Split-Dubrovnik

Day 1Arrival at Split

Welcome at the airport and transfer to your hotel in Split. Depending on the time we have available (flight schedules permitting), we stroll through the winding little streets. Between Roman and Venetian domination, the 17-century-old city has a lot to offer today. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Split is packed with sights, including Diocletian’s palace, the Golden and Silver Gates and the cathedral.

Day 2Split - Brac island - Split | 50 km

After a hearty breakfast, we set off from the hotel to Split’s ferry port. Heading for the island of Brac, where we’ll take our first pedal to the metal. The ferry ride from Split to the island of Brač takes around 45 minutes. Brac is the largest of the Dalmatian islands, and its white stones have earned it (and still do!) international acclaim. Some illustrious buildings have been constructed using its brilliantly white stones: the White House in Washington and the Reichstag in Berlin, among others. Our route is a beautiful one, following the coast most of the way, ensuring moderate relief and wonderful views of the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea. In the distance, the Biokovo mountain range and the city of Split. There’s no shortage of culinary specialities here: we must try the famous Brac Lamb. After the trip, return to Split by ferry (45 min).

Day 3Split - Korcula island | 30 km

Early in the morning, we board a ferry that takes us to the island of Korcula (3h). The island is very typical of Mediterranean islands: in ancient Greece, it was known as “Korkyra Nigra”, probably due to the presence of the Pinus Nigra, very characteristic of Mediterranean island vegetation. Our cycling itinerary also takes us to the villages of Vela Luka and Blato, in the west-central part of the island. At the beginning of the 20th century, Blato experienced a painful episode: in a single day, under a mass effect, 30% of the population of the island of Korcula left the island to try to find a better life elsewhere… The island of Korcula took decades to recover from this famous day and its consequences. We reach the tiny village of Brna and settle into our hotel for a well-deserved rest!

Day 4Brna - Korcula - Orebic | 35 km

Another superb day awaits us, entirely devoted to exploring the eastern part of the island of Korcula by bike. Our goal: to reach the town of Korcula, on the easternmost tip of the island. Alternating between stretches along the water’s edge, with plenty of opportunities for a swim, and more elevated sections offering magnificent views of the coastline, today’s itinerary leaves us no time to get bored! By mid-afternoon, the first houses in Korcula signal the end of the stage, but not the end of the day: we put our bikes down in our hotel and set off on a walking tour of “little Dubrovnik”, as it’s often called. With its centuries-old maritime tradition, Korcula was home to one of the great names of the sea: Marco Polo. We take our time touring the town, then hop back on a ferry (15 mins). On arrival in Orebić, on the north coast of the Pelješac peninsula, we stay in a hotel just a 5-minute bike ride from the ferry port.

Day 5Orebic - Ston | 55km

The peninsula is connected to the mainland by the town of Ston, our stopover this evening. Today’s itinerary is quite hilly, and with good reason: we’re about to discover one of Croatia’s most renowned wine-growing regions: Dingac. The vine species, Plavac Mali, is called “the blood of the country”, not only because of its ruby-red color, but also because of its great resistance to the severe periods of drought typical of the Mediterranean climate. The dry red wine produced was the first Croatian wine to be protected by the Geneva Convention, 50 years ago. The vines are found exclusively on the peninsula we’re cycling around, and we won’t miss a little tasting: but be warned, like all “sunshine” wines, it should be consumed in moderation…it nevertheless has a rich bouquet, made up of many southern flavors. We eventually reach Ston, which we also take time to visit. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 6Ston - Mijet island | 50 km

After a short bike ride to the port of Prapratno, we take a very early boat to the island of Miljet (45 mins). This is the most wooded of the Adriatic islands. With its indented coastline, magnificent natural setting (the western part of the island is classified as a National Park) and lush vegetation, we’re under the spell of the island’s peacefulness. After crossing the island from east to west, we discover its two emerald lakes, Malo jezero (small lake) and Veliko jezero (large lake), linked to each other and to the sea by a very narrow channel. On Veliko jezero emerges another small island called the islet of Veliko jezero, on which a Benedictine monastery was built in the 12th century. Legend has it that Ulysses spent 6 years on the island during his Odyssey, and that the apostle St. Paul also stopped here. Relax by the lake in the late afternoon.

Day 7Pomena (Mijet island ) - Dubrovnik

Today we take the boat from the port of Pomena to Dubrovnik (duration: 1h30), for a grand finale: the port city offers visitors many testimonies to its past grandeur. Small cobbled streets and historic monuments dot the heart of the old town, surrounded by the ramparts of its fortress facing the sea and symbolizing the entrance to the old port. We’ll enjoy our last evening in a sparkling and exciting city, with many small restaurants to choose from!

Day 8Dubrovnik

Breakfast.

Transfer to Dubrovnik airport for your flight.