Maslinica Gay Travel
Is gay travel to Croatia safe? wolfyy’s Maslinica gay guide covers LGBT safety, things to do, gay sailing, and local gay life.
The Gay Travel Experience: Maslinica, Croatia
There is a relatively small chance you will find groups of gay travelers out and about in Maslinica. However, you may find some luck given some gay sailing companies stop in this sleepy town.
Maslinica Gay Travel: Book a Sailing Trip
Sailing the Croatian Islands with a group of gay friends was one of the most memorable trips of my entire life! Are you interested in doing the same? I can help you organize your first trip for gay sailing in Croatia or Greece!
Book dates for this coming season now! Learn all about the gay sailing experience.
To see what the trip was like, go to my Instagram @laffaloui and see the first story highlight section. There’s a ton of shots from my prior sailing trips!
Maslinica Gay Travel Experiences
A local fitness instructor gives free classes in the mornings right in the Maslinica port! All of my friends did one of his classes (I personally was asleep)! They loved it. If you’re interested, look for advertisements near the port with information for the class schedule.
Restoran Šampjer was the highlight of my trip to Maslinica. This beautiful restaurant sits atop a large hill overlooking the Šolta Island shore. Not only was the food impressive, but the views were too!
For those travelers seeking impeccable service or an overall fine dining experience, I encourage you to check it out.
You can see some small uninhabited islands from the restaurant’s terrace. It was so beautiful, my friends and I spent a solid ten minutes taking photos outside. Restaurant Šampjer has a plethora of seafood options.
Each day they present a “daily catch,” typical of nice restaurants along the Adriatic coast. I shared a custom fish stew with a few friends.
Restaurant Šampjer has a shuttle that will pick you up from the port area. It is a little steep to walk up but walking downhill was fine after we left. Definitely make a reservation here and take the five-minute ride up. It was elegant and truly fantastic!
Is Croatia Safe for Gay Travelers?
Gay travelers in Croatia should exercise caution while touring the country for a number of reasons. Although Croatia is part of the European Union and is a popular gay travel destination, there is still a formidable anti-LGBT sentiment among some local Croatians.
Even though tourists flood the Croatian islands each summer, locals still live and work on these bits of paradise. The Croatians are not used to seeing overt gay public displays of affection. So, two men kissing in a restaurant in Maslinica may warrant some unwanted attention.
I encountered a couple of homophobic scenarios while sailing Croatia’s islands with a group of gay friends. A few gay couples joined our trip. After showing some affection in a couple of restaurants and bars, there were some uncomfortable situations.
In short, one restaurant told our friends that two men could not kiss each other while sitting and having dinner there. One other instance involved a group of young local men throwing a lighter at a group of us while in a local bar. Both situations were handled, but it was very disheartening to experience.
This information certainly should not deter you from visiting Croatia. Firstly, these were isolated incidents. I believe they could have happened anywhere. Many locals do support homosexuality and equal rights for LGBT individuals.
Homophobic comments can be made in any country. However, gay travelers in Croatia should still make sure they are in a safe environment before displaying any affection.
Maslinica Gay Travel Tips
Grab Groceries at Studenac
Studenac is the best market to pick up wine and snacks. It is a chain company and they accept credit cards. You don’t always find such convenience on Croatian islands!
Everything Closes Early
Maslinica is a quiet port town and so just about everything slows down after 10 PM. Walking home after dinner was very peaceful. Along with a friend, I sat on a bench facing the port under a bright moon. We only heard the sound of the water.
Order Your Cocktails Carefully
Be judicious with what kind of cocktails you order at the bars around the port. Some drinks tasted overly sugary with little alcohol. I felt a little ripped off since prices were not exactly low. I recommend sticking with the local Croatian beer! It’s delicious.
Local Ferries
See the Jadrolinija Ferry official site for schedules and timetables.
Is Croatia Expensive?
Croatia is so popular with European, Australian, and American tourists, that prices are no longer considered “cheap.” Prices at most restaurants throughout the Croatian islands rival those of the most expensive world cities.
So yes, Croatia is expensive in relative terms. Cheap food is hard to come by, but there are still some pizzerias where you can get a medium-sized personal pizza for the equivalent of ten Euros.
Croatia Gay Life & LGBT Rights
Croatia provides a wealth of protections to the LGBT community, however gay life in Croatia for locals is not exactly easy. Most local Croatians keep their sexuality hidden from the public eye out of fear of discrimination.
They do not usually express their identity openly. Hate speech has been on the rise against LGBT individuals and Serbs prior to 2017, according to reports compiled that year on the issue.
Croatia does defend all citizens against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The country allows gays, lesbians, and bisexual individuals to serve in the military. Changing legal gender is also legal.
A major downfall is that the Croatian constitution bans same-sex marriage. The constitution was revised to define marriage as a union solely between a man and woman. A 2017 Pew Research Study found that more than 60% of Croatians oppose same-sex marriage.
Gay rights gained more of a foothold in 2014 when Croatia passed the Life Partnership Act. The Life Partnership Act allows gay couples to receive the same legal benefits as heterosexual couples for just about everything except adoption rights.
On the positive end of the spectrum, a 2016 ILGA poll found that 75% of Croatians would have no issue with an LGBT neighbor. 10% of people responded they would be very uncomfortable with an LGBT neighbor.
Most anti-LGBT sentiment can be found in the northwest portion of Croatia. The rest of the country is not so fiercely opposed. Large centers like Dubrovnik and Zagreb advertise themselves as gay-friendly tourist destinations, however, this does not exactly mean discrimination by locals does not occur.
Next, check out these awesome Croatian island tours.
For more inspiration, explore wolfyy’s full collection of gay travel guides.
See wolfyy’s travel resources page for booking discounts and recommended partner sites.
