Day 1: Individual arrival in Split
Check-in on board starts between 2 and 2:30 p.m. at Split harbor. At about 4:30 p.m., we meet our city guide for a guided walking tour that offers us the chance to see inside the former Palace of Emperor Diocletian and to learn about Split’s transformation into the city it has become. The boat will spend the night in Split offering you an opportunity to experience Split’s nightlife. Dinner on board.
Overnight in Split
Day 2: Breakfast cruise to Šolta and bike tour (13 mi, 990 feet elevation)
After crossing to the island of Šolta, we commence our first cycle tour. Walled fields, numerous olive groves, locust beans and fig trees line the roads. The herb smells of lavender and rosemary accompany us along our tour through this island. We visit with beekeeper Goran, his combination of passion, humor and knowledge a highlight for many guests. Back to the boat and swimming at anchor.
Lunch cruise to Stari Grad, the second-largest settlement on the Island of Hvar and well known for its important harbor.
Overnight in Stari Grad.
Day 3: Breakfast and bike tour to Hvar (13 mi, 1,400 feet elevation)
After breakfast, we set off on a bike tour from Stari Grad to the capital city of Hvar. We will have plenty of time to visit the magnificent Renaissance Square of Hvar town and enjoy the view up to the Spanish Fortress situated high above the city.
Lunch cruise to the island of Vis, swim stop at anchor and a peaceful evening on Vis.
Overnight stay on Vis.
Day 4: Breakfast and cycling tour on Vis (21 mi, 1,900 feet elevation)
Vis is the farthest island from mainland Croatia. A Greek colony called Issa was on the island 2,300 years ago. Due to its strategic location, it was a military zone until 1995 and prohibited for foreign tourists to visit. Today we have the opportunity to explore the lovely island by bicycle.
Lunch cruise to Lastovo and overnight stay in a quiet bay.
Overnight in Lastovo.
Day 5: Breakfast and bike tour on Lastovo (18 mi, 990 feet elevation)
Lastovo is one of the smaller inhabited islands in the Adriatic Sea. Emperor Augustus appreciated the mild climate, and in Roman times the island was even named "Augusta Insula" after him. The population of just over 800 still lives mainly from fishing, agriculture, and viticulture. Today’s cycle tour takes us around the beautiful island.
Lunch cruise to the sheltered bay of Vela Luka on the Island of Korčula, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful islands in Dalmatia. Dinner on board.
Overnight in Vela Luka.
Day 6: Breakfast and bike tour to Korčula city (38 mi, 2,900 feet elevation)
A mild Mediterranean climate and a broad variety of different landscapes accompany us on the tour today. Take your time, and remember to take a break to enjoy the view over the deep blue sea and neighboring islands.
Today we discover the island of Korčula by bicycle and enjoy our lunch break in one of the local restaurants. The calmness and remoteness of the vast vegetation and cypress gardens have given the shape to probably the most beautiful Dalmatian island. Our cycle tour leads us via the village of Blato, built like Rome on seven hills, along a pass road across Pupnat Bay and finally to Korčula town, where we have time to take a walk through the wonderful old town with its narrow fishbone-like alleys.
Walking tour of old town Korčula.
Overnight in Korčula town.
Day 7: Breakfast cruise to Prapratno and bike tour to Slano (17 mi, 1,400 feet elevation)
We cruise to Prapratno, a small south-facing bay on the Peljesac peninsula with a sandy beach surrounded by olive and pine trees that is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole Adriatic. From there, we ride to Slano, on the mainland, passing by the town of Ston, whose three-mile defensive stone walls are the second largest in the world after the Great Wall of China.
We enjoy a lunch cruise from Slano to Dubrovnik, with a swim stop possible along the way.
We dock at Gruž, the town port of Dubrovnik. It’s a short and easy bus or taxi ride from our pier to the Dubrovnik Old City, with its famous fortifications and encircled with massive 16th-Century stone walls. In late afternoon, we take a guided tour through Dubrovnik, where we hear some interesting details of the town's history and visit the most impressive sites.
