When is the cruising season in Hvar?

May to October. The peak is July and August; the shoulder months of June and September deliver the same cruising water with calmer anchorages and lower demand.

Where do charters depart from?

Most charters embark in Split, about 20 nautical miles north, and use Hvar as the mid-week stop. Hvar town harbour and the Pakleni islands are the principal stops; ACI Marina Palmižana takes yachts up to 15 metres by the day, so larger yachts lie at anchor nearby.

How long is a typical charter from Hvar?

Five to seven nights covering the central Dalmatian coast (the Pakleni Islands, Vis, Korčula, and a southbound run towards Mljet and Dubrovnik for longer weeks).

Can a Hvar charter continue to Dubrovnik or Montenegro?

Yes. Dubrovnik is a day's cruise to the south-east, by Korčula and Mljet, and the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro lies a few hours beyond. Crossing into Montenegro means clearing out of Croatia and into Montenegro, which we arrange in advance.

What are the Pakleni islands?

A chain of small islands off the south-west of Hvar town, which shelter its harbour and form a protected landscape. Sveti Klement, the largest, holds Palmižana, where an ACI marina takes yachts up to 15 metres by the day. Larger yachts lie at anchor, and taxi boats cover the 2.5 nautical miles into Hvar town for the evening.

What is there to see ashore on Hvar?

Hvar town first: the Fortica above the harbour, the main square, the largest in Dalmatia, the cathedral of St Stephen and the theatre in the Arsenal, first opened in 1612. On the north coast, Stari Grad was founded by Greek colonists in 384 BC, and the plain behind it, still farmed with vines and olives, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

How do guests reach Hvar?

By way of Split. Hvar has no airport, so guests fly to Split, which has direct flights from across Europe in summer, and embark at ACI Marina Split, about 20 nautical miles north of Hvar town. Brač airport, near Bol on the neighbouring island, has seasonal flights from a few European cities, and the yacht can collect guests there.

Can we visit Hvar on a day charter from Split?

Yes, on a fast motor yacht. Hvar town is about 20 nautical miles from Split, so a day allows a morning swimming in the Pakleni islands, lunch at anchor and an afternoon in town before the run back. On a slower yacht, an overnight works better and leaves the evening in Hvar town as well.

How far are Vis and Korčula from Hvar?

Vis lies about 15 nautical miles west of Hvar town and Korčula about 35 to the south-east, so both fit easily into a week, as do Biševo's Blue Cave beyond Vis and the island of Mljet beyond Korčula. The Kornati, by contrast, are some 60 nautical miles to the north-west and belong to a separate, longer route.

Adriatic · yacht charter

Hvar.

Hvar yacht charter centres on Hvar town and the Pakleni islands, which shelter its harbour, with Stari Grad on the north coast. Vis lies to the west, Korčula to the south-east and Split about 20 nautical miles north; the Kornati, far to the north-west, belong to a separate, longer route.

Speak to a yacht advisor

Overview

What to expect.

Hvar is the central hub of a Dalmatian week and the island most charters build a routing around. It sits in the middle of the coast, an hour south of Split by sea, with the Pakleni islands strung out immediately off the town. Most weeks embark in Split and use Hvar as the mid-point, working the anchorages by day and taking the town or the quieter harbours by night.

The Pakleni islands are the reason the island cruises so well. Palmižana is the principal marina and the sheltered base among them, and the coves along the chain hold through the building afternoon Maestral. The anchorages are a short tender from Hvar town, which makes the island the easiest place on the central coast to combine a day on the water with an evening ashore.

A yacht charter in Hvar tends to run between two faces of the island. Hvar town carries the evening scene, the harbour-front and the fortress above it, and the summer fleet gathers here through July and August. Stari Grad, on the northern side, is the quiet counterpart, an older harbour set back in a long bay, and it reads as the calmer base for owners who want the island without the peak-week density.

In a week’s routing Hvar sits between the near islands and the southern run. Five to seven nights threads the Pakleni anchorages with Vis and Korčula; seven to ten opens the line south toward Mljet and Dubrovnik, and on into Montenegro for the longest weeks. The advisor holds the Palmižana and Hvar-town berthing, which are the constraints that shape the calendar in high summer, and fixes the embarkation port against the brief.

Private yacht charter in Hvar

Hvar is the long island south of Split, and its town, near the western end, is a common stop for yachts cruising the Adriatic. The Pakleni islands lie just offshore and shelter the harbour, and on the north coast Stari Grad still farms the plain its Greek founders laid out in the fourth century BC. A Hvar yacht charter rarely begins on the island itself: most yachts embark in Split, about 20 nautical miles north, and make Hvar the centre of the week.

From a yacht, the day can be spent swimming in the Pakleni islands and the evening in town, with the yacht back at anchor away from the quay.

Hvar and the Pakleni islands

Hvar town. The harbour lies in a natural bay below the Fortica, the fortress rebuilt after a gunpowder explosion destroyed its predecessor in 1579. The main square, the largest in Dalmatia, runs from the waterfront to the cathedral of St Stephen, and the Arsenal beside the harbour houses a theatre that opened in 1612, one of the oldest public theatres in Europe.

The Pakleni islands. The chain runs off the south-west of the town, a protected landscape whose name comes from the pine resin once used to coat ships. Sveti Klement, the largest island, holds Palmižana and an ACI marina whose daily berths take yachts up to 15 metres, so larger yachts lie at anchor, and taxi boats run into Hvar town.

