Historic Coastal Croatia 2022

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

This 19 day tour features everything you could ask for in a ride: quiet coastal roads, spectacular mountains, and an abundance of historic sites, nice hotels, and fine local Croatian cuisine and restaurants.  Cycle through highly atmospheric old port towns and stretches of unspoilt coastline dotted with remote coves as we island hop our way south through the island – studded Kvarner Gulf and then down the rugged Dalmatian coast. Because most of the beaches are rock or pebble, the thousand mile long Croatian coast has the clearest waters in the Mediterranean. 

Experience an abundance of historical sites as this coast was occupied in turn by ancients, Romans, Franks, Croats, Hungarians, Ottomans, Venetians, French, Austro-Hungarians, Italians & Yugoslavians before Croatian independence in 1991. Explore beautifully preserved medieval cities, ancient, Roman and dark ages constructs, and UNESCO world heritage sites everywhere we ride.

Climb the ridges of the islands, experience local wines, cheeses and specialty foods or enjoy calamari and fine craft beers in seaside fishing villages. With a Mediterranean climate, abundance of local produce from truffles to olive oils to wines to salts to lamb to seafoods  and many delicous red and white wines laid over a diverse food heritage there are bound to be many enjoyable tasting experiences on this tour.

Sitnica commercial tour owner (Alen) has been leading cycling tours in Croatia for 10 years and is excellent, as are his routes for keeping us on quiet scenic roads as much as possible. He and his assistant are both local Croatians and speak English. One of them will ride with us each day to guide us and to provide the history of the area.  A detailed tour itinerary may be found at the end of the tour description.

Croatia 2022 Route Overview - (nb: mileage not accurate due to ferries)

RIDE RATING - This ride is a 3B!  Three days exceed the ride rating with elevation gains of 4,081,’ 3,674’ and 3,700.’  One day exceeds 50 miles though just by 2 miles. This is a hilly tour. Grades rarely exceed 10% but there are lots of extended 8-10% climbs. Downhills are steep as well.  Shoulders do not exist in Croatia but most roads are in good condition with very little traffic on the majority of routes. Unavoidably there are a few sections with busy traffic. Drivers generally will give adequate room to cyclists but not always. There may be some riding on packed dirt, but most of the roads are paved with chip seal.

WEATHER  Riders must plan on cool to cold (50º F) morning and evening temperatures turning warm (70º -75º F) mid-day along with possible days of rain. When this tour was done at the same time of year in 2019 most days were “sunny with perfect temperatures in the 70’s”.  The probability of precipitation ranges from 20% – 30% during our tour period. We will also likely encounter the fierce “Bura” – a dry, cold wind which blows in gusts and can reach incredible speeds and prevent all travel.

Mid Sept.-early Oct.ocean temperatures on Cres & Korcula Islands are on average between 72ºF - 77º F. 

LODGING AND MEALS   Our tour includes 19 nights at 3- 4 star lodgings ranging from boutique to ocean view to beachside resort to country hotels to a past Venetian palace.

Included meals: 19 Breakfasts, 13 lunches, 19 social hour drinks and 12 dinners. 

LOGISTICS The trip starts Sept. 16th in Trieste (Italy) and ends Oct. 5th in Dubrovnik Croatia. To get to Trieste: Riders could travel early and spend a few days in Venice (Marco Polo airport code VCE) before catching one of the 50 daily trains between Venice and Trieste Centrale train station (approx. 2 hrs) which is a 5 minute walk from our hotel NH Trieste. Or you can now fly into Trieste (airport code TRS) located 25 miles outside of Trieste and catch a train from the Trieste airport to Trieste Centrale train station. The airport trains take 30 minutes and run approx. every hour. We overnight in Trieste then get shuttled about 1 ½ hours to a small town just across the border in Croatia where we assemble our bikes, sort out bike rentals, and start the commercial tour. 

The tour will end in Dubrovnik (airport code DBV) after breakfast the morning of Oct. 5th. The hotel can help you arrange transport to the airport.  Train service unfortunately is not a good option as the closest train station is in Split, a 4-hour bus ride away. 

LUGGAGE  Two pieces no larger than what you'd be able to carry on a plane, and not over 25 lbs each.

VAN SUPPORT  There is no sag support. However, if a health issue arises, space can be made available for one rider in the van.

BICYCLES  You may bring your own bicycle or rent one for €300 (hybrid only  from Sitnica) with payment in Euros directly to Sitnica upon arrival. E-bikes are available through a third-party. Please notify the Ride Coordinator if you wish to rent a bike. Coastal Croatia is hilly! The climbs are usually short, but some are steep at 10% plus.  Bring your low gears and wider tires.

For those bringing their own bikes, your bike boxes will be transported from the NH Hotel in Trieste to our final hotel in Dubrovnik.

COST & ADMINISTRATION  The cost for the 19 day tour is $ 4,775 based on an exchange rate of $1.30 to the Euro.

1st  Payment  $2,000 + $100 registration fee due when moved to Pending List 

2nd Payment  $2,775 due April 1, 2022

Included in the price are 19 nights lodging, all breakfasts, 13 lunches, 19 Happy Hour drinks and 12 dinners, ferries, residence tax, and RideWithGPS and GPX files route files for downloading to your smartphone and /or GPS devices . The provided RWGPS files will enable participants to use voice navigation cues and to print their own maps and cue sheets.

