This year we’re taking a particular interest in Biograd and its Boat Show because of its proximity to Šibenik, where the Croatian Language School will be holding its Croatian Language and Culture Course in June 2027.

Situated on the Dalmatian coast between Zadar and Šibenik, Biograd na Moru is a popular seaside town in an area with a long maritime history. Here, the mountains that dominate much of the Dalmatian coastline temporarily retreat inland, creating a relatively broad, low-lying coastal landscape quite different from the dramatic mountain-backed scenery found on either side. Nearby lies the island of Murter, a centre of traditional wooden boatbuilding. Out to sea is the wilderness of the Kornati Islands, a cluster of islands and islets which have long attracted sailors to this part of the Adriatic.

Now, Biograd is also the setting for one of Croatia’s major annual nautical events. From 21st to 25th October, Marina Kornati will host the 28th Biograd Boat Show, bringing together boatbuilders, equipment manufacturers, charter companies and boating enthusiasts from Croatia and abroad.

The Biograd Boat Show

First held in 1999, the Biograd Boat Show has developed from a relatively modest event into an important international showcase for the Croatian boating industry. The organisers describe it as Croatia’s largest boat show and Central Europe’s leading in-water exhibition. For 2026, they are anticipating more than 400 exhibitors and around 500 vessels, including sailing yachts, motor yachts, catamarans and smaller craft.

The show is not simply an exhibition of boats. Marine equipment, navigation technology, engines, marina services and Croatia’s ever-expanding charter industry are all represented, and it’s a natural forum for important professional meetings and business events. It also has a strong international dimension, with exhibitors from across Europe. The 2025 exhibitor directory included businesses from 12 countries outside Croatia, including Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Austria. Neighbouring Slovenia had the strongest representation, followed by Germany.

Croatia’s Modern Boatbuilding and Nautical Industry

Croatia has a long history of boatbuilding, from the construction of traditional wooden fishing boats to the development of modern commercial vessels and leisure craft.

Today, Croatian leisure-industry boatbuilders produce a variety of vessels, including sailing yachts, motorboats, smaller recreational craft and specialist boats. Some manufacturers exclusively serve the domestic market, while others export their products internationally. The Biograd Boat Show offers a platform for Croatian manufacturers and marine businesses to exhibit their products and services alongside established international brands.

Croatia’s extensive coastline, hundreds of islands and islets, and well-developed marina network have helped establish the country as a major destination for nautical tourism. The growth of charter holidays has been especially important, attracting sailors from around the world and supporting a substantial industry of charter operators, brokers and fleet management companies. The importance of this sector is reflected in the Croatia Charter Expo, a specialist international business event held alongside the Biograd Boat Show.

Marinas have played a central role in this development. ACI (Adriatic Croatia International Club), established in 1983, pioneered the creation of a network of modern marinas along the coast and islands, including some in relatively remote locations. During 1984 and 1985 alone, 16 new ACI marinas were constructed, helping to establish the infrastructure for the growth of recreational sailing. In October 2026, the Croatian government approved extensions to ACI’s marina concessions, securing long-term operating rights through to 2058 and providing a basis for further investment and modernisation.

Today, Croatia has an extensive range of marina and mooring facilities, from large charter bases, marinas and town harbours, to smaller island marinas and bays with approved anchorages and a few berths. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, there were 65 marinas, excluding dry marinas, in 2025. Across the country’s nautical tourism facilities (65 wet marinas, 71 nautical anchorages and 16 nautical mooring facilities), there were approximately 18,850 water berths, and the sector generated almost €195 million in revenue that year, an increase of 7.9% on 2024.

Alongside the marinas themselves, a specialist industry has developed to design, equip and maintain them. This includes floating pontoons, electricity and water connections, sewage pump-out facilities, mooring systems and other essential infrastructure. Croatian companies are active in this field, including Marinetek Adriatic, which supplies marina pontoons and equipment; Zadar-based Marex Elektrostroj, a manufacturer of shore-power installations; Hidroinženjering, which specialises in underwater engineering and mooring systems; and Pomgrad Inženjering, which undertakes marine construction and marina infrastructure projects.

The large number of boats based in Croatia also supports a wide range of marine services, from boat maintenance and repairs to engine servicing, sailmaking, electronics, winter storage and refitting. Together, these activities provide employment and business opportunities extending well beyond the tourism season.

Traditional Boatbuilding on Murter

Just a short distance from Biograd, the island of Murter offers a fascinating contrast to the modern yachts on display at the boat show. The village of Betina is particularly famous for its wooden boatbuilding, a craft that has been passed down through generations.

Among its best-known vessels is the Betina gajeta, a traditional wooden boat developed to meet the practical needs of local island communities. These sturdy boats were used for fishing, transporting agricultural produce and carrying people and supplies between the mainland and the islands. They were especially important to the people of Murter, many of whom owned agricultural land and olive groves on the Kornati Islands. Other traditional vessels include the leut, a larger wooden boat used for fishing and carrying cargo.

Although the introduction of fibreglass boats led to a decline in traditional wooden boatbuilding during the second half of the twentieth century, the craft has survived in Betina, where local boatbuilders continue to construct and restore wooden vessels.

The village is also home to the excellent Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding, which celebrates the history, techniques and cultural significance of the craft. Its open-air exhibition extends into Betina’s picturesque harbour, where traditional wooden boats can be seen afloat rather than simply displayed as museum objects.

A Living Maritime Heritage

From the traditional boatyards of Betina to the modern marinas of Biograd, boats remain central to life along this stretch of the Dalmatian coast.

For centuries, they connected island communities, supported fishing and agriculture, and provided essential transport across the Adriatic. Today, the emphasis may have shifted towards leisure sailing, tourism and international trade, but the relationship between Croatia and the sea remains as strong as ever. The Biograd Boat Show provides an opportunity to see how that maritime tradition continues to evolve, combining the skills of established boatbuilders with the technology and innovation of the modern nautical industry.

A Little Croatian Nautical Vocabulary

• Brod – Boat / ship
• Jedrilica – Sailing boat / sailing yacht
• Motorna jahta – Motor yacht
• Katamaran – Catamaran
• Jedro – Sail
• Jedriti – To sail
• Brodogradnja – Boatbuilding / shipbuilding
• Brodogradilište – Boatyard / shipyard
• Drvena brodogradnja – Wooden boatbuilding
• Drveni brod – Wooden boat
• Luka – Harbour / port
• Marina – Marina
• Otok – Island
• More – Sea
• Kornatski otoci – Kornati Islands
• Muzej betinske drvene brodogradnje – Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding

…and Some Useful Phrases

• Volim jedriti. – I love sailing.
• Gdje je marina? – Where is the marina?
• Idemo na Kornate. – We’re going to the Kornati Islands.
• Kakav lijep brod! – What a beautiful boat!

The 28th Biograd Boat Show takes place from 21st to 25th October 2026 at Marina Kornati, Biograd na Moru.

For more information on the show: Biograd Boat Show.

For details of our Croatian Language and Culture Course: Croatian Language and Culture Programme

Photos: Jane Cody, taken at the 2009 Biograd Boat Show (!), Kornati and Nin (traditional boat)