Dubrovnik Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi‑Day Routes

Dubrovnik’s position at the southern tip of Croatia’s coast makes it the natural gateway to the Elafiti Islands, Mljet National Park, the Pelješac wine peninsula and Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor. The 3‑day and 4‑day itineraries below cover different ground and can be combined into a 7‑day voyage without repeating a single stop. Every route is fully customisable.

Day Charter Routes from Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik to the Elafiti Islands: The Leisurely Loop

Depart Dubrovnik’s harbour mid‑morning and cruise 6 nautical miles to Koločep – a car‑free island laced with pine‑shaded paths and quiet swimming coves. Anchor for a morning swim, then continue to Lopud (1 nautical mile further). Take the tender ashore and walk the scenic path to Šunj beach – a sandy crescent with warm, shallow water perfect for a long swim. Your chef lays out lunch on the aft deck. In the afternoon, cruise to Šipan (the largest Elafiti island), explore the small harbour of Suđurađ with its 16th‑century fortified summer house, and return to Dubrovnik by late afternoon. Duration: 7–9 hours.

Dubrovnik to Lokrum: History and Nature

A short 15‑minute cruise to Lokrum Island, just 600 metres offshore. Explore the botanical garden (established in 1959, with over 800 plant species), the ruins of the Benedictine monastery (used as the City of Qarth in Game of Thrones), and the small saltwater lake known as the Dead Sea – a sheltered, warm swimming spot surrounded by rock ledges. Anchor off the island’s southern tip for snorkelling over rocky reef. Return to Dubrovnik for lunch ashore or on board. Duration: 4–6 hours.

Dubrovnik to the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro: The Cross‑Border Run

Cruise south along the coast to the narrow entrance of the Bay of Kotor (roughly 40 nautical miles, 2–3 hours). Your crew handles all border formalities. Visit the tiny island church of Our Lady of the Rocks (built on an artificial island in the bay), the elegant Venetian harbour town of Perast, and the walled old town of Kotor (UNESCO). Lunch at a harbourside restaurant in Kotor or Perast, then cruise back to Dubrovnik by evening. Duration: 10–12 hours.

3‑Day Dubrovnik Yacht Charter Itinerary: Elafiti Islands and Mljet

Day 1: Dubrovnik to Lopud and Šipan

Board your yacht at Marina Frapa Dubrovnik or ACI Marina by mid‑morning. Cruise north‑west to Koločep (6 nautical miles, 20 minutes) for a morning snorkel in its quiet southern coves. Continue to Lopud (7 nautical miles total) and anchor in the bay. Walk the path to Šunj beach for a long swim and sandy‑beach lunch, or have your chef serve on the aft deck. In the afternoon, cruise to Šipan (8 nautical miles from Dubrovnik) and anchor in the harbour at Šipanska Luka. Explore the olive groves and the village’s elegant Renaissance summer houses, then enjoy dinner on board as the sun sets over the island.

Day 2: Šipan to Mljet National Park

Depart Šipan after breakfast and cruise north‑west to Mljet (roughly 22 nautical miles, 1–1.5 hours). Anchor at Polače bay – a wide, sheltered harbour on Mljet’s north coast, inside the national park boundary. Take the park’s shuttle boat to the islet in Veliko Jezero, where a 12th‑century Benedictine monastery sits surrounded by the turquoise waters of the salt lake. Swim in the lake (noticeably warmer than the open sea), hike the forest trails through ancient holm oak, and explore the Roman palace ruins at Polače. Your chef prepares dinner on the aft deck – perhaps grilled Adriatic prawns, black risotto and a bottle of Plavac Mali from the nearby Pelješac peninsula.

Day 3: Mljet to Pelješac and Return to Dubrovnik

Cruise east from Mljet across the channel to the Pelješac peninsula (10 nautical miles). Anchor at Mali Ston for a morning of oyster tasting straight from the centuries‑old beds, followed by a wine tasting at one of the Dingač estates on the steep southern slopes above. Your chef sources oysters, mussels and local fish for a farewell lunch on the aft deck. In the afternoon, cruise south‑east back to Dubrovnik (roughly 30 nautical miles, 1.5–2 hours), arriving in time for a sunset stroll along the Stradun or a last dinner at Nautika.

4‑Day Dubrovnik Yacht Charter Itinerary: Korčula, Mljet and the Pelješac

Day 1: Dubrovnik to Korčula

Board at Dubrovnik by mid‑morning and set course north‑west for Korčula (roughly 50 nautical miles, 3 hours at cruising speed). Berth at Korčula Town’s harbour and explore the walled old town – the herringbone streets, the Gothic‑Venetian palaces, the Marco Polo Museum in its tower. Stroll the waterfront, sample Grk wine at a local bar, and settle in for dinner at LD Restaurant (refined contemporary Dalmatian) or Konoba Mate. The views from the ramparts across to Pelješac at sunset are spectacular.

Day 2: Korčula to Mljet National Park

Cruise south‑east to Mljet (20 nautical miles, just over an hour). Anchor at Polače bay and spend the day exploring the national park: the Benedictine monastery, the salt lakes, the forest trails. Swim in Veliko Jezero’s warm turquoise water, kayak around the monastery islet, and watch for dolphins in the channel between Mljet and Pelješac. Dinner on the aft deck beneath a sky full of stars – Mljet has almost no light pollution.

Day 3: Mljet to Pelješac

Cruise east across the channel to Mali Ston on the Pelješac peninsula (10 nautical miles). Morning: oysters at the harbourside, shucked to order from beds that have been farmed since the Roman era. The salt works at Ston (the oldest active salt plant on the Mediterranean, operating since the 14th century) and the extraordinary 5.5‑kilometre wall system are worth exploring on foot. Afternoon: a wine‑tasting drive or tender trip along the southern coast to the Dingač vineyards, where Plavac Mali grapes ripen on near‑vertical slopes above the sea. Anchor overnight in a quiet bay on the peninsula’s southern shore.

Day 4: Elafiti Islands and Return to Dubrovnik

Cruise south‑east along the coast to the Elafiti archipelago (roughly 25 nautical miles from Pelješac). Stop at Šipan for a morning swim in a secluded cove, then cruise to Lopud for a final beach session at Šunj. Your chef prepares a farewell lunch – grilled lobster, Dalmatian salad and a chilled glass of Pošip – as the yacht heads back to Dubrovnik (7 nautical miles from Lopud), arriving by mid‑afternoon with time for a last walls walk or a farewell dinner at 360°.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3‑day Elafiti–Mljet route with the 4‑day Korčula–Mljet–Pelješac route (adjusting to avoid Mljet overlap) for a grand 7‑day southern Dalmatian charter. Alternatively, combine with a northbound passage to Split for a one‑way voyage covering Croatia’s entire Dalmatian coast.