Croatia by Private Yacht: Beautiful Places, Good Friends, and Plans to Return

Some trips are so good that you start planning the next one before the first is even over. That’s exactly what happened on our 2026 Croatia yacht charter.

We spent a week cruising the Adriatic aboard our privately chartered luxury yacht, swimming in unbelievably clear water, exploring centuries-old towns, enjoying delicious Croatian food and wine, and laughing…a lot.

But when I think back on that week, the beautiful places aren’t the only things that stand out.

It’s the spontaneous stops, the long dinners, the ridiculous jokes, and the pleasure of traveling with a group of clients who, somewhere along the Croatian coast, became friends.

Somewhere along the way, I discovered a little Croatian word that perfectly summed up the whole experience:

Pomalo.

I’ll tell you more about that in a minute.

Our Croatia Adventure Begins in Split

After nearly two years of planning, nothing beats arriving at a destination and seeing everything finally come together, especially when you’re bringing a group along for the adventure.

We started in Split, where everyone gathered before boarding our yacht.

Our home for those first couple of nights was the Cornaro Hotel, right in the heart of the city. We watched the sunset from the hotel’s rooftop, then woke up early enough the next morning to see the sun rising over Split.

Yes, I voluntarily got up early on vacation. Croatia will do that to you. One thing that struck me was just how clean the city was.

While most of Split was still sleeping, the trash trucks and street cleaners were already hard at work getting Old Town ready for another day. We wandered through the narrow streets, listened to the church bells ringing, and enjoyed having the city mostly to ourselves before the crowds arrived.

We also got a sneak peek at our yacht, Aretha, while the crew provisioned her for our week at sea. After months of coordinating every detail, seeing her there made it all feel real.

The following afternoon, we stepped aboard, met our crew, enjoyed a welcome reception, and set sail toward the island of Brač.

Let the adventure begin!

The Very Difficult Routine of Life on a Private Yacht

It didn’t take long for everyone to settle into life aboard. 

Wake up somewhere beautiful. Enjoy breakfast. Go for a swim in the Adriatic. Explore a new town. Have a leisurely meal and perhaps a glass of Croatian wine.

Repeat… I know. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it. 😂

One of my favorite things about traveling by private yacht is the flexibility. We have an itinerary, of course, but we also have the freedom to make adjustments when an opportunity presents itself.

And one of our favorite stops wasn’t even on the original plan.

While cruising toward Hvar, we decided to stop at Zlatni Rat, the famous Golden Horn Beach on the island of Brač. That’s the beauty of this kind of travel. When the conditions and schedule allow, we can change course, drop anchor, and enjoy something we hadn’t planned.

No rushing to catch a bus. No worrying about getting back to a cruise ship with thousands of other passengers. Just the freedom to enjoy where we are.

Just a beautiful beach, a yacht waiting for us, and the freedom to enjoy the moment. I could definitely get used to this.

Actually, I think we all did.

Hvar: A Little History, a Little Glamour, and My Introduction to Pomalo

We spent our next two nights on the island of Hvar, where we experienced two very different sides of it.

Stari Grad

While wandering through town, I spotted a T-shirt in a little gift shop with one word printed on it:

POMALO.

It’s a Croatian expression, especially associated with Dalmatia, that means something like “slow down,” “take it easy,” or “go with the flow.”

I took one look at that shirt and thought, That’s it! That’s exactly what this trip is all about!

Swimming in the Adriatic whenever the opportunity presents itself. Lingering over a wonderful meal. Enjoying another glass of Croatian wine because nobody’s in a hurry. Spending time with good friends and letting the day unfold.

Pomalo.

One little word summed up the entire experience. Of course, we weren’t always taking it easy.

Hvar Town

First came Stari Grad, a historic town with narrow stone streets and a wonderfully laid-back atmosphere.

Our next stop was Hvar Town, which felt completely different from Stari Grad.

The harbor was filled with beautiful yachts, and the waterfront was lined with restaurants, cafés, and shops. We enjoyed wandering around and taking it all in.

Of course, we managed to squeeze in another swim in that gorgeous Adriatic water before heading ashore.

We took a taxi up to the fortress to save time, enjoyed the spectacular views over the harbor, and then walked back down. I thought that was a pretty good compromise. Why climb uphill when you can save your energy for the walk down? I’d say we earned that wine! 😂

Besides, we had a private wine tasting in the countryside and a wonderful Croatian dinner to look forward to.

It was lovely to experience another side of Hvar, away from the busy waterfront: history, beautiful views, Croatian wine, and a wonderful dinner.

I was definitely getting the hang of this pomalo business.

