VITALYCA
EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM
SAILING IN CROATIA
Croatia, a country more famous for its thousands of islands and islets than for attractions, which are not lacking, on the mainland. On this side of the Adriatic, we have often heard about the Croatian islands and archipelagos. Maybe we've even been there several times promising to return. The complex of Croatian islands and the cities that host the inhabitants is so vast that to visit all or most of it requires many sailing holidays or a very long navigation of perhaps 3 or 4 months. This year Vitalyca will sail only the south of the country, exploring the archipelagos and large islands located just north of Dubrovnik
locality of
embarkation and disembarkation
WEEKLY DEPARTURES
Saturday 6 July
Embarkation in Termoli
disembarkation in Dubrovnik
Saturday 13 July
Embarkation and disembarkation in Dubrovnik
Saturday 20 July
Embarkation and disembarkation in Dubrovnik
Come arrivare a Dubrovnik
Voli diretti dagli aeroporti di
How to get to Dubrovnik
Direct flights from the airports of
the VITALYCA team can help you find the right flight
transfers
airport/marina/airport
For each arrival at the indicated airports vitalyca has organized the transfer to and from the arrival and departure airports.
The transfer is included in the All-Inclusive formula only if carried out on the same embarkation and disembarkation days which always take place on Saturdays. The transfers included are exclusively to and from the airport.
If, for any reason, it is not possible to use a transfer service
we will use taxis from local companies
participation methods
All Inclusive formula
As per the contract that we will send at the time of the booking request, the booking is considered confirmed upon payment of the deposit equal to 60% of the full price. Once you have paid the participation fee you will not have to think about anything anymore as it will be our job to relieve you of any tasks or worries. You will only have to think about laughing, doing water activities, participating in maneuvers or taking it easy
reading or why not, lazing around, all day
Ironically, on board VITALYCA,
you could go on holiday
no wallet, but bring it :)
We know well that it is a formula that is rarely offered, but many years of experience on charters have taught us that it is a winning solution and that, to add another drop of comfort to your holidays, we also want to adopt on board VITALYCA.
You can check the features here
of the all-inclusive formula
and, if you have already had some sailing holidays,
you'll notice the difference :)
rates per person
participation fee in OUR all-inclusive formula
double cabin for cruising excluding air flights
it is 1380 euros per person
check here
Our sailing route
Depending on the weather conditions we will decide in which order to visit the cities, villages and islands that we will visit on this trip
Arrived in Dubrovnik, a fascinating city full of history. We will begin our adventure by exploring the magnificent old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will visit the imposing medieval walls that surround the old city, offering us a spectacular view of the city and the Adriatic Seaor. Strolling we walk along the suggestive stone-paved streets and admire the splendid Renaissance buildings, churches, and fountains.
After the (wonderful) visit we will finally board VITALYCA we will begin sailing towards the enchanting Lokrum Island inhabited by peacocks and rabbits, offering nature trails in a very well-kept landscaped environment.
Located a short distance from the coast of Dubrovnik, it is a true natural paradise. Hidden paths and botanical gardens create a surreal atmosphere. A dip in the crystal clear waters of its splendid coves and we prepare for the night at anchor, enjoying the peace and serenity of the sea. A dinner all together admiring our first sunset on the Dalmatian coast.
During navigation, we will stop at the small archipelago of Vjesala where the first dive of our holiday awaits us.
the program of the first day of travel can vary considerably depending on the time of your arrival at Dubrovnik airport. The following program is to leave Dubrovnik city the following day. If you had arrived a day earlier or with a morning flight we could perhaps bring forward our program a little which in general will take place as follows in the following sections of this page.
Vitalyca is ready to welcome you on board starting from 5pm every Saturday(see departure calendar above) at the Dubrovnik Marina or at the Old Ragusa Marina closest to Dubrovnik's Zračna Luka airport (see flights in the section above). You will find a transfer ready for you upon your arrival at the airport which will take you to boarding.
Day 2: ELAPHITI ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO
These islands extend parallel to the coast in a northwest-south-east direction to form the Kolocep channel. The islands Olipa, Jakljan, Sipan, Lopud and the islets Daska, Ruda, Tajan, Sveti Andrija and Crkvice form the archipelago. The ELAPHITI islands are separated from each other by numerous passages that offer unexpected views, such as the strait between Vratnik and Olip, about 200 meters wide or between Jakljan and Sipan, the passage called Porta Pompeiana or between Sipan and Lopud, the strait called Porta di Mezzo less than 40 meters wide while the island of KOLOCEP is separated from Lopud by the Calamotta Gate and between Kolocep and the mainland the passage called Great Gate. SIPAN is the largest of the Elaphites: an island where people have always gone to relax and enjoy a mix of tranquility and culture. The two main villages, Sipanska Luka and Sudurad, offer buildings dating back to the Middle Ages such as the 11th-century St. John's Church. In the past, noble families from Dubrovnik built their summer residences. The island is therefore rich in myths, legends, and anecdotes that revolve around the lives of these noble, often extravagant, families. We need to find someone to tell them to us.
