Looking to inject a little activity into your Croatian beach holiday? A variety of short sailing trips with local guides will open up the beauty of Hvar.
Hvar is a sailing paradise, with its numerous bays and small islands to discover, and while there is nothing more relaxing than lazily watching boats moving through the water from the comfort of a waterside cafe, a day's sailing on Croatia's premier island opens up even more of its beauty.
Sailing Day Trips from Hvar Town
Local activity specialist Hvar Adventure has a range of options for sailors of all levels of experience, ranging from a sailing school for beginners to crewing vacancies on some of the Adriatic's most exciting races. They also offer an impressive list of short sailing trips for tourists who want to experience more of Hvar from the water. Here is a brief overview.
Pakleni Islands (Half Day)
One of the gems of Dalmatia, the Pakleni Islands are a collections of pine-forested small islands just in front of Hvar Town, and the perfect introduction to some gentle sailing. The tour includes a swimming break and the chance to walk around one of the most popular islands, Palmizana.
Sailing to Brac Island (Half Day)
An afternoon departure from the bay of Stiniva (transfer from Hvar Town included) to the island of Brac and a swim at one of its beaches. Depending on wind direction, the boat will head to either Milna or Bol, and the trip includes a tour of the destination town.
Sailing to Vis Island (Full Day)
Leaving Hvar Town at 10am, this excursion heads to the island of Vis, one of the most popular sailing areas in the Adriatic. The island, famous for its submarine bases and boasting the oldest cricket club in Europe, is also one of the most beautiful, and a swim and snorkelling stop allows sailors to experience the water close up. It is not uncommon to encounter dolphins on the sail.
Sailing and Windsurfing to Zlatni Rat, Bol (Full Day)
A full day's sailing, via several bays on Hvar's northern coast, leads to the resort town of Bol on the neighbouring island of Brac, most famous for its unique shifting beach, Zlatni Rat. Try your hand at wind-surfing or kite-surfing, before the pleasant sail home.
Sunset Sailing (Half Day)
A popular excursion, given the spectacular sunsets in Hvar, this 4pm departure sails into the labyrinth of the Pakleni Islands, before stopping for a swim on a secluded beach and taking in some of the prettiest evening skies on the Adriatic.
Longer Sailing Trips (3-5 Days)
Tourists with a little more time can take advantage of longer sailing trips offered by Hvar Adventure, who offer a range of destinations ranging from 3-5 days. While bespoke trips can be organised, the following five-day tour is a popular one and gives an outline of what is possible in the time frame.
Departing from Hvar Town, the boat heads off to visit Vis before hugging the southern coast of Hvar until the tiny island of Scedro, opposite the coastal resort of Zavala. Scedro is almost uninhabited, but is home to the impressive Dominican monastery of Mostir. Heading east to the island of Korcula, birthplace of Marco Polo, the next stop is the pretty island of Mljet, which is mostly a national park and has some very attractive lakes. Depending on time, the tour finishes in Polace, from where a fast catamaran transfer to Dubrovnik takes less than two hours.
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