The towns of the Venetian Republic: Trieste, Venice, Rovinj
For five centuries the northern Adriatic lived under Venice, and the lion of St Mark still looks down from the gates of Koper, Piran, Rovinj and Poreč. This route makes a loop of it: from Portorož in Slovenia via Trieste and the lagoon towns of Grado and Caorle to Venice itself, then across the Adriatic to Croatian Istria and back. Three countries in two weeks and about 207 miles; the legs are short except one — 57 miles of open sea from Chioggia to Rovinj.
Day by day
Portorož (Slovenia)
- Marina Portorož45.502, 13.598
Take over the yacht at Marina Portorož, Slovenia's largest marina, on Piran Bay; Trieste airport is about an hour away, Ljubljana an hour and a half. Spend the evening in Piran — Tartini Square and Venetian houses a few kilometres along the seafront.
Portorož → Trieste
- Trieste45.648, 13.760
Round Piran point and across the Gulf of Trieste into Italy. Berth at Marina San Giusto right by Piazza Unità d'Italia, which opens onto the sea; in the evening, coffee in one of the historic cafés where Joyce and Svevo sat.
Trieste → Miramare → Grado
- Miramare Castle45.703, 13.711
- Grado45.678, 13.381
North-west past the white castle of Miramare on its headland. Grado is an island town in the lagoon known as the 'mother of Venice': a 6th-century basilica, narrow lanes and a canal harbour in the middle of town.
Grado → Caorle
- Caorle45.587, 12.864
- Lignano (Marina Punta Faro)marina45.700, 13.154
Along the low sandy shore past Lignano. Caorle is a fishing town of painted houses with a round 11th-century Romanesque bell tower and its conical spire; yachts berth in the mouth of the Livenza river.
Caorle → Venice
- Venice (Sant'Elena)45.429, 12.364
- Marina del Cavallinomarina45.484, 12.584
Into the lagoon through the Lido inlet and along the channel to the marina at Sant'Elena, at the end of the Biennale gardens. From here St Mark's Square is ten minutes by vaporetto.
Venice
- Venice (Sant'Elena)45.429, 12.364
A day in the city with no passage. St Mark's in the morning before the crowds, then the Rialto, Dorsoduro and the Arsenale, where the Republic built its galleys. In the evening, a vaporetto down the Grand Canal.
Venice → Chioggia
- Chioggia45.225, 12.279
South through the lagoon channels, or by sea along the Lido and Pellestrina. Chioggia is a 'little Venice' of canals and a fish market, without the crowds; yachts berth in one of the marinas by the town.
Chioggia
- Chioggia45.225, 12.279
A day in Chioggia and a weather reserve before the Adriatic crossing. Hire a bike and ride along Pellestrina beside the Murazzi sea wall, or simply wait for a favourable forecast.
Chioggia → Rovinj (Croatia)
- Rovinj45.076, 13.635
The big passage of the route — nine to ten hours east across the Adriatic. Leave at dawn; by evening the bell tower of St Euphemia, modelled on St Mark's campanile, rises above Rovinj. Berth in the ACI marina by the old town.
Rovinj → Poreč
- Poreč45.225, 13.594
A short leg north along Istria. Poreč is a Roman town on a peninsula with the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica, whose mosaics are on the UNESCO list.
Poreč → Umag
- Umag45.440, 13.515
- Novigradmarina45.317, 13.562
On north past Novigrad. Umag is a quiet town on a headland and the last Croatian harbour of the route.
Umag → Piran → Koper
- Piran45.527, 13.566
- Koper45.551, 13.727
Past Savudrija point back into Slovenia, with a stop off Piran. Koper is the country's main port, with an old centre on a former island and the Venetian Praetorian Palace on Tito Square.
Koper → Muggia → Izola
- Muggia45.604, 13.768
- Izola45.535, 13.653
A short call at Italian Muggia, a Venetian town across the bay, then back into Slovenia. Izola is a former island with a fishing harbour and a modern marina.
Izola → Portorož
- Marina Portorož45.502, 13.598
Round Piran point to the marina, refuelling and handover.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Borders: Slovenia, Italy and Croatia are all in Schengen, so there are no border checks at sea. In Croatia, though, a boat arriving from abroad must pay the navigation safety fee and the tourist tax, usually at the harbour master's office in the first port (Rovinj). Ask the charter company in advance whether Croatia is in the cruising area and which papers come with the boat.
- The lagoon: in the Venetian lagoon you keep to channels marked by briccole posts — outside them it is knee-deep. Speed limits apply throughout the lagoon and are strictest near the city; yachts do not enter the canals of the historic centre. In autumn, when high water threatens, the MOSE barriers close the inlets for a few hours.
- The Chioggia–Rovinj crossing: 57 miles of open sea with no shelter on the way and busy shipping on the approaches to Venice and Trieste. Leave only on a settled forecast: the Adriatic's dangers are the bora (north-east, gusty, sometimes over 40 knots) and the jugo (south-east, long heavy swell).
- Berths: Venice has few visitor berths and they are expensive — book the Sant'Elena marina or the one on Certosa island ahead. The other harbours on the route are full marinas with water, power and fuel close at hand.
How to get to the marina
- Marina Portorož, Slovenia
- Trieste (TRS) — 75 km, 60 min by carLjubljana (LJU) — 140 km, 1.5 h by carVenice (VCE) — 210 km, 2.5 h by car
60–80 min · €100–150 per car
Pre-booked transfer from Trieste airport (Ronchi dei Legionari) via Trieste and Koper to the marina, about an hour, at a fixed price per car.
1.5–2.5 h · €30–60 per person
Shared shuttle minivan from Ljubljana airport to Portorož: book a seat online, and the van drops passengers along the coast.
1.5–2 h · €35–70 per day
Rental at Ljubljana airport, then the A1 motorway to the coast. Slovenian motorways need an electronic vignette — buy it online before you set off.
3–4 h · €15–25 per person
Bus or shuttle from the airport to Ljubljana bus station, then an intercity coach to Portorož (about 2.5 hours); the stop is a few minutes from the marina.
2.5–3 h · €250–350 per car
From Venice airport, a transfer along the A4 motorway via Trieste, about two and a quarter hours. Handy if flights to Venice are cheaper — and you can add a day in the city before or after the charter.
Dropping an Italian rental car in Slovenia (or vice versa) usually carries a cross-border one-way fee, sometimes more than the rental itself — check before you book.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
When to go and what it costs in Italy
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Italy
All boats in Italy
How long is the Portorož — Venice route and where do you stay overnight?
14 days and about 207 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Portorož. Overnight stops in order: Marina Portorož, Trieste, Grado, Caorle, Venice (Sant'Elena), Venice (Sant'Elena), Chioggia, Chioggia, Rovinj, Poreč, Umag, Koper, Izola. The longest leg is day 9, 57 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Portorož — Venice route?
The route starts and finishes at Marina Portorož, Slovenia. The nearest airport is Trieste (TRS), 75 km away. Fastest: transfer, 60–80 min, €100–150 per car. Cheapest: bus, 3–4 h, €15–25 per person.
When is the best time to sail the Portorož — Venice route?
Italy's season runs May to October. June and September give the best balance of weather and price; July and August are the peak, with expensive, busy marinas, which is why in Sardinia you anchor out. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler water, cheaper boats. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is November: a median of ≈€254 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€280. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 52%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Italy for a week starts from €780 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Italy”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