Korčula: Medieval Streets, Great Food, and a Very Questionable Basketball Story

Our next stop was Korčula, another beautiful island with a medieval walled town full of narrow streets, stone buildings, and plenty of history.

We spent the afternoon exploring, which included climbing some rather steep steps and ladders in search of the best views. And, as it turned out, drinks at the top.

I’m beginning to see a pattern here. We seem willing to climb almost anything if a good view and a beverage are waiting at the end.

Then came one of my favorite evenings of the entire trip: we headed into the countryside for dinner at Maha Ranch.

Our hosts had spent the day preparing our meal using a traditional Croatian cooking method called peka. Think of it as Croatia’s answer to a slow cooker, only without electricity. They place the food beneath a heavy metal dome, cover it with hot coals, and let it cook slowly over the hearth. The result was tender, flavorful food that was absolutely worth the wait.

But the real entertainment came from our host, who had a wicked sense of humor and a laugh that made you want to laugh right along with him.

At one point, he began telling us about famous Croatian basketball players, including the legendary “Mikhail Džinović,” pronounced something like “Jordanovich.”

According to our host, when Mikhail moved to America, he decided his name was too difficult for Americans to pronounce. So he dropped the “vić” and became…

Michael Jordan. 🤣 🏀⛹🏾‍♂️

He delivered the story with such a straight face that I think a few of us almost believed him. For about three seconds. Then came the laughter. And the more he laughed (I know my group hears that funny little laugh in their head now), the more we laughed!

And really, isn’t that what travel is all about? The wonderful meals are memorable, but the people you meet and the stories you bring home often stay with you longest.

Mljet: E-Bikes, Fresh Air, and Our Captain’s Dinner

From Korčula, we continued to Mljet, where we traded our yacht for e-bikes and headed out to explore Mljet National Park.

After several days of wandering through historic towns, it was a nice change of pace to spend time outdoors and experience a quieter side of Croatia.

We also made a small change to our original schedule and moved our Captain’s Dinner to our day at Mljet. It was a lovely way to end the day: dinner aboard with the group, celebrating life with the crew (and a few shots of Croatian liqueur), and reflecting on everything we’d experienced so far.

By this point in the trip, the conversations around the table had become just as much fun as the excursions themselves.

The Elaphite Islands: A Day to Simply Enjoy the Adriatic

If our earlier days had been about exploring Croatia’s towns, villages, and countryside, our day in the Elaphite Islands was about enjoying the water.

And we took that assignment very seriously.

We swam, rode the jet ski, tried out the Seabob, went stand-up paddleboarding, and spent time kayaking.

There was also plenty of relaxing in the sunshine and soaking in the yacht’s hot tubs, and the adventurous ones braved the inflatable water slide! A few were happy to supervise the activities from a comfortable lounge chair. Both approaches seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

No major sightseeing agenda. No need to be anywhere at a particular time. Just a beautiful day on the Adriatic with good company and plenty of ways to enjoy ourselves.

One thing I love about a private yacht charter is that everyone can enjoy the day at their own pace. Want to be active? There are plenty of options. Prefer a good book, some sunshine, and a beautiful view? That works, too.

Sometimes we get so focused on seeing everything when we travel that we forget to enjoy being somewhere wonderful.

This was one of those days when we didn’t need to accomplish anything. And I think we accomplished that quite successfully.

Now that’s pomalo!

Days like this are an important part of a well-planned trip.

It’s tempting to fill every available hour with excursions, especially when you’re visiting somewhere as interesting as Croatia. But sometimes the best thing you can do is leave room to enjoy where you are. And when your home for the week is a luxury yacht floating in the Adriatic, that decision isn’t particularly difficult.

Dubrovnik: City Walls, Croatian Weddings, and One Last Adventure

We finished our yacht charter in Dubrovnik, and what a way to end the week!

We walked the medieval city walls, took the cable car up the mountain for a bird’s-eye view of Old Town and Lokrum Island, and squeezed in a delicious pizza and a cold Croatian beer. Because sightseeing is important, but so is lunch!

After disembarking, we also enjoyed some time relaxing at the Rixos Premium Dubrovnik before heading home.

But one of my favorite Dubrovnik memories had absolutely nothing to do with our itinerary. We happened upon not one, but TWO wedding celebrations in the streets. There was singing, cheering, Croatian flags waving, and enough enthusiasm to make us want to join the party.

We didn’t know the couples, of course, but it was impossible not to smile and enjoy the celebration. What a wonderful glimpse into Croatian life. 

It was such a wonderful glimpse into Croatian life. And a fitting finale to our week.

