Dreaming about Sailing the Dalmatian Coast

Imagine watching the sunset while anchored in an idyllic cove with crystal clear water overlooked by an ancient land. That, and many other equally sublime settings are what make Croatia’s Dalmatian coast a sailor’s dream.

Now, with a little help from our friends at Yacht Charter Croatia, that dream can become a reality.

This is a corner of Europe that we have been eager to see for years, long a favorite for European travelers but nearly unknown to those of us in North America or down under. So now that we have it on our wish list the next question is “what’s the best way to see it?”

Sure there are tours or seaside resorts in quaint beach towns, but we can think of no better way to explore the Adriatic Sea than on a private chartered yacht.

These are our favorite kind of trips, an intimate group of adventurers on a boat that is small enough to go all sorts of places that bigger ships can never reach. In Croatia that means the ability to visit some of the over twelve thousand islands that most people only dream about.

We learned that first hand last year on our catamaran cruise in the Caribbean when we anchored off islands that were barely dots on the map. We also weren’t bound by the strict schedule of those big ocean liners. If we were loving a place and wanted to stay a few extra hours, no problem.

Even though this experience wouldn’t be as tropical, it should be every bit as exciting, and relaxing.

Hold on just a minute, can something be both exciting AND relaxing? Sure. Croatia offers amazing beaches, unbeatable scenery, and historic landmarks dating back to before the Romans. Legend has it that one island, Korčula, was founded by the Trojans twelve centuries before Christ.

Following that mythical period the island, and the rest of Croatia for that matter, was home to the Illyrians, followed by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Austria – Hungary, and several more before becoming part of Yugoslavia and finally Croatia. Whew, that’s a lot of exciting history!

Remnants, ruins, and relics from all of those civilizations can be found not only on Korčula, but all along the Dalmatian coastline and islands.

But sometimes there’s no time like the present, so we also want to check out some of the island’s natural beauty.  Top of our list is the Blue Cave. No wonder it is one of the most popular sea caves along the Adriatic. When conditions are right, around midday a mesmerizing glow appears as the sun reflects off of the white bottom of the cave and lights the water a dazzling, dreamlike shade of aquamarine.

Of course we should also find time to kick back on the beach. And we’re not talking just any old beaches, these are pristine. In fact, one hundred and sixteen of them across Croatia have been named Blue Flag beaches. This means that international standards for standards for quality, safety, and the environment have been met for both the water and the shore. We may never want to leave, but then we remember our yacht awaits and we are back to that picturesque scene that got us started.

After a day like that we can only pinch ourselves and think… “I must be dreaming.”

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

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