Yachtcharter Šibenik

The starting point of your yacht charter is the medieval town of Šibenik, one of the largest towns in the area Northern Dalmatia. It is located not far from the mouth of the Krka River, which enters the Adriatic Sea through a 2.5 km long natural channel-like passage.

From here there are several attractive ways to make your Törn. In addition to the city itself, which offers numerous sights, museums and events, two archipelagos lie off the coast. The Kornati Archipelago with its national park immediately to the north is a popular sailing destination. Less frequented, but no less beautiful, is the Šibenik Archipelago just outside the city. Or head further south to the islands of Central Dalmatia, Hvar, Šolta and Brač, and combine island hopping with sightseeing in the world heritage towns of Split and Trogir. Finally, you can reach the Krka National Park of the same name with its many waterfalls.

The area is suitable for all sailing levels, even less experienced sailors can enjoy their sailing in the shelter of the islands and with moderate winds.

Climate: Mediterranean with temperatures between 23 and 30 degrees
. Winds: inside the river thermal winds, outside the channel Mistral, Scirocco, Bora, Tramontana, Nevera
Sailing season: May to September

Yacht charter Šibenik

In Šibenik, a visit to the old town is especially worthwhile. Šibenik is famous for its huge cathedral Sveti Jakov, but the city of 42,000 inhabitants is home to other outstanding sights. Three fortifications alone are part of the cityscape: St. John's Fortress, the highest at 125 meters, is located north of Šubićevac Fortress. To the east of St. John, just above the old town, lies the fortress of St. Anna, which is also called Sv. Mihovil (St. Michael) by the locals. From the Adriatic side, a fourth fortress, the Fortress of St. Nicholas, protects the city. It is located at the sea entrance of St. Ante and is one of the most massive fortresses along the coast. From the fortress of St. Anna you have a fantastic view over the old town, which spreads down the slope. On the promenade Obala Palih Omladinaca you can admire the Episcopal Palace. At the Franciscan monastery there is a small park nestled between the remains of a double city wall.

The town also has a lot to offer in terms of events. Since 1958, Šibenik has hosted the "International Children's Festival". The festival supports the artistic education of children and young people. In July, the Off Festival brings renowned blues and jazz musicians to the city's open-air stage. Evenings in August are dedicated to Dalmatian music with famous Croatian artists.

There are numerous restaurants in Šibenik (Pelegrini even has a Michelin star since 2021) and supermarkets for self-catering. If you still have time before the start and want to go to the beach, you will find the most beautiful beaches about 6 km outside the town center on the Solaris headland. You can get there by bus, which starts directly from the bus station in Šibenik. Plaža Bijela is a 700 meters long and relatively flat sand and fine gravel beach. It is therefore also a popular destination for families with children.

How to get there: By car, the fastest way to reach Šibenik is via the newly built A-1 freeway (Zagreb-Split); there are about 800 kilometers between Munich and Šibenik. Several times a week there is also a ferry connection from Ancona (Italy) to Zadar. By plane you can reach Šibenik via Kaštel-Stafilic (between Trogir and Split) or via Zadar. For the onward journey you can use the airport bus from both, take a cab or you book beforehand in our customer area directly a transfer with it.

The shore of Šibenik with the Cathedral of St. Jacob, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ©xbrchx/AdobeStock

Time to dream around the Kornati islands

Šibenik is an excellent starting point for an exploration of the Kornati archipelago. The densest group of islands in the Croatian Adriatic is a classic on a Dalmatian cruise. The more than 120 islands stretch along the coast between Zadar and Šibenik and are usually only a few kilometers apart. In Croatia, the legend about the formation of the Kornati Islands goes that God threw a handful of stones randomly into the water and, when he saw them lying there, found the picture so beautiful that he just left them there. Already in Illyrian times the islands were partly inhabited by the Delmatians and the Liburnians. Today the islands are no longer permanently inhabited. Only during the summer months some fishermen's houses and konobas are managed.

Since 1980, about 90 islands of Kornati form a national park. It is divided into four island groups and is administered from the island of Murter. Sailing within the national park is allowed, a national park fee is charged, we will be happy to inform you in advance about the costs and regulations.

The islands are made of limestone and are therefore only sparsely vegetated, but it is precisely in this sparseness that the captivating beauty of the island world lies. The cliffs drop steeply in places to the sea and the clear water in various shades of blue contrasts picturesquely with the light-colored rock.

1 week: Šibenik - Murter - island Kornat - island Piškera - Germenjak - Dugi Otok - island Žut - island Vrgada - Šibenik
2 or more weeks:If you have more than a week, the Kornati islands offer countless possibilities to extend your cruise according to your time!

The bay of Šibenik at sunset. From here you can plan trips in the Krka River or outside the channel to the offshore islands of the Adriatic coast. ©Ralf Punkenhofer/AdobeStock

Start your personal sailing dream vacation in the Kornati islands from Šibenik's Marina Mandalina. Between all the small and bigger islands you will surely find your dream bay and the best konoba according to your taste.

From Marina Mandalina you can reach the Croatian Adriatic Sea through a narrow strait. Visit the island of Murter, the administrative center of the Kornati Nature Park. There are several larger towns on the island. In the southeast of the island is Jezera, a smaller fishing village with a well-protected harbor basin. Start your vacation with a freshly caught, local fish dish in one of the restaurants on the harbor promenade.

Also the other islands of Kornati offer excellent food in small konobas during the summer months. Konoba Opat in the southeast of the island of Kornat, for example, is extremely popular. If you want to eat here, a reservation is recommended. The marinas in the bay offer good protection from the bora.