Stari Grad. Founded as Pharos by Greek colonists from Paros in 384 BC, the town lies at the head of a long bay on the north coast. Behind it, the Stari Grad Plain, still planted with vines and olives within the Greek field divisions, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008.

Vis to the west, Korčula to the south-east. Vis lies about 15 nautical miles west of Hvar town, with Biševo and its Blue Cave beyond, and Korčula about 35 nautical miles to the south-east. The Kornati, some 60 nautical miles to the north-west, belong to a separate, longer route.

A week with Hvar at its centre

A loop from Split crosses to Šolta or Brač on the first day, reaches Hvar town and the Pakleni islands on the second, continues west to Vis and Biševo, returns by Stari Grad and ends in Split. A one-way week runs south instead, from Hvar to Korčula and Mljet before finishing in Dubrovnik.

When to go

The season runs from May to October. July and August bring the most yachts to Hvar town, while June and September are quieter in the anchorages and still warm. 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. In July, the Ultra Europe festival in Split has in recent years continued with events on the islands, Hvar among them: a week to plan around.

Marinas and arrival

Hvar has no airport. Guests fly to Split, whose airport lies 19 kilometres from the city, and embark in Split. Brač airport, near Bol on the neighbouring island, has seasonal flights from a few European cities. In Hvar town, yachts lie along the harbour quay; in July and August the Pakleni islands, about 2.5 nautical miles away, are the quieter alternative, with taxi boats into town.

Yachts and what a week costs

Since most Hvar weeks begin in Split, the choice is that of central Dalmatia: sailing yachts, catamarans and motor yachts of every size. Larger yachts spend more nights at anchor, and our guide to choosing the right charter yacht sets out the trade-offs. 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, and the all-in cost lands at roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate, with gratuity customarily 5 to 15 percent. See what a charter costs.

How a Hvar charter is arranged

We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and plan the nights in Hvar town and the Pakleni islands around the busy weeks. Hvar also fits a longer route along the Croatian coast and across the Adriatic.

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 Hvar.

Bilgin 50m

12 guests · 6 cabins · 2024

Brodosplit 60m

12 guests · 6 cabins · 2015

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: May to October
Prevailing winds: Maestral · Bora
Typical base ports: Hvar town harbour · ACI Marina Palmižana · ACI Marina Split

Aerial view of boats anchored in the blue waters near Hvar with the coastline and town in the background

Mid-May through late September, with the peak in July and August. The Maestral sets the daytime rhythm, light in the morning and building through the afternoon, and the Pakleni coves hold well in it. June and early September are the calmer, more rewarding weeks, the same cruising water with lower demand and easier berthing in Hvar town.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

Hvar town harbour
The town berth beneath the fortress. The centre of the evening scene and busiest through the July and August peak.
ACI Marina Palmižana
ACI Marina Split

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season in Hvar?: May to October. The peak is July and August; the shoulder months of June and September deliver the same cruising water with calmer anchorages and lower demand.
Where do charters depart from?: Most charters embark in Split, about 20 nautical miles north, and use Hvar as the mid-week stop. Hvar town harbour and the Pakleni islands are the principal stops; ACI Marina Palmižana takes yachts up to 15 metres by the day, so larger yachts lie at anchor nearby.
How long is a typical charter from Hvar?: Five to seven nights covering the central Dalmatian coast (the Pakleni Islands, Vis, Korčula, and a southbound run towards Mljet and Dubrovnik for longer weeks).
Can a Hvar charter continue to Dubrovnik or Montenegro?: Yes. Dubrovnik is a day's cruise to the south-east, by Korčula and Mljet, and the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro lies a few hours beyond. Crossing into Montenegro means clearing out of Croatia and into Montenegro, which we arrange in advance.
What does a week of yacht charter around Hvar 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.
What are the Pakleni islands?: A chain of small islands off the south-west of Hvar town, which shelter its harbour and form a protected landscape. Sveti Klement, the largest, holds Palmižana, where an ACI marina takes yachts up to 15 metres by the day. Larger yachts lie at anchor, and taxi boats cover the 2.5 nautical miles into Hvar town for the evening.
What is there to see ashore on Hvar?: Hvar town first: the Fortica above the harbour, the main square, the largest in Dalmatia, the cathedral of St Stephen and the theatre in the Arsenal, first opened in 1612. On the north coast, Stari Grad was founded by Greek colonists in 384 BC, and the plain behind it, still farmed with vines and olives, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
How do guests reach Hvar?: By way of Split. Hvar has no airport, so guests fly to Split, which has direct flights from across Europe in summer, and embark at ACI Marina Split, about 20 nautical miles north of Hvar town. Brač airport, near Bol on the neighbouring island, has seasonal flights from a few European cities, and the yacht can collect guests there.
Can we visit Hvar on a day charter from Split?: Yes, on a fast motor yacht. Hvar town is about 20 nautical miles from Split, so a day allows a morning swimming in the Pakleni islands, lunch at anchor and an afternoon in town before the run back. On a slower yacht, an overnight works better and leaves the evening in Hvar town as well.
How far are Vis and Korčula from Hvar?: Vis lies about 15 nautical miles west of Hvar town and Korčula about 35 to the south-east, so both fit easily into a week, as do Biševo's Blue Cave beyond Vis and the island of Mljet beyond Korčula. The Kornati, by contrast, are some 60 nautical miles to the north-west and belong to a separate, longer route.