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June 7, 2011

Bike tour Croatia – Mountains or the Sea?

Filed under: Croatia, Dalmatian Coast, European bike tours — Tags: , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 2:25 pm

Coast or mountains? It is a question I sometimes ask people after I’ve known them bit.

bike tours croatia

Coast or mountains?

In my mind, as an avowed mountain person, I often already have the answer. Sea people like to lie as lizards on a beach; they occasionally lift their heads to regard the waves.  A tiny swim suffices to give them a sense of well-being.  The evening begins their second day with friends and acquaintances, the parties last far into the night. In contemplative moments, they look out upon the waters and see limitless possibilities.

Mountain people see obstacles to be scaled. They like the challenges; they sweat. Well-being comes from a mountain-top view after a five-hour uphill hike or a day long bike-ride. An unchanging day at the crowded beach is torture for them, or at best a forced rest after some monumental climb. Movement, alone or in intimate groups, is key, as there is always a new adventure over the next ridge.

So now that I’ve oversimplified us all, I’ll suggest a place we can all get along just fine – a bicycle tour in Croatia.

bike tours croatia

From the mountains to the azure sea

From the mountains to the azure sea, I don’t know if I’ve seen a more beautiful place.  I hate to say that.  I feel like I’m discrediting our bike tours in the French Alps and the Pyrénées.  But the Dinaric Alps rise thousands feet directly out of the Adriatic, a sea that shimmers one hundred clear shades of blue . Mountainous islands rise out of the water, giving sunrises and sunsets a special drama.  Here the sea and the mountains compliment each other.  They get along.

This harmony reflects in the people.  I’ve rarely met a group of people so relaxed, hard-working, and above all,  happy. For the three weeks I was in Croatia, I met daily with people who were happy.  Not without worries or concerns, but happy.  There’s probably a myriad of reasons for this but I’d like to pose three reasons.

  1. The sea and the mountains as I already mentioned
  2. Their history.  Happiness has a long history in Croatia.  Ancient Greeks were happy to plant vines and olive trees in what is now Stari Grad on the island of Hvar.  The last great, pagan Roman emperor, Diocletian, was happy to retire from his role as ruler/diety to a palace he built, a palace which is now the heart of the energetic city Split.  Venetians were happy to use Split and the town of Korčula as shipping ports.  Dubrovnik, with it’s white stone walls and gorgeous art, was happy to remain an independant rival of Venice.
  3. Pomalo. Pomalo is an island word for “Take it easy,” “Rest calm.”  Maybe it is something in the air, something on the winds blowing off the islands, but it has obviously been here for centuries. Diocletian must have gotten it:  When begged to return as emperor to a flagging Rome, he replied that “Running an empire does not compare to the joys of raising cabbages.” Pomalo attitude runs throughout Dalmatia.  It teaches one to breathe, enjoy the present moment and not worry about the future, if only for a week.
bike tours croatia

Let your DuVine guides show you the meaning of Pomalo

That’s what DuVine guides are for, anyway.  When you go with DuVine Adventures to Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, the guides are concerned about you so that you don’t have to be concerned.  We worry about tomorrow so you can concentrate on that beautiful sunset over the Island Brač, or tasting olive oil, or experiencing the brujet at dinner.  Our job is to care about you and give you the best possible bike tour.  (We’re happy to have this job!)  Visit Croatia with us and understand  pomalo, a chance to practice happiness right there between the sea and the mountains.

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December 18, 2009

Creating The Croatia Bicycle Tour

Filed under: Bike, Croatia, Dalmatian Coast, Spain — Tags: , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 10:22 am

Croatia Bicycle Tour

Creating the Croatia bicycle tour was amazing.  A local guide from Split had been calling me for a few years, and I finally decided to answer his call and hit the Dalmatian coast.  People often ask me “what’s it like to create a new bike tour, where do you get the inspiration?”

It’s actually a very creative process, whenever I create a new trip, I try to imagine myself as a painter or a great chef, in which case I gather up the best ingredients I can find and I put together something that I feel people are really going to enjoy.  The ingredients for a great trip include; uncrowded roads with views for miles, unique histories of people, architecture, food and wine. Luckily there are many places in the world in which we can craft great experiences and it’s a lot of fun to do so.

First off, I flew into Split, which is the largest Dalmatian City and the second largest city in Croatia.  Entering the old walled town, was unbelievable, you can’t help but be captivated by this city, which is more than 1700 years old with a deep history and beauty found in a city that has been around longer than most countries.

Getting started, I spent time checking out the two 4 star hotels, and walked the village with my private guide, who gave me some more insights into this location and the things that would be of interest to our clients. I then spent the entire week trying to make sense of the region and flow of the tour; how many islands should we visit, how many days should we spend on each island, which hotels would provide the right experience, where are the best wine tastings and restaurants and of course the roads and the ride.

Croatia can be hilly so designing a gorgeous route that is not too hilly was important.   The concept for creating this trip was to offer…a Bike, boat, eat and drink experience that explores the best of the Dalmatian Coast. This tour of Croatia, an island hopping adventure, will have DuVine travelers cycling along the most stunning coastline in Europe.

I decided to start the trip in Split, the largest port city, that abounds with old world charm, ancient Roman ruins, abundant wine cellars, and boasts an UNESCO world heritage site.  Then its off to the gorgeous islands of Hvar and Korcula. Cycle the rolling roads of Hvar with its lavender fields, spectacular vistas and ubiquitous fish markets and fresh seafood. Onto the island of Korcula, the birthplace of Marco Polo, another charming ancient Roman fishing and sailing village that is a seafood aficionado’s dream with its endless supply of octopus, local specialty-fish stew, and the freshest of ingredients picked directly from the sea.

We will have a private tour of some of the secrets of the Peljesac peninsula – home to Croatia’s best know red wines – Dingac and Postup.   We finish in Dubrovnik , where you find one of the world’s most beautifully preserved medieval cities that has been an important power since the 13th century and experience its storied history with its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains.

As the week continued, I found that I really loved Croatia, it is a bit like Italy, cypress trees, locals hanging around town squares, fabulous fresh fish, blue waters, and I also love bike around and while they speak a different language, they share the influences of the Mediterranean.  I was blown away by the Roman and Greek architecture and ruins, I never really knew how much wonderful history there was along the Dalmatian coast.

I was also amazed at how many tourists I encountered in the country.  There were tourists from all over the world, here exploring and taking in the sights and sounds, so it would appear that the word is out on Croatia.  Dubrovnik is a little too touristy for me, but it is a gorgeous city.

I am really excited about this amazing new bike trip and being able to offer it to our clients, such a gorgeous blend of ancient walled towns, fresh seafood, and wonderful wines combined with fantastic cycling along the azure waters of the Adriatic, topped off with comfortable nights spent in beautiful hotels…..o yes of course the guides, local guides who respect and love thier home country, who speak the language, introduce us to the local customs, and show us the real…hidden Dalmatian Coast.

Croatia is the place to be in 2010.

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