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A sailing yacht under full sail on deep blue water near low Dalmatian islands

Sample journey · 8–10 days

Under sail in Dalmatia: Zadar, the Kornati and Šibenik

A crewed week at sea: Telašćica, the Kornati islands, the Krka, Primošten & Trogir

Photo: Mark Pisek / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

The Kornati archipelago is best seen from the sea. More than a hundred almost empty islands, dry-stone walls across bare hills, water so clear you can see the anchor on the seabed, and evenings when only a few yachts remain in a bay and the smell of grilled fish drifts from the one konoba on shore. Sailing with a crew means others think about winds, harbours and the route, leaving you a swim before breakfast and long afternoons on deck.

This sample route spends a week at sea between Zadar and Split, with a day or two on land at either end. It's shaped for a couple or a small group of friends: a honeymoon, a special anniversary, or simply the wish to switch off for a week. The type of boat, a sailing yacht, a catamaran or a wooden gulet, and the pace can be chosen to suit you.

The route

The journey

  1. Zadar
  2. Dugi Otok & Telašćica
  3. The Kornati
  4. Šibenik & the Krka
  5. Primošten
  6. Trogir
  7. Split
  1. The roofs of Zadar's old town and the Adriatic, seen from the cathedral bell tower

    01Days 1–2 · Zadar

    The sea organ and the sunset

    The first night is in Zadar's old town, on a small peninsula between a Roman forum and medieval churches. In the evening, walk down to the waterfront, where the waves play a sea organ built into the stone steps and the sun sets behind the islands. The next morning, coffee at the market; in the afternoon the crew is waiting: getting to know the boat, a short safety briefing and a first sail out towards the islands.

  2. Sunset seen from the bow of a sailing yacht in a calm Kornati bay, with other boats at anchor

    02Days 2–4 · Dugi Otok & Telašćica

    The first nights at anchor

    The first sail heads south along Dugi Otok to the Telašćica nature park, a long, sheltered bay where you can walk to cliffs that drop into the open sea and swim in the salt lake of Mir. The night is spent at anchor in a cove where only a few lights come on after dark. The skipper chooses each stop according to the wind, so the route may shift a little from day to day, and that is part of the charm.

  3. A stone cairn on a hilltop above the Kornati islands and blue channels, seen from the island of Žut

    03Days 4–6 · The Kornati

    Stone, sea and silence

    The Kornati National Park is a world of treeless islands, dry-stone walls built centuries ago and a light that turns the hills from grey to honey. The days are simple here: sailing from bay to bay, snorkelling, a walk to a hilltop from which the whole archipelago opens out. Evenings bring dinner on deck or at a konoba on shore, where fish is grilled over embers and the olive oil comes from the same island.

  4. The stone houses and bell tower of Šibenik's old town above a waterfront lined with boats

    04Days 6–7 · Šibenik & the Krka

    Upriver to the waterfalls

    Through the St Anthony Channel and past its fortress, the boat enters Šibenik, a stone town whose cathedral was built without wood or brick. From here the yacht can continue up the Krka river to Skradin, where a small boat takes you into the Krka National Park and the river tumbles over travertine terraces. In the evening, the stepped lanes of Šibenik's old town lead to one of its small restaurants serving Dalmatian cooking.

  5. Primošten's old town from above: red roofs on a small peninsula ringed by clear sea

    05Day 8 · Primošten

    A town on an island, vines on the rock

    A short sail south brings you to Primošten, an old town covering a small peninsula, with its church at the very top. Around it grow the famous vineyards planted among the stones, which give the Babić red. The afternoon is for a swim along the pine-fringed shore, the evening for climbing to the church and watching the sun go down into the sea.

  6. Trogir's palm-lined waterfront, old-town roofs and moored boats, seen from the fortress walls

    06Days 9–10 · Trogir & Split

    The last harbour

    The last day under sail ends in Trogir, a small town on its own island, with a Romanesque cathedral and a palm-lined waterfront. You say goodbye to the crew in the morning, and the final night could be in Trogir or in Split, barely half an hour away, within the walls of Diocletian's Palace. The flight home leaves from Split.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Nights at anchor in the Kornati

    Dark skies, a few boats in the bay and a morning swim in clear water before breakfast.

  2. 02

    A crew that handles everything

    The skipper picks the bays according to the wind, and all that's left for you is to decide where to swim tomorrow.

  3. 03

    Up the Krka into the national park

    The yacht sails deep inland, with travertine falls waiting upstream.

  4. 04

    Three stone towns

    Šibenik, Primošten and Trogir, each reached from the sea, as they were for centuries.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • A gulet for friends

    For a larger group, a wooden gulet with several cabins and a cook, on the same route.

  • For a honeymoon

    A smaller yacht just for the two of you and a skipper, then a few nights at a hotel on the Dalmatian coast or an island.

  • With more time ashore

    Add a day at the Plitvice Lakes before Zadar, or a few days in Split and on Vis after the sailing.

  • Outside the peak weeks

    In June and September the sea is often already or still warm, the bays are quieter and harbour berths easier to find.

Practical considerations

  • The sailing season usually runs from around May to October; midsummer is warmest but busiest, and in spring and autumn the winds can be more changeable.
  • Each day's route depends on the weather: the skipper may change bays or harbours because of wind, such as the bora or the jugo, and that's quite normal.
  • Entry to the Kornati and Krka national parks requires tickets, and prices and arrangements can change from year to year; the crew usually helps arrange them.
  • Crewed boats vary widely in size, cabin comfort and whether a cook is on board, so it's worth being clear about what you'd like, and we can help you compare the options.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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