Because when I look back on this trip, so many of my favorite memories are the things we couldn’t have scheduled.

• · A spontaneous stop at a beach.
• · A swim in a beautiful cove.
• · A hilarious dinner conversation.
• · A wedding celebration we just happened to walk into.
• · An impromptu game of Mahjong

And a group of people who were having such a good time together that they didn’t want the trip to end.

Why I Love Hosting My “Come With Me” Trips

People sometimes ask me what I enjoy most about hosting my Come With Me trips.

I could tell you it’s choosing the destinations, finding the right hotels, arranging special experiences, or making sure all the details come together. And I do love those things.

But what matters most to me is watching people connect. Some guests arrive already knowing one another. Others are meeting for the very first time. At the beginning of the trip, everyone is getting acquainted. A few days later, they’re laughing over dinner, sharing photos, teasing each other about something that happened that afternoon, and making plans to stay in touch.

By the end of the week, saying goodbye feels a little harder than anyone expected. That’s what happened in Croatia.

I went into the trip hoping everyone would have a wonderful vacation. I came home grateful for the friendships, the laughter, and the trust these travelers placed in me to bring the whole experience together.

And as it turns out, I wasn’t the only one who wanted to do it again.

Croatia 2028: Who’s Coming With Me?

So, are we finished with Croatia? Apparently not. 😂

Before we even stepped off the yacht, the group was already talking about doing it again. And I have to admit, I didn’t need much convincing.

I’m excited to share that we’re planning another Come With Me Croatia Yacht Charter in 2028!

This time, we’re exploring a completely different part of the country, with a new itinerary sailing roundtrip from Zadar through the northern Adriatic.

Our tentative route begins in Zadar, a historic coastal city where ancient Roman ruins and medieval churches share the waterfront with some rather unusual modern attractions, including the Sea Organ, which uses the movement of the waves to create music.

From there, we’ll head north to the islands of Rab and Krk, where we can explore historic towns, wander along picturesque harbors, and, of course, enjoy more of that beautiful Adriatic water.

Then comes Opatija, a seaside resort town with elegant architecture and waterfront promenades that offer a different experience from the islands. We are exploring the possiblity of a pre-cruise stay in Istria or day trip from Opatija to Rovinj and Pula to give you the full experience of this beautiful region.

We’ll also visit Cres, known for its natural beauty and quieter atmosphere, before continuing to Mali Lošinj, a lovely harbor town surrounded by pine-covered hills and clear blue water.

And finally, we’ll return to Zadar.

It’s a wonderful mix of places, with enough variety to feel like an entirely new Croatian adventure.

Of course, we’re still working on the details, and the itinerary may change slightly. But I can already picture days on the water, Croatian wine, delicious gourmet meals we’ll enjoy together, and the inevitable stories we’ll tell by the end of the week.

If our last Croatia charter taught me anything, it’s that some of the best moments are the ones we never planned.

Want to Come With Me in 2028?

If you’ve ever looked at photos from one of my Come With Me adventures and thought, “One of these days, I’m going to go with Shannon,” maybe 2028 is your year.

I’m putting together an interest list for our next Croatia yacht charter, and I’d love for you to join us.

👉 [JOIN THE CROATIA 2028 YACHT CHARTER WAITLIST]

When the details are ready, those on the list will be among the first to receive the finalized itinerary, travel dates, pricing, and registration information. There’s no obligation to book, and joining the waitlist doesn’t reserve a cabin. It simply makes sure you’re among the first to know when registration opens.

My original group of 22 guests gets first choice, and if everyone signs up, only a few cabins will remain on this 15-cabin yacht, so you won’t want to wait to register! I’ll make the official registration form available outside this group by October 30th.

There’s no obligation to book, and joining the waitlist doesn’t reserve a cabin. It simply means you’ll be among the first to know when registration opens outside the original group.

I can’t promise we’ll stumble upon another Croatian wedding, hear another outrageous basketball story, or discover our next favorite restaurant.

But I can promise I’ll put just as much care into planning this adventure as I did the last one.

And I hope you’ll be there to share it with me.

I keep thinking about that little T-shirt I saw in Stari Grad.

Pomalo.

Such a simple word, but what a wonderful reminder to slow down, enjoy the moment, and appreciate the people around us.

Looking back, that’s exactly what made our week in Croatia so special.

We saw beautiful places, ate wonderful food, and enjoyed the luxury of a private yacht.

But I’ll treasure the memories most: the laughter, the friendships, and those moments when nobody was watching the clock.

Here’s to a little more pomalo in all our lives.

Živjeli to good friends, wonderful travels, and the adventures still ahead! 🇭🇷🥂