Yacht charter in Croatia

When to go

Season

Roughly May to October. Outside those months many marinas and restaurants close and ferry timetables shrink.

Peak

July and August: the warmest sea, the busiest marinas and the highest prices.

Quieter months

May, June, September and October: fewer crowds and lower prices, with cooler evenings later in the season.

Winds

The maestral, a north-westerly sea breeze, blows most summer afternoons at roughly 10 to 18 knots and dies at sunset. The bura is a gusty north-easterly, mostly in winter and spring but occasionally in summer. The jugo is a humid south-easterly, most common in autumn.

Where charters start

Split, Trogir, Kaštela, Sukošan (near Zadar), Pula.

Licence and paperwork

A skipper's licence or certificate and a VHF radio operator licence. Croatia has adopted the UN resolution behind the International Certificate of Competence (ICC), so it officially accepts the ICC. The Croatian ministry publishes the full list of accepted certificates.

Rules change and each charter company can ask for more. Confirm what your company accepts before you pay a deposit.

Types of charter here

• Bareboat

  You skipper the yacht yourself. Usually needs a recognised licence and proof of experience.

• Skippered

  You hire the yacht with a professional skipper, so no licence is needed.

• Crewed

  A full crew sails, cooks and looks after the yacht. You just pick the route.

• Catamaran

  Two hulls: more space and less heel, popular with families and groups.

• Gulet

  Traditional wooden motor-sailer from Turkey and Croatia, chartered with crew.

Sources: navigare-yachting.com, 12knots.com, en.wikipedia.org. Last checked 3 November 2026.