Croatian Travel: Windsurfing

Windsurfing in Croatia: More Than Just a Hobby

Windsurfing along the coastal regions of Croatia has been a popular activity in the Adriatic Sea since the early 1970s. During this time, tourists from Germany, Italy, and Holland would arrive in the area with their windsurfing boards in order to take advantage of the crystal clear waters, warm winds, and panoramic views. At the time, the Croatian coast was still quite isolated and this seemingly exotic, beautiful, and exciting sport fascinated and amazed the locals so much that they took to it very quickly.

From that time on the Croatian people began their love affair with windsurfing. Sailing clubs along the coast organized windsurfing training and activities and by the early 1980s the Croatian Sailing Association turned it into an official competitive sport in the country.

Today, there are a dozen or so official windsurfing clubs in Croatia that compete in the sport and each year the Croatian Windsurfing Cup as well as the Croatian Windsurfing Championships are held. Windsurfing is so popular throughout Croatia that most universities have their own windsurfing teams and it is a regular activity for most people living in the country, especially along the coastal regions.

While windsurfing is a beautiful sport, it can be a difficult one to master since both balance and a command of the winds is necessary in order to stay upright on the windsurfing board. If you are interested in trying your hand at windsurfing while visiting Croatia, you can take classes or hire a professional tutor just about anywhere along the coast. There are windsurfing training schools and camps located throughout Croatia, so you should not have a difficult time finding qualified training.