14 days sailing route NORTH

Drvenik Islands - Primošten - Žirje - Kornati National Park - Murter - Vodice - Skradin - Krka Waterfalls - Rogoznica - Split

  • 14 days

Route highlights:  ACI marina Split - Islands Krknjaši - Primošten - Žirje - Kornati National Park - Murter - Vodice – Šibenik & Skradin - Krka Waterfalls - Rogoznica - ACI marina Split

DAY 1 (Saturday)

As the first day of any pleasurable adventure, the first day of your two-week cruise should start light and with a refreshment after a long day of land travel. Therefore, we suggest sailing towards the bay of Krknjasi where two islands, Veliki and Mali Krnjas, form an amazing Blue Lagoon, well protected from the north winds. Sandy shallows and crystal blue sea set up an ideal scenery for swimming and enjoying in water toys we have prepared for you. Just be focused and keep track of the sea depth as it is often no more than a few meters deep. Spend the night with a traditional summer night background music of Dalmatia, crickets chirping off the pine trees. 

DAY 2 (Sunday)

With a farewell to crickets (you will be seeing their cousins more along the way) continue north towards Primošten (the distance from the bay of Krknjasi to Primošten is 17.5 miles).  After you reach the small island of Maslinovik, and as you catch the glimpse of Primosten and its well-known church tower, you will see the reason behind the fuss Primosten is making in the tourist world. The old part of the town, built on the little island attached to the mainland is still surrounded by the city walls, serving as a crown to the new part of Primošten that stretches along the coast, just off the island. Beautiful and long beaches, lots of secluded bays with crystal clear water and a good gastronomical offer is what will excite you while in this area. Simple, but effective. Explore, it's beautiful.

DAY 3 (Monday)

Via historic sea lines, leave Primošten and head for the island of Žirje where the legendary Ilyrian Queen Teuta had her harbor and a fortress, remains of which can still be seen and from which you can have a breathtaking view to the surrounding islands. You should be sailing to the bay of Stupica Vela, which is around 15 nautical miles from Primošten. The bay is protected from all winds except Jugo (the south wind) so you can safely anchor on the sandy bottom or one of the buoys and start exploring this semi-wild habitat. Enjoy the beaches, walk along the coast and just breathe. The quiet and sense of calmness is what you are here for. You have a day for yourself and your dearest ones far away from the bustle of the city and the modern world. You're welcome.

DAY 4 (Tuesday)

Rise and shine fellow Ilyrians! Set sail for the newest raid and go along the southern banks of Žirje towards the famous National Park Kornati. On the way from Žirje, the first big island you will pass is Kurba Vela. Leaving it behind watch out for the rock some 200m NW of the island of Mali Garmenjak. The Kornati archipelago is full of this kind of hazard – small rocks in the sea, or unexpected shallows, so we highly recommend sailing under the instructions of the Kornati islands Nautical Charts. Even though some can start feeling as if in a Minotaur's maze or a minefield, just relax and enjoy the beauties around you, let the skipper sweat instead.
Continue sailing towards the Kornati channel past the islands of Kameni Žakan and Ravni Žakan where you will find excellent places to swim. Find your way and likings around here as there are plenty of islands to sail around. At the southernmost cape of the island Kornat, in a small bay that is a part of the National Park Kornati, you will find konoba Opat, a highly recommended place to get your teeth and taste buds busy. You can tie the boat just in front of the restaurant.

DAY 5 (Wednesday)

Sailing on toward the ACI marina Piskera marina on the island Panitula Vela, a finger away from the bigger island Piškera, where you can spend the night and fill your batteries on the shore power. Alternatively, if you prefer something a little more remote, you could anchor in Lavsa, unusual island of deformed shape, ideal for exploring and enjoying in the scenery and view on the neighboring islands.  Use this time well as, don't know if you're aware, we will put you to a test when you get back...you have to learn all the islands in Kornati Archipelago by heart. It would be advisable to start memorising...no pressure.

DAY 6 (Thursday)

Today you can start to sail through the maze of astonishingly beautiful Kornati islands. However, to enter the national park you will have to buy a ticket online. Ticket worth of gold as these islands are as jewels scattered by God himself. Race with the clouds, dolphins and seagulls and visit the innumerable narrow bays for swimming, read a good book...get bored and, while passing by beautiful landscapes and an astonishing color game of blue and green, just soak it in. We hope you have a capacity for soaking as you will need it where we want to send you to. Sail to the bay of Vrulja, the biggest inhabited place in the Kornati Archipelago. You can anchor the boat in the middle of the bay and head to the end and a well-known family restaurant, famous for its seafood specialties, to grab a bite or two. After that, explore around a bit and then continue to Nature Park Telašćica on Dugi Otok, leaning on Kornati National Park, which awaits you with the bay of Mir and an amazing saltwater lake carrying the same name, very nice for swimming as it is warmer and saltier than the sea that feeds it with water. Sleep and don't care to dream, you are already in one.

