I sailed on a premier catamaran on the Croatia Discovery route in August 2023. Please check MedSailors.com for the most up to date prices, itineraries, and locations.
Close your eyes and picture this....
It's a warm 75 degrees out and you are woken up by a soft calming rocking motion. You pull the small curtains back from your cabin window and the turquoise Adriatic Sea glitters as you glide along its calm surface. You slowly get dressed in the only outfit you seem to need these days–a bathing suit–and follow the brewing coffee and crackling egg smell wafting from the outdoor dining area. You climb the three steps it takes to reach deck and are greeted with the most mesmerizing Croatian landscape: endless sapphire waters, craggy islands coastlines, and majestic mountain ranges off in the distance. Life is perfect.....
This story is not a dream or a fairytale–It's what life is actually like sailing the southern Croatian islands with MedSailors. They organize sailing vacations aboard modern sailing boats to the most breathtaking islands the Mediterranean has to offer. In addition to Croatia, you can join them for an unforgettable adventure in Türkiye🇹🇷 or Greece🇬🇷.
Where would you rather visit with MedSailors?
CROATIA🇭🇷
GREECE🇬🇷
TÜRKIYE
This past August I had the pleasure of joining MedSailors on the Croatia Discovery route for 7 days. Myself and one of my best friends joined 6 other strangers (2 Australian sisters, 1 Kiwi couple, and 1 Australian + Kiwi couple) and our valiant Skipper Tom as we explored the Dalmatian islands.
Day 1 - Depart from Trogir (mainland) and dock in Bobovišća, Brač
Day 2 - Vis Town, Vis
Day 3 - Palmizana, Hvar
Day 4 - Vrboska, Hvar
Day 5 - Makarska Riviera (mainlaind)
Day 6 - Supetar, Brač
Day 7- Return to Trogir (mainland)
Here's what a day in the life looks like sailing the Croatia Discovery route in late August.
7:00am - DEPART BOBOVIŠĆA, BRAČ AND HEAD TOWARDS VIS
Last night we went to bed full and happy after an organized group dinner in the sleepy village of Bobovišća. I sampled the local grilled sea bass and side salad for €20 and of course couldn't say no to a glass, or two, of white wine.
At 7:00am Tom pulled the anchor and we began our early morning sail east towards the island of Vis. My friend and I decided to lay in our cozy cabin, catching up on all our life stories since we last saw each other in April. At 8:30am hunger set in, so we made the extremely short journey (30 seconds) up to the dining area for tea, cereal, and pastries.
Each guest decides what they want to do during the daily sailing downtime. We chatted with the Australian sisters about their upcoming move to London while others slept in, read books, tanned on the net, and listened to music. It was so nice to have hours like this during the day to sit back and relax while our Skipper did all the hard work. It meant that we could arrive to the swimming spot of the day refreshed and buzzing to spend the next fews hours in the water.
For those who are not familiar, Croatia is a country located on the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkans refers to a geographical area of southeastern Europe and takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch through the whole of Bulgaria. Croatia is a small yet highly geographically diverse crescent-shaped country.
The present day Croatia is composed of four historical and cultural regions: Croatia proper and Slavonia (located in the upper arm of the country), Istria (centered on the Istrian Peninsula on the northern Adriatic coast) and Dalmatia (corresponding to the coastal strip).
9:00am - ARRIVE AT SWIM SPOT OF THE DAY
Tom dropped the anchor and the rest was history!!! I jumped in as soon as humanly possible (9:05am) and practically stayed in the water for next three hours. I transitioned from swimming to paddle boarding to snorkeling, all with the goal of enjoying the Adriatic sea to the max. The thrill seekers of the group swam over to a nearby submarine base (Vis has a long military history as it was an important base in WWII for the Yugoslav Partisans, led by Marshal Josip Broz Tito) and jumped off the top ledge!
Each day on a MedSailors trip you are treated to an afternoon enjoying an epic swimming spot in a bay only reachable by boat. For the duration of the week your boat is part of a regatta. 5-10 other MedSailors boats all sail on the same route and you meet up two times per day (swimming spot + docking for the night). This means that in addition to the 6-10 other guests on your boat, you get to make 30+ other new friends from around the world!
My conclusion after this afternoon is that I could relax in a watermelon floatie with a Somersby cider in hand for the rest of my life.