For those who appreciate the advantages of a marina, such as sanitary facilities or a small grocery store, the marina Piškera on the island of the same name offers a good opportunity for a stopover.

On the island of Levrnaka in the bay of Lojena, beach lovers will get their money's worth. The turquoise water, white sand and surrounding barren coastline provide the perfect environment for a relaxing swim. Not only for families a welcome change, also snorkelers can observe many fish here. In the high season, an early visit is recommended, as the bay is also popular with non-sailing tourists.

The nature of Kornati is breathtaking not only above the water, there are also beautiful diving spots around the many islands. One of them is located on the coast of Germenjak Island in the Telašćica Nature Park. Especially experienced divers will find a rich fauna and flora along the local steep wall. The wall has several smaller caves, which provide a home for light-shy species. Diving is allowed at some spots without a guide, other spots can only be dived with an authorized guide. Prior notification of the diving project to the park administration is generally required. On the pages of the Nature Park Telašćica you can find the regulations and contact addresses.

Telašćica Nature Park offers a lot to discover even for nature lovers without diving experience. It stretches across the southeastern tip of the island of Dugi Otok and is especially known for its high cliffs that drop steeply into the sea. Sail along the west coast of the island and enjoy the view. For a hiking trip, the destination is the salt lake Mir. It is about 9 kilometers away from Sali. The lake is not particularly deep and the water is therefore pleasantly warm in the summer months. The mud of the lake is also known as healing mud.

The village of Sali itself is also a worthwhile destination. The parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with its wooden altar from the 17th century or the reading room of the village, where events often take place, offer a nice cultural change to the relaxation on the sea. Dugi Otok was inhabited already in the early times. In the Strašna Peć cave, further north on the island, an isolated Stone Age artifact was found. On the northwest coast, the ruins of a Roman villa rustica from the first century AD can be visited. It is located directly on a strait between the islands of Dugi Otok and Katina.

Northeast of the island of Kornat is the island of Žut. It belongs to the Kornati islands, but is no longer part of the national park. Žut is the second largest island of the archipelago after Kornati. Its coast has a lot of bays, so perfect for strolling! In the northeast of the island there is a marina Žut and a buoy field. Not far from the marina is the fish restaurant Festa, here you can moor at the restaurant's jetty. The restaurant is owned by a professional fisherman and is very famous and popular for its imaginative fish dishes. You can reserve a berth and a table beforehand via the restaurant 's homepage.

If you would like to combine your sailing vacation through the island paradise of the Kornati with a bit of sightseeing, you can do this before returning to Šibenik, for example, with a detour to Biograd.

Combine your relaxed island hopping around the Kornati islands with a side trip to Biograd for a little city stroll ©ilijaa/AdobeStock

The island world of Central Dalmatia paired with a city break

1 week: Šibenik - Rogoznica - Brač - Trogir, Kaštela or Split - Hvar - Korčula - Vis/Biševo - Primošten - Šibenik

But not only the Kornati islands are a worthwhile destination from Šibenik. The Dalmatian islands of Hvar, Vis or Korčula towards the south are also worthwhile destinations. Passing Primošten and Rogoznica you will reach Šolta and Brač, the two islands off the coast of Split. Šolta is especially interesting because of its contrasts. If the southern side is wild and uninhabited and offers from the sea side nature experiences in undisturbed bays, then on the north and west side of the island are larger towns with well-developed marinas. In Brač, visit the coastal village of Pučišća with its traditional stone architecture. For windsurfers, the island is certainly known for the "golden horn" - a long white pebble beach that offers the best conditions for windsurfing.From here you can turn towards the mainland, stroll through the medieval alleys and go sightseeing in the two World Heritage Cities, or stop in Kaštela and visit the local 15th and 16th century forts.

After the city bustle, you can relax back south on the island of Hvar. The beaches are among the most beautiful in all of Croatia. The beach Dubovica attracts with crystal clear water and a beach bar, the beach Pokonji Dol offers a particularly beautiful panorama with an offshore small island with a lighthouse. As a sailor you have the advantage that around the island you can also reach the small bays, which are difficult to find on foot. So even in the high season you are sure to find a quiet spot in one of the many bays.

The island of Korčula is a worthwhile destination not only for those interested in history. The old town of the island's capital of the same name with its many old houses and small churches offers a successful excursion destination. Start your city stroll at the old city gate and let yourself drift through the narrow streets. The famous merchant and voyager Marco Polo is said to have been born in Korčula. There is a small museum in the Marco Polo House in town, which provides information about the adventures of the 13th century world traveler. Families and beach enthusiasts will find two of Croatia's rare sandy beaches for an extended beach day in the town of Lumbarda on the island.

On your way back towards Šibenik, make one more stop on the island of Vis. Enjoy one last time one of the numerous picturesque bays, of which the bay Stiniva is probably one of the most photographed. Or you can skip Vis and visit the small island of Biševo. The island is characterized by its many caves, including the Modra špilja cave, also known as the Blue Grotto.

Wherever you let the wind take you from Šibenik, a relaxing vacation is guaranteed! But Croatia can also do more than just relaxed bayside strolling. Take a look at our blog and get inspired which Croatian cities are particularly suitable to combine a city trip with a sailing trip.

Keep your eyes open on your yacht charter Šibenik. Often you can find cozy konobas near the beach on the smaller islands as well. ©pkazmierczak/AdobeStock

Yacht charter Šibenik - set sail with 1aYachtcharter!