Dinner on own in Dubrovnik. The boat will spend the night in Gruž offering us an opportunity to experience Dubrovnik’s nightlife and returning to the boat at our leisure.
Overnight in Dubrovnik/Gruž.
Day 8: Day at leisure in Dubrovnik
Free time to explore the sights of the Old Town. Other sightseeing and recreational options will be available.
Folkloric dinner with wine tasting and music in a rustic vineyard
Overnight in Dubrovnik/Gruž.
Day 9: Breakfast cruise to the island Šipan. Bike tour on the island (7 mi, 750 feet elevation)
A short crossing in the morning takes us to the island of Šipan, the largest of the Elaphiti Islands. Accompanied by our tour guide, we take a pleasant cycle trip past villas with exotic gardens and through a fertile valley framed by a range of limestone hills.
Overnight in Šipan.
Day 10: Breakfast cruise to Prapratno. Bike tour Prapratno – Trstenik (20 mi, 1,200 feet elevation)
We cruise along the coast of the island of Mljet, the green and forested island known as the honey island. With 70% of its landmass covered by woodland, it is the most forested island in the Mediterranean region.
Homer mentioned this lovely island in his epic poem Odyssey. He made it a home for the nymph, Calypso, and the legendary Greek king, Odysseus, who could not resist Calypso and stayed on Mljet for seven years.
We cross to the tiny village of Trstenik on the Pelješac peninsula. Most of its population of 116 is engaged in winemaking, and we’ll have the chance to experience why its wines are revered worldwide.
Overnight in Trstenik.
Day 11: Breakfast cruise to Sućuraj on the island Hvar. Bike tour to Jelsa (34 mi, 1,920 feet elevation)
We cruise between the peninsula and Korčula before heading to, Sućuraj, the eastern-most point on Hvar Island. The small town is surrounded by thick forests and warrants a stroll along its intimate streets, squares and parks. We’ll have a wonderful tasting of chocolates flavored with local herbs and flowers.
Overnight in Jelsa.
Day 12: Bike tour Jelsa – Stari Grad – Jelsa (16 mi, 1,320 feet elevation)
We start the day with a loop ride along the northern coast of the island to Stari Grad and back to Jelsa (or enjoy one of the many beaches), where our boats await. Lunch cruise to Bol on the island of Brač, where we can enjoy a 3-mile walk along the shore to enjoy Croatia's most famous beach, Zlatni Rat, known as the Golden Horn. The hornlike shape of the quarter-mile beach changes shape depending on water and wind conditions.
Overnight in Bol.
Day 13: Bike tour from Bol to Postira (23 mi, 1,940 feet elevation)
We make our way from Bol on the southern side of Brač to Postira on the northern side, crossing over a ridge that will offer both a challenge and amazing views. Before we arrive at the boat in Postira, we can stop at the beach to cool off (there’s also a beach bar for internal cooling). The region is known for its olive oils, jams and liqueurs, which we’ll have a chance to sample and learn about.
Overnight in Postira.
Day 14: Breakfast cruise to Omiš, on the mainland. Bike tour around the Cetina canyon (26 mi, 1,740 feet elevation)
We have a choice this morning: a bicycle tour around the breathtaking Cetina canyon, or swap bike shorts for bathing suits and life jackets, and enjoy whitewater rafting--perhaps better described as turquoise-water rafting!
After our choice of adventure, we board our boats for our final lunch cruise--setting anchor and swimming before continuing to where we started, the wonder-filled city of Split.
We will enjoy a farewell dinner in a historic restaurant, and, based on past experiences with BikeTours.com groups, ending the evening on board with folk singing and storytelling. And tears and hugs
Day 15: Individual departure
Our journey ends with breakfast.
Our guides can arrange taxi service from the port to the airport--about a half-hour away and $60 for up to four passengers.
*All distances listed are approximate