Bike South Dalmatia from Trogir to Dubrovnik

Dalmatia from Trogir to Dubrovnik

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From emerald lakes of national park Mljet, chimneys and military tunnels of Lastovo archipelago, exquisite wines of Pelješac peninsula and best gelato on Hvar, this tour is designed to inspire you, sailing and cycling in some of the most exquisite parts of south Dalmatia! Croatia is an unusually shaped country connecting Eastern and Western Europe and is home to one the the highest number of UNESCO Intangible Goods of any European country. Including lace making, “klapa” singing, silent circle dancing, wooden toy carvings to the festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik celebrated by releasing the white doves as a symbol of peace- a ritual dating back as far as 1190. We will hop on board, sail&cycle between Dubrovnik and Trogir while exploring many islands, ancient city walls, fortresses and palaces that bear witness to 2500 years old history !

Day one: Trogir-island Šolta (cycling 19 km; easy)

Arriving early to Trogir will give you time to settle in and be stress free, picking up the last things you might need for your holiday and at the same time slowly immersing yourself into dalmatian culture, sipping a coffee in the heart of this UNESCO historical city. When the church bells ring from the St.Lawrence cathedral, it is time for you to roll your luggage to check-in and meet&greet your family on board your boat. As we leave the harbour and flash our cameras at the beautiful sight of the Kamerlengo fortress, numerous bell towers, promenade aligned with palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze, our captain will take us on the first little cruise from Trogir to the island of Šolta. On our first day we will start in the small port town of Maslinica where we will get all the pedals and seats adjusted and have an easy tour to get everyone all started. We will cycle though the island, turning into narrow country lanes, passing old stone villages, olive and fig groves. En-route we will visit a truly unique beekeeper Goran and his family where we will learn about the bees and taste bee products while having a good laugh at the same time. We will continue towards Stomorska where our boat will stay for the night and enjoy a welcome dinner on board!

Day two: Maslinica-island Hvar (tour I: 28km easy, tour II: 20km challenging)

As soon as our chef brings the fresh bread from the local bakery, we will cruise towards the 6 km protected bay of Starigrad on the island of Hvar. Our morning circular tour will start in one of the oldest towns in Europe- Starigrad, colonized in 384 BC by the ancient Greeks. We will witness a 2400 year old remnant of the greek presence, Unesco protected Ager (Starigrad plain), where the scarce flat land was equally divided and separated with dry stonewalls. It is said life is short and we should eat dessert first, so in Jelsa we will stop for a short break and have an opportunity to try best gelato and baklava on the island, accompanied with a frothy cappuccino to help us stay wide awake! Situated 5km away, following a quiet road, curving close by the rocky turquoise beaches we will reach Vrboska. With its cobbled stone bridges, quiet atmosphere and it’s romantic setting, it reminds many of Venice. Back in Starigrad lunch will be served on board, we might even have some time for a quick dip in the water too. After lunch we head for our second tour, from Starigrad up and over the to the glorious town of Hvar! Thanks to Napoleon and french perfume industry, lavender fields decorate the northern part of the island. Best time to see the glory of the purple bloom is at the end of june. Our boat stays the night in the town of Hvar.

Day three: Hvar – Island of Vis (33 km; moderate and at times challenging)

The furthest away inhabited island in the East Coast of the Adriatic, Vis was visited by the ancient Greeks from Syracuse 2300 years ago. Bringing their grapevines with them, they established another colony- Issa. As we are finishing our breakfast, we will be docking in to the beautiful harbour of Vis town. Our 32 km circular tour will start with a sweaty climb up to a striking belvedere from where in the far distance, on a clear day, we might even see Italy overlooking a few tiny islands, straight underneath us a hairpin bendy road will take us down into the village of Komiza- a birthplace of fishing in Croatia. Standing solidly above the village since the 9th century, is the monastery of St.Nicholas- patron of children, travelers and fishermen. The island’s pristine nature and old architecture were preserved due to its long isolation. This is a place where Yugoslavian leader, Marshall Tito set his military base, prohibiting any visitors and it has been so until the beginning of the 90`s when it opened up, mainly attracting people looking for silence and solitude. Today we will enjoy lunch in a local ” konoba”, traditional family restaurant set in a vineyard, producing vine that traces back to the greek times. We stay overnight in Vis town.

