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By Maelle Macri 
By Maelle Macri
17 December 2021
Reading time: 6 minutes
IN A NUTSHELL
Unmissable sights: Telašćica Nature Park, Skradin Waterfalls
Special features: the lunar landscapes of the Kornati, the blue of "Lago Mir" lake
The most beautiful anchorages: Otok Veli Lagan anchorage for the wreck, Uvala Mir anchorage for the view
Contents
- Practical information for your boat rental in Šibenik
- What to do in Šibenik?
- Where to sail from Šibenik?
- The best anchorages departing from Šibenik
- Which itineraries to follow for your cruise?
- What are the weather conditions?
"My advice for a successful cruise in Croatia is to take your time. In the Kornati, you have to sail up in the channels, skimming the cliffs. The anchorages are generally not very well sheltered, but you'll be all alone. There are beautiful cities and landscapes to discover like Korčula, Dubrovnik, and Mljet and its inland lake. Croatia is the best." Sébastien told me. If you choose to rent a boat from Šibenik, you can either head North-East to the Kornati and Telašćica Park, or South to reach Northern Dalmatia and visit the islands of Vis, Šolta, Brač, or Hvar. In the latter case, if you have only one week and you don't want to have too long sails, it's better to start from Split.
1. Practical information for your boat rental in Šibenik
Average rates depending on the season and the size of the boat
The table below gives you an order of magnitude of the average prices of the boats. These prices can change according to the season, the availability, the model, and the age of the boat.
| Type of boat | High Season July and August | Mid-Season May, June, and September | Low Season April and October |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mono-hull (35 feet /≈2 cabins) | €1,500 | €1,200 | €1,000 |
| Mono-hull (40 feet /≈3 cabins) | €2,000 | €1,700 | €1,500 |
| Mono-hull (45 feet /≈4 cabins) | €2,500 | €2,200 | €1,800 |
| Catamaran (between 30 and 40 feet) | €3,000 | €2,500 | €2,200 |
| Catamaran (between 40 and 50 feet) | €4,000 | €3,500 | €3,000 |
The port of Šibenik
The Mandalina marina in Šibenik, located 4 kilometres from its historical heart, has 440 berths, so you'll find a complete catalogue of mono-hulls and catamarans for rent departing from this base. It's the only marina in Croatia designed for super-yachts and is recognised by the prestigious The Yacht Harbour Association of London.
The marina in Zaton only 4 nautical miles from the port of Šibenik, is the base for Dream Yacht Charter. It has about 30 berths and all the necessary amenities.
Our main partners on site
Here is the list of our main partners who offer boats for rent departing from the ports of Šibenik:
- Pitter has been in existence for over 30 years; originating in Croatia, the rental company is now an expert in the region. Pitter has 336 boats in Šibenik, 80 of which are mono-hulls, mostly Bavaria and some Lagoon.
- Dream Yacht Charter has 20 years' experience and offers more than 1,000 boats for charter from over 60 destinations. In Šibenik, its fleet consists of 177 boats, three quarters of them mono-hulls (Dufour, Oceanis, Sun Loft, Sun Odyssey, Bavaria), but also catamarans (Bali, Lagoon, Fontaine Pajot);
- NCP and Mare has 71 boats available from Šibenik. Its fleet is very varied and comprehensive; you'll find motorboats (Antares), mono-hulls (Dufour, Hanse, Grand Soleil), as well as catamarans, mostly Lagoon;
- Angelina Tours was established in 1995, and 20 years later was voted "best rental company in Croatia". This charter company offers Bali, Bavaria, Beneteau, Dufour, Elan, Fountaine Pajot, Hanse, Lagoon, Jeanneau, and SAS Vektor.
2. What to do in Šibenik?
A true hidden gem, Šibenik, due to its lack of an airport, has far fewer visitors than its neighbours, Dubrovnik and Split. The town does not, however, lack charm, with its red-roofed houses and winding alleys. Owned in turn by the Venetians, Ottomans, Austro-Hungarians and Italians, the city has more recently been the setting for the mythical city of Braavos in Game of Thrones. The cathedral of St. James, jewel of the city, was built between the fifteenth and sixteenth century by three architects. Its architecture is a very good example of transition between Gothic and Renaissance art. An exterior frieze of the building has 71 sculpted faces, which represent the emotions of children, women and men, who populated the city at that time. In Game of Thrones again, the cathedral acts as an iron bank. Among the many things to do in Šibenik, we recommend a visit to the museum housed in the former Prince's Palace dating from the 17th century. It traces the history of Šibenik from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. Finally, as you leave the bay of Šibenik, you should not miss the imposing fortress of St. Nicholas, which has been enthroned in the sea since the middle of the 16th century.