LOKRUM, also known as the cursed island, is famous for its spectacular and lush nature and some will remember it as one of the sets of the Game of Thrones series 'The Heart of the Dead Sea' or You probably want to miss the visit the to the mysterious Benedictine Monastery, swimming in the 'Dead Sea' walk among the numerous peacocks that have colonized the island or go as far as the naturist beach. KOLOCEP is the closest to the mainland and also the smallest. A population of around 300 inhabitants resides in the two villages of the island, Gornje Celo and Donje Celo, it is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Without cars, it is an ideal place for walking following one of the paths that cross it extensively. Some interesting churches worth a short visit San Sergius, San Nicola and the Holy Trinity, date back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
DAKSA, a 500 meter long islet, has the shape of a crescent and protects the port of Gruz from the mistral wind. Here there are some luxurious villas and a 19 meter high lighthouse built in 1973. The island, owned by some families who emigrated to America, was put up for sale in 2000. Here we find historical evidence starting from a Franciscan monastery from the 1200s or the Santa Sabina; in 1370 they were enlarged, equipped with a mill and a rainwater cistern, then in 1442 it became (why!) the property of the Church, after 4 centuries it sold it to wealthy private individuals. A series of other owners followed over the centuries until the last known owner, who now resides in Peru with no desire to return to his homeland.
JAKLJAN is 5 km long and while its western coast is high and steep overlooking the sea, the eastern one is low and accessible: here is the tiny Porto Galera where we will probably stop for a while
will we be able to visit them all or will we finish tomorrow...? we'll talk about it at dinner
Day 3: MLJET ISLAND
The island of MLJET is the southernmost of the large islands of Croatia.
It is said that Mljet is the island Ogygia, where Ulysses was held prisoner by the nymph Calypso. The island is 37 km long and only 3 km wide and is almost entirely covered in woods (mostly Aleppo pine and holm oaks). Its highest peak is Mount Veli Gradac which rises up to 1000 m above sea level, while Mali Gradac is 488 m high above sea level: among the karst hills there are fields or sinkholes with red earth, while in the interior on the island there are the "slatine" springs where eels are fished. The National Park created in 1960 is in the western part of the island and includes the two lakes Veliko and Malo Jezero (Lake Maggiore and Lake Minor) which, in reality, are not real lakes, but two bays separated from the open sea by narrow channels . In the center of one of the two bays (Veliko Jezero) stands the islet of S. Maria which houses the 12th century Benedictine convent of the same name.
The fauna includes martens, wild cats, turtles, numerous birds, and the gray mongoose introduced on the island in 1910 to curb the proliferation of vipers. In the central part of the island, reachable on foot with a path, there are two important caves while on the north-eastern coast we will reach the bay of Soline, a dream place indescribable in words, the pretty port of Pomena and the port of Polace, the tourist and pulsating heart of the island. Worth visiting are the villages scattered across the island, rich in Roman remains and from different eras including Babine Kuce on the shore of the Great Lake, one of the oldest centers of Mljet, Okuklje burned to the ground in 1693 by pirates, the Saplunara Nature Reserve with its sandy beaches and the incredible panorama that unfolds around us as we navigate the various archipelagos that arise to the north and east of the island. Magnificent
Tonight we will have experienced so many emotions and visited so many places that we won't be able to remember everything even after a few hours.
Until tomorrow....
Day 4: LASTOVO
Ehehem...
I apologize gentlemen, but it's ten thirty in the morning, breakfast has been ready for a while and I took the liberty of waking you up to start our adventure together again with a day of sailing where we will have the opportunity to learn many things about sailing from our more experienced teachers: The wind and the sea.
For now let's say goodbye to MLJET and head towards the North-West to reach LESTOVO in the morning where the sea is very clear and of an almost mysterious blue, in some places it is shallow, 6/7 metres, while in other parts it drops to 70/ 130 meters deep; it is rich in fish and the seabed is spectacular, full of aquatic life and surprising underwater environments if we think of being in the Adriatic Sea.
