Bring the Caribbean to Europe with an idyllic yacht tour of Croatia’s stunning beaches and historic seaside towns
CRYSTAL-clear waters gently lapped a white pebble shore as dolphins weaved around a few hundred yards away.
It might be jutting out from the island of Bol, but Croatia’s Golden Horn beach looked like it belonged in the balmy Caribbean.
A translucent ocean filled with shoals of fish surrounds a triangle- shaped shore, backed by lush green trees and rocky hills.
We had made our way here on a 50m superyacht and Bol was just one of the stops on our scenic ocean tour of Croatia’s beautiful beaches and historic seaside towns.
Our sparkling Freedom boat was kitted out with a saloon, a five-star dining suite and on the floor below that, a cinema room — plus 11 ensuite bedrooms.
And with yacht captains able to dock anywhere they like in Croatia, we had access to some of the most secluded spots in the country, away from the usual tourist chaos.
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Until now such luxury was just for the rich and famous, but we’d hired our yacht from rental company, Goolets, which offers itineraries for large groups and families from just over £3,000pp for a week. This includes four hours’ fuel for cruising, a full crew and 5pm tea and snacks.
It’s not cheap, but it does put celebrity-style yachting within reach for those with a bit of cash to splash.
The superstar treatment began from the moment I stepped on board the glamorous vessel.
There was a chief steward steaming my bedding, deckhands shining any handrail in sight, and a talented chef cooking incredible gourmet food.
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Over the next four days, we were able to tick plenty of Croatia off our bucket lists, all from the comfort of our floating hotel.
In Korcula, we were told how Marco Polo was thought to have fallen in love here, while on the coast of Vis, we visited the Blue Grotto, a magical sea cave with glowing blue waters reminiscent of Disney film, The Little Mermaid.
The real perk of holidaying this way though is there’s no wasted time when travelling — while sailing from island to island you can take advantage of the boat’s top-deck gym, pool, hot tub and bar.
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We were determined to cram as much as possible into our cruise of Croatia’s impressive Dalmatian coast, but if busy tours aren’t your thing, there are plenty of laid-back options.
That’s the other beauty of chartering a private yacht — each itinerary is built entirely around you, says Goolets’ boss, Mitja Mirtic.
He said: “When we’ve had no choice for so long, people love the opportunity to build their own holiday. And when you come here on these boats, you can visit so many different places that you probably wouldn’t ever see.”
He wasn’t wrong. The open-air Moro Beach Bar, on a small island off the coast of Korcula, is only accessible by boat and is far from your ordinary beach bar. Tables spill out on to the pebble shore, with mountain views, and a teeny wooden shack on the edge of the water sells icy cocktails.
It’s the sparkling wine that you’ll really want to try though. The bar serves Croatia’s Ostreum — stored underwater in an old sunken boat, bottles are plucked from the ocean and served to guests with barnacles still clinging to the glass surface.
Back on the boat, our on-board chefs crafted deliciously fresh dishes with home-made almond croissants and fluffy custard doughnuts for breakfast, and fresh gnocchi followed by gooey macaroons for dinner.
Plus there’s an endless choice of incredible seafood almost everywhere along the Dalmatian coast.
It’s not just the five-star grub or luxury wines that draws people into Croatia though, says Mitja.
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“We don’t care about the glitz and the glamour of Monaco,” he says. “People come here to relax.”
And that’s what I did. Floating across the sun-soaked Adriatic staring at the glittering sea from our superyacht’s top deck.
GO: Croatia
COVID: Fully vaccinated travellers whose most recent jab was within past 270 days can enter Croatia without quarantine/ testing. Otherwise proof of a negative PCR test, taken within 72hr of arrival, or lateral flow, taken within 24hr of arrival is needed.
STAYING THERE: The 11-cabin Freedom superyacht is available for private charter only. One week costs from £3,090.91pp, based on full occupancy, including four hours’ fuel for cruising, crew, beach towels, wifi, tea and snacks. Runs Feb-Oct. See goolets.net or call +44-203-318-1079.
GETTING THERE: British Airways flies Heathrow to Split from £52 return. ba.com.
