Your Guide to Bareboat Adventures Across the Adriatic & Mediterranean
In the guide below we cover everything worth knowing before you take the wheel - what a bareboat charter actually is, what's included on board, the upsides and the honest trade-offs, the best places to sail, and the licences each destination asks for. Use it to work out whether bareboat sailing is right for you, and to start shaping your route.
- What Is a Bareboat Yacht Charter and What You Need to Know?
- Pros and Cons of Bareboat Yacht Charter
- Top Locations to Book Your Bareboat Yacht Charter
- Bareboat Charter Requirements for the Mentioned Destinations
- Plan Your Bareboat Sailing with Danielis
What Is a Bareboat Yacht Charter and What You Need to Know?
A bareboat charter is simply renting a yacht without a professional crew. You take full possession of the boat for your whole trip and become its skipper - so you're in charge of navigation, anchoring, daily routes and getting the yacht back safely. The boat is handed over fully prepared, cleaned and technically checked, but how, when and where you sail is entirely up to you.
It's the most independent way to charter, and usually the most affordable too, because there's no skipper or crew fee to pay. In return, it asks more of you: a valid sailing licence, real time on the water and a crew that's comfortable handling the boat together. For qualified sailors, though, it's hard to beat - total privacy, a flexible itinerary and the real satisfaction of running your own passage.
Our bareboat yachts come fully equipped with:
What you're responsible for as a bareboat skipper:
- Planning and navigating your daily route, and adjusting it to the weather and the sea.
- Handling the yacht under sail and engine - mooring, anchoring and getting into marinas.
- The safety of everyone on board and of the yacht itself.
- Keeping an eye on the forecast and making smart calls about when and where to sail.
- Basic day-to-day care of the boat - engine and fluid checks, managing water and fuel, keeping her tidy.
- Getting the yacht back on time and in the condition you picked her up.
Pros and Cons of Bareboat Yacht Charter
Like any way of sailing, a bareboat charter has its clear upsides and a few honest trade-offs. Here's how they stack up.
Top Locations to Book Your Bareboat Charter
Danielis Yachting arranges bareboat charters across the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Caribbean - from our home waters in Croatia to the Balearics, the Greek islands, the Turkish coast, Italy and the British Virgin Islands. Here's a closer look at each, and what makes it special. You can read more about every destination on its own page.
Croatia
Croatia is where Danielis started, and it's still one of the best bareboat destinations anywhere. More than a thousand islands line a deeply indented coast, so the passages between anchorages are short, sheltered and forgiving - rarely more than a few hours under sail. Add steady summer winds, dozens of well-run marinas and a historic town in nearly every bay, and you've got a coastline made for sailing on your own terms. Many Croatian charters start from the Split area in central Dalmatia.
Top spots you can't miss:
- Hvar - the sunniest Croatian island, known for its lavender fields, lively old harbour town and the Pakleni islands just offshore.
- Vis - one of the most distant inhabited islands, unspoilt and full of character, once the ancient Greek colony of Issa.
- Brač - home to Zlatni Rat, the shifting golden-pebble cape and one of the Adriatic's most photographed beaches.
- Korčula - a walled medieval town said to be the birthplace of Marco Polo, ringed by quiet islets.
- Kornati National Park - 89 stark, uninhabited islands and islets in the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean.
- Mljet - a green, forested island whose western end is a national park of saltwater lakes.
- Dubrovnik & the Elafiti islands - the "Pearl of the Adriatic" and the gentle, car-free isles just offshore.
Turkey
Turkey's southwest coast-the famous Turquoise Coast-pairs warm, calm water with pine-clad hills and ancient ruins you can often swim to straight off the boat. The sailing here is greener and more sheltered than much of the open Aegean, and it's the original home of the gulet, the broad wooden motor-sailer. Most charters kick off around the Gulf of Bodrum, or further south near Göcek and Fethiye.
Top spots you can't miss:
- Bodrum - a lively base city with a medieval castle, bazaars and a famous marina scene.
- Göcek - a small, sheltered town ringed by coves and islands, perfect for relaxed cruising.
- Fethiye - a natural harbour close to the Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz and to Butterfly Valley.
- Marmaris - a big, protected bay where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean
Italy
Italy gives you huge variety, from volcanic island groups to granite archipelagos - plus some of the best food in the Mediterranean waiting ashore. Danielis arranges charters around Sardinia and Sicily in particular, where dramatic coastlines, clear water and deep history sit side by side.
Top spots you can't miss:
- The Maddalena Archipelago (Sardinia) - seven protected islands of pink granite and clear, pristine bays.
- Northern Sardinia & the Costa Smeralda - glamorous marinas right next to wild, undeveloped coves.
- The Aeolian Islands (Sicily) - a volcanic chain off the north coast, including the ever-smouldering Stromboli.
