Beyond Boundaries Travel: Croatia South Dalmation Islands Bike & Barge

8 days / 7 nights, approx. 240 km (155 mi.) by bike

Our bike-tours in Southern Dalmatia, the smallest and most sparsely populated region in Croatia, will take us past unique little towns and the beautiful island countryside. These tours will let us experience the beautiful island of Korcula with its picturesquely situated old township, the wine growing peninsula of Peljesac and to the south of the peninsula the island of Mljet, with its impressive national park. Our tour guide will guide you through the towns of Trogir, Hvar, Stari Grad and Korcula, which are almost all protected by UNESCO‘s world heritage list.

Day 1 (Sat) Split (Cycle route approx. 20 km/12 mi.)

Individual arrival by car to Trogir or by plane to Split airport, which is about 5 km/3 mi. away from the boarding harbor of Trogir. After check in on the motor yacht the first small cruise begins at 2 pm from Trogir to Split. Here you will undertake your first cycle tour to the Marjan mountain, a popular relaxation destination for the inhabitants of Split. After dinner your guide will accompany you on a walk through the old town of Split, which is built into the famous palace of the Roman Caesar Diokletian and is a world heritage site. Overnight stay in Split.

Day 2 (Sun) Cetina Canyon (Cycle route approx. 43 km/27 mi.)

After a short crossing to Omis you will cycle into the valley of the Cetina River, which has buried itself deep into the cliff faces. You will return to Omis with its pirate castles by way of small side roads through varied landscape. You also have the option of taking part in a 2 hour rafting tour on the Cetina River. In the afternoon you will cross over to Brac Island with a swimming break and a cycle tour to Pucisca. The famous white marble of Brac which can be seen here has been used for the White House in Washington and in the Reichstag in Berlin.

Day 3 (Mon) Brac Island (Cycle route approx. 30 km/19 mi.)

Today’s route begins in Povlja with a long but moderate ascent to the mountain ridge of the island, past mulberry, kiwi and fig trees, olive groves and vineyards. The following descent to Bol rewards you for your steep climb with amazing panoramic views of the neighboring island Hvar. After lunch you will crossover to the island of Korcula, whose capital town vies with Venice for the title of the birth place of Marco Polo.

Day 4 (Tues) Pelješac Peninsula and Mljet (Cycle route approx. 26 km/16 mi. + 12 km/7 mi.)

Pelješac impresses visitors even from afar with its Sv. Ilja mountain, which rises almost 1000 metres from the sea. After a short cruise in the morning you will take a cycle tour into the inland of the island, past the most famous winegrowing region of Dalmatia (the excellent Plavac und Dingač wines come from here) to Trstenik. During lunch you will cross over to the green, wooded island of Mljet, which is also known as the honey island. In the 12th century Benedictine monks founded a beautifully situated monastery, which you will see on your short cycle trip. The local pine forest is one of the most beautiful of its kind in the entire Mediterranean region – Odysseus is said to have spent 7 years here. Today this region is a National park and the highlight of every Dalmatian journey.

Day 5 (Wed) Korcula Island (Cycle route approx. 67 km/42 mi.)
Crossover during breakfast to Korcula Island. The peacefulness and remoteness of luscious gardens with large cypresses dominate the appearance of perhaps the most beautiful Dalmatian island. You will cycle along the 12km/7 mi. long coastal road to Racisce for lunch. After a short period of pushing your bike to Pupnat you will reach the old 200m/660 ft. high pass road above the magnificent bay of Pupnat and later the village of Blato, which like Rome, was built on 7 hills. Overnight stay in the harbor Vela Luka.

Day 6 (Thu) Hvar Island (Cycle route approx. 45 km/28 mi.)
After arriving in Hvar you will take an interesting tour around the town, across the large Renaissance square, which is lined with the cathedral and many late gothic palaces and climb to the Spanish fort which towers over the town. Here you will be able to enjoy an amazing view over the ocean and the Paklenica Islands. Today’s cycle route leads you along the almost traffic free pass road through small villages. The destinations for the tour are the harbors of Jelsa and Vrboska, which invite you to have an extended break there. You will overnight in Stari Grad, which has become a Mecca for artists and art lovers in the past few years.

Day 7 (Fri) Solta Island (Cycle route approx. 19 km/12 mi.)
After crossing over to Stomorska on the island of Solta you will commence your last cycle tour. Walled fields, numerous olive groves, locust bean and fig trees line the roads. The herby smells of lavender and rosemary will accompany you along your tour of this island. In Maslinica you can load the bikes onto the ship and enjoy your last crossing back to Trogir, where if time permits, you can take a tour of the old town which is a world heritage site.

Day 8 (Sat)
Disembarkment until 9am and individual departure.

General information

Alterations:
We reserve the right to make alterations to the planned route due to changing wind and weather conditions, and where required by organizational necessities.

Requirements (level 2-3):
The bike-tours require a basic level of fitness from participants, which they should have acquired from steady cycling. The tours will take us up to a height of between 200 and 500 m above sea-level. The day-tours from 30 to 50 km will take us through hilly and mountainous terrain and will be completed without any time-constraints. Participants will also need to master long and steep climbs, during which they are, however, also permitted to push their bikes. You are free to set aside a half or full day to swim or spend on board the boat, instead of taking a planned bike-tour. We will traverse mostly asphalted roads, which are rarely traveled on outside the holiday seasons. Each day you can either decide to bike alone, using the information and maps provided, or join the two tour guides or other participants.

Bringing Children:
We believe that only children in a good physical condition and of a minimum age of 10 and previous bicycle tour experience are able to master the bike-tours on their own strength. Please note that the minimum height for a rental bike is 1.40 m (4.6 ft.)

Catering:
The cook on board is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and two warm meals a day. The full board starts with the lunch on the arrival day and ends with the breakfast on the departure day.

Services included

* 8-day-trip on a motor yacht with a crew of four
* 7 nights on a motor yacht in a double cabin with shower/toilet
* 7 x full board on the ship
* English-speaking tour guide
* 7 guided cycling tours as described in itinerary
* Bed linen and towels
* Entrance fees for National Park of Mljet
* Overview-maps for the daily tours on board