Bike (or e-Bike) the stunning Dalamatian Coast of Croatia from Split to Dubrovnik (or in reverse). Cycle some of Croatia’s most beautiful islands, like Mljet, Lastovo, Korčula, Hvar and Brač.
Only unpack once as you’ll sleep on ‘Papa Prvi’, a private motor yacht (maximum 31 people) as you boat from island to island between the two UNESCO World Heritage cities.
This 8 day, guided, virtually all inclusive biking holiday is the perfect way to explore these sparsely populated islands surrounded by the crystal clear blue Adriatic sea. You will visit charming small villages, bike through vineyards and olive groves, get wowed by outstanding panoramic views of the island and sea, and weave through quiet paths as you intimately get to know this beautiful country.
I did my Croatia bike and boat tour with my affiliate, Boat Bike Tours. They plan all the logistics for your European cycling bike and boat tours. You can even rent your bike or e-Bike with them. Scroll down for a list of European biking holidays with this fine company.
Meet the ‘Papa Prvi’
You will travel in style on this beautiful, two mast motor yacht, the Papa Prvi.
There are three levels of cabins (more spacious than I expected!) with a private bath. On the middle level, is the dining room with huge windows so you don’t miss a view, plus an open air relaxation area out of the sun, and a platform to jump in and take a swim in one of the Captain’s favorite swimming holes. The upper sun deck allows for catching some rays, watching the sun rise and set, or even taking a big dive into the Adriatic Sea!
Why Visit Croatia?
The beautiful historic walled cities of Dubrovnik and Split get all the attention, but Croatia also boasts over 1000 islands off its coast – mostly uninhabited. On this trip, you get to visit some of the most beautiful: the yacht drops you off each morning for an exciting bike ride to allow you to explore these pristine jewels, and then meets you on the other side.
You’ll see the jaw dropping landscape that Croatia is famous for, visit small villages difficult to access for most tourists, enjoy the tasty local cuisine and come home refreshed from a healthy, exciting and memorable vacation.
At the beginning and end of your Croatia bike tour, you will have an included private guided tour of Split and Dubrovnik, and will learn some of the fascinating history and see centuries old, beautiful buildings, fortresses and sculptures. The winding, maze-like cobblestone streets enclosed in the walled cities on the coast are sure to delight you!
When to Bike and Boat Croatia?
High season to take an island hopping bike tour of Croatia is July and August. You can avoid the summer crowds (and heat!) by biking Croatia during the low season in June, shoulder season in September, or the off season of April and May, and October.
I went on the last bike and boat tour in October and the weather was perfect! The water is still warm enough for swimming after a fun ride (albeit the first five minutes were, shall we say, ‘chilly’:). In fact, the Captain knows all the best swimming holes! Step off the rear deck to take the plunge, or if fearless, dive or do a flip from the third floor upper deck.
To help you plan your Croatia adventure, here’s the average monthly weather for Split and Dubrovnik.
8 Day Croatia Island Hopping Itinerary
The motor yacht goes back and forth between Split and Dubrovnik, so you can choose which starting point works best for you. This is my affiliate, Boat Bike Tours itinerary from Dubrovnik to Split; just reverse it if you start in Split.
| Day 1 | Arrive Dubrovnik. Meet group for orientation and private guided tour. Spend the night on the yacht. | ||||||
| Day 2 | Dubrovnik – Mljet Island (aprx. 17.5 mi./28 km) | ||||||
| Day 3 | Islands Lastovo and Korčula: Korčula town (aprx. 17.5 mi./28 km) | ||||||
| Day 4 | Korčula Island: Korčula town – Vela Luka (aprx. 37.5 mi./60 km) | ||||||
| Day 5 | Island Hvar: Hvar Town – Stari Grad – Jelsa (aprx. 22 mi./35 km) | ||||||
| Day 6 | Brač Island: Bol – Pučišća (aprx. 14 mi./23 km) | ||||||
| Day 7 | Brač Island: Pučišća – Split (aprx. 16 mi./25 km); Split guided tour | ||||||
| Day 8 | Split (Disembarkation) | ||||||
Difficulty of a Croatia Bike and Boat Island Hopping Tour
You should train for this adventure. While manual bikes were used by a third of my group, most of us opted to upgrade to an e-Bike. There were some challenging hills that I definitely used the e-Bike’s power support. There is also one long 40 mile day that includes a long, steep incline. Everyone did fine! And with a guide in the front and the back, you can cycle at your own pace. I never felt ANY pressure to ‘perform’!
You can also bring your own bike. Just tell them what you want to use when you book. For sanitary reasons, bring your own bike helmet. I also wore bike shorts and packed a new gel bike seat cover, just to be on the safe side: my bottom tends to get sore earlier than my legs.
I’d rate this adventure a 3 out of five if you use an e-Bike, and a 4 or 5 out of 5 if you use a regular bike on some of the more challenging days.
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Boat Bike Tours
Consider my affiliate Boat Bike Tours for your next European Cycle Tour! Their 5 Star Trustpilot customer service rating highlights the quality of their tours and service. I was so happy with their tour that I reached out to them afterwards to see if they wanted to form an affiliate partnership. I only want to recommend companies that I can 100% recommend with confidence.
Choose a theme or destination to explore for your biking adventure:
Visit Boat Bike Tours for more details and be sure to tell them you heard about them from Active Travel Adventures.
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Important Croatia Travel Information
Who is this trip good for?
I went with a girlfriend, but there were several couples and solo bikers on my Croatia bike and boat tour. We were like a family by the end of the trip, which is typical for adventure travel!
Is the Croatia Bike and Boat tour affordable?
Yes! This is quite an affordable European adventure holiday. The tour includes almost all of your meals, you sleep in your cabin on the ship (either with a roommate or you can pay a solo supplement for a private berth). You will pay for any alcoholic drinks on board, a flat water fee to the Captain which includes filtered and bottled water, any cafe stops, incidentals and guide and ship crew tips. There are only a couple of independent meals you pay for.
Visa and Safety Information
US citizens do not need a visa to visit Croatia. Just a current passport with at least three months remaining and one blank page.
Also, Croatia is not in the Schengen Area, so you don’t have to worry about the 90 day limit. I found Croatia to be very safe. Here is the current US State Dept travel information.
Is there a language problem if you only speak English?
No! English is widely spoken. Most menus in Dubrovnik and Split are offered in multiple languages and/or with pictures. You will have your guides to help translate for you in the small villages for when you stop in a cafe for a treat. Young people learn English at an early age, so you can always reach out to them if you need help. Google Translate into Croatian
Croatian Currency and Tipping Guidelines
Croatia uses the Croatian Kuna. In the cities, most places accept a credit card – be sure to bring one that does not charge a foreign transaction fee! The best place to get local currency is via a bank ATM and your debit card. If you have leftover kunas at the end of your trip, there are money changers everywhere and you can trade it back at one of them.
Tipping: At restaurants, servers expect a tip. You need to pay the tip in cash, even if you pay with a credit card as there is no line for a tip and you want your server and not the manager to get the tip in any case. ATM’s give you large bills. Supermarkets and gelato shops are great places to break large bills. Here are complete tipping guidelines.
Can you drink the water in Croatia?
YES! Croatia has great water and you can drink it with no problem throughout the country.
Want to see more photos from my trip?
I went on the Bike Boat Tours in a group put together by Traveling Jackie with her JUMP Adventures tours. Host, Jackie, hired Sam to be the photographer. Here’s a full page of HIS photos [coming soon – I’m having technical difficulties]. All the ones above are mine.
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