3. Where to sail from Šibenik?
The Kornati Archipelago
"The Kornati is a semi-desert landscape, cut by stone walls perpendicular to the sea. Seen from the sea, this mixture of sea and mountains is really impressive!" Julien told me. It's indeed the wildest archipelago in Croatia. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its islands form a paradise of crystal clear waters, deserted coves, and spectacular cliffs. In total, the archipelagohas 147 deserted islands and islets that cover 300 square kilometres around Šibenik and Zadar. You won't find a town as such in the archipelago, only a few fishermen's houses in the best protected coves, such as at Vrulje, Kravjačica, and Lavsa. The vegetation in the archipelago is mainly comprised of sparse scrub, but don't be deceived by its lunar terrain, in the archipelago there are 800 plant species. Olive trees represent about 80% of the cultivated land, followed by vineyards and fig trees. As for the fauna, besides the numerous seagulls, the archipelago is also home to a few lizards and ringed snakes, as well as 69 species of butterflies! As for the reserve's marine fauna and flora , although under reconstruction, they're among the <0>richest in Croatia.<0>.
Krka Park - Skradin
This national park is crossed by the Krka River, whose bed has cut into the karst plateau forming a series of spectacular waterfalls. Thriving In this park, 860 varieties of plants, 222 birds, and about twenty species of fish have been recorded. The most famous and impressive waterfalls are called Skradin Falls, which consist of 17 steps framed by traditional watermills. During your cruise, anchor at the islet of Visovac, where the Franciscan monastery of Our Lady of Mercy is built in the middle of the sea. This monastery is rich in objects from the Roman period and various documents dating back to the Turkish conquest. The Krka Monastery, the Oziđana pećina Cave, and the Roman archaeological site of Burnum as well as numerous ruined fortresses, are also must-sees. The park has two main entrances with navigable access to the Krka River: one at Lozovac, and the other at Skradin, a village also worth a visit.
Dugi Otok and Telašćica Nature Park
The colour of the waters around Dugi Otok, or, "long island" in Croatian, is comparable to that of the Kornati Islands. On the other hand, it has lusher vegetation, which is all the more marked in the West of the island. Almost deserted, Dugi Otok is an island with a very wild character, for example, Sali, the administrative and cultural centre of the island, has only 750 inhabitants year round. As for Etienne, a Filovent customer, he was accompanied along the island by an exceptional number of dolphins<0> which played with the boat! Sakarun beach is the star of the island with its emerald water and white sand dotted with pebbles.On the island's border with Otok Kornak, Telašćica Nature Park has three bays, limestone cliffs whose height can reach 180 metres, a salt lake with translucent water, and a forest abundant with pine, olive, and fig trees. Sebastien anchored at Uvala Mir and walked around Lago Mir: "In one hour, we reached the other end of the lake on a pebble beach overlooking the sea. It's high enough to make jumps of 7 to 8 metres from the cliff. We returned to the anchorage to climb the cliff at sunset, amazing!"
The islands of Northern Dalmatia
Tempted by the Northern Dalmatian Islands? All the details about what makes these islands so charming are in our article on 👉boat rental in Split.
4. The best anchorages departing from Šibenik
Anchorage at Otok Veli Lagan, North of Dugi Otok
This anchorage is unique and will seduce lovers of snorkelling! Indeed, the point of going to Otok Veli Lagan is to be able to swim in the middle of the wreck of a boat. For Jérôme, it was "the nice surprise of the week", because this anchorage was not part of their itinerary.
Anchorage at Uvala Mir
Sebastien stopped at this anchorage to go around Lago Mir lake, climb on the cliff, and admire the sunset. "Beautiful!" he concluded. Besides, this anchorage, although a bit expensive, is very well sheltered.
Anchorage at Sakarun beach to the North-West of Dugi Otok
Jérôme and his family made the most of this anchorage to stop for a meal. The water is crystal clear: "you'd think you were in a swimming pool" he told me. Jérôme advises going early in the morning. Indeed, this anchorage is popular, and since it's a lagoon, the water is warmer than elsewhere: "27 instead of the usual 23 degrees!"