DAY 7 (Friday)

Leaving Telašćica, the island of Žut to the east is your next destination. Squeeze your boat between Katina island and Kornat island in a narrow passage of Proversa Vela which is 100m wide and 2m deep so be prepared to push the boat from the sides if necessary. This maneuver is known as (Dude, where did I bring my boat?!). Just kidding, you can get through without damage, only leg or two. Propel yourself outa there and, if you are lucky enough to catch the Maestral, Tramuntana or Bura (all north or north-west winds), you're up to some amazing sailing. As well as the entire Kornati Archipelago, this area is perfect for water sports. Just let your imagination do the work and test the water tension of the Adriatic.  There are two places for anchoring on Žut, in the ACI marina, or just underneath the north-west cape on the island. You could also spend a night a bit further east, in the bay of Hiljaća, but we would recommend getting to ACI marina to plug onto the shore power. Not much to see on Zut. Beside the marina and a restaurant close by, olive and fig trees, vineyards and old dry stone walls will be your only companions. That's what you're here for, right?

DAY 8 (Saturday)

Seeing and enjoying their property, it is only natural to check on the owners. As most of the island's olive fields are owned by the families of Murter island, this will be your next stop. On your way, passing by the island of Vrgada, an ideal place for swimming and more peace as it has no cars on it, although it is inhabited. Afterward, sail directly toward Murter and the Marina Hramina, or stay in Betina, a village just a jump away across the peninsula with another marina inside.  The route you should be taking, as the entrance to Murter looks like a chimney with the tiny islands appearing as puffs of smoke, is along the channel between the islands of Žminjak and Veliki Vinik and then around the little island Tegina if you go to Murter. This is the safest way as the sea is quite shallow around that area. For Betina, just continue after exiting the mentioned channel. When you set foot in Murter, start searching for the owner of the particular olive trees you touched while on Žut. This is a normal behavior in Croatia...always pay respect to the olive tree owner! After paying respects, check the town! Murter is beautiful, with the typical narrow streets, an old church and an ambient that you will always remember. Pick up a fig from the tree, check the old wooden boats used to reach Kornati and visit a museum of Murter's history and culture in Betina. This will give you the bigger picture of the island and its inhabitants.

DAY 9 (Sunday)

Still on the island of Murter, the next destination should be Tisno, meaning "tight" in English. The name fits perfectly as the town finds itself just on the point of 38m near collision of the island Murter and the mainland. The mobile bridge connecting them connects the two parts of Tisno as well, as it is a town on land and on the island, and is lifted every day at 9am and 5pm in order to let the boats pass by to shorten their passage up north. Tisno is a lovely little town, emerged on a great spot that was found useful through history, especially when the Turks raided the mainland in 16th century. Nowadays, it is best known for hosting The Garden festival and for the International donkey race taking place every second Saturday in August so try to catch the date while on your tour. Spend the night here in search of a perfect donkey for the race.   

DAY 10 (Monday)

Enough of peace and quiet of Kornati and Murter...off to Vodice.  An ACI marina in Vodice, protected from southern winds by two breakwaters, is where you secure your boat and start to explore this well-known little town, popular with tourists, with lots of entertainment, with excellent nightlife, lively bars, restaurants, and music performances on the seafront. After the tranquillity of Kornati and the natural peace of nature, this may be just what you are after. Dance, drink, eat junk food, feel the modern world at its best mixed with Dalmatian charm!

