Croatia is an adventure lover’s dream vacation! The stunning Dalmation Coast — dotted with over a thousand islands (mostly uninhabited) and crystal clear aqua blue waters — offers the chance to kayak coves, bike the striking landscape through vineyards and olive groves, with cliffside panoramic views and hike the Kočje nature preserve, and even take an exciting dune buggy safari above Lumbarda and Žrnovo villages.
On the podcast, I interview Lesley about her six day, small group adventure tour with my affiliate Active Adventures. The trip starts in the historical town of Split, and you adventure your way down to the utterly charming coastal city of Dubrovnik. NOTE: If you want to go on this or any Active Adventure tours, email me for an exclusive Discount Code (Active won’t let me publish it online).
Best Time to Visit Croatia
Croatia’s coast is geared up for tourists, but there is a definite season from May until the beginning of October. Go in the off season, and you’ll find most of the restaurants closed and things boarded up until the next season.
You’ll find temperatures during the season range from highs in the 70’s and 80’s, with lows in the 50’s to 70’s. With the coastal breeze, you’re almost always comfortable. You’ll have a chance of rain in the spring and fall, with less chance during the summer months.
The cities will be more crowded during July and August, so you may prefer the shoulder seasons. Most of your adventures with Active are away from the hustle and bustle, so it will just be in the cities that crowds are an issure.
How Hard is this Croatian Adventure
Active rates it as a three out of five for difficulty level. If you are reasonably fit and you train before you go, you should be fine. My affiliate, Becki, at Trailblazer Wellness can develop an online program for you using the equipment you already have. Mention you heard about her here for a 10% discount.
Here are the activities you’ll be having fun doing:
- Sea Kayaking around the Pakleni Otoci Islands
- Biking Korčula Island (up to 30 miles/48 km)
- Hike the Kočje nature preserve on Korčula
- Dune Buggy Safari
- Bike Korčula (up to 21 miles/38 km)
- Wine tasting and a cooking class
See the full Tour Itinerary and details HERE. Be sure to email me for the Discount Code!
Who is this Croatia Multi-Activity Good for
This Croatian hike, bike and paddle adventure is great for couples and friends, as well as solo travelers. Active Adventures will pair you up with a same sex roommate with no solo supplement (yay!), or you can pay a small supplement for your own room. I opt for the pairing when I tour with them and I’ve always loved my roommate. I think that people who choose these kinds of trips are self-selected to be cool, low maintenance folks.
Most of Active’s tours are labeled ‘Adult Only’, but if you want to travel with the kids, they do offer several ‘Family’ departures where kids are welcome. Be sure you book the tour type that you are looking for as these two groups have completely different dynamics.
Croatian Food
On your Active Adventures tour, virtually all meals are included, and I promise you that they will be great! They make a point to offer variety and to showcase local foods so you’ll get a chance to try them.
Croatia is a meat-heavy cuisine, but if you are vegetarian or have allergy issues, just let Active know and they will work around it. You will also get a chance to try a lot of seafood. One of my favorite is the black squid risotto. It may not be pretty, but it sure is delicious!
Active Adventures
I’ve been a big fan of Active Adventures for years and have gone on many adventures with them. They know how to have fun! I think it’s their Kiwi heritage (they are New Zealand based). Everyday you will have a blast, eat great food and will learn about the culture you’re visiting from their super knowlegable and friendly guides. You are sure to come away with some life long friends, too!
Be sure to email me so I can send you my exclusive Active Adventures Discount Promo Code for any of their tours (they won’t let me publish it). They merged with Austin Adventures, so the code works on any of their tours as well.
Croatian Wine
As you will see on your bike rides, Croatia grows a lot of wine grapes. I found the wines to be surprisingly tasty and they are super affordable! Some tease that the reason Croatian wines are more popular internationally is that Croatia is not afraid of words with way too many consonants and not enough vowels (not to mention some of the funny letters, like č, ž or dž.
Remember that Italy is across the Adriatic Sea from Croatia and so both countries share that same desirable Mediterranean climate great for grapes (and olives). The most common Croatian wine is the red Plavac Mali (a cousin to Zinfadel). It is bold, hearty and has a high alcohol content. You can learn more about Croatian wines here.
Other Nearby Adventures You Might Enjoy
Boat and Bike Croatia (Biking only, and sleep on a small yacht)
Slovenia Multi-Activity (hike, bike and paddle)
Cycle the Danube (from Passau to Vienna)
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Split and Dubrovnik
Both of these cities are cool. I personally liked Dubrovnik better. If you can, try to spend at least a couple of days in Split and at least two or three in Dubrovnik. There is lots to see and do and there is a ton of history to absorb.
My Island Hopping Boat and Bike Tour of Croatia
I did an island hopping bike tour of Croatia. If you’re interested, you can see my pics and info here, and listen to the show below.
