Holidays come in many different shapes and styles to cater for all tastes   whether you are looking for a few lazy days or plan to spend weeks away from home. The ideal getaway is down to individual taste, but a sailing holiday has some great benefits.

A Space Of Your Own

First and foremost, taking your holiday on board a yacht offers a level of privacy and personal freedom that cannot be found anywhere else. Out on the waves, you are in a world of your own with just fellow passengers and staff (if any) for company. You don’t need to worry about noisy neighbours and you make the rules. So, whether you want a quiet haven or a floating party pad, a boat represents the perfect choice for anyone and everyone looking for a unique holiday!

Flexibility and Freedom

Unconstrained by location and unfettered by itineraries, a sailing holiday is one for the adventurer. Whether it’s small or large scale, a boating break is built around you, the traveller, rather than the other way around. The choice is yours – from what you eat for breakfast to the countries you decide to visit. Enjoy dinner out on the waves, evenings spent in exotic towns and days on beautiful beaches – the holiday is completely in your hands.

The World is Your Oyster

A boating holiday can take you to all four corners of the world and everywhere in between. Wherever there is a waterway, there is a wonderful land that can be discovered and a holiday on the waves can encompass not just the coastline of one country, but a whole continent. With no fixed location, there is no destination that cannot be reached. From Europe to Asia or the Americas, the world really is your oyster!

Korcula is one of Croatia’s most beautiful islands and, with a number of picturesque coastal villages and beaches, it is also the perfect destination for anyone coming to the island on a Croatia sailing holiday or boat tour.

Lying just off the Dalmatian Coast in the Adriatic Sea, the island is easily accessible and offers a whole host of things for visitors to see and do. The main settlement on the isle is the aptly named town of Korcula. With its medieval walled city, paved streets and bevy of restaurants and cafes it is the cultural centre of the island. Small and compact, it is best navigated on foot and top attractions in the capital include the City Museum and Marco Polo House, alleged birthplace of legendary explorer Marco Polo.

Other harbour towns and fishing villages nestled along the miles of stunning seafront and lush olive groves of Korcula include Prigradica, Racisce, Lumbarda and Vela Luka. Bordering coves and pretty marinas, they make a lovely stop on any tour of the Croatian island and are especially convenient for anyone on a sailing trip.

Korcula is also one of the best places in the region to visit for beaches. The island is dotted with small beaches, quiet coves and caves, many boasting the stretches of white pebble for which Croatia is famous. One of the most beautiful of these is Pupnatska Luka, a beach overlooking a bay of deep turquoise water and the perfect place to stop for a bite to eat or a quick spot of sunbathing.

Greece, with its crystal clear waters and golden shores from which to explore them, is home to some top diving spots and Spetses is certainly one of these. The island has a number of picturesque beaches, historic sites and harbours to explore and its location makes it ideal for anyone sailing Greece or the Mediterranean. Though not widely advertised, it is also an ideal spot for water activities including swimming and diving.

Spetses has beautiful beaches, including the renowned Zogeria, Agia Marina and Agia Paraskevi. With a range of small accessible caves dotting the shoreline, even those visitors with little or no experience of diving can explore the waters by swimming and snorkelling. The tranquil seas surrounding Spetses are easy to navigate and the cave walls themselves offer a dazzling array of pink and mauve shades naturally flecked onto the stone.

Those more experienced in the water can try a spot of scuba diving while on day excursions out onto the sapphire seas; Spetses’ diving centres are specifically geared towards providing the best that the island’s waters can offer. As testament to its diving reputation, the world’s freediving record was set there in 2007 by Herbert Nitsch at a depth of 214 metres.

Greece is a nation famous for its nightlife, with parties often running until daybreak. The action warms up with bars and cafes which, contrary to their European counterparts, offer more than just coffee, with alcohol and music running freely until late closing.

From there, the party moves onto the wide selection of clubs that are a fixture in any large Greek town. And with every taste catered for, whether it’s hip hop, techno or Europop, no visitor will be left disappointed.

Just about every city and every island in Greece has a night scene of note, so wherever a Greece sailing holiday takes you, you will be able to party it up in style. At the forefront of these clubbing meccas are the islands of Rhodes, Kos and Santorini.

Rhodes

Lying in the east Aegean Sea, Rhodes is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. While its Medieval Old Town draws thousands of culture seekers each year, it is a different kind of culture that the island is most famous for. Faliraki is the island’s major seaside resort, with five kilometres of sandy beach lined with restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs. As the sun goes down, the streets come to life with revellers and music of every type, giving Faliraki a unique atmosphere that is all its own.

