When is the cruising season in Split?

May to October, with the peak in July and August. The maestral sets the daytime rhythm, light in the morning and building in the afternoon. June and September are the quieter weeks, with the same steady breeze.

Where do Split charters embark?

ACI Marina Split is the principal base, north of the Sustipan peninsula and looking across the harbour to Diocletian's Palace, and it takes large yachts. Split airport is about half an hour away by road, beside Trogir, where ACI Marina Trogir is the alternative.

How long is a typical charter from Split?

Five to seven nights covers the near islands and Hvar at an unhurried pace. Seven to ten nights opens the southbound run towards Korčula, Mljet and Dubrovnik, and on into Montenegro for longer weeks.

Which islands are within reach of Split?

Brač and Šolta lie within an hour, Vis further out for the most open water of the central coast, and Hvar town about 20 nautical miles south. The sheltered channels between the islands keep the passages short across the week.

Can we charter a yacht for a day from Split?

Yes. A day is enough for Šolta, for Bol and Zlatni Rat on Brač, or for Hvar town and the Pakleni islands, about 20 nautical miles south. On a fast motor yacht, Vis and the Blue Cave on Biševo are also within a day, leaving early so as to reach the cave while the sun lights it, from late morning to early afternoon.

Can a charter from Split visit the Blue Cave?

Yes. The Blue Cave is on Biševo, 5 kilometres south-west of Vis and roughly 40 nautical miles from Split. Its entrance is about 1.5 metres high and 2.5 metres wide, so the visit itself is made in a small boat. In summer the sun lights the water through an underwater opening from late morning to early afternoon, which sets the timing of the day.

What is there to see ashore around Split?

Diocletian's Palace first. Built for the Roman emperor around AD 300, it holds much of Split's old town within its walls and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Trogir, a walled medieval town on an islet west of the city, is also on the World Heritage List. Further north, the waterfalls of Krka national park are reached by yacht via Skradin.

What size of yacht suits a charter from Split?

Any size, though the larger the yacht, the more nights are spent at anchor. ACI Marina Split takes large yachts, while the island marinas, Milna on Brač, Trogir and Palmižana in the Pakleni islands, are smaller and suit smaller yachts. A fast motor yacht makes the most of Vis and of day trips.

Can a charter from Split reach the Krka national park?

Yes, as a longer leg north. The yacht runs up the coast to Šibenik and along the Krka river to Skradin, where the park's boat carries visitors to the waterfalls of Skradinski buk. Krka suits a week that heads north towards the Kornati rather than south to Hvar.

Adriatic · yacht charter

Split.

Split yacht charter from the ACI marina and the city Riva, at the centre of the Dalmatian coast. Šolta and Brač lie a short passage away, Hvar about 20 nautical miles south and Vis further out, while Dubrovnik anchors a longer week further down the coast.

Speak to a yacht advisor

Overview

What to expect.

Split is the working centre of the Dalmatian coast and the busiest embarkation port in Croatia. ACI Marina Split sits across the harbour from the Roman old town, and the city Riva puts arrival, provisioning and crew rotation within walking distance of Diocletian’s Palace. The cruising water starts immediately: Brač and Šolta lie within an hour, and the open island line runs south from there.

A Split brief works as a springboard rather than a fixed circuit. The short format threads the near islands, Brač for Bol and the Zlatni Rat anchorage, Šolta for the quieter coves, and Vis further out for the most open water of the central coast. Hvar sits an hour south and features on almost every week. The longer format runs the full southbound line toward Korčula, Mljet and Dubrovnik, using the sheltered channel between the islands the whole way.

What makes a yacht charter in Split straightforward is the concentration. The airport is thirty minutes from the marina, the fleet and the crew network sit on the same coast, and the passages between anchorages are short enough that the weather rarely dictates the week. The advisor holds the Split and Pakleni berthing relationships and fixes the embarkation port against the routing and the size of the yacht.

The Maestral sets the daily rhythm, light through the morning and building through the afternoon, and the central Dalmatian anchorages hold well in it. Five to seven nights covers the near islands and Hvar comfortably; seven to ten opens the run south to Dubrovnik and, for owners who want it, on into Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor.

Private yacht charter in Split

Split is Croatia's second city and the natural base for the central Dalmatian islands. Its old town grew inside the palace that the Roman emperor Diocletian built on the shore around AD 300, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Riva runs along the waterfront below it. A Split yacht charter starts across the harbour at ACI Marina Split, and within a few hours the yacht can be at anchor off Šolta, Brač, Hvar or Vis.

The islands sit close together, with sheltered channels between them, so the days are spent at anchor rather than under way.

The islands from Split

Šolta. Across the channel, south-west of the city. Maslinica, on its west coast, looks out over a scatter of islets, and the bay of Nečujam opens on the north side.

Brač. Milna lies at the head of a long bay on the west coast, with an ACI marina. On the south coast, Zlatni Rat, two kilometres west of Bol, is a beach spit whose tip shifts with the wind, waves and current.

Hvar. About 20 nautical miles south, Hvar town and the Pakleni islands are the liveliest stop on the central coast, and Stari Grad, on the north side of the island, the quieter one. See Hvar.

Vis and Biševo. Vis, about 30 nautical miles out, was a closed military zone until 1989. Vis town and Komiža face each other across the island, and the cove of Stiniva lies on the south coast. Biševo, 5 kilometres south-west of Vis, holds the Blue Cave, lit by the sun through an underwater opening from late morning to early afternoon in summer. Its entrance is about 1.5 metres high, so visits are made in small boats.

