Bike Camp Dalmacia (8 Days – 7 Nights)
DAY 1. DUBROVNIK
Bike Camp Dalmatia starts late in the afternoon at your hotel, where your expert guides will fit your bikes, before moving on to enjoy an appetizer followed by dinner in the Old Town of Dubrovnik. If yours is a morning flight you may stroll downtown for an early appointment with Dubrovnik – the venerable “Crown Jewel” of the Adriatic. See the ancient city walls, walk along the polished stone of the central Stradun Street and discover one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, the early city port and the Rector’s Palace.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel, Dubrovnik.
Meals: Dinner.
Activity: Bike adjustment, city tour and dinner.
Transfer Time: Depending on the location of the meeting point. 30 mins. from Dubrovnik.
DAY 2. PELJEŠAC PENINSULA (100 km / 62 miles)
After a big breakfast we depart Dubrovnik for our first ride. As you work your way towards the Pelješac Peninsula, you will be rewarded with spectacular views of the Dubrovnik archipelago. Next, we ride on to the 14th century town of Ston, with the longest fortified walls in Europe and an ancient salt mine. Half-way through, the lunch is served in a tranquil and secluded Pelješac village. After lunch, we cycle along the hills of Dingač and Postup, their vineyards producing some of Croatia’s finest Plavac Mali wine, much like Zinfandel of California, and Calabria’s Primitivo. A reward at the end of your first day is the exhilarating downhill to Orebić, from where a boat takes you to the town of Korčula. We will dine together in Korčula’s medieval Old Town.
Accommodation: 3*Hotel, Korcula.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Activity: Cycling.
Transfer Time: 20 min. transfer before we start pedaling, 20 minutes of sailing to Korcula.
DAY 3. KORČULA ISLAND (85 km / 53 miles)
Get ready to explore the entire island of Korčula – its surprising caves, secluded coves and scenic coastal roads. The route meanders through the charming villages, private vineyards and lush pine forests covering the island. Pick a place of your choice to eat along the way and we will make sure that you sample traditional meals such as the homemade gnocchi or macaroni, “pašticada” or the freshest grilled fish. Korčula produces some of Croatia’s best white wines, such as Pošip, Rukatac and Grk, a perfect accompaniment to your lunch or dinner. For the afternoon we suggest that you spend some time exploring the charming narrow streets of Korčula, which are just as irresistible to today’s visitor as they were to medieval travellers like Marco Polo, who began his life’s journey in this town – for this is where the Silk Road began! Visit the Gothic Cathedral of Sveti Marko (St. Mark’s Cathedral) and Marco Polo’s house.
Accommodation: 3*Hotel, Korcula.
Meals: Breakfast.
Actividad: Cycling.
Transfer Time: No transfer, we start and ends pedaling from the Hotel.
DAY 4. HVAR ISLAND (75 km / 50 miles)
We continue our Croatian adventure with a great ride along a labyrinth of roads towards the Island of Hvar, the sunniest and greenest of the Croatia islands. We will warm up with the 20km ride along the Pelješac Peninsula, from where the boat takes us to the eastern part of Hvar. This makes for a great pit stop before we start cycling along a narrow road, with stunning views of the Adriatic sprawling to the north and the south. Riding through the sleepy villages you may catch a glimpse of the peak in the distance. This will be your goal on the last day of our cycling tour – to reach the magnificent Sveti Jure (St. George), its 1,762 metres rising straight up from the sea. We will have dinner in the former fishing village of Jelsa, your home for the next two nights.
Accommodation: 3*Hotel, Jelsa.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Activity: Cycling.
Transfer Time: 1 hour sailing.
DAY 5. LAVENDER ROADS OF THE HVAR ISLAND (80 km / 50 miles)
Start the day with the scenic and mostly flat road on the north side of the island and discover the town of Stari Grad (The Old Town). This is the oldest settlement on the island and one of the first in Europe, founded by the Ancient Greeks (Paros). After a few gentle warm-up miles along the UNESCO site of Stari Grad Plain, ahead of you awaits a challenging uphill climb, past the rosemary and lavender fields and ancient Greek walls. Take in the scenery and the sight of endless sea surrounding the island of Hvar and the small islands and islets before experiencing the breathtaking downhill to the town of Hvar. And now relax. The Venetian piazza is the perfect place for a spot of lunch before your departure back to Jelsa.
Accommodation: 3* Hotel, Jelsa.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinnner.
Activity: Cycling
Transfer time: No transfer, we start and ends pedaling from the Hotel.
DAY 6. BRAČ ISLAND (100 km / 62 miles)
Day 6 begins with a private boat transfer to the Island of Brač, the largest of the central Dalmatian islands. The trademark of Brač is its limestone, also known as Brač marble, famously used to build the White House in Washington D.C., Diocletian’s Palace in Split and many other significant buildings and sites worldwide. En route you will see the beautiful Zlatni Rat (Golden Cape), one of the most striking pebble beaches in Croatia. Today we climb Vidova Gora peak, the highest of all on Dalmatian islands at the altitude of 778 meters. After lunch we continue our journey to the east side of Brač, from where the boat will take us back to the mainland. We will spend the night in a picturesque Makarska.
Accommodation: 3*Hotel, Makarska.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.
Activity: Cycling.
Transfer time: 2 hours saling.
DAY 7. BIOKOVO’S HIGHEST PEAK (30 km / 19 miles)
Make the most of your energizing breakfast, for today is the last day of riding and we aim to get you to the top! The ride is short at just 30 kilometres, but Sveti Jure peak towers at the altitude of 1,783 meters. As you climb the sinuous road on your way to the summit, there are spectacular and unique views of the coastline and all the islands that you have cycled through in the past few days. Once at the top, we will enjoy a picnic and catch the last glimpses of our Croatian cycling odyssey. The afternoon is set for a transfer to Split, a cultural and administrative centre of Dalmatia listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The town was built on foundations of the Roman emperor Diocletian’s palace more than 1,700 years ago. Amazingly, the locals have built their homes in the old palace walls and where once the Roman state affairs were discoursed, today the lovely ladies of Split string their colourful washing. Soak up the atmosphere of the old part of town and discover the Palace vaults, the Peristyle Square and Sveti Duje (St. Domnius) Cathedral, before we all settle down for a well-deserved dinner on our last evening together.
Accommodation: 3*Hotel, Split.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic and dinner.
Activity: Cycling
Transfer time: 3 hours
DAY 8. SPLIT – FAREWELL
Our tour ends after breakfast but you should spend at least another day in Split. Visit the vibrant farmers’ and fish markets, walk its squares and sit in its taverns to fully experience the local scene and the laidback lifestyle of Split, whose contemporary sounds and sights merge flawlessly with its historic past. Everyone’s story plays a part in Split’s magnificent mosaic and yours will too. Truly a fitting place for the end of your tour.
