Archive for February, 2008
February 5th, 2008 | 
Author: It’s that time of year when you start dreaming about drifting from island to island, being governed by nothing but the prevailing winds and your own whims. Well, the Croatian Islands are there to satisfy your every nautical fantasy. No matter your level of experience and/or energy level, there’s a way for you to sail the Croatian coast.
Let’s say you don’t know tack from tick. Let somebody else do the work! You can take a surprisingly affordable gulet cruise holiday in Croatia that allows you to island hop, bike, hike or relax at sea with a congenial group. Lasting from seven days to two weeks, you can embark from Rijeka, Zadar, Trogir or Dubrovnik. Read more.
For more flexibility, consider yacht or sailboat charter in Croatia. For experienced old salts, you can do a “bareboat charter” choosing from among 140 companies specialized in Croatia yacht charters. Otherwise, there’s the skippered boat option which puts you in the hands of an experienced local to guide you through the Adriatic waters. Read more.
Where to go for the best sailing in Croatia? Read these accounts of Croatia sailing:
- All at Sea on Croatia’s Coast from the Belfast Telegraph recounts a luxury sailing holiday that covers the Kornati Islands and Krka Waterfalls National Park.
- Plain Sailing around Croatia from the Times Online gives a vivid description of bouncing around the southern Dalmatian islands on a yacht.
See more about Sailing Croatia and Practical Sailing Tips on Croatia’s winds, waves and sailing seasons.
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If it’s Fat Tuesday it must be the end of the spectacular Rijeka Carnival. Beginning on January 17, most Carnival festivities officially ended on February 3 with the final lowering of the Carnival flag. But it was a wild few weeks. Each year the Rijeka Carnival induces some 10,000 people to don costumes and parade the streets alongside 100 Carnival floats. There’s a Children’s Parade, and International Parade, masked balls and a prestigious Carnival party not to mention the famous Rijeka Bell Ringers. Naturally, the ever-lively Rijeka nightlife reaches fever pitch until the whole extravaganza ends with the Burning of the Pust. And now it’s all over until next year.
Read more about the Rijeka Carnival and other sights to see in Rijeka.
What could be nicer than starting in Venice and then meandering down the Croatian coast? The medieval Venetians liked it so much they decided to stay a few hundred years. If you have somewhat less time to visit Croatia, you’ll appreciate the fast passenger ferries that whisk you from Venice to a number of Istrian towns and as far south as Mali Losinj. (See schedules and online booking)
The Venice to Istria catamarans have been operating for several summers now and it’s good to see that the 2008 timetables show more frequent ferries and the routes are starting earlier (from the beginning of April) and ending later (October 18 is the last run). Pula and Rabac are especially well-served this year.
As the boats from Istria often leave in the morning, it’s also convenient to take a day trip to Venice from Rovinj or Porec.
The only problem with these routes is that they make poor starting points for visiting the southern Croatian coast. There was once a ferry connection from Pula to Mali Losinj to Zadar but there’s no word if or when it will start again this year. And the popular Venice to Split ferry of a few years ago seems to have been relegated to the mists of history.
See more on: Venice to Istria ferries and Ferries to Croatia and how to travel to Croatia.
