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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