Discover the ancient and modern wonders of the Croatian coast aboard a luxury motor sailing yacht /

As spring approaches, the Mediterranean beckons for the summer season for luxury yacht charters and nowhere is more enticing than Croatia’s stunning coastline. For those unfamiliar with the ‘land of a thousand islands’, Croatia dominates the jewel-like Adriatic Sea with over 1500km of coastline, 78 inhabited islands plus hundreds of smaller islets and reefs. So visitors are guaranteed to find their own hidden paradise while island hopping aboard a crewed charter yacht.

A luxury motorsailer is an ideal choice thanks to the Jugo (south wind) and Bura (north wind) in the region, plus many yachts are crewed by Croatian locals with extensive knowledge of the best places to enjoy the diverse natural beauty and rich history , culture and cuisine.

Croatia has a long and proud tradition of yacht building, which has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. The country’s skilled artisans have been building high-quality yachts for both commercial and recreational purposes since the early 1800s. generation ships in the area.

Demonstrating the local passion, the owner of the soon-to-launch S/Y Scorpios says: “Our family has been in this area for 13 generations and this is a driving force for me. Scorpios is not just about owning a luxury yacht, it’s about creating opportunities for locals, giving back to the community and showing guests our country with pride.”

Once you have chosen your travel companions, agreed on Croatia as your destination and enlisted the help of a charter broker to select your luxury yacht, all you need to do is plan your itinerary before embarking on the journey of a lifetime. This Croatian guide gives a glimpse of how to make the most of your free time.

Given its proximity, the northern peninsula of Istria has a strong Italian influence and is easily connected to the rest of Europe by sea, making it the ideal starting point for a charter holiday. The area is best known for its fortified towns perched on the cliffs, such as the cultural center of Rovinj, home to many artists and writers, UNESCO World Heritage monuments such as the 6th-century Basilica in Porec and the magnificent Pula amphitheater in the region’s largest city. This imposing building overlooks the harbor where there are excellent restaurants, bars and shops, plus an annual international film festival. For hiking enthusiasts, the Brijuni National Park is a small group of islands just off the coast that make an exceptional anchorage.

Around the southern tip of Istria, the islands of Cres and Krk come into view, nestled in the curving coastline of the Kvarner Riviera. Visit historic towns such as Opatija, which was once a popular destination for the European elite and today is still regarded as a chic seaside resort with the 12 km long Lungomare promenade as the place to be seen among the beautiful waterfront villas and hotels . Anchoring here for the night allows the crew to make reservations at the best restaurants and bars while ensuring your safe return on board.

Krk is the busiest of these two islands and was settled by the Franciscans as early as the 15th century, with their monastery of Kosljun, now a museum, one of the largest cultural centers in Croatia. Less developed, Cres features a very deep northern bay and is a haven for wildlife, including a very rare vulture that makes its home on the island alongside other plants and animals. Anchor off one of the breathtaking beaches and spend an afternoon swimming, snorkeling or playing on the yacht’s water toys before being served a delicious meal by the onboard chef.

Aboard a charter yacht, unfettered by ferry times and road conditions, you are free to choose between cosmopolitan resorts full of restaurants and bars or some of the most beautiful secluded coves the Mediterranean has to offer. The area from Rab in the north to the Bay of Kotor in the south on the border with Montenegro is known as the Dalmatian Coast and is perhaps the most recognizable part of Croatia. Along the coast are cities such as Zadar and the adjacent otok (islands), the ancient Roman city of Split, now one of Europe’s most popular destinations for chic shopping and nightlife, and the beautiful city of Dubrovnik, which George Bernard Shaw once said: seeks paradise on earth, must come to Dubrovnik”. The city is a mix of both historic and modern cultures and is the setting for the annual Dubrovnik Summer Festival where musicians, dancers and theater groups perform in August.

Zadar is often regarded as the cultural capital of Croatia and its charming old town with the Roman Forum and Archaeological Museum should be on any list of things to do there. The restaurants in and around the town are also known for their Northern Dalmatian cuisine, such as peka (a type of stew) served with garlic and wine-flavored octopus, Pršut, a local air-dried prosciutto made with local salt from Nin and bluefin tuna, caught sustainably around the nearby islands. Visitors aboard a luxury yacht also benefit from easy access to nearby Kornati Nation Park, an uninhabited marine reserve where dolphins swim, lizards bask and nearly 70 species of butterflies fill the air. Many yachts are set up for SCUBA diving with trained divemasters as part of the crew, making a dive on the park’s reef an ideal way to spend an afternoon. Private tours to inland destinations such as Plitvička Lakes National Park, famous for its terraced lakes and Croatia’s highest waterfall, can also be organized by the onboard crew.

A day cruise to Split can be broken up with stops along the way at a number of sheltered coves where lunch can be served on board or laid out on a beach while guests cool off in the azure sea. Split is a vibrant city where tradition and contemporary meet with ancient Roman civilization as proof, in Diocletian’s Palace and designer shops, luxury restaurants and chic nightclubs showcasing the best of modern Croatian culture.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

If you are reading this article anywhere other than A Luxury Travel Blog, chances are this content has been stolen without permission.

Please note the web address above and contact A Luxury Travel Blog to notify them of this issue.

Thank you for helping us fight content theft.

This part of the Dalmatian coast is home to some of the most exclusive and beautiful islands, including Brac, the largest in Croatia, and neighboring Hvar. Brac has one of the most famous beaches in the Adriatic, Zlatni Rat (the Golden Horn), a simple beautiful white sand beach near the small town of Bol in the south of the island. Meanwhile, Hvar has developed a reputation as a chic destination favored by the rich and famous with Prince Harry and Jay Z & Beyonce visiting in recent years. However, Hvar is not without its traditional charms, and this lush island is known for its sweet aromas, especially in spring when the lavender is harvested and turned into lavender oil, the island’s main export.

Perhaps the last stop on a charter yacht holiday on the Croatian coast is Dubrovnik, also known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979, it is a city full of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture and has a long history of maritime trade. In the Middle Ages it was the only rival to the city-state of Venice and during its remarkable development in the 15th and 16th centuries it was home to many well-known poets, playwrights and other esteemed scholars. Today, culture is still the focus here, with the annual summer festival, bustling theater and music scene and countless restaurants, bars, clubs and theaters within the city walls. Dubrovnik is an easy city to navigate and the perfect place to end a luxury charter vacation in Croatia.

Croatia is the gateway to other fascinating and beautiful Mediterranean locations and charters can be extended to Montenegro or even Albania in the south or the Italian resort of Trieste and the floating city of Venice in the north.

Trina Howes is a director of CharterWorld America. CharterWorld is a luxury private yacht charter company that creates outstanding vacations with outstanding yachts at amazing prices – worldwide.

If you would like to become a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog to boost your profile, please contact us.