- Syracuse & the Egadi Islands - clear seas and one of the great cities of the ancient Greek world.
Greece
With thousands of islands and a sailing tradition as old as Europe itself, Greece is a bareboat classic. Take your pick: the lush, green Ionian in the west; the iconic whitewashed Cyclades; the historic Dodecanese; or the easy, sheltered Saronic Gulf near Athens. Just keep in mind that the summer Meltemi wind can blow hard across the central Aegean in July and August.
Top spots you can't miss:
- The Ionian Islands - green, gentle and well-sheltered: Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Paxi and Ithaca.
- The Cyclades - the postcard Greece of Paros, Naxos and Milos, plus Mykonos and Santorini for confident sailors.
- The Dodecanese - Rhodes, Kos, Symi and Patmos, full of history and close to the Turkish coast.
- The Saronic Gulf - Hydra, Poros and Spetses, calm and easy to reach from Athens.
Spain
Off Spain's eastern coast, the Balearic Islands squeeze four very different characters into one compact, sun-soaked archipelago you can easily explore in a week. Danielis charters here usually start from Palma de Mallorca.
Top spots you can't miss:
- Mallorca - the biggest island, with the grand city of Palma and countless calas (coves) along the coast.
- Menorca - quieter and greener, with Caribbean-clear bays and the historic ports of Maó and Ciutadella.
- Ibiza - the famous "White Isle" of beaches and nightlife, plus the mythical rock of Es Vedrà.
- Formentera - tiny, laid-back and reachable only by sea, known for the white sands of Ses Illetes.
British Virgin Islands
For warm-water sailing in steady trade winds, not much beats the British Virgin Islands. The distances are short, the islands sit within easy sight of one another, and that line-of-sight navigation makes it one of the most relaxed places to charter anywhere. Charters usually start from Tortola.
Top spots you can't miss:
- Tortola - the largest island and main base, with Road Town's marina and good provisioning.
- Virgin Gorda - home to The Baths, a surreal jumble of giant granite boulders and tidal pools.
- Jost Van Dyke - a tiny, easygoing island famous for the beach bars at White Bay.
- Cooper Island - a quiet, eco-minded anchorage with great snorkelling.
- Norman Island - said to have inspired Treasure Island, with caves to snorkel at The Bight.
Bareboat Yacht Charter Requirements for the Mentioned Destinations
Requirements vary from country to country, and they do change, so always double-check the exact paperwork with our team before you book. Internationally recognised qualifications like the ICC (International Certificate of Competence), the RYA Day Skipper (Practical) and above, or the ASA/US Sailing equivalents, are widely accepted across these destinations.
- Croatia - a recognised sailing licence plus a separate VHF Short Range Certificate (SRC); at least one person on board needs to hold the VHF certificate. Croatia keeps an official list of accepted licences and enforces the rules strictly, with a primary skipper and a named co-skipper on the contract.
- Greece - a recognised skipper's certificate (ICC, RYA Day Skipper or equivalent). Greek authorities traditionally also want a second crew member with some sailing experience. A VHF certificate is recommended.
- Italy - a valid national or international sailing certificate; there's no official list, so most recognised licences are fine. Someone on board should also hold a VHF operator's certificate.
- Turkey - for non-residents, the ICC is the standard and is accepted at the main bases of Bodrum, Marmaris, Göcek and Fethiye; some operators also take the RYA Day Skipper. They may ask for a short sailing CV.
- Spain (Balearic Islands) - the ICC is accepted by most operators, though some Spanish bases prefer the national PER licence for boats up to 15 m. A VHF Short Range Certificate is required.
- British Virgin Islands - no formal licence is legally required. Instead you fill in a sailing résumé describing your experience, and the base checks you're competent to take the boat - though a recognised qualification always helps.
Need the specifics for a particular country or boat? Just send us an enquiry and we'll confirm exactly what you need.
Plan Your Bareboat Sailing with Danielis - A Trusted Choice for a Safe Journey
When you're skippering your own yacht, the company behind the booking really matters. Here's why sailors pick Danielis Yachting for their bareboat trips:
- Deep local expertise - Danielis was founded by experienced sailing professionals and has spent well over a decade in nautical tourism, so we know the waters, marinas and conditions you'll be sailing first-hand.
- One of the widest fleets - our offer covers almost every boat available for charter on the eastern Adriatic, plus yachts across Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain and the Caribbean: sailboats, catamarans, motor yachts and gulets.
- Honest, personal advice - we help you match the right boat, base and route to your experience and your crew.
- A full range of services - beyond bareboat, we offer skippered and crewed charters.
- An agency you can actually reach - we're a reliable point of contact before, during and after your trip.
Get in touch and we'll help you plan a safe, unforgettable bareboat charter - wherever you want to sail.
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