12:30pm - DOCK IN VIS TOWN AND ENJOY ON BOARD LUNCH
Post swimming we set sail for the nearby Vis Town to dock for the rest of the day and night. After catching a lot of sun that morning, I decided to relax inside the indoor dining area and work on my crossword puzzles. The simple but important amenities on board, like constant access to fresh drinking water, made all of the difference. I didn't have to stress out about staying hydrated or finding shade and could just enjoy the moment.
As we got closer to land we started to make out the outlines of the charming Vis Town. Tourism on Vis began to develop with its demilitarization at the beginning of the civil war in Croatia (1991-1995). Tourism has become more and more popular in Vis and you can see changes in the lifestyle of locals. However, Vis has managed to keep the old, irresistible Mediterranean charm and life without stress and trouble. Vis is also one of Croatia’s most famous islands due to a lot of iconic Mama Mia 2 scenes being filmed here.
Once successfully docked, Tom got immediately to work whipping up our fresh lunch of the day. Lunch is one of two meals included on all MedSailors trips (the other being breakfast). The Skippers infuse their own personal tastes with local ingredients and your dietary requirements (Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten Free/Dairy Free diets can be accommodated) to produce buffet style meals. This afternoon we had caprese salad, coleslaw, olives, potato salad, Greek salad, salami, sausages, grilled zucchini, ham, and bread aka a full blown Croatian themed charcuterie board!
1:30pm - 11:00pm FREE AFTERNOON / EVENING EXPLORING VIS TOWN
With a belly full of scrumptious food, my friend and I set out to explore Vis Town for the remainder of the day and night. As devout Mamma Mia fans we of course had to head to a filming site first.
Located 2 minutes away from the waterfront is Trg Karolina and Pizzeria Resturant Dionas. Both locations were used as back drops in Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again. The plaza served as the market area and the restaurant is where Donna's character worked and performed songs with her two best friends (Tanya & Rosie) as Donna and the Dynamos.
After we passed by charming stone streets, a food market, cafes, and bars we headed to the town's monastery and cemetery. Croatia's monasteries are truly a sight to behold. Their simple architecture and calming atmosphere make you feel so at peace. You have to add them to you Croatia must see list!
By this time the day had reached a scorching 90 degrees, so we decided it was time to get back into the water and enjoy a few hours swimming and sunbathing. We walked 25 minutes west, with a quick pit stop in the local grocery store for our favorite mango flavored ciders, and set up shop in a quiet little nook tucked behind some traditional stone houses.
All days in Croatia must end with a few things: post swimming ice cream, sunset drinks, and traditional cuisine for dinner. Vis allowed us to tick all three boxes off with a stop at Pa Ti Oldi for delicious home made ice cream, sunset Hugo Spritz cocktails at Bistro Frutarija, and grilled meats at Konoba Mote I Grgo. The perfect ending to the perfect day sailing the Croatian islands on the Croatia Discover route with MedSailors!
LET'S TALK 💸FINANCIALS. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN A MEDSAILORS TRIP?
7 days on board accommodation
Qualified Skipper to drive the boat and provide itinerary updates throughout the trip
Breakfast and Lunch freshly prepared everyday by your Skipper
A helpful Guest Experience Leader
Stand up paddle boars, dinghy, and snorkeling gear
Linen, towels, and final cleaning of the boat
Tea, coffee, and drinking water
NOT INCLUDED - Personal alcohol/ snacks and dinner
HOW MUCH DOES A MEDSAILORS TRIP COST?
Each route has their individual price point, but the Croatia Discover Route that I traveled on starts at €937 per person for 7 days for the Premier Yacht. This type of sailboat accommodates 8-10 guests in 4-5 cabins and has 2-3 bathrooms. All boats have a social/dining area, and sunbathing deck. This translates to roughly €157 per day and late August - September sailing dates tend to be a bit more affordable.
HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL SPENDING MONEY DO I NEED TO BRING?
Spending money varies across routes, but now that Croatia officially uses the EURO prices will be comparable to France and Italy. I suggest budgeting an additional €45-€55 per day to cover dinner, drinks, snacks, souvenir shopping and any other incidentals!
PRO TIP - Although card is widely accepted in Croatia I would recommend withdrawing your additional daily budget in cash (at a bank ATM) BEFORE you board the boat. Some smaller towns do not have ATMs and the additional activities offered by MedSailors are cash only.
I sailed on a Premier Catamaran on Croatia Discovery route in August 2023. Please check MedSailors.com for the most up to date prices, itineraries, and locations.
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