Croatia has become one of the world’s ‘must see’ destinations over recent years – especially by bike with Kiwi Style Bike Tours. So we will be returning for 14 days in late summer 2024, when the weather is warm and settled and the roads are quiet. We’ve picked the best mix of locations to give you a great insight into all that Croatia has to offer – it’s got more gems than just it’s famous islands.
Croatia has an incredible range of stunning scenery on offer, from the romantic countryside of Istria Peninsula, to the charming fishing villages of the northern Dalmatia coastline and the beautiful beaches of the southern Dalmatia islands. A fantastic day on the bike is generally topped off by the most amazing sunsets over the Mediterranean – this place really ticks all the boxes!
Day 1 – 4:
We start the Croatia Tour with a pick up from Zagreb Airport and transfer to the northern part of the Istria Peninsula. We will spend the first four days of this tour enjoying riding through the beautiful countryside of Istria. This is the heart of Croatia’s famous vineyard, olive and truffle area. It is the perfect place to get the legs moving on the mixture of rolling and pinch climbs before tackling one of the longer (17km) climbs of the area. The rustic villages and the fortified towns provide a magical backdrop to our introduction rides. During the four nights here we will also have our first taste of island riding, spending a day on Cres Island. An evening exploring Rovinj is also an ‘off the bike highlight’ of our time in this area.
Day 5 – 7:
From Istria we begin the transfer stage of our tour, enjoying the coastal rides and stunning views as we head south, spending a night at a charming fishing village town along the route towards Split. The views we enjoy along these transfer rides are breath taking, as we combine a mixture of coastal roads and climbs to get the best views on offer. The rides through this central portion of the Croatian coast were voted as the ‘favourite rides ever’ by several of our 2019 guests – and they have done a lot of biking around the world.
The next couple of nights are spent near Split, which will offer a well deserved light ride/rest day and an opportunity to go exploring one of Croatia’s most famous towns on foot. Exploring the Diocletian Palace, initially constructed in 305AD, is simply mind blowing and a must do.
Day 8 – 9:
Our Day 8 ride starts with a ferry transfer to the beautiful island of Brac. This island is a cyclists paradise – a beautiful coast road to warm up, a steady but challenging climb and a long flowing descent. This ride will have you smiling from ear to ear. We finish the day with a ferry transfer back to the mainland and our charming setting for the next two nights. This location will ensure that the ear to ear smiles will continue well after the cycling has finished.
Perhaps the most famous road in Croatia is also the highest paved road in the country, finishing atop the Sveti Jure climb in the Biokovo National Park. This ride climbs from our hotel at sea level to 1762m within 31km, so is a massive challenge in anyone’s book. The road is not for the faint hearted, but the views are simply stunning and the achievement is an unforgettable tick on the bucket list. This is the third highest peak in Croatia and features a new Sky Walk platform en-route.
Day 10 – 12:
The last of our riding destinations is the gem of the southern Dalmatia Islands – Hvar Island. We start with a ferry transfer, then ride the spectacular roads to our hotel that sits in the heart of the most incredible ‘old town’ you can imagine. We will spend the next three nights here, riding more of the back road loops that Hvar has on offer, as well as a finale ride to another Croatian island paradise – Korčula Island.
Day 13 – 14:
As much as we won’t want to leave this special part of the world, we must transfer to our hotel for the final night of the Croatia Tour, which is spent near Dubrovnik. This is a town that needs no introduction, with the walls of the old town welcoming a growing number of visitors every year. No – we won’t be riding our bikes in the old town, but the opportunity is there to see what all the fuss is about. Our final day offers a drop off at Dubrovnik Airport to sadly call the end of this awesome Croatia Tour.
For those wanting to add an extra night to their Croatian holiday – Dubrovnik is the place to do it. An extra day to relax and take your time exploring the most famous town of Croatia is a day well spent.
What’s included in the tour package?
- 13 nights share twin accommodation.
- all breakfasts while on tour.
- transfer pick up and drop off points.
- guided cycle rides.
- support van on most rides.
- all transfers while on tour, including ferry transfers.
- entry into Biokovo National Park.
- Kiwi Style bib shorts and cycling top.
- fantastic rides in a stunning part of the world.
Not included in this tour package:
Flights, travel insurance and meals other than those indicated are not included.
Rental bikes are available for the Croatia Tour at a cost of $750. These are a Trek Emonda/Domane disc brake bikes with Shimano compact gearing (11-34 cassettes).
A single room booking is available. An accommodation supplement of $1500pp applies.
This tour is limited to 14 people.
