This autumn we were looking for something new and exciting to include in our 2009 programme and with the concept of a combined land and sea tour becoming increasingly popular we thought it would be a good idea to offer a bike/boat tour in one of our favourite countries – Croatia!
So, I embarked on a trip to the stunning Adriatic Sea and Croatia’s Dalmatian Islands.
Treasured by sailors from all over the world, these islands are dotted in a spectacular turquoise sea and display a breathtaking landscape of mostly untouched coastline, exotic cliffs, secluded beaches, peaceful forests and medieval towns rising to a mountainous backdrop – a scenic delight surely best explored by bike and boat combined!?
The tour starts in Dubrovnik, which is easily accessible from both Dublin and London. I managed to get a direct flight with Aer Lingus from Dublin, which takes approx. 3 hours.
When arriving at Dubrovnik airport there were many taxi drivers offering to drive me to the city centre for about 30 euro, but always check if there is a coach service running as this is much cheaper, and the town is only about 20 minutes away. I found a coach outside the terminal, only costing me 5 euro (35 Croatian Kuna).
However, if you (like me) have a return flight from Dubrovnik at the end of your tour, buses are only available from the city if there is a Croatian flight departing at the same time as your flight, which is pretty hard to find out and also might not be very reliable, so I would suggest to take a taxi for your return flight.
Please note that those who wish to book our featured bike/boat tour in Dalmatia should refer to the tour itinerary as per our website and brochure as this blog describes the tour with a slightly different route (but reading the blog will certainly give you a very good idea of what to expect from the tour!).
DAY 1 – Dubrovnik
The coach from the airport drops me of at Cruz Harbour, where the ship Romantica (my home for the next 7 days!) is docked.
Arriving onboard just in time for lunch (all meals are included in our tour package) I settle in and begin to get to know my fellow passengers. We are served a lovely 3-course meal that I enjoy while conversing with a friendly family from Utah – any initial nerves about the tour is now gone and I start to feel really good about what lies ahead!
The boat itself is a lovely motorised ship, with cabins above and below deck and a large dining area with fitted bar inside. There are also plenty of outside seating areas , perfect for those sunny days! My double bed cabin is nice and clean, and like all the others has a separate private bathroom and shower.
After lunch there is free time to explore Dubrovnik before the group meet up again for a guided tour later in the afternoon. I take the opportunity to walk up on the (amazingly well-pre
Dinner in the evening onboard, with our full compliment of all 12 passengers, is followed by a presentation of the tour, our guides and the ship crew (including our private chef!). We also receive a taste of the traditional welcome drink Rakija, which is VERY strong (40 to 60 percent alcohol content!), so beware!
DAY 2 – Island Sipan & Island Mljet
Morning cruise to Island Sipan where our bikes are fitted out for our first cycle. All bikes are equipped with water proof back panniers, although the “waterproof” bit won’t really matter to us as the forecast promises warm weather with clear skies all week!
In the basking sunshine we head of with our two cycling guides (one always in the front and the other staying with the cyclists at the back to ensure that nobody gets lost). The morning is very pleasant and although we don’t receive detailed route directions (only overview maps), with 2 guides the chance of getting lost is minimal and it is nice not having to worry about “turning next right then left…”. I also appreciate the fact that there is no “rule” to
Making it across the island we stop for a quick swim before heading back to the boat – time to work on that tan on the sun deck!
During lunch we make a short and scenic cruise to the densely wooded Mljet Island (90% covered by forest). The afternoon cycle is the most challenging stage on the tour, but I do enjoy the incredible traffic-free roads, which makes the cycling much easier (coming from Dublin it is strange to not see a car for 3 hours!).
We finish up in the beautiful Mljet National Park, where I take the opportunity to cool down with an evening swim in the gorgeous lake Veliko Jez – the hills were quickly forgotten about!
Total distance today was 50km.
DAY 3 – Korcula Island
Another lovely day and a morning cruise over to Korcula Island and after a very filling breakfast we are ready for what lies ahead.
Today the boat will not meet us for lunch, but instead we are given lunch packages to enjoy at a stop along the way.
The cycle starts off with 10 km of very relaxing cycling along the sea front, followed by a 3km climb where most of us push the bikes, as it is too steep to cycle all the way. When we finally reach the top, our efforts are rewarded with stunning views of the sea and surrounding Islands and mountains. We can also see our boat afar looking tiny, which makes me realise just how high up we are!
The scenery today is really something special, and around each corner (and each hill!) there is a breathtaking view to appreciate. As lunch time approaches we arrive at Brna, where we take a couple of hours break, and enjoy our packed lunch and a well-deserved swim in the crystal-clear Croatian sea!
