While Split or Dubrovnik may be where most charters in Dalmatia begin or end, there are other options for your Croatia Sailing holiday; Slano being an excellent alternative.

It can easily be said that Split is the hub for nautical activity along the coast in the charter world. It is where most charters begin and end; and for good reason – not only does it have one of the largest selections of charter agencies and boats, it is also in a prime location to give the best access to the central Dalmatian islands – a highlight for all sailors.

Split is also a highlight touristic destination for sailors and travellers alike. Just this weekend (1^st and 2^nd July, 2017), Split smashed all records with 90,000 passengers arriving to the Split Airport and Split harbour – the largest numbers recorded for a single weekend. So, suffice to say, Split is popular.

3 Gray Goats Photography

We understand if you want to begin your sailing holiday here and this is not an article to talk you out of it, but we do want to start bringing you more highlights and different options for your sailing itinerary that you may not have considered before.

So, without further ado, meet Slano.

Slano is a gentle town, nestled into the coast surrounded by olive groves and pine, Slano lies in the centre of a gorgeous bay and is located a mere 27 km from Dubrovnik. For such a small town, she packs quite a punch in terms of history; Slano’s history dates back to the prehistoric period, through to Roman rule, was under the Republic of Ragusa during the 14^th Century and was hit extremely hard during the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990’s.

Considering this relatively turbulent history, Slano has somehow managed to remain a peaceful, picturesque village and is a lesser-known highlight along the Dubrovnik Riviera. Thanks to locals, Slano has been rebuilt with love and is now thriving, while retaining her charm in the midst of new Hotels, buildings and the new ACI Marina “Veljko Barbieri” as of 2016.

Credit: ACI Marina Veljko Barbieri

Originally Slano was a town that relied on agriculture and fishermen. The summer residence of the Ohmučević family who were known as excellent sailors, attests to the maritime history of the region.

I first visited Slano five years ago on a sailing tour and I was instantly impressed. We spent a long, lazy afternoon with a picnic and cherries bought from locals, swimming in the crystalline waters, enjoying the absolute serenity of an area not flooded with tourists.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Split and Dubrovnik, but sometimes, it just gets a bit much. If you are coming sailing in Croatia and are after a more relaxed visit, Slano could be where you choose to start your sailing adventure. Thanks to the new “Veljko Barbieri Marina”, this has been made a lot easier. Nautika Centar Nava has also recently opened up a base in the ACI Marina, making chartering from here much simpler.

What are the main benefits of beginning a Charter in Slano?

Less Crowds, a More Relaxed Start Your Holiday

As I mentioned earlier, you will have less crowds to fight through to get to your boat in Slano. Most charters start and end on Saturday, which can make the harbours and check-in process nothing short of hectic. You won’t face this issue in Slano. Getting to Dubrovnik ACI for example, can be very hectic in peak season, traffic is horrendous and when you finally get there, check-in can be very stressful with so many people. While it make take an extra 15 – 20-minutes to drive to Slano from Dubrovnik, once you arrive, the check-in process is a  lot more relaxed and you can begin your charter immediately.

Excellent Location, Easy Access

When starting a charter from ACI Dubrovnik, it can sometimes take longer to truly begin. There is a speed limit of 5 Nm exiting Rijeka Dubrovačka, so reaching open sea and feeling in ‘holiday mode’ may take another 30 – 40 mins. Whereas, when you begin from Slano, you head off and can instantly jump into holiday-mode. There are also shorter distances to the majority of surrounding islands.

Southern Route

If you are interested in a more peaceful sailing itinerary based around relaxation and nature, rather than the tourist hot-spots, then Slano is the perfect base. Setting a sailing itinerary from Slano can see you visiting such overlooked gems as Šipan, Mljet, Lastovo and maybe even as far as Sušac for those who really want to be disconnected from life.

Check out this southern sailing itinerary from Nautika Centar Nava here.

Credit: Stojčić & Romulić, Elafiti Islands

Southern and Dalmatian Highlights

Just because you choose to sail from Slano, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on some of the Dalmatian highlights, you can still visit Korčula, Hvar, Vis and return via Lastovo National Park. But, beginning from Slano will mean that you are ‘off the beaten path’ in terms of where the majority of yachts will be on certain days – i.e. most start from Split or Dubrovnik, so end up in the same destinations on the same days, making docking at marinas or finding the perfect anchorage more of a battle and even a race (taking the fun out of a relaxing sailing holiday).

Thankfully, some of the hard decisions have been (or can be) made for you if you want some advice, you can see an example of a 7-day sailing itinerary here.

Hvar Town, Island Hvar

Marina Fees

You will also benefit from reduced Marina fees, see more information on ACI Marina ‘Veljko Barbieri’ here.

How do you get to Slano from Dubrovnik?

If you fly into Dubrovnik, getting to Slano is easy, it is connected by the main coastal road (M2, E65). You have the option to get a bus, or most charter agencies – including Nautika Centar Nava are more than happy to book you a transfer from the airport; the drive is approximately 40-mins (though allow more in peaks-season for traffic).

So, there you have it, a beautiful alternative to beginning a charter in Dubrovnik or Split. But, if this still hasn’t convinced you, how about this stunning sunset taken by ACI Marina Veljko Barbieri?

ACI Marina Veljko Barbieri

Still not. Ok, you asked for it – dolphins. Everybody loves dolphins, check out this recent video which went viral of some boaters getting more than they bargained for when they got the opportunity to swim with dolphins in Slano.

Apparently, they are regular visitors…

Ok, we will stop now. See you in Slano!

If you are interested in booking a charter from Slano, why not visit Nautika Centar Nava’s page here. If you do visit, we’d love to hear about your experience, drop us a message or tag us in your dolphin videos at our Facebook page here.