Kos

Kos is another must-see. As well as almost 300 kilometres of stunning coastline, the nightlife is second to none. Kos town is the cultural and tourism centre on the island, offering a more sophisticated side to proceedings, with restaurants and cocktail bars balancing out the debauchery of ‘bar street’. Meanwhile, nearby Kardemena, with its heady array of bars, discos and clubs, is the place to go for all out partying.

Santorini

Santorini may evoke images of picturesque villages and traditional cobbled streets, but there is much more than that to the Aegean island! Offering clubbing with a twist in keeping with the strict noise laws in place, many nightspots are tucked away – built into Santorini’s famous cave houses. The island also has a number of beach bars that, day or night, offer a fun mix of clubbing with more traditional beach activities!

A holiday is a chance to get away from the daily grind – an opportunity to relax, unwind and see somewhere new. Often, this means taking a break in one place and staying in a hotel while exploring the local area. However, this is not the only way to take a vacation and a fantastic alternative to the traditional getaway is a sailing holiday.

A sailing break is ideal for anyone with a sense of adventure or those looking to see more of the world. On board a boat, you are free to travel where you want, whenever you want. As a result, sailing holidays have something to suit everyone, from action packed adventure to leisurely island hopping in the sun.

With hundreds of thousands of miles of coastline spread across the globe, there is no shortage of beaches, coves and seaside towns to discover by boat. However, there are some destinations that stand out from the crowd.

The Mediterranean coast of France is always a winner. Cannes, Nice and the neighbouring principality of Monaco in particular ooze sophisticated glitz and glamour that is hard to find elsewhere. Further into the Mediterranean, meanwhile, are the stunning Greek islands. Rising from turquoise waters, there are over 1,000 islands for curious sailors to explore. Similarly, nearby Croatia boasts coastlines that cannot be found anywhere else. From white pebble beaches to ancient seafront cities, visitors to the country will be nothing short of amazed!

The Croatian coastline is raved about by travellers far and wide and with almost 2000 miles of it to explore, plus over 1000 islands, visitors would be hard pushed to find an equivalent!

The nation is frequently recognised as having some of the best beaches in Europe and, while they are not traditionally sandy, their warm pebbly shores combined with crystal clear waters make Croatia the perfect place for beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts alike.

Zlatni Rat is the poster child of Croatia’s beaches, a much photographed and unwaveringly popular white pebble beach on the island of Brac. A natural wonder, as the tides and winds change, so too does the shape of the narrow beach. Even those unimpressed by the science of it all will find themselves in awe of its beauty, revelling in everything from its bordering pine tree grove to its tucked away picturesque coves.

Just across the water from the island town of Hvar lie the Pakleni islands, a tiny archipelago of twenty or so islets. An ideal stop off on any Croatia sailing holiday, the islands boast dozens of secluded beaches set against dazzling blue waters. The most popular of these is Palmizana Bay, which boasts a pretty shingle beach as well as a marina. Other top spots include Sv. Klement, Zdrilica and Mlin, while those looking for a break from the crowds will find that a quiet patch of coast is never far away.

Found on Krk, the largest of the Croatian isles, Baska’s Vela Plaza (or Great Beach) is one of the longest to be found in the region and also one of the most popular. A mixed beach of pebbles and sand and at the heart of Baska’s bustling seafront, Vela Plaza is the dream destination for anyone looking for an activity packed beach break. It has all the facilities for water sports, sunbathing and more, along with beach shops, restaurants and bars, allowing people to find just about everything they want without having to leave the sea behind!

The Croatian city of Split is located on the shores of the Adriatic Sea and a popular port of call for Croatia sailing trips. As the second largest city in the nation, Split is a bustling metropolis that is geared to meet the needs of every visitor. Whether it is fine food, shopping or nightlife, Split is the place to be!

Relaxing on the Riva

Those stopping off in Split on a sailing holiday will be greeted by the city’s stunning seafront – a sight to rival even the French Riviera. Lined with palm trees and cafes, the Riva promenade stretches the length of the city centre and is crowned by the 4th century Diocletian’s Palace. This is the place to relax with a coffee or, as the sun starts to set, an ideal spot for a cold beer or two.

The Heart of the City

Split’s Old City, encompassing the palace and the square to its west, forms its modern day centre. Lined with ancient buildings, the People’s Square ‘Narodni Trg’, or ‘Pjaca’ as it is known locally, may be brimming with history, but it is also right at home in the 21st Century. Shops, museums and cafes edge the square, while night time visitors can relax in the clubs and bars within the walls of the Palace. As music spills out onto the pedestrianised streets, visitors can’t help but be lured in!