Day four: Vis-Korčula-Lastovo Island (28km; easy to moderate)

In the morning our captain will navigate the open waters between Vis and Korčula island, towards the fishing harbour of Vela Luka . Yet another island conquered by the Greeks, Korčula offers us one of the most scenic rides of the week. Soon after a short warm up on our bikes, we will pass olive and fig groves before reaching the center of the island, town of Blato, built on seven hills and adorned with fragrant linden trees. We will then cross to the western edge of the island, cycling along the waterfront villages of Prižba and Brna, stopping for photos, maybe even a swim! In the small town of Brna our boat picks us up and we head towards the nature park of Lastovo where we have time to our selves, whether soaking in the Adriatic, reading a book under an olive tree or simply practicing some mindfulness !

Day five: Islands of Lastovo and Korčula (28 + 35km; moderate and at times challenging)

Our morning tour is on the island Lastovo or the ” emperors island”, named so by the Romans. Everyone who enjoys untouched nature will love this small island known to be one of the greenest ones, as well one of Croatia’s 11 nature parks ! A peculiar thing about this island is the number 46. Lastovo is surrounded by 46 small islands, it has 46 churches, 46 hills and 46 valleys planted with olives, fruits and local ‘marastina’ grape vines. In the town of Ubli we can admire old stone houses with unique chimneys – called ‘fumari’, a distinguishing feature that makes the island recognizable . Our afternoon ride starts with going back to the island of Korčula, where we cycle the rest of the island from Brna towards the town of Korčula, en route enjoying some thrilling climbs with magnificent views. We stay the night in the town of Korčula, allegedly the birthplace of Marco Polo.

Day six: Islands of Mljet and Šipan (31km; moderate)

While enjoying our mediterranean breakfast, our boat sails towards the greenest and most forested Croatian island, home to one of 8 national parks- Mljet! Numerous shipwrecks and amphorae give evidence that ancient Greeks sailed along the coast of Mljet and probably stayed on shore too. Allegedly, even Odysseus was shipwrecked nearby a cave that now holds his name. Between Pomena and Sobra, we will cycle on the undulating roads mostly passing inner part of the island, breathing in the fragrant smells of carob and almond trees. We will learn about the ongoing problems people face living on such a beautiful island. Like so many other Croatian islands, Mljet is loosing its population due to lack of opportunities and year round jobs for young people. In the ferry harbour of Sobra we hop on boat and sail to another charming little island Šipan for the night.

Day seven: Island of Šipan and town of Dubrovnik (11km; easy)

Our last cycling day is on the biggest of the Elafiti islands – Šipan! There are two main villages on the island : Šipanska Luka and Suđurađ. Nobility of the republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) set their eyes on these islands and built wealthy palaces and churches. Today we take it easy. Whether you want to join our last short cycling trip, work on you bike tan or stay on board and take advantage of swimming in the blue waters of Šipan bay! Once everyone is on board, only a short ride away is postcard perfect old Dubrovnik where a local guide awaits us to show us the most photographed sight in Croatia. Tonight we pull out the cleanest clothes and celebrate our last dinner in a festive tone !

Day eight: Dubrovnik

Our last coffee and breakfast together usually everyone is quiet. One reason is because of dancing and singing too much the previous night, but in reality it is because it is always sad when beautiful things come to an end and we have to part with people we connected with. Everyone heads in their own direction, whether continuing their journey or heading home to their loved ones. Leaving, but enriched with new experiences, knowledge, few extra kilos, new friendships, stronger bonds and lifetime memories. Maybe even a new date in the diary for your next trip in another part of Croatia!

* Details subject to change.