Cycling holiday in Croatia, Dalmatian Coast

Overview

The sea is always in view on this small group cycling holiday that explores both famous island national parks and the lesser-pedalled paths of the Dalmatian Coast. Split Hvar Korcula Peljesac Peninsula Ston Dubrovnik Five days of cycling. The only problem is knowing where to start with so many stunning spots to choose from. This expertly crafted week long itinerary, travelling in a small group with an expert guide, doesn’t just tick off the tourist boxes, it takes you on a great ride to places that our cycling experts favour, from mainland to islands, into forests and up to perfect viewpoints, along ancient Roman roads and through remote villages. This is a moderately paced cycling holiday with four full days of pedalling between 20-50kms per day. There is a bit of to-ing and fro-ing to each island, but they are all worth the journey. First, the island of Hvar, where we escape the marinas and big yachts for the more remote fishing villages cycling along Roman roads up to some of the coast’s finest viewpoints. Then on to Korkula Island, with its contrasting forested landscapes but also a main town with fine Gothic Renaissance architecture and ancient tiny streets. You also have an option to hop over to Mljet, Croatia’s only island national park. Cycling on the mainland is a stupendous experience too, especially along the Peljesac peninsula which feels almost like an island with its prolific vineyards, olive groves and tiny villages, with the added joy of Ston, a medieval town which is a bit like a baby Dubrovnik. The real thing awaiting us at the end of the trip, where we have free time to explore its medieval marvels at our own pace. Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modeled on independent travel - but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and help with the language. It's easy to tick off the big sights independently - but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. For those with limited time, a small group tour will save valuable time in planning, and on holiday. As the itinerary is mainly based on cycling and sightseeing Dalmatian coast, we have a low impact on the environment. The sightseeing aspect of the tour is actually really beneficial to the country and its several historical and cultural gems. The ancient, heavily walled city of Dubrovnik, for instance, benefits from tourist fees which go towards upkeep of the buildings. Clients are free to visit the Rector’s Palace, the Franciscan and Dominican Monasteries, the Stradun and the fortified walls themselves. Not only does this help preserve and celebrate Croatian culture history, but the locals benefit from tourists spending on souvenirs and food. Similarly, there is the option to visit the island of Mljet and its National Park- by doing this we contribute to the maintenance of this beautiful natural area. Water is a really important issue with cycling trips and whilst we must stay hydrated, it is also vital that we have a system for providing clean water without causing lots of waste with plastic bottles. We suggest that instead of repeatedly buying bottled water, guests should re-fill a singular bottle and provide clean water in large bottles to facilitate this. We recycle our plastic and are sure to dispose of any litter on tour in an appropriate place. It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit. On this trip you will spend the week in comfortable, locally staffed hotels. We tend to avoid the larger chains and to invest in the smaller businesses, where our money stays local. All breakfasts and one picnic lunch is included. Croatian cuisine has a mixture of Central European, Italian and Balkan influences, producing a mixture of dishes like grilled lamb, pizza, fine seafood, pasta and salads. Your guide is local and will be able to recommend or arrange for you to eat in some unique, community-central restaurants or markets. For example, in Ston, the group can stop to try oysters; or along the Peljesac Peninsula, there are several vineyards where there is the chance to try and buy some wine. This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.

Daily Ride Schedule

Accommodation & Services

Accommodation

Hotel

What's Included