Please make sure you read and understand the BAC Cancellation Policy below

CANCELLATION POLICY  The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled due to participation below stated minimum requirements. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

SINGLES AND SOLO POLICY. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until April 1, 2022 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee) or pay the Solo Supplement fee and stay on the ride. If a single pays the solo supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if no roommate is found.

The solo supplement fee is determined following the principal that the other tour participants should not incur any additional cost as a result of the Solo.  

If the acceptance of a Solo does not displace any paying participants then a Solo Supplement fee of $858 USD (based on $1.30  to €1.00) is required to cover the cost of solo lodging for 1 night in Trieste and 19 nights in Croatia. This fee would apply if the trip does not fully fill  OR if the trip is full but there are 2 Solos: in these cases the Solo would not be displacing a paying rider.

However, with a tour maximum of 20, acceptance of a Solo could potentially result in displacement of the 19th paying rider . If this is the case the Solo would have until April 1, 2022 to wait for a second Solo to sign up. If a second Solo does not sign up but the trip is otherwise full  the Solo will then have the option to pay an additional $340 USD to cover the fixed cost share of the displaced 19th rider, or to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee) and withdraw from the ride. 

Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC office by April 1, 2022. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check. They should be mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

COVID-19  If we still have a Covid 19 risk, we will follow all the necessary rules, and change activities as needed to remain Covid compliant, and can keep the tour as safe as possible. We will invite participants to a Zoom meeting about 90 days prior to the tour start date to finalize our COVID protocols. You may be asked to wear PPE in public, maintain social distance in public and limit social gathering in public

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY Please remember that BAC Ride Coordinators are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. 

We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Coordinator. While on the ride, support your Ride Coordinator with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Coordinator informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Coordinator’s decisions. 

INSURANCE. Before participating in any BAC tour, members should review their medical coverage and assess whether what you have is sufficient. If it isn’t, you should purchase additional travel medical coverage. BAC maintains a policy that provides coverage for expenses related to medical emergencies and repatriation when members are on tours outside the US and their home country. The policy ceases to be applicable if a member makes a personal deviation (e.g., makes a side trip not related to the planned BAC tour), has limits on expenses covered for family members and only applies for 45 days following departure from home.

None of the policies maintained by BAC will cover costs associated with self-quarantines that may be government mandated. Members should also ensure that vaccinations are up to date (e.g., annual influenza, tetanus, etc.). When travelling outside your home country you may wish to consult with a travel physician or nurse to ensure that the appropriate vaccinations are up to date.

SIGN-UP Register by clicking on the ‘Sign Up’ link above the Ride Description.  After the Ride Coordinator has accepted your application, you will be moved from the Wait List to the Pending List.  At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable $100 BAC ride registration fee and the initial tour deposit of $2000 by credit card. 

As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List.  To contact the Ride Coordinator, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.

DETAILED ITINERARY: 

Day 1 - September (16th) – Arrive in Trieste. Leave your bikes in boxes, relax and wander the canal region or waterfront.  We will meet at the NH Trieste at 5:00 for happy hour then you will be on your own for dinner. 

Day 2 Stg.1 – September (17th) The first day of the commercial tour. 

Morning van & bike box transfer taking us approx. 1 ½ hrs from Trieste, Italy to Volpija, Croatia near Buje where we assemble our bikes, sort out the rental bikes, and take a short ride into Buje to taste the local wines and craft beers before our briefing & first dinner. (No lunch).

Day 3 Stg.2 – September (18th) Volpija – Motovun (~31 miles, 2,539’) – We will ride through good wine and olive oil country, but also a few areas where the locals search for truffles. Taste these for lunch accompanied by a small glass of the local ruby red Teran wine. We then cross rolling green landscapes that touch the Slovenian border before the days’ last ascent to the imposing hilltop town of Motovun. We will be staying in a former Venetian palace.

Day 4 Stg.3 – September (19th) Motovun – Labin (~48 miles, 4,081’) - A real Istria experience because of the backcountry scenery of olive orchards, vineyards, and lavender fields. We’ll try the white Istrian wine Istarska  Malvazija, pick some grapes or maybe a fig along the road. We’ll also ride past more hilltop towns and through extensive forests with massive stonewalls shaded by cypress.  We’ll overnight in a boutique hotel with Istrian food located 5 km from the sea in the medieval old town of Labin.

Day 5 Stg. 4 – September (20th): Labin – Rabac -ferry Cres Town (~35 miles, 2,919) – Today we breakout to the rugged Adriatic coast and the unspoiled scenery of Cres Island. Everywhere there are wild herbs that give the local cheeses and lamb their prized flavour, wildflowers and thousands of very old  Cres Olives trees.  Our beach hotel for the next 3 nights is a short walk from the lively medievel seaport Cres Town. 

Day 6 Stg. 5 - September (21st): Shuttle to Losinj - Cres (~34 miles, 2387’) - It would be a shame to be on Cres island without visiting its neighbor to the South, the subtropical island of Losinj,. We will shuttle to a port near the south end of the subtropical island then ride back to Cres Town enjoying views of azure clear waters and bays. There is the possibility of a Croatian lunch with locals with lamb on the menu.

Day 7 Stg.6 - September (22nd) - A free day around Cres, a fortified town that was inhabited in prehistoric times. There are wonderful beaches around this settlement, and the local population of bottlenose dolphins attests to the very clean waters. (No lunch)

Day 8 Stg.7 - September (23rd) Cres – Krk – Rab (~37 miles, 3,674’) