When is the cruising season in Dubrovnik?

May to October. Peak demand is July and August; the shoulder months are operationally calmer and the cruising water is the same.

Where do charters depart from?

ACI Marina Dubrovnik, up the Rijeka Dubrovačka inlet at Komolac, takes yachts up to 45 metres by the day. Gruž, the city's port, has the year-round border crossing and Marina Frapa Dubrovnik at its entrance. The international airport is about forty minutes from Komolac by road.

How long is a typical charter from Dubrovnik?

Seven to ten nights, often paired with a run north to Korčula, Hvar and the Pakleni islands, or south into Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor.

Can a Dubrovnik charter continue into Montenegro?

Yes. Porto Montenegro at Tivat, inside the Bay of Kotor, is a few hours' cruise to the south-east. The yacht clears out of Croatia at Gruž or Cavtat and into Montenegro on arrival in the bay, and we arrange the paperwork in advance.

How do guests fly to Dubrovnik?

Dubrovnik Airport lies at Čilipi, 15.5 kilometres from the city centre, with direct flights from across Europe in summer; guests from further afield connect through the main European hubs. Gruž is the nearer embarkation point by road, with ACI Marina Dubrovnik a little further on at Komolac. For a one-way week, guests can fly into Dubrovnik and out of Split, or the reverse.

What are the Elaphiti islands?

A small archipelago just north-west of Dubrovnik, of which only three islands are inhabited: Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. Koločep lies 5 kilometres from Gruž, Lopud beyond it, and Šipan, the largest, furthest out. They make a natural first night away from the city, or a day at anchor within easy reach of Dubrovnik.

Can a charter from Dubrovnik visit the Mljet national park?

Yes. Mljet lies about 30 nautical miles to the north-west, and the national park covers the western part of the island, with Polače and Pomena inside it. The yacht pays a vessel ticket, which does not include the lakes; guests visiting Veliko and Malo jezero and the monastery on the islet of St Mary need visitor tickets, sold per person.

What is the Dubrovnik Summer Festival?

A festival of theatre, music, opera and dance, held every year since 1950 from mid-July to late August, on more than 70 open-air stages in the old town. A yacht in Gruž, or at anchor in a sheltered bay nearby, makes an easy base for an evening performance.

What is there to see ashore around Dubrovnik?

The old town and its walls first, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lokrum, 600 metres offshore, is a nature reserve with a Benedictine monastery and a botanical garden. On the Pelješac peninsula, the walls of Ston run for 5.5 kilometres and still guard working salt pans, and Cavtat, south-east of the city, is a small harbour town on the way to Montenegro.

Adriatic · yacht charter

Dubrovnik.

Southern Dalmatian cruising from Dubrovnik: the Elaphiti islands, Mljet and Korčula, with the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro a few hours to the south-east.

Speak to a yacht advisor

Overview

What to expect.

Dubrovnik is the southern anchor of the Croatian coast and, for many charters, the arrival point rather than the base. The walled city sits above the old harbour, ACI Marina Dubrovnik handles the larger fleet a short way up the Ombla river, and the airport is forty minutes from the berth. From here the coast runs one way, north through the islands, or south across the border toward Montenegro.

The near cruising is sheltered and close-in. The Elaphiti islands, Šipan, Lopud and Koločep, lie within an hour of the city and carry the standard first-day routing. Mljet, with its national park and the saltwater lakes, sits a half-day west and is the fixture on most southern weeks. Cavtat, just south of the airport, is the quiet alternative to the old-town harbour for embarkation and a calm first night.

A yacht charter in Dubrovnik tends to point in one of two directions. Northbound, the island chain runs on through Korčula, Hvar and the Pakleni anchorages toward Split, seven to ten nights for the full Dalmatian line. Southbound, Porto Montenegro at Tivat is within a day’s cruise, and the Bay of Kotor is one of the operational highlights of an extended Adriatic week. Cross-border routings need customs documentation arranged in advance, which the advisor handles.

What separates a well-run week here is the berthing relationship at the southern end of the coast, where the old-town quay is tight and the peak-summer demand is high. The advisor holds the Dubrovnik and Cavtat arrangements and fixes the embarkation port against the routing. The Maestral sets the daytime pattern, and June and September return the calmest water on the same cruising ground as the August peak.

Private yacht charter in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik's walled old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands near the southern end of the Croatian coast, and the cruising ground around it is compact: the Elaphiti islands a short run to the north-west, Mljet and Korčula beyond them, and Montenegro across the border to the south-east. A Dubrovnik yacht charter starts at Gruž, the city's port, or at ACI Marina Dubrovnik, up the Rijeka Dubrovačka inlet at Komolac.

From a yacht, the old town can be seen early or late in the day, and the nights spent in the quieter anchorages of the islands.

Southern Dalmatia from the water

The Elaphiti islands. Koločep, Lopud and Šipan are the three inhabited islands of the group, with Koločep only 5 kilometres from Gruž. Lopud and Šipan, further out, make a natural first night away from the city.

Lokrum. Just 600 metres off the city, the island is a nature reserve, with a Benedictine monastery, a botanical garden, peacocks and a small salt lake known as the Dead Sea.

Mljet. About 30 nautical miles to the north-west, the western part of Mljet has been a national park since 1960. Its two saltwater lakes, Veliko and Malo jezero, are linked to the sea by a narrow channel, and the islet of St Mary in the larger lake holds a monastery founded in the late 12th century. The villages of Polače, with its Roman ruins, and Pomena lie inside the park.

Korčula and Pelješac. Korčula's walled old town stands on a small peninsula, with ACI Marina Korčula beside it taking yachts up to 50 metres by the day. Where the Pelješac peninsula joins the mainland, the walls of Ston, begun in 1358 and 5.5 kilometres long, still guard salt pans that are worked today.

Cavtat and the south. South-east of the city, Cavtat is a small harbour town and, in season, the border crossing for yachts bound for Montenegro.

A week from Dubrovnik

Out to the Elaphiti islands for the first night, on to Mljet and the national park, across to Korčula, back along the south side of Mljet to Saplunara, and a last night at Cavtat before the return to Gruž. Few legs exceed 30 nautical miles. A one-way week continues north instead, by Korčula and Hvar to Split.

Crossing to Montenegro

Montenegro lies outside the European Union and the Schengen area. The yacht clears out at Gruž, where the border crossing is open around the clock, or at Cavtat in season, with the crew list and every guest's passport, and may not stop again in Croatian waters. It clears in on arrival in the Bay of Kotor, at Zelenika, Kotor, Porto Montenegro or Portonovi, where a cruising permit is bought. From Dubrovnik, the Bay of Kotor is a few hours' run to the south-east.

When to go

The season runs from May to October. July and August are the busiest months, and June and September the quieter weeks in the anchorages. The maestral, a mild north-westerly, builds through summer afternoons; the jugo, a damp south-easterly, is more frequent in spring and autumn, and the bura, a gusty north-easterly, mainly a winter wind. From mid-July to late August, the Dubrovnik Summer Festival brings theatre, music and dance to more than 70 open-air venues in the old town.

Marinas and arrival

Dubrovnik Airport lies at Čilipi, 15.5 kilometres from the city centre, with direct flights from across Europe in summer. ACI Marina Dubrovnik, at Komolac, 6 kilometres from the old town, takes yachts up to 45 metres by the day. Gruž has the year-round border crossing, with Marina Frapa Dubrovnik at the entrance to the port, opposite the ferry terminal.

Yachts and what a week costs

Southern Dalmatia is cruised on sailing yachts, catamarans and motor yachts of every size; a fast motor yacht makes the most of a week that adds Montenegro. As a Mediterranean guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week before running costs, and a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000; above 50 metres, yachts are quoted individually. Sailing yachts usually sit below motor yachts of the same length. The Advance Provisioning Allowance is typically 25 to 35 percent of the base rate, the applicable tax for the cruising area is set out before anything is signed, and the all-in cost lands at roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate. See what a charter costs.