The afternoon cycle involves one gradually climb for about 4km, which I actually enjoy as it is not too steep and takes us through some very unique scenery of green-dressed mountain passes.
Descending down to our night-stop Vela Luka I am pleased to see the boat anchored the harbour - it is really nice to have your base to come back to each day. Onboard we quickly order some cold Croatian beer, which never tasted as good!
Total distance today was 60km, with some of the most spectacular scenery on the trip.
DAY 4– Vis Island
Today’s destination is Vis, a small (approx 90.3 sq km) and unique island furthest away from the central Dalmatian islands. Vis has been a military base since the end of the Second World War and only quite recently has foreigners been allowed to enter (no pressure then for a ship load of foreign cyclists heading for its shores!).
After lunch onboard we begin our cycle with a steep climb up to a viewpoint with stunning views of the sea, mountains and Komiza village in a distance. From the viewpoint we enjoy the descent all the way down to Komiza at the edge of the island. This is an important fishing village, but also worth mentioning is the delicious ice cream! Having refuelled we embark on another climb that takes us up to the top of the island, which again is rewarded with beautiful views.
After some (much welcomed) flat cycling through a quiet valley we descend back to Vis in time to enjoy a lovely sunset from the boat.
For the evening main course we are treated with freshly caught fish and our Croatian guide Sasha gives us a lesson in the Croatian language. Afterwards some of us decide to put our new knowledge to good use and explore Vis’s nightlife (a tiny bar with 80s medleys on the stereo) before heading off to bed for some much needed rest.
DAY 5 – Hvar Island
In the morning we head for Hvar Island where the boat sets anchor at Hvar Village, a very picturesque town nestled between the sea and mountains. With some free time scheduled I take the opportunity to explore the village, while some of my fellow travellers decide to make the most of this warm and sunny day and hang out on the boat’s sun deck.
During lunch we get the regular run through of the first stage of today’s cycle, which is very straightforward - a 10km uphill cycle followed by 10 descend to Starigrad. Later in the afternoon we have a relaxing roundtrip cycle to Jelsa, where we all enjoy the best ice cream so far on the trip! (In Croatia it seems easier to find and ice cream shop than a grocery store!).
Arriving back to Starigrad our dinner is followed by a lesson in Croatia’s geography, which involves finding out that the country boosts over 1000 islands (most of them are inhabited)!
This evening some of us visit a very cosy cocktail bar where Croatians, Germans, Americans & Swedish all swap stories, and where downstairs a room full of sailors insist on buying us the traditional Croatian drink Rakija. Luckily we escaped through the back door!
DAY 6 – Brac Island
While enjoying breakfast onboard we are transferred to Brac Island where we will begin our cycle after lunch. Before this we have time for a (very refreshing) morning swim at the nearby beach called “the Golden Horn”, named after its horn shape pointing out from the mainland. Today’s cycle, that brings us to the village Supetar, begins with a fairly challenging 8km climb followed by undulating terrain through vineyards and quiet countryside until we make a “beer stop” in the tiny seaside village of Postira.
After another 3-course meal (I could get used to this!) our guide Sascha gives us an insight to Croatia’s very interesting history.
Total distance today was 50km.
DAY 7 – Split
In the morning the ship brings us to Split, the second biggest city in Croatia and on UNESCO’s world heritage list because of its old city and the Dioclatian Palace, built from local white limestone. Today’s cycle is only 15km up to a viewpoint of the city, while the afternoon is spent in the markets where they sell everything from jewellery, art, clothes and food. During lunch onboard we cruise to our final destination, Trogir. This is a lovely village with a cosy old town where we enjoy a chat and a coffee on the main square. The final dinner on the boat consists of a spread of Parma ham, cheese, 3 different types of sausages, burgers, chicken skewers, chips…the list goes on! We are also awarded with a meringue cake that the captain sets on fire (yes he was meant to do that) to celebrate our last night and also the crew’s last night for the season.
DAY 8 – Trip ends after breakfast
I am flying back to Dublin from Dubrovnik, which means I have to embark on a 6-hour bus journey back from Trogir. The distance itself is only about 250km, but with “roller coaster” roads through the mountains and along the coastline the travel time is much longer that you would expect. The scenery is beautiful though so the trip feels shorter. On my last night in Dubrovnik I stay in a hotel by the harbour (right where the boat set off from a week earlier). If you plan to stay extra nights in Dubrovnik you tend to get a better deal when avoiding the area by the old town. You certainly get better value for your money, and the old town is just a couple of minutes bus ride away.

