1185 islands (only 66 of them inhabited), 5835 km of coastline,
a local people with an intimate knowledge of the sea and an ever-expanding marine industry to cater to your every need. Where? Croatia, of course.

Croatia is now one of the top yacht charter destinations in the world, with its incredible coastline, vast number of accessible islands and a mild Mediterranean climate which allows for comfortable sailing and cruising for at least 6 months a year.

Situated in central Europe along the eastern coast of the Adriatic, Croatia borders Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro and has a maritime border with Italy. It is within ideal reach of most of Europe and cheap flights are available from Wizz Air, Easyjet and Ryanair to name but a few.

Marina-wise, there are around 30,000 berths, some of them in the prettiest places around, such as Trogir - a town which has UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Of its 50 marinas (at the last count) 21 are owned by the very professional ACI group and the larger marinas are well equipped with technical services, lifting facilities, fuel stations, nautical shops and catering services.

The best known sailing grounds, the Kornati Islands, have had everyone from George Bernard Shaw to Alfred Hitchcock singing their praises. But there's so much more to sailing in Croatia. To quote Lonely Planet, "the long, rugged islands off Croatia's mountainous coast all the way from Istria to Dubrovnik make this a yachting paradise."

From Istria in the far north to Dubrovnik in the south, there is any number of beautiful anchorages, lively towns and pretty little fishing villages enjoying a pace of life which hasn't changed in 30 years. For picturesque berths, try Korcula town, Vis, Cavtat, Primosten and Trogir. For great sailing around Dugi Otok followed by nightlife, just start and end your journey in Zadar. For spectacular waterfalls sail along the estuary at Sibenik to Skradin and the Krka estuary and national park (the Croatian language isn't big on vowels!) The ever-popular islands of Brac (pronounced brache), Hvar and Rab are also always worth a visit. Croatia's full sailing calendar also means that there always seems to be a regatta or some kind of festival going on somewhere.

John Harkness of Boatshed Dalmatia says, "We moved here for the sailing and we haven't been disappointed. Ideally, if we had time, we would travel around Croatia solely by sea, visiting, listing and photographing boats and talking to their owners on the water. The motorway may be state of the art and fast, but it doesn't give you quite the same view you get from a boat."

If Boatshed Dalmatia can help you make the most of Croatia's amazing sailing by helping you find your perfect boat here just log onto www.boatsheddalmatia.com or telephone John or Lynn on +385 (0) 23 77 70 01
or +385 (0) 99 72 32 580.