The Beach at Bacvice

If you prefer to escape the city, Split also has its fair share of beachfront. A particular favourite with tourists and locals alike is Bacvice beach. A gorgeous sandy stretch, it is ideal for a spot of sunbathing or a great place to dive into the cool waters of the Adriatic. What could be better on a hot day in Croatia

Corfu

One of the best known of all the Greek islands, Corfu is a hotspot for sailing in Greece, with a steady flow of yachts and seafaring visitors year round. On shore there really is something to suit everyone. Those after some rest and relaxation should look no further than Corfu’s beaches, which offer wide stretches of sand coupled with calm and crystal clear waters. Days can otherwise be spent seeing the sights and sampling the sumptuous local cuisine and, as night falls, the bars and pubs that line the streets come to life with music and dancing.

Santorini

Often voted as one of the world’s best islands, Santorini is a must-see for anyone sailing in Greece. The views from its hillside villages are absolutely stunning and many people visit the island simply to see the legendary sunsets while sampling the local wine. Visitors can also explore Santorini’s array of beaches; with each as varied as the next. Beachgoers will discover everything from the burgundy sands of Red Beach to the beach bars of Perivolos. While there, why not seize the opportunity to scuba dive or snorkel amongst the wrecks, volcanoes, reefs and caverns in the warm waters surrounding the island.

Spetses

Spetses may have a rich history stretching back thousands of years but today the island is best known as an elite holiday hotspot. The main event on the island is the annual Spetses Classic Yacht Race in June, with dozens of stunning vessels filling the waters around the island and equally impressive accompanying events taking place onshore. Visitors later in the year may also want to catch, or even take part in, the Spetses Mini Marathon which takes participants and onlookers on a fantastic tour around the island. Alternately, you can simply relax in any of the fashionable bars around the Old Harbour and enjoy everyone else’s exertion.

Forget about the cold of winter and turn your thoughts towards golden beaches, warm secluded coves and azure skies. Croatia has all of these and is famed for its natural beauty and scenery.

Shimmering in the Adriatic sun, the beautiful city of Dubrovnik is the number one destination. With a history going back to ancient times, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is often referred to as the Pearl of the Adriatic.

Sailors have been visiting these shores for hundreds of years and if you are going sailing Croatia is one of best countries around the Mediterranean to visit.

The fishing port of Rovinj is another good place to stop off, with its tiny artisan shops, traditional cafes and restaurants and prettily painted houses. An archipelago of 19 islands, the area is famous for its fragrant pine forests and beautiful landscape.

The Croatian people are naturally friendly and eager to show foreign visitors around and they will recommend places to visit and sights to see. You can have lunch sitting in the sun. Enjoying the local seafood is one of life’s pleasures and drinking a crisp, cold glass of local wine whilst watching the world go by is relaxation at its finest.

When it comes to sailing Croatia is top of the list of countries to see. You can stop along its rocky shores and then explore further inland. Once you’ve been there, you will want to come back again and again.

Greece has a multitude of islands between 1,200 and 6,000 depending on how large they have to be to count as an island. About 200 of them are inhabited. They are drenched in history. It’s a place where mythology is mixed with verifiable history. You sail the same waters as Odysseus, who was born on the island of Ithaca. Julius Caesar was captured by pirates when young and held on the island of Farmakonisi.

The islands offer a range of sailing conditions, from the always gentle to the more challenging. The Ionian islands offer the most peaceful sailing, with mostly sheltered waters. The Saronic Gulf is a little livelier and the Cyclades the most challenging. And they are all beautiful. Sapphire waters turn crystal-clear in sheltered anchorages so clear that you can see the white sand of the bottom. It’s almost all line-of-sight sailing. Few of the islands are more than 30 nautical miles from each other, so you can casually hop from one enchanted island to another. For holiday sailing Greece is one of the safest areas in the world, with no tides and little swell.

The traditional white-washed villages have churches with blue domes and welcoming tavernas serving simple and delicious food. You can sit at a table and watch the fish you’re having for lunch being landed. Every island has hidden gems. Heritage sites are everywhere, from ancient ruins to Byzantine chapels and fortresses built by the Crusaders. The Greeks put their temples in special places. Standing in the ruins of a temple watching the sun set can take you back to a mythical age.

Many of the beaches in Greece have been awarded Blue Flag status, so you can also go scuba-diving, water-skiing, snorkelling and windsurfing. For those who love sailing Greece is mythical, magical and marvellous.