I’ve been to Croatia a few times before. I’ve explored further north, taking in the terraced lakes of Plitvice, walking the Roman ruins of Zadar, and visiting Krk Island. I’ve even spent time wandering around Split. But oddly enough, despite those previous trips, I had never once been to Trogir—and I had never experienced the Croatia from the deck of a sailboat. That changed this May, when I joined a small group sailing trip with More Sailing, a Swedish operator that’s been running these trips for over 15 years. And let me be clear upfront: I did not know how to sail. I still don’t, really. And that was absolutely fine.
Why May is a great month to visit
If you’ve only ever seen Croatia in summer, you might not recognise it in May. The islands along the Dalmatian coast are a completely different world before the high season crowds arrive.
On Vis — one of our stops — we wandered through narrow stone alleys and sat at waterfront restaurants without once having to wait for a table or fight for space on a beach. The locals were relaxed, the atmosphere unhurried, and the light had that particular golden quality that disappears once the charter boats start stacking up in marinas.
The temperature was warm enough to enjoy being on deck all day — think light layers in the morning, t-shirt by noon — but without the punishing heat of August. For me, it was ideal sailing weather.
Who This Post Is For
This one is specifically for you if you’ve ever thought: “I’d love to sail Croatia, but I don’t have a boat, I don’t know how to sail, and I have no idea where to even start.” That was me. MoreSailing solves all three problems in one booking.
Joining one of their sailing trips doesn’t require any sailing experience. They welcome anyone who loves being near the sea, enjoys good company, likes good food, and wants to discover new places.
- The Certified Skipper: Handles everything including route planning, mooring, and safety.
- The On-Board Hostess: Takes care of all the food—from the buffet breakfast in the morning to lunch, afternoon snacks, and everything in between.
- Your Only Job: Simply show up and enjoy it.
Getting There: Easier Than You Think
The trip starts in Trogir, a stunning UNESCO-listed medieval town on the Dalmatian coast. Here’s the practical bit that makes this very accessible for UK and European travellers:
Trogir is just a 10-minute drive from Split Airport, which has direct flights from London and many other European cities. You fly in, transfer in minutes, and you’re stepping onto your boat. No long internal transfers, no complicated logistics.
The Boat and the Setup
We sailed on a Lagoon 42 catamaran — spacious, stable, and genuinely comfortable. There’s a big difference between a catamaran and a monohull yacht. Catamarans don’t heel over dramatically, which makes them considerably more pleasant if you’re not sure how you’ll feel on open water. The boat accommodates up to eight guests plus the crew, with aft cabins that have en-suite showers and smaller forward cabins.
Our crew took care of everything from route decisions to cooking, and the food was genuinely excellent — fresh, well-seasoned, and accommodating of dietary restrictions. Mornings started with a proper buffet breakfast before we headed out.
An All-Inclusive Bonus: One of the best perks on board is that drinks are fully included and free-flowing all day and night, including cold beer and local wine, making it incredibly easy to relax on deck with fellow travellers.
Our Route Through the Split Archipelago
Going with the Flow: The Morning Briefing
Each morning began exactly the same way: a relaxed briefing over coffee on deck where our skipper Julius mapped out the day’s route based on the morning’s wind patterns.
For someone used to spending hours researching destinations and managing travel logistics in advance, having the crew handle the planning was an incredibly welcome change of pace. Instead of worrying about ferry timetables, navigation, or harbor bookings, we simply got to enjoy the anticipation of where we were heading next.
It completely changes the dynamic of a trip. Because the itinerary is fluid and adapts to the best sailing conditions, you can simply watch the coast go by, read a book, and enjoy a genuine, unhurried break on the water.
Day 1: Trogir → Šolta Island
We set off from the historic docks of Trogir — itself worth arriving a few hours early for, with its cathedral, Venetian-era palaces and honey-coloured limestone streets all squeezed onto a tiny island connected to the mainland by a bridge.
On our very first afternoon, we made a short run to a beautifully sheltered spot off Šolta Island: once anchored, we hopped on the dinghy to explore one of the Yugoslav-era military tunnels carved into the nearby cliffs — a fascinating relic of Cold War-era Croatia.
A Piece of History: During the Second World War and the subsequent Tito regime, the Yugoslav Navy built a network of these submarine and torpedo boat tunnels along the Dalmatian coast, hidden inside the rocky hillsides to conceal military vessels from aerial surveillance. Many have been abandoned for decades and are now slowly being reclaimed by nature, which gives them an eerie, atmospheric quality that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Dropping anchor there to spend the night on the boat allowed everyone to immediately unplug. Waking up the next morning surrounded by calm, turquoise water with no port noise, no traffic — just stillness — set the perfect tone for the rest of the trip.
Day 2: The Historic Vis Island
The next morning we set sail for the open sea toward Vis Island. The crossing itself turned into one of the most magical segments of the entire journey: as we cruised through the deep blue waters, a pod of dolphins appeared, swimming and leaping right alongside our catamaran. Watching them ride the bow wave in the open sea is a memory that stays with you forever.
We docked directly at the Vis town marina, leaving the late afternoon completely free to explore.
Vis has a particular atmosphere that sets it apart from more tourist-heavy Croatian islands — it was only opened to foreign visitors in 1989, having been a closed Yugoslav military base, and that relative isolation has preserved something genuinely unhurried about it. In May, with almost no other tourists around, it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.
