Vodice as your starting point for Sailing Holidays Croatia

Vodice is a famous and trendy "tourist flower" award-winning city.

It carries the title of one of the most popular places to stay or to stop for many years, and that's for a reason. It has a rich seasonal offer-from fine dining to evenings with open concerts to a famous clubbing scene - Vodice has something for everyone. When it comes to the yacht charter, it is a great starting point for discovering beautiful islands and bays of the Sibenik and Kornati archipelago. Some locations in Croatia can claim the title of a sailing tourist's dream come true. Vodice as your starting point for Sailing Holidays in Croatia, has plenty to offer regarding a yacht charter holiday.

Marina in Vodice

People think that Vodice is a great place to spend a holiday and a great place to start sailing to nearby islands. The ACI marina in Vodice is open all year round, located northeast of the port, and is protected by two seawalls. It is open every day of the year. There are 80 land berths and 320 sea berths. All of them have water and electricity.

Locating a harbour will be fine since there is an ACI Marina Vodice at the centre of town, situated in the northeastern part of Vodice harbour and protected by two breakwaters. Berths are equipped with water and electricity. In addition, you will find the reception desk and necessary facilities such as a supermarket, coffee bar, showers and toilets and everything you might need.

There are good links with Europe from Zadar and Split International Airports (within an hour's reach). Moreover, Vodice represents a perfect starting point for a cruise to the nearby Šibenik archipelago consisting of hundreds of islands and islets, but also to the astonishing Krka National Park we described in our post before, which you can find here: Click here for Sibenik.

Here are some popular sailing destinations if you start from Vodice:

Kornati Archipelago

Kornati islands are a sea paradise made up of 89 islands, islets, cliffs, and reefs. They are in the northern part of Dalmatia. The best way to see their beautiful landscape is by sailing between them on the clear sea or from a lookout point on one of the islands. The Kornati islands are beautiful no matter how you look at them, and it is worth your time to see them in different ways. About two-thirds of the land and water area of the Kornati archipelago is now a national park.

People often call them the "stone pearls of the Mediterranean." They are Croatia's largest, most curved, and most beautiful island group.

The crown-shaped cliffs that face the open sea may have given the Kornati archipelago its name (corona – Kornati). On the Kornati islands, there are many different kinds of plants and animals, including about 850 species of marine life.

The islands' dry-stone walls and olive groves show how vital farming was in the past. They show how hard people have worked to make these beautiful islands their homes. So why is there nothing on the Kornati? The Kornati islands used to have dense forests of holm oak and pine trees, but they were cut down during the Illyrian period to make pastures and farmland. Since these areas have been used for thousands of years, the trees have been cut down, and the islands have turned into rocks.

Ravni Zakan

The island of Ravni Zakan is a 0.3 km2 island at the southern entrance to the Kornati National Park that has no people living on it. Therefore, Zakan is a great place to explore the nearby Kornati and other islands.

After a long day of sailing and swimming in the clean Adriatic Sea, Zakan is an excellent place to relax in a quiet harbour and enjoy tasty food and comfortable lodging. It's a great place to have a romantic dinner, hang out with friends, do business, or build a team. No matter your choice, you will have a time you will never forget.

Zirje Island

Žirje Island lies off the mainland coast of Croatia, 11 miles WSW of the port of Šibenik and four miles SE of the Kornati archipelago. It is the largest in a group of islands stretching between it and the channel leading into Luka Šibenik, the 'inland sea' off the port of Šibenik. The island's population survive mainly on agriculture (grapes, olives and plums), fishing and a little tourism. There are the remains of a 6th-century Byzantine castle on the hill above the anchorage of Stupica Vela.

Zirje Island is located in the Adriatic Sea, just 11 miles to the west-southwest of the city of Sibenik and four miles to the southeast of the Kornati archipelago. It is the largest island among a cluster of islands that span between it and the strait that leads into the Port of Sibenik. The primary means of subsistence for the island's people are agriculture (grapes, olives, and plums), fishing, and, to a lesser extent, tourism. On the hill that overlooks the Stupica Vela anchorage can be seen the ruins of a Byzantine stronghold that dates back to the 6th century.

The most popular anchorage for boaters on Zirje is Vela Stupica Bay. Many mooring buoys are in front of the inn at the end of the bay, which is open to southeasterly winds.

The water in the wide bay is clear, and there are a lot of buoys. All winds, except the Jugo (southeast wind), are well protected. When the south wind blows, the bay is a bit wavy. There is a restaurant in the northwestern part of the island. From there, you can walk up the mountain's ridge to the ruins of an old Byzantine fortress. From up there, you can see the bay and the Adriatic Sea.

Primošten

Primosten is located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, approximately 12 miles S of Sibenik and five miles NNW of Rogoznica. It was initially found on an island and walled to protect it from Turkish and other invaders.

Today, it is a charming town with winding, mediaeval lanes that lead up to a prominent church bell tower. Primosti is a Croatian verb that means "to cover with a bridge." This is probably where the name came from. Primosten has been a well-known tourist destination since it was recently linked to the mainland by a causeway, and the town is located on the island. Mooring on the short town pier, where there are set moorings with water and electricity, is an option for visiting boats. Alternatively, visiting yachts can pick up one of the 25 mooring buoys laid along the shore on the bay's eastern side. The protection provided by the shelter is satisfactory during calm conditions; however, an unpleasant groundswell is felt if the wind direction is either south or west. The tall church is an easily recognisable landmark that marks the entrance to the peninsula that Primosten occupies at its highest point. Remember that Primosten should not be used when the southwest wind is strong.

In such conditions, the marina located two miles to the south-southeast of Primosten is known as Marina Kremik.

This marina provides better cover and approximately 400 berths for ships in the area for a visit.

For more detailed sailing routes, visit our Sailing from Sibenik region page: SAILING ROUTE and find more detailed information on recommended destinations and sailing routes under Itinerary.