DAY 11 (Tuesday)

This day we will reserve for culture and history. Exiting the ACI marina Vodice, follow the coastline until you get to Sveti Ante channel. This channel connects the beautiful and historical town of Šibenik with the Adriatic and is protected with the formidable fortresses of St. Nicholas (same as the channel) that was built on a small island in the 16th century on a perfect strategic position as an answer to the increasing pressure from the Turks. The curious fact is, it was never attacked and it never launched an attack on any ship or army, same as Dubrovnik, as it looked impenetrable. This fact is exactly why you build fortresses. You can get the feeling just passing by it after more than 400 hundred years...would have thought more than twice if you wanted to conquer it by sea or land. With, hopefully, no casualties, continue to Šibenik. A must-see town will be your revelation for this cruise. One of the oldest Croatian towns, Šibenik is known as Croatian king Krešimir's town that emerged where the river Krka meets the Adriatic sea. In its time Croatian largest town and administration center, Šibenik is brimming with culture. The main attraction in the town is, without a second thought, St. James' (or Jacob's as name Jakov in Croatia is used both for James and Jacob) cathedral that was finished in the 16th century. The mixture of styles, from gothic to renaissance motives, and lots of individual contributions from several extraordinary architects that worked on the cathedral and it's inside, such as the Višeslav's baptistry, the dome, the beautiful portal and, most interesting, exterior frieze with 71 sculpted heads of unknown people that keep you companied when walking around marveling the work. To check the panoramic view of the town and surrounding islands climb up to the st. Michael's fortresses 70m above sea level and you will see why it was built and protected the passage to the town of Skradin, your next stop. Nowadays, it serves in cultural purposes as it hosts concerts and other events. Start sailing to it and get back to a more peaceful environment, today, as during history this was the place of many clashes because of its strategic position on the Krka river, an entrance to the hinterland. We know it doesn't seem like that now when you look at it, but Skradin was in hands of Illyrians, Romans, Croats, Turks. Nowadays, it is widely known for its beauty and as a starting point for daily trips to the Krka National Park, on your schedule tomorrow. Skradin also has an ACI marina, where you can anchor and spend the night in, the same as lots of big and luxurious yachts that come in this area. Maybe you see Roman Abramovič somewhere. We recommend some evening walks around the town. 

DAY 12 (Wednesday)

The next destination for this day is the National Park Krka. You can reach it on foot and get all the way to the famous waterfalls. You can even take a swim beneath the high waterfall of Skradinski Buk, but be careful where the area just close to it should be clear. Our recommendation is to take a tour of the whole park as it is a full-day adventure. Check the Croatian Tourism info station in Skradin to deduce the best option, but you should definitely take a walk through the cascades of Skradinski Buk as there are hiking trails, check the island of Visovac with the Franciscan monastery and get to Roški Slap waterfall. Above it, you can climb up to 220m along the 517 wooden steps to reach the prehistoric home of the first men, a cave inhabited continuously from 5000 to 1500 BC. Climb down and take a boat excursion through the Krka canyon with wonderful scenery and reach the orthodox monastery just on the verge of a sailable part of the Krka river.  After this, we suggest to sail off Skradin to the island of Zlarin or towards the bay of Grebastica on the coast. In either of these places you can spend the night. Zlarin is a beautiful island, not exploited like some of the other, bigger islands in Croatia. Known through history as an "island of corals", still the knowledge and craft of making the jewelry from corals persist in the Zlarin families so make sure to get one of your own. The rest of the day can be spent in Croatian classics: sun, beach, sea and delicious specialties in your belly floating in the domestic wine sorts. 

DAY 13 (Thursday)

After a good sleep get yourself to the bay of Rogoznica and take an anchor at Ražanj, the small fishing village on the south side. On the opposite side, you will find the modern Marina Frapa in Rogoznica. Being one of the most beautiful marinas on the Adriatic, with excellent facilities and good restaurants, this marina will mix it up for you after enjoying natural beauties as the club inside the marina is well-known and frequently visited.  Drop by to check the Zmajevo Oko (the Dragon's Eye), the famous seawater lake, just a couple hundred meters behind the marina. Many legends link up to this lake, most popular saying that it will grant unconditional love, offspring, and prosperity to the lovers that bathe inside the Eye. If that doesn't suit you, please do not hesitate to call us and we will make one up just for you and your preferences.

DAY 14 (Friday)

The last day of your journey is the day the fairy tale ends where it started, in Split. Start sailing back and choose if you want to swim a little bit more or involve in a little bit of sightseeing of Split, if you haven't done this prior to your cruise. For a swim, you can drop by and say hello to the crickets of Blue Lagoon or head for the beach of Kasjuni just beneath the Marjan hill in Split. A beautiful beach with a bar and other facilities is what can refresh you enough after a long sail.  Before the dark falls, please refuel the boat and catch the berth that awaits your boat our ACI marina. There's still time to go to the town and feel the pulse of the old meeting modern. Don't overfeel it as we have a check out in the morning!