Zadar to Dubrovnik - Island hopping Croatia (8ZD2501)
In the afternoon, we (almost all of us) meet for the first time – a diverse group full of anticipation for the days ahead. At the welcome briefing, we get to know each other, receive important information about the tour, and pick up our e-bikes, which will reliably accompany us through the Croatian islands. The missing two arrive late in the evening and join the rest of the group tomorrow. A walk through Zadar's old town gives us our first impressions: Roman ruins, Venetian architecture, and modern highlights such as the Sea Organ and the "Greeting to the Sun" introduce us to the cultural diversity of this region. We end the day comfortably over dinner. The enthusiastic waiter recommends fresh local delicacies, and the wine, red and white, pairs perfectly with them. Still a bit tired from the journey, but full of excited anticipation of what lies ahead, we finally fall into bed – ready for our adventure on two wheels.
At the start of today, Croatia wasn't showing its best side. In pouring rain, we drove to the ferry that took us from Zadar to the island of Ugljan. But the clouds soon gave way to sunshine, and we had a beautiful drive south along the coast through small, idyllic villages. On the island of Pasman, we climbed the (very steep!) climb to the Cokovac Monastery to marvel at the panoramic view of the islands. Before boarding the ferry to Biograd, we had a quick snack in turbo mode. Tired but satisfied, we enjoyed a drink in the harbor of Biograd before heading to the hotel.
After just 10 km, the nature reserve at Vrana Lake is our morning destination. In and around the largest natural lake in Croatia, countless bird species take up winter quarters every year and the lake is full of catfish, carp, eels, pike, etc. We walk along the beautiful 600-meters-long wooden walkway and hope to see one of the rare purple herons that breed exclusively here. We then continue on a steep approach to the “Kamenjak” viewpoint. The “climb” was worth it: the view of the sea dotted with over 150 islands - the Kornati islands - is breathtaking. We continue through densely overgrown, beautiful landscapes to our lunch stop in a “konoba”, a typical Croatian restaurant in Pirovac. After satisfying our hunger, we tackle the last 15 km along the coastline to our destination for the day, Vodice. As we arrive at our hotel relatively early today, our guests still have plenty of time to stroll along the beautiful promenade of Vodice and through the old town or lie in the sun by the hotel pool or on the beach. A nice end to another great day's travel.
What a fantastic day we've had! Some had doubts at first about completing the full distance – but in the end, we all started together and reached the finish line as a team. An impressive effort! The day kicked off with a challenging gravel section on our way to Šibenik. Once there, we climbed what felt like every one of the city's 2,800 steps – a true workout! But we still had enough energy left to conquer the steep climbs on our ride toward Trogir. After an impressive walk throug the old town, with its countless churches and a couple of drinks a shuttle took us to Split. We rounded off the day in style: with a well-deserved dinner and live music – right in the heart of the historic Republic Square.
Today we’re enjoying a half day of rest. Until our ferry departs for Vela Luka, we have time to explore the old town of Split, shrouded in stormy winds and full of character. During the crossing, we’re treated to stunning views of Croatia’s enchanting island landscape – a true highlight of this leg of the journey.
We start the day in beautiful sunshine. Today we cross the island of Korcula from the westernmost to the easternmost point. As many restaurants and bars are still closed due to the low season, we make do with photo stops and short breaks to drink water - which is extremely important when cycling. Then came the first highlight of the day: a wine tasting in one of the best wineries on the island, which was a real hit because the somellier presented the wines in a really entertaining way. After that we continued and just an hour later we surprised our guests with our second highlight: our legendary Edelweiss picnic, which is always very well received. We continued on our last section of the route to Kurcula, where we had a few hours to explore the pretty old town before boarding the ferry to our destination for the day, Orebic.
The Longest Stage of Our Journey: A Day of Challenges and Rewards Today marked the longest stage of our journey. We faced three demanding climbs, each one a challenge in its own right. But, as is often the case on this trip, we were richly rewarded after each effort. The first climb took us to the Dingac Tunnel. As soon as we emerged, we sped along the scenic vineyards we had heard so much about the day before. It was a real pleasure to finally experience this landscape firsthand. After the second mountain, we made a stop in Ston, a town famous for its impressive city walls and countless salt pans. The historical site is astonishingly well-preserved. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on the local delicacy: the renowned oysters for which Ston is famous. Fresh and delicious. The third and final climb was easier than expected and reward was worth it. We were able to unwind and recover on the peaceful beach of Slano. The view of the crystal-clear water and the calm atmosphere made us forget all about the day's exertions. Tired but satisfied, we ended the day in pure contentment.
Our last and shortest day started a little rainy, but the group's mood was still very good - after all, there's good clothing for bad weather. We headed uphill immediately after the hotel and climbed the only major ascent of the day in a short time. After that, apart from a few small hills - except for short sections on the main road - we only went downhill on beautiful side roads. To avoid the shorter but busy main road over the big bridge, we circumnavigated the beautiful bay with several small marinas on a narrow, very picturesque coastal road with almost no traffic until we reached our lunch restaurant. The general consensus of the group was that this really was the best lunch of the whole tour. After this indulgence, we deliberately took our time and leisurely pedaled our last 10 km of our Croatia tour to our hotel in the historic and world-famous city of Dubrovnik, where we had a few hours to explore the old town of Dubrovnik, famous from “Game of Thrones”, before our final evening. The farewell dinner on our last evening together was absolutely incredible and the service was fantastic. A perfect end to a very varied eBike tour in a truly beautiful country.