How a Dubrovnik charter is arranged

We shortlist the yachts that suit your group, arrange the park tickets and the border formalities if the route crosses into Montenegro, and time the old town around the busiest hours. Dubrovnik is also the southern end of a longer route along the Croatian coast; for the wider region, see the Adriatic and our Mediterranean yacht charter guide.

Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.

Fleet

Yachts available in Dubrovnik.

Bilgin 50m

12 guests · 6 cabins · 2024

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: May to October
Prevailing winds: Maestral · Bora
Typical base ports: ACI Marina Dubrovnik, Komolac · Port of Gruž · Marina Frapa Dubrovnik · Cavtat

Dubrovnik city walls overlooking the Adriatic Sea in Croatia

May through October, with peak demand in July and August. The Maestral sets the daytime rhythm on the open coast, light through the morning and building through the afternoon. June and September are the calmest cruising windows on the same water, and the shoulder weeks ease the pressure on the tight old-town berthing at the southern end of the coast.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

ACI Marina Dubrovnik, Komolac
Port of Gruž
Marina Frapa Dubrovnik
Cavtat
The calm harbour just south of the airport. The quiet alternative to the old-town quay for embarkation and a settled first night.

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season in Dubrovnik?: May to October. Peak demand is July and August; the shoulder months are operationally calmer and the cruising water is the same.
Where do charters depart from?: ACI Marina Dubrovnik, up the Rijeka Dubrovačka inlet at Komolac, takes yachts up to 45 metres by the day. Gruž, the city's port, has the year-round border crossing and Marina Frapa Dubrovnik at its entrance. The international airport is about forty minutes from Komolac by road.
How long is a typical charter from Dubrovnik?: Seven to ten nights, often paired with a run north to Korčula, Hvar and the Pakleni islands, or south into Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor.
Can a Dubrovnik charter continue into Montenegro?: Yes. Porto Montenegro at Tivat, inside the Bay of Kotor, is a few hours' cruise to the south-east. The yacht clears out of Croatia at Gruž or Cavtat and into Montenegro on arrival in the bay, and we arrange the paperwork in advance.
What does a week of yacht charter from Dubrovnik cost?: As a Mediterranean guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week before running costs, and a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000. Above 50 metres, yachts are quoted individually. With the Advance Provisioning Allowance and tax, the all-in cost usually lands at 130 to 150 percent of the base rate, and guests also pay Croatia's nightly tourist tax.
How do guests fly to Dubrovnik?: Dubrovnik Airport lies at Čilipi, 15.5 kilometres from the city centre, with direct flights from across Europe in summer; guests from further afield connect through the main European hubs. Gruž is the nearer embarkation point by road, with ACI Marina Dubrovnik a little further on at Komolac. For a one-way week, guests can fly into Dubrovnik and out of Split, or the reverse.
What are the Elaphiti islands?: A small archipelago just north-west of Dubrovnik, of which only three islands are inhabited: Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. Koločep lies 5 kilometres from Gruž, Lopud beyond it, and Šipan, the largest, furthest out. They make a natural first night away from the city, or a day at anchor within easy reach of Dubrovnik.
Can a charter from Dubrovnik visit the Mljet national park?: Yes. Mljet lies about 30 nautical miles to the north-west, and the national park covers the western part of the island, with Polače and Pomena inside it. The yacht pays a vessel ticket, which does not include the lakes; guests visiting Veliko and Malo jezero and the monastery on the islet of St Mary need visitor tickets, sold per person.
What is the Dubrovnik Summer Festival?: A festival of theatre, music, opera and dance, held every year since 1950 from mid-July to late August, on more than 70 open-air stages in the old town. A yacht in Gruž, or at anchor in a sheltered bay nearby, makes an easy base for an evening performance.
What is there to see ashore around Dubrovnik?: The old town and its walls first, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lokrum, 600 metres offshore, is a nature reserve with a Benedictine monastery and a botanical garden. On the Pelješac peninsula, the walls of Ston run for 5.5 kilometres and still guard working salt pans, and Cavtat, south-east of the city, is a small harbour town on the way to Montenegro.