Anchorage in Otok Žutska Aba
This anchorage is Jérôme's favourite. "This was our most beautiful night anchorage, between Otok Zut and Otok Žutska Aba islands. The anchorage was wild and once moored, we climbed to the highest point of the island. A 3-star anchorage!"
5. Which itineraries to follow for your cruise?
Itinerary 1, for one week - Total distance covered: 184 nautical miles
This itinerary was taken by Julien, and will enable you to discover the Kornati and North Dalmatia. This itinerary includes night sailing.
- Day 1: Šibenik → Otok Tijat (9 nautical miles - 1.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 2: Otok Tijat → Komiža to Vis (42 nautical miles - 7 hours' sailing) → Vis on the island of Vis (18 nautical miles - 3 hours' sailing)
- Day 3: Vis on the island of Vis → Hvar (13 nautical miles) → Split (22 nautical miles - 3.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 4: Split → Trogir (8 nautical miles - 1.5 hours' sailing) → Kornati (40 nautical miles - 6.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 5: Kornati → Otok Kornat (8 nautical miles - 1.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 6: Otok Kornat → Šibenik (24 nautical miles - 4 hours' sailing)
Itinerary 2, for one week - Total distance covered: 98 nautical miles
This itinerary was recommended to us by Dream Yacht Charter, our local partner on site.
- Day 1: Šibenik → Prvic (4 nautical miles - 30 minutes' sailing)
- Day 2: Prvic → Opat bay (15 nautical miles - 2.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 3: Opat → Dugi Otok → Sali(18 nautical miles - 3 hours' sailing)
- Day 4: Sali → Telašćica → Zut Jelici bay (16 nautical miles - 2.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 5: Jelici Bay → Murter (14 nautical miles - 2 hours' 15 minutes' sailing)
- Day 6: Murter → Skradin (27 nautical miles - 4.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 7: Skradin → Šibenik (4 nautical miles - 30 minutes' sailing)
Itinerary 3, for one week - Total distance covered: 121 nautical miles
This itinerary was recommended to us by Angelina Yachtcharter, our partner in Croatia.
- Day 1: Šibenik → Kaprije (15 nautical miles -2.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 2: Kaprije → Piškera (Kornati) (16 nautical miles - 2.5 hours' sailing)
- Day 3: Piškera → Telašćica bay(11 nautical miles) → Veli Iž (11 nautical miles - 2 hours' sailing)
- Day 4: Veli Iž → Molat (14 nautical miles - 2 hours' 15 minutes' sailing)
- Day 5: Molat → Sutomišćica (14 nautical miles - 2 hours' 15 minutes' sailing)
- Day 6: Sutomišćica → Vrgada (20 nautical miles - 3 hours' 15 minutes' sailing)
- Day 7: Vrgada → Šibenik (20 nautical miles - 3 hours' 15 minutes' sailing)
6. What are the weather conditions?
"I've sailed in Greece several times, Croatia is quieter" Edouard told me. Etienne, also a Filovent customer, told me: "Like everywhere else, it's important to keep in mind that you must be able to protect yourself at all times". He added: "Winds blow during the day in Croatia, at night the winds calm down with the drop in temperature". Some of them are good for sailing, like the Mistral, others you should beware of, like the Bura, and the Sirocco, also called Jugo in Croatian. For Etienne, winds are not only dangerous when sailing: "In Croatia, I stalled in a storm"" he said. "You may also find yourself in difficulty at anchor; if possible, don't hesitate to take a buoy". Etienne also added that you should be wary of the surroundings of the National Park of Velebit, because it's subject to a very strong Venturi effect with winds reaching 200 kilometres per hour. He recommends the Croatian weather website meteo hr and especially the section "specialist forecasts", so as to be aware of weather phenomena located in certain areas.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Sébastien, Etienne, Edouard, Jérôme and Julien, all Filovent customers, for their testimonies and their photos which illustrate my article perfectly.
Good to know
| Number of available boats | 4,316 |
|---|---|
| Services types | Skipper, Hostess, Sailor, Chef, Engineer, Steward / Chef, Sailor / Chef, Mechanic, Masseuse |
| Average price per week | 7,963€ |
| Minimum price per week | 470€ |
| Maximum price per week | 2,700,000€ |