If, as planned, we spend the night in POMENA, only 15 miles separate us from the next stop. During navigation we also come across the small Glavat archipelago and if time permits, we take a couple of laps with the tender and go down to visit the lighthouse, what do you think? Proceeding from the south we immediately encounter the bay of Skrivena Luka which, protected from all winds, owes its name to the fact that it is not visible from the open sea: its name means "HIDDEN PORT". Then we find the promontory of Struga with the lighthouse of the same name built in 1839 which dominates a splendid bay. After the Second War Lastovo, like nearby Vis, became a military island, with foreigners forbidden to visit it: for this reason it developed for tourism during the era of invasive construction and has preserved many of its traditions intact, especially the care for nature and the environment. Since 1988 the island has been open to visitors and since 1992 it has been demilitarized, but they are still visible defensive turrets, military tunnels and other buildings of historical interest. The Zaklopatica bay, in the eastern part 2 km from the town of Lastovo, is a paradise for divers and sailors, is full of taverns and restaurants with a subtle atmosphere and enjoys a spectacular view of the island Korcula which we will reach tomorrow morning starting early Now.
Are you tired or should we take a walk before sleeping?
NOTE:the visit to the island of LESTOVO (if done decently without touch and go) 'scheduled' for the 4th day and described above, involves an increase of approximately 45 miles of navigation which can be covered in approximately eight hours. It could be compromised by some variables that cannot be foreseen at the moment. We will decide together by evaluating the possible options based on the weather conditions of the next three days and the time left available to return to Dubrovnik...
Day 5: KORKULA
Enchanting beaches, ancient villages, dense forests, an ancient dance and fine white wines: you have arrived in Korčula, the island where some claim that Marco Polo was born. We will try to understand the origin of this curiosity
news by visiting his alleged home. 47 km long but only 5 km wide, the island of Korčula ensures that you will never be far from the sea at any time. Numerous beaches, bays, inlets and coves that line the coast while the hinterland is rich in history and folklore: the most spectacular tradition is undoubtedly the sword dance, handed down for centuries and today performed on several occasions to the delight of tourists . The landscape is dominated by dense forests, but there is also ample space for expanses of vineyards, orchards and olive groves. The white wines produced on the island are really interesting, and for this reason they are attracting an ever-increasing number of travelers who love food and wine tourism combined with the nature that dominates the island and the sea that surrounds it. we reach this large island and immediately find three or four bays where we can start our day in an aquatic way and eat something after the short crossing. As soon as possible, that is when we want, we round Cape Raznjic to access the bay of Korčula, the capital of the island, but not before having explored the small magnificent islands of the archipelago to the east of the city
here we will disembark to visit the city and probably spend the night in the marina. We'll find out... together.
Corzola offers a lot to tourists. First of all, breathtaking views of the bay and the surrounding islands, the historic center and the monuments deserve a slightly longer stop...
Day 6 : HVAR
Come what may today we wake up at dawn, many miles of sea await us and many places to visit along the western coast of the very long HVAR peninsula
After leaving the splendid area of the Korčula channel we will skirt much of the eastern side of HVAR trying to reach, perhaps by sunset, the southern end of the island where we will stop for a magnificent dinner in the harbor and a splendid night under the stars.
There are many places that we will encounter while exploring many kilometers of wild and virtually uninhabited coast. dozens of inlets between gentle headlands without vegetation hide coves or tiny beaches where you can stop and have fun with aperitifs and music or enjoying the silence and the seascape where the sunlight is blinding and the turquoise of the shallow waters is the predominant colour. Today will be a day full of sea, wind, sun, good food and good company.
A small village and a town, both magnificent, overlook two small bays facing each other within a larger gulf. Trstenik and Zuljana are beautiful, perfect marinas, with a pre-modern atmosphere and above all surrounded by absolute nothingness.
We still have a couple of wonderful beaches before arriving at the safe harbor of SIPANSKA LUKA to spend the last evening together.
It's almost time to say goodbye. With a bit of headache we are forced to tidy up on board and put our things in the bags before ending up in bed too tired and no longer able to do so :)
Breakfast and go.
What time do you have the plane?
Day 7: DUBROVNIK
DubrovnikIt is above all a destination for summer trips, thanks to the beaches, the crystal clear sea and the nightlife.
a hypothetical quick visit itinerary starts from the large entrance door to the historic centre: Porta Pile, then entering the Old City and walking along the long 'Stradun' avenue which leads to the beautiful Piazza della Loggia, the Church of San Biagio and the Palazzo dei Rettori .
Afterwards, if you can, take the cable car to go up Mount Srd, from which you can admire a beautiful panoramic view of Dubrovnik and its surroundings!!! amazing! Or enjoy a wonderful walk on the ancient walls perhaps at sunset (2 hours), the most evocative time to visit them! If you can also stop in the city in the evening, have dinner in the historic centre, and then enjoy the evening in the romantic Porto Vecchio area!
Although September is statistically an exceptional month for visiting the lower Adriatic, the travel program that we have built in detail, like any sailing trip, is sensitive to variations based on weather conditions which
obviously, we cannot predict except in a short time. advance.
In this case, the crew, after a careful analysis of current and future weather conditions, in agreement with the guests,
will do everything possible to limit the changes by proposing alternative stages and activities if necessary.