance you can jump on the free boats out to St. Mary's, grab an ice cream, have a swim (the lakes are even a few degrees warmer than the sea) and imagine how the monks would have chilled out here in solitude 700 years ago, nature all around. It's not an active monastery any more (Napoleon brought an end to that 200 years ago), but became a hotel back in the 1960s until the early 90s.
Omis
On the mainland between Split and Makarska is the famous pirate town of Omiš, visited on all our Split-to-Split tours and most of the One-Way Sails. Between the 13th and 15th Centuries the local sea Captains weren't too happy about paying out taxes to some rich Venetian Duke so they took it upon themselves to 'supervise' navigation of all the Venetian trading vessels. When Omiš was under the rule of the powerful pirate Dukes of Kacic it enjoyed considerable prosperity and was well known to be a dangerous nest of pirates from the Mediterranean Saracens to the Tatars of the Black Sea. Omiš was a thorn in the side of Venice's medieval naval supremacy, and between the rocky rapids of the river Cetina, the Mirabel Pirate fortress in the old town, and the watchful eye of the Stari Grad Fortress up in the mountains, the pirates had this place pretty well protected!
Markarska
South of Split on the mainland lies the stunning coastline of the Makarska Riviera, dotted with cute seaside villages, resorts and white pebble beaches framed by the lofty heights of the Biokovo mountains stretching up straight from the sea. Makarska is the principle town of the 30km Riviera and with its massive beach, palmed fringed promenade and many water sports, is always popular with the locals from Split to get away from the big city. All of the Split-to-Split tours go here, with some of the One Ways as well.
Brac/Bol
The island of Brač is the largest island on the Dalmatian coast at almost 400km rising to 778m (Mt. Vid, the highest mountain on the Croatian Islands) with the main towns being visited by our One Way sailing tours. The main stops are either Bol or Milna. Bol is a small resort town of 1,500 people on the south of the Island most famous for the nearby Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) pebble beach. The most photographed beach in Croatia is quite unique considering it comes out at right angles to the shoreline like a horn, rather than running along the coast. Strong currents give the beach its continually changing shape, and as the tides turn the tip of the horn will point in a different direction! From Bol town, walk around to the left along the markets and pine – fringed promenade for about 15 minutes and you arrive at the famous beach, popular with tourists on one day trips from Split and water sports fanatics alike. Aside from the beach, the town itself has a beautiful promenade, heaps of great seafood restaurants, bars and even a 100-year old traditional winery you can visit.
Below are the Busabout Guides list of must see places to visit on your Croatian adventure.
Split
Diocletian Palace
When Dalmatia was under control of the Roman Empire 1,800 years ago, the Roman Emperor Diocletian (who was from Dalmatia) had his retirement home built here completed in 305AD. Nowadays the old corridors of the palace form the streets of the old town in what is an amazing ancient labyrinth of one of the finest preserved Roman buildings in the world. A day's wander around the streets reveals how this is no stagnant museum or dusty relic, but a living breathing city. The Croats of the 7th Century were the first to convert the abandoned palace into their city and it hasn't looked back since. Even walking into a bar or a shop, a glance to the back reveals the ancient 1,700-year old Roman wall with the modern interior all around. Just get the locals talking about the newly redesigned Riva waterfront by the palace with its funky lighting, new surface and café culture... some will say it's murdering a beautiful ancient palace, others will just say it's one more step in it's evolution!
The Cellars
A haunting underground labyrinth of royal apartments and dungeons where Diocletian would have violently persecuted and tortured Christians and other enemies. Nowadays it's home to local artisan markets where you can pick up all kinds of souvenirs.
Peristley Cathedral and Bell tower
Right at the centre of the Palace lies the beautiful open plan Roman Peristyle courtyard adorned by one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the world which is quite ironic considering the number of Christians Diocletian tortured and killed. It was originally built as a Mausoleum for Diocletian following the Emperor's death but the centrepiece of his palace was turned into a church a few centuries later. The beautifully ornate 13th Century Bell tower of St. Dominus opposite took over 300 years to complete and the views from the top are well worth the 186-step climb.
Gregory of Nin statue
A wander out of the Palace's Golden Gate and you are at once struck by the enormous imposing statue of medieval Bishop Gregory of Nin by local artist Ivan Meštrović. A 10th Century Slavic Bishop, he strongly opposed the Pope and stood up for the Slavic people by introducing the Croatian language into church services where previously Latin was the only option. Quite the people's hero, rubbing his toe will supposedly bring you good luck...or make the locals laugh at you!
Markets at the Silver Gate
All the souvenirs you could dream alongside local markets too. From clothes, jewellery, postcards, cheap sunglasses and plastic 'Gregory of Nin' statues to soccer shirts from the city's team (the local religion that is 'Hajduk Split Football').
Sandy Beach
Too much sightseeing? Well grab your towel and head to the sandy beach at Bačvice, a 5-minute walk away.
Narodni Trg
In English it means 'People's Square' and has an array of cool cafes and eateries around the old cobbled square. Quite a hub of activity in what is right in the middle of the old town near the Iron Gate.
Dubrovnik
Franciscan Monastery and pharmacy
The stunning stonework of the 14th Century monastery contains the oldest working Pharmacy in Europe, going back to 1317. Seeing people run up and attempting to balance on the small stone ledge on the outer wall is not an uncommon site – if you can do it, removing your top in the process, supposedly you will marry someone from Dubrovnik.
Onofrio's fountain
16-sided drinking fountain built in 1444 next to the monastery by a guy called Onofrio de la Cava, and it still supplies the city with fresh ice-cold water to this day. Great chance to fill up those water bottles before the wall walk.
Sponza palace
Beautiful city palace built in 1516 as a customhouse and city mint. It amazingly survived the 1667 earthquake and now houses a Balkans War Memorial for those locals who fought and died to defend the city in 1991.
Dubrovnik cathedral and Church of St. Blaise
Two of the most important buildings in the old city. St. Blaise is the patron Saint of Dubrovnik (you'll see images of him everywhere as a Bishop holding and protecting the city of Dubrovnik, above the gates, on T shirts, postcards, etc.) and right next to the church dedicated to him is the Cathedral. Recent findings suggest its history goes back over 1,300 years with the current one built after the 1667 earthquake's destruction. Check out the inside collection of relics including a piece of cloth supposedly worn by Jesus himself, brought here after the 2nd Crusade by English King Richard the Lionheart on his way back from Jerusalem.
Beach
Too much sightseeing? Well grab an ice cream from the Stradun, head out of the Ploče gate for the beach near East West bar or have a swim down on the rocks by the St. Ivan Fort.