Sail Šibenik region.

Šibenik sits in a river gorge, not on open coast. You leave the marina, pass under the Šibenik bridge, and thread St Anthony's Channel — a narrow, current-run gap with a 16th-century fort on the headland — before the sea opens up. It is the quietest way into Dalmatia. Two national parks are within a day's sail: the Kornati archipelago to the west and Krka's waterfalls up the river to the east. Fewer big charter fleets pile out of here than out of Split, so the anchorages read calmer in July. The town itself is stone, steep and unglossed — a UNESCO cathedral, a Venetian fort, and a working fish quay rather than a promenade of chain bars. Right for sailors who want islands without the Hvar crowds; less right for anyone whose week is built around nightlife.

The short version: west for the Kornati, north for Murter and Vodice, east up the river for Krka and Skradin. The Kornati is the draw — 89 islands, most uninhabited, brown-grey and treeless, ringed by drystone walls where nothing else grows. It sails like nowhere else in the Adriatic: bare rock, deep water close in, and a scatter of konoba coves where the owner cooks whatever the day's catch was. Closer to home, Murter, Vodice and Primošten give you shorter hops, tucked harbours and reliable evening berths. Up the Krka river, past the Skradin lock, you tie up in a freshwater basin below the falls — a rare thing, a sailboat sitting in a river. Prvić, Zlarin and Kaprije are the smaller near islands, good for a lazy first or last night.

The base spread is wide, so pick your start point by what you want to sail first. The main Šibenik marinas sit in the gorge, sheltered and close to the airport transfer road. Vodice and Tribunj put you a short reach north with easy Kornati access. Murter — with marinas at both Betina and the town — is the classic Kornati jump-off; you can be inside the park within two hours. Primošten and Rogoznica marinas sit south, handy if you're routing toward Trogir or Split. Skradin's marina is your Krka berth. Konoba coves in the Kornati mostly offer laid moorings tied to dinner ashore; expect to pay the national park entry fee on top, bought online or from the ranger boat.

The season runs May to October. June and September are the pick — warm water, thinner crowds, steadier air. July and August are hot and busy, with the most reliable wind but the fullest coves; book early and anchor early. The two winds to know: the maestral, a thermal north-westerly that fills most summer afternoons to 10-18 knots and dies at dusk — a genuine sailing breeze you can plan around. The other is the bura, a cold, gusty north-easterly off the mountains that arrives fast, mostly in spring and autumn, and flattens after a day or two. The Kornati offer little tree shelter, so watch the forecast before committing to an exposed anchorage overnight.

Both bareboat and crewed charters run from these bases, the fleet weighted heavily toward bareboat. Bareboat suits anyone with the paperwork and a bit of Med experience — the grounds are forgiving, distances short, and the marinas well spaced for nightly berthing. Crewed options are fewer but available if you'd rather not skipper: a professional skipper knows the Kornati passages and the current in St Anthony's Channel, and can be added to most bareboat yachts if you want the boat to yourself but not the responsibility. Monohulls dominate; catamarans are here too and worth it for families who want deck space and shallow-draught anchoring. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and crew and we'll match the boat.

Weekly bareboat rates swing with boat size, age and season. A mid-size monohull in the shoulder months sits well below the same boat in the first fortnight of August. Catamarans run considerably higher than monohulls foot-for-foot. On top of the charter fee, budget for: the end-cleaning fee, fuel (you pay for what you burn), the security deposit or damage waiver, tourist tax, transit log, and Kornati and Krka national park entry fees, which are charged per boat per day inside the parks. A skipper, if you take one, is an added daily rate plus their food. For a firm figure on a specific boat and week, Price on request — send us the dates on WhatsApp.

Day 1: board in Šibenik, provision, and drop down to Prvić or Zlarin for a settled first night close to base. Day 2: through to Murter, top up water and food, then across to the eastern Kornati and anchor off Kornat itself. Day 3: work through the archipelago, lunch in a konoba cove, overnight on a laid mooring with dinner ashore. Day 4: sail the outer islands and the Mana cliffs, then back toward Žut. Day 5: north to Vodice or Tribunj for a town night and a proper restaurant. Day 6: reach south and up the river to Skradin, through the lock, tie in the freshwater basin and take the boat-shuttle to Krka's falls. Day 7: gentle sail back down to Šibenik. Adjust freely — the grounds reward improvising with the maestral.

Split airport is the usual arrival, roughly an hour's drive south of the Šibenik marinas; Zadar airport is a similar distance to the north and often cheaper. Both have transfer services and car hire, and the coast road down is straightforward. Trains reach Šibenik via a connection at Perković. Provisioning is easy — supermarkets near the main marinas, the town fish market for the first-night dinner, and smaller shops on Murter and in Vodice for top-ups. Buy your national park tickets before you sail if you can; it saves the ranger-boat scramble. Handover and briefing happen at the base on your first afternoon.