Trogir and the Krka. West of Split, the walled old town of Trogir sits on its islet beside the airport, with ACI Marina Trogir opposite on Čiovo. A longer day north reaches Šibenik and the Krka river, where yachts stop at Skradin and guests take the park boat to the waterfalls.

A week from Split

A first night at Šolta, then Vis and Biševo while the weather is settled, east to the Pakleni islands and Hvar town, on to Stari Grad or Bol on Brač, and Milna for the last night before Split. Few legs exceed 30 nautical miles, so most of each day is spent at anchor. A week with Korčula, Mljet and Dubrovnik runs one way to the south instead.

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. In summer the maestral fills in from the north-west during the afternoon, so open passages such as the run to Vis are best made in the morning. The jugo, a damp south-easterly, is more frequent in spring and autumn, and the bura, a gusty north-easterly, in winter.

In July, Ultra Europe brings an electronic music festival to Split, with events on Brač, Hvar and Vis: a week to plan around.

Marinas and arrival

Split airport lies 19 kilometres from the city, on the west side of Kaštela Bay beside Trogir, about half an hour from the marina by road. ACI Marina Split, north of the Sustipan peninsula and looking across to Diocletian's Palace, takes large yachts, and ACI Marina Trogir lies close to the airport.

Yachts and what a week costs

Split is the main charter base of central Dalmatia, with sailing yachts, catamarans and motor yachts of every size. 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, typically 25 to 35 percent of the base rate, covers fuel, food and port fees, as our charter toolkit explains, and the all-in cost lands at roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate. See what a charter costs. For a single day, a fast motor yacht reaches Hvar, Bol or the Blue Cave and is back by evening; see day charter.

How a Split charter is arranged

We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and set the order of the islands around the wind, the Blue Cave's hours and the busy weeks. Split is also the usual start of 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 Split.

Lürssen 115m

24 guests · 12 cabins · 2003

Sanlorenzo 29m

11 guests · 5 cabins · 2023

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: May to October
Prevailing winds: Maestral · Bora
Typical base ports: ACI Marina Split · Split city harbour · ACI Marina Trogir · ACI Marina Milna, Brač

Aerial view of a marina and coastal village on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia

Reliable from May through October, with the peak in July and August. The Maestral, light in the morning and building in the afternoon, sets the daily pattern, and the channel between the islands stays sheltered whatever the open water is doing. June and September are the calmer, more rewarding weeks, and the shoulder months keep the near-island anchorages and the Hvar berths workable without the high-summer pressure.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

ACI Marina Split
The principal embarkation base, across the harbour from the old town. International arrivals, provisioning and crew rotation, and the starting point for the central Dalmatian island run.
Split city harbour
The Riva berths in the centre of the city, beneath Diocletian’s Palace. Used for short-stay embarkation close to the old town.
ACI Marina Trogir
ACI Marina Milna, Brač

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season in Split?: May to October, with the peak in July and August. The maestral sets the daytime rhythm, light in the morning and building in the afternoon. June and September are the quieter weeks, with the same steady breeze.
Where do Split charters embark?: ACI Marina Split is the principal base, north of the Sustipan peninsula and looking across the harbour to Diocletian's Palace, and it takes large yachts. Split airport is about half an hour away by road, beside Trogir, where ACI Marina Trogir is the alternative.
How long is a typical charter from Split?: Five to seven nights covers the near islands and Hvar at an unhurried pace. Seven to ten nights opens the southbound run towards Korčula, Mljet and Dubrovnik, and on into Montenegro for longer weeks.
Which islands are within reach of Split?: Brač and Šolta lie within an hour, Vis further out for the most open water of the central coast, and Hvar town about 20 nautical miles south. The sheltered channels between the islands keep the passages short across the week.
What does a week of yacht charter from Split 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.
Can we charter a yacht for a day from Split?: Yes. A day is enough for Šolta, for Bol and Zlatni Rat on Brač, or for Hvar town and the Pakleni islands, about 20 nautical miles south. On a fast motor yacht, Vis and the Blue Cave on Biševo are also within a day, leaving early so as to reach the cave while the sun lights it, from late morning to early afternoon.
Can a charter from Split visit the Blue Cave?: Yes. The Blue Cave is on Biševo, 5 kilometres south-west of Vis and roughly 40 nautical miles from Split. Its entrance is about 1.5 metres high and 2.5 metres wide, so the visit itself is made in a small boat. In summer the sun lights the water through an underwater opening from late morning to early afternoon, which sets the timing of the day.
What is there to see ashore around Split?: Diocletian's Palace first. Built for the Roman emperor around AD 300, it holds much of Split's old town within its walls and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Trogir, a walled medieval town on an islet west of the city, is also on the World Heritage List. Further north, the waterfalls of Krka national park are reached by yacht via Skradin.
What size of yacht suits a charter from Split?: Any size, though the larger the yacht, the more nights are spent at anchor. ACI Marina Split takes large yachts, while the island marinas, Milna on Brač, Trogir and Palmižana in the Pakleni islands, are smaller and suit smaller yachts. A fast motor yacht makes the most of Vis and of day trips.
Can a charter from Split reach the Krka national park?: Yes, as a longer leg north. The yacht runs up the coast to Šibenik and along the Krka river to Skradin, where the park's boat carries visitors to the waterfalls of Skradinski buk. Krka suits a week that heads north towards the Kornati rather than south to Hvar.