Sail Hvar.

Hvar is the island most sailors have already heard about before they book. That cuts both ways. The town quay in July is loud until 3am, the mooring fees are the highest in Dalmatia, and you will queue for water. But sail 20 minutes west into the Pakleni islands and the noise stops. Clear water over white rock, pine to the shoreline, and a dozen coves where the only sound is a halyard tapping.

What makes Hvar worth the passage is the contrast. You can have dinner ashore in a town with a Venetian arsenal and a 16th-century theatre, then move at dawn to an anchorage with nobody in it. The island is long — roughly 68km east to west — and the eastern half, past Vrboska and Jelsa, is almost empty by comparison. Lavender terraces above Velo Grablje, the Stari Grad Plain still farmed on Greek field boundaries laid out 2,400 years ago, and a south coast of cliff and cove that most charters never see.

Right for first charterers who want short hops and easy nights ashore; less right for anyone who wants solitude in the first half of August.

Hvar sits in the middle of the central Dalmatian island group, which is what makes it good sailing rather than just a good destination. Brač is 5nm north, Vis 18nm south-west, Korčula 25nm south-east. Nothing is a long day. You can build a week without ever sailing more than four hours.

Hvar Town — the main harbour. Limited town-quay berths, mostly taken by superyachts in season; most charter boats take a buoy in the bay or berth in the ACI marina on Palmižana. Book ahead or arrive by 15:00.

Palmižana (Pakleni islands) — ACI marina on Sveti Klement, a 10-minute water-taxi from Hvar Town. The practical answer for a night out. Sheltered from most directions except strong south.

Vinogradišće, Ždrilca, Mlini — the Pakleni anchorages proper. Sand and weed patches, 5-12m, decent holding if you check your set. Ždrilca has a narrow entrance and fills early.

Stari Grad — deep, well-protected bay on the north coast, town quay plus anchorage. Quieter, better value, good for a first or last night.

Vrboska — a narrow inlet with a marina, sometimes called "little Venice". The most sheltered berth on the island.

Jelsa — working town with a proper harbour, easier to get into than Hvar Town.

Šćedro — small island off the south coast. Two bays, Lovišće and Mostir, buoys in both. Almost no development. Worth the detour.

The charter season runs roughly May to October. July and August are hot — 30-33°C, water around 25°C — and busy everywhere. May, June, September and early October are the better sailing months: 22-28°C, thinner harbours, and more reliable wind.

The two winds that matter:

Maestral — the summer thermal. Builds from the north-west from late morning, peaks mid-afternoon at 12-20kn, dies at sunset. It is what makes Dalmatian summer sailing work. Plan westbound passages early and eastbound in the afternoon.

Bura — a cold north-easterly falling off the mainland mountains. Gusty, sudden, and strongest in the channels north of Hvar. Rare in high summer, more likely in spring and autumn. It can go from calm to 35kn in twenty minutes. Watch the forecast and take shelter on the south side of the islands.

Jugo — a south-easterly that brings cloud, swell and rain, usually building over 12-24 hours. It makes the south coast of Hvar and the Pakleni anchorages uncomfortable. Move north to Stari Grad or Vrboska.

April and late October sail fine but the water is cold and many konobas are shut.

Hvar has no charter base of its own. Boats are collected from Split — about 20nm north, two to three hours under sail — or occasionally Trogir. That is normal for the area and it works in your favour: Split has the deepest fleet in Croatia, so you get more choice of boat than an island base could offer.

Bareboat — you skipper. Monohulls from around 38ft up to 55ft, catamarans from 40ft. Standard for anyone with a licence and channel experience.

Skippered — a professional skipper aboard, sleeping in the forepeak or ashore. Adds local knowledge of which cove holds in a jugo and which konoba is worth the walk. The default recommendation for a first Dalmatian charter.

Crewed — skipper plus hostess or cook, usually on larger monohulls and catamarans. Provisioning and cooking handled.

Saturday-to-Saturday is the standard turnaround. Some boats run shorter mid-week charters in shoulder season.

Ranges only, and they move with boat age, size and week. Peak means mid-July to late August.

Bareboat monohull, 40-45ft: roughly €2,500-5,500 per week, shoulder to peak.

Catamaran, 42-46ft: roughly €5,000-12,000 per week.

Skipper: around €180-250 per day, plus their food.

Hostess or cook: similar daily range.

On top of the boat: end cleaning, tourist tax, transit log and a security deposit held against the card. Fuel is on consumption. Budget €400-900 per week for marina fees — Hvar Town and Palmižana sit at the top of the Croatian range in August, and a buoy in the Pakleni costs less than a berth. Provisioning is cheaper in Split than on the island.

For a specific boat and week, price on request over WhatsApp.

Saturday — Boarding from late afternoon. Provision in Split, eat ashore, sleep in the marina. A short hop to Milna on Brač is possible if you get away by 18:00.

Sunday — Split to Milna or Bobovišća (Brač), 12-15nm. Easy first day, swim stop in Splitska.

Monday — Across to Stari Grad, 15nm. Deep bay, good holding, and the Stari Grad Plain a short walk inland.

Tuesday — Round the west end of Hvar to the Pakleni islands, 18nm, mostly on the maestral. Anchor in Vinogradišće or take a berth in Palmižana. Water taxi into Hvar Town for the evening.

Wednesday — South to Vis, 18nm. Vis Town or Komiža. The most interesting island in the group and worth a full day.

Thursday — Back east to Šćedro, 20nm, buoy in Lovišće. Quiet night, dinner at the konoba on the bay.

Friday — North coast to Vrboska or Jelsa, 12nm. Sheltered berth, easy last evening.

Saturday — Return to Split, 20nm. Leave early; the maestral is on the nose from mid-morning and the fuel dock queues.

That is roughly 110nm over the week — three to five hours' sailing a day, all of it in sight of land.

Fly to Split (SPU). It is the closest airport to the charter bases and has direct summer connections from most of Europe. The airport sits between Trogir and Split; transfer to Split marinas is 25-40 minutes by road, to Trogir under 10.

If you are meeting a boat rather than sailing from Split, the Split-Hvar Town catamaran runs several times daily in season, about an hour. Cars are not much use on Hvar and the ferry to Stari Grad is a long way from Hvar Town.

Alternatives: Dubrovnik is 3-4 hours by road plus a ferry, and Zadar is around 2.5 hours to Split. Both work but Split is simpler.

Arrive the night before boarding. Saturday check-in is mid-afternoon and flight delays cost you the first evening.