The Dalmatia Coast in Croatia is among the most famous in the Mediterranean region, and rightfully so. Along the Dalmatia coast, you will find translucent turquoise waters, pristine beaches, lively nightlife, fine cuisine, secluded coves, fascinating thousand-year historic sites, and unspoiled natural settings. More than 30 islands make up the Dalmatia coast, each one with such dramatically different destinations. We will be highlighting some of our favorite destinations, including must-sees at each stop: Split, Šolta, Hvar, Vis, and Brač.
Dalmatia Coast Stop #1: Mainland
Split
You will most likely be chartering your yacht out of Agana Yachting Sports. We highly recommend Moorings, although there are numerous options in the area. After your flight to Croatia, we recommend staying one night in Split and following your charter, one or two nights in Trogir. These towns are a short car ride from both the yacht basin and the airport and are destinations within themselves.
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After your long flight, we recommend finding an Airbnb for an overnight stay in Split. This allows you to see the city and to acclimate yourself to Croatia and the time change before boarding your boat. Split will keep you entertained, well-fed, and comfortable. Split is the second-largest city of Croatia and the largest on the Dalmatia Coast. Home to Diocletian’s Palace, built for the Roman Emperor in 305 CE, not only is the city full of history but fabulous nightlife and restaurants, too.
Our must-sees: At Diocletian’s Palace, test your fear of heights at Saint Domnius Cathedral bell tower, see Peristyle square, enjoy dinner and drinks on the Riva, and sunbathe on Bacvice Beach.
Trogir
Trogir is a picture-perfect town on the central Adriatic coast of Croatia. Its preserved old town, known for its mix of Renaissance, baroque and Romanesque buildings, lies on a small island connected to the mainland and the island of Čiovo by bridges. It is a wonderful, relaxing town to wrap up your tour of the Dalmatia Coast. It is not as popular as other stops, so you will not be inundated with tourists and can really enjoy the town like a local.
Our must-sees (and must-stays): Visit Kamerlango Castle, The Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Okrug Beach, or take time to relax and be pampered at one of our favorite hotels ever, the luxurious Brown House Hotel.
Dalmatia Coast Stop #2: Maslinica, Island of Šolta
The Island of Šolta is a welcomed change from the bustling city of Split and, at just nine miles away, it is an ideal first stop of your sail around the Dalmatia Coast. It boasts an 18th-century castle renovated into a stunning hotel at the center of town, streets drenched in flowering bougainvillea, crystal clear sea, and quiet pebble beaches.
This is a wonderful stop to get to know more about the Croatian culture. We recommend visiting one of the family-run olive farms. “Šolta” translates to the “island of the olives,” where they are locally grown, hand-harvested, and cold-pressed into olive oil. We enjoyed our time in Maslinica, which from an itinerary standpoint made our sails each of the surrounding days quite relaxed. It is the only settlement and port on the west side of the island, which makes it right in the middle when traveling from Split to Hvar.
Our must-see: Visit a family-run olive farm, eat their delicious bread with ample “Šoltanka” olive oil, and visit the 18th-century castle at the center of town.
Dalmatia Coast Stop #3: Hvar
After a relaxing day spent at Maslinica, you should be well-rested for the party town of Hvar. This town has a reputation to host party boys such as Prince Harry, George Clooney, and Jay-Z, but there is more to this island of the Dalmatia Coast than just Ibizia-like nightlife.
Hike up to the 13th century Španjola Fortress (Hvar Fort) to experience the incredible, picturesque views of the town of Hvar. From here, you can see the whitewashed walls of the old town, the red roofs, and the glistening turquoise water surrounding the Pakleni Islands.
After your hike, we recommend a stroll through St. Stephen’s Square and a late lunch with local wine. St. Stephen’s Square is the largest old square in all of the Dalmatia Coast, and the center of social life in Hvar. If time allows, we recommend renting scooters and setting out of town to see the surrounding areas, wineries and fabulous views.
Our must-sees: Check out Španjola Fortress, St. Stephen’s Square, Carpe Diem Beach Bar, Hula Hula Beach Bar, and Dubokovic Winery.
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Dalmatia Coast Stop #4: Bol, Island of Brac
Bol is a quiet, picturesque town on the island of Brač on the Dalmatia Coast. Its seafront promenade includes exquisite restaurants, bakeries, and shops. The Zlatni Rat, often referred to as the Golden Cape or Golden Horn, is the most stunning beach we have ever seen. Zlatni Rat is located about 1.5 miles west of Bol’s Harbor.
It is truly a day in paradise to swim from your sailboat to the pebble point. The color of the Adriatic sea is crystal clear and the Zlatni Rat truly shows it off. It is actually the pebbles at the bottom that make the Adriatic so clear and give it the lovely turquoise color. While there, we were told that the Croatians are so spoiled, many refuse to swim in water you cannot see the bottom.
Our must-sees: Definitely don’t miss Zlatni Rat.
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Dalmatia Coast Stop #5: Korcula
The island of Korcula on the Dalmatia Coast is a little further to get to from Split and Dubrovnik, so this island offers a little less foot traffic, but is worth the journey. The town features a wonderful promenade to stroll to lose your sea legs, purchase local artwork or enjoy a fabulous meal.
A memorable part of our time on the island of Korcula is the Cocktail Bar Massimo. This bar is on the northern fortifications, up a 15th century Zakerjan Tower, which is accessible by ladder. The cocktails are then sent up the tower using a pulley, as you take in the views of the Pelješaz (a peninsula in southern Dalmatia coast in Croatia). Reminder: Do not have too many cocktails, as you must exit the bar using the same ladder!
Our must-sees: Splurge at the Cocktail Bar Massimo, Maksimilijan Garden Lounge and Beach Bar, and House of Marco Polo.
Dalmatia Coast Stop #6: Makarska
Makarska is a port town on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast’s mainland. This stop had the most urban feel of any of our stops. It felt less resort-like and more metropolitan. The main stunner here is seeing such high elevation in direct contrast to the beautiful Adriatic Sea. Makarska is known for its beaches, seafront promenade, and nightlife.
Our must-sees (and eats): Explore Makarska Old Town and Kacic Square, have a drink at Deep Makarska (cave bar), and eat local fish and pastries.
Dalmatia Coast Stop #7: Komiza, Island of Vis
Vis is another lovely island on the Dalmatia Coast. We opted to stay in Komiza, which was a beautiful port, and knew we would scooter around the island to take in all that it had to offer. We also visited some of the vineyards along the journey. On our sail back to Split, we made an early morning stop at Moira Spilja on the Island of Bisevo to experience the Blue Cove.
Our must-sees: Be sure to make a stop at Moira Spilja.
We were blown away by the people of the Dalmatia Coast. Croatians take such pride in everything they have and provide to the tourism industry, including their delicious food (Mediterranean culinary influence stemming from close neighbors, Greece and Italy), their service, which was always so warm and full of personality (plus the occasional hint of dry, sarcasm), and how clean and well-looked-after everything is (including the condition of their yachts). Just writing this post has us dreaming of our next sail around the Dalmatia Coast.
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