Croatia Sailing Guide: Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik & the Hidden Islands

Split → Milna (Brač)

12 NM · ~2 hours

Pick up your boat in Split — explore Diocletian's Palace if you arrive early (yes, that's the Game of Thrones "Meereen" location). Head to Milna on the western side of Brač — a quiet harbor town with excellent konobas (traditional restaurants).

Eat: Konoba Palma for fresh fish and local wine. Konoba Stari Mlin for lamb peka (slow-cooked under a bell lid — order 2 hours ahead).

Milna → Vis Town (Vis)

22 NM · ~3.5 hours

Vis is the outermost inhabited island in central Dalmatia — it was a military base until 1989, so tourism came late and the island kept its authenticity. Vis Town has a beautiful harbor, Roman ruins, and some of the best restaurants in all of Croatia.

Eat: Konoba Bako (reserve ahead — their grilled fish and seafood risotto are legendary). For cocktails, Fort George sits in a hilltop Napoleonic fortress with panoramic sunset views.

Don't miss: Rent a scooter and explore Komiža on the other side of the island — a fishing village with a fort-turned-museum and beach bars.

Vis → Blue Cave (Biševo) → Komiža → Pakleni Islands

20 NM · ~3 hours total

Early morning (before 10am), sail to tiny Biševo island for the Blue Cave (Modra Špilja). This sea cave glows an electric blue when sunlight refracts through an underwater opening — it's genuinely surreal. Small boat tours enter from Komiža, or you can dinghy from your anchorage if conditions allow. Tickets are purchased through an organized boat tour from Komiža (~€15/person).

Then sail northeast to the Pakleni Islands (Paklinski otoci) — an archipelago just off Hvar. Anchor at Palmižana in Vinogradišće Bay. Lush botanical gardens, art galleries, and a beach club vibe without the chaos of Hvar town.

Eat: Restaurant Toto's at Palmižana — Mediterranean fusion in a garden setting. Or swim over to Laganini Lounge Bar on the tiny islet next door for sunset cocktails with your feet in the water.

Pakleni Islands → Hvar Town

3 NM · ~30 minutes

Short hop to Hvar Town — Croatia's most glamorous port. The medieval town center, Venetian fortress (Fortica Španjola), and lavender-scented hillsides are genuinely beautiful. Hvar is famous for its nightlife, but it's equally good for cultural tourism.

Warning: Marina space in Hvar is limited and expensive in summer. Arrive early or anchor in the harbor and dinghy in. ACI Marina Palmižana is a calmer alternative if the town quay is full.

Eat: Gariful on the waterfront (upscale seafood, pricey but excellent). Konoba Menego up in the old town for traditional Dalmatian food at fair prices. For nightlife: Hula Hula Beach Bar for sunset, then Carpe Diem beach club.

Game of Thrones: Hvar's Fortica fortress offers the kind of medieval coastal views that scream King's Landing (though the actual filming was in nearby Dubrovnik).

Hvar → Stari Grad → Bol (Brač)

18 NM · ~3 hours

Morning stop at Stari Grad — one of the oldest towns in Europe (founded 384 BC by Greeks). The Stari Grad Plain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — ancient Greek agricultural plots still in use 2,400 years later.

Then sail to Bol on Brač to see Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) — Croatia's most photographed beach. This dramatic sand spit changes shape with the wind and current. It's touristy but undeniably stunning.

Eat: In Stari Grad, try Antika for creative Dalmatian cuisine in a 500-year-old stone house.

Bol → Šolta (Maslinica)

15 NM · ~2.5 hours

Šolta is the hidden gem that most sailing itineraries skip — and that's exactly why you should go. This quiet island is famous for its olive oil (some of the best in Croatia), honey, and a way of life that hasn't changed much in decades.

Anchor at Maslinica, a tiny harbor on the western tip with a castle-turned-boutique-hotel and a handful of restaurants. Or find a secluded bay on Šolta's southern coast — Tatinja Bay and Stračinska Bay are gorgeous, empty anchorages.

Eat: Restaurant Šišmiš in Nečujam for grill over open fire. At Maslinica, the Martinis Marchi hotel restaurant is fine dining in a 18th-century castle.

Šolta → Split (Return)

10 NM · ~1.5 hours

Easy morning sail back to Split. Return the boat by midday. If your flight is later, explore Diocletian's Palace, the Green Market (Pazar), and grab a final meal at Konoba Matejuška right on the fishing harbor.