Since we had the late afternoon to wander, it was the perfect amount of time to take in the town’s key highlights at a slow pace:
- Wander through Kut: This is the oldest, most atmospheric part of Vis Town. It’s a labyrinth of narrow stone residential alleys, hidden courtyards, and beautiful historic balconies dating back to the Venetian era.
- Walk up to Fort George: A 19th-century fortress built by the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. It sits on a high promontory overlooking the entrance to the bay, offering incredible panoramic views—especially during the golden hour just before sunset.
- Visit the Archaeological Museum: Located right inside the 19th-century Austrian fortress (Batterie Ourf), it houses a fascinating collection of Hellenistic artifacts from when the town was an ancient Greek colony called Issa, including a famous 4th-century BC bronze head of the goddess Artemis.
- Stroll out to the Prirovo Peninsula: Take a peaceful waterfront walk out to the small Prirovo peninsula to see the Church and Monastery of St. Jerome. Built in the 16th century directly over the remains of an ancient Roman theater, it features a beautifully calm, walled cemetery that sits right at the water’s edge, surrounded by cypress trees.
For dinner, we headed into the local streets to a traditional restaurant for fresh, local fish grilled perfectly over open wood fires.
Day 3: Sailing Back to Trogir — the Real Thing
Our final day was the one that surprised me most. With a good wind behind us, Julius, our skipper, decided we’d sail back to Trogir the proper way — using the sails. No engine, just wind and canvas and the sound of the boat cutting through the Adriatic.
It was a completely different feeling from motoring between islands, and honestly one of the highlights of the entire trip. At one point Julius handed things over to me — I pulled the sail up and took the helm for a stretch, actually navigating the boat.
I won’t pretend I knew what I was doing, but that’s exactly the point. A few days earlier I had never touched a sail in my life, and here I was steering a catamaran across the Adriatic with the Croatian coast on the horizon. Hard to beat.
Who Goes on These Trips?
This is where More Sailing is genuinely flexible, and worth understanding before you book:
- Solo travellers: MoreSailing has dedicated solo sailing holidays where you join a small group of like-minded people from around the world. It’s a brilliant way to meet people without the awkwardness of a traditional group tour. Our boat had guests from several different countries, and the small-group format (maximum eight guests) means it never feels like a coach trip.
- Groups of friends or family: You can book the entire boat privately with the full crew included, making it a fantastic option for a group holiday with a difference.
- Couples: The mix of shared deck time and free exploration time in port works beautifully for two people who want both company and space.
Note: Beyond Croatia, they also run trips in Greece, Italy’s La Maddalena archipelago, Sweden, and the Caribbean.
The Practical Stuff
| Feature | What You Need to Know |
| Sailing Experience | None needed. The skipper handles everything; you can help with the sails if you want to, or simply enjoy the ride. |
| Flights & Logistics | Fly into Split Airport, just 10 minutes from the Trogir marina. Direct flights are available from London and across Europe. |
| Water Conservation | The onboard tank is limited, so showers are kept short — totally manageable for a few days. |
| Device Charging | USB ports are available on board while sailing; regular household wall sockets are active when connected to shore power in port. |
| Best Season | April through October. May, early June and September are my strongest recommendations—warm, quiet, and far more atmospheric than peak summer. |
What to Pack & On-Board Etiquette
Living on a catamaran comes with a few unique rules that make life on the water seamless and comfortable for everyone:
- The Barefoot Rule: As soon as you step on board, your shoes go into a designated deck box. You go completely barefoot while on the boat to keep the teak and fiberglass decks clean, safe, and scuff-free. Pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes or flip-flops solely for when you step ashore at the ports.
- Pack Light & Soft: Soft duffel bags or backpacks are highly recommended over rigid, hard-shell suitcases. Hard suitcases are incredibly difficult to store in boat cabins, whereas soft bags can be folded flat and tucked easily into your cabin’s ample storage compartments.
- Layer Up: Even on warm May days, the sea breeze can be cool. Bring a windbreaker or light fleece for morning sailings, alongside your swimwear and t-shirts for noon.
I also recommend to read my guide Tips For Sailing in Croatia.
Final Thought
I’ve always thought of sailing as something reserved for people who own boats or grew up near the sea. This trip completely changed that.
The true beauty of this type of holiday is the profound way it allows you to completely detach from routine and normal life. Out on the water, you have the rare opportunity to entirely disconnect from the noise of the world. I chose to switch my phone completely off, stepping away from screens to simply contemplate life, watch the horizon change, and let the rhythm of the sea dictate my day. It’s one of the most genuinely restorative ways I’ve ever travelled.
If you’ve been looking for a way into Croatian sailing without committing to a sailing course or renting a boat you have no idea how to handle, MoreSailing is exactly the entry point you need.
👉 Find trip options and dates at moresailing.com
The video
Disclosure: This trip was hosted by More Sailing. All opinions are my own.
Lived in England since 1998 and travelled the world since 2005, visiting over 100 countries on 5 continents. Writer, blogger, photographer with a passion for adventure and travel, discovering those off beat places not yet on the tourist trail. Marco contributes the very best in independent travel tips and lifestyle articles.
