Croatia (Dalmatian Coast)

The Dalmatian Coast remains one of the most satisfying charter cruising grounds anywhere in the Mediterranean, and the sheer density of islands means you are rarely more than two hours from a sheltered anchorage. The 1,200 or so islands run in long parallel chains down the coast, and the channels between them give you options in almost any wind direction.

In summer the maestral fills in reliably from the northwest each afternoon, typically 12 to 18 knots, making for brisk beam reaches between islands. The bura is a different animal entirely — a katabatic northeasterly that can arrive with little warning, particularly in autumn, and push well beyond 30 knots in the channels. Keep an eye on the barometer and leave yourself a bolt hole.

Day sailing is the rhythm here. Overnighting at sea is rarely necessary; most passages between Šibenik, Split, Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik sit comfortably inside six hours. Split and Trogir are the main charter bases, with a good spread of bareboat and skippered operators running out of both. Provisioning in Split is straightforward before departure; smaller island towns have markets for top-ups but don't rely on them for staples.

Hvar Town gets crowded mid-July and August — stern-to berths on the main quay fill by early afternoon, so aim to anchor off Pakleni Islands instead and take the dinghy ashore.

Croatia requires ARC paperwork for foreign-flagged vessels, and many charter companies handle this automatically, but confirm before signing. Passport checks have eased considerably since EU accession, though non-EU crew should verify current entry requirements. Dubrovnik is worth a night alongside despite the tourist density; arriving by sea puts the old city walls in proper perspective.

Go in May, June or September; August is beautiful but crowded, expensive, and the bura more common in shoulder season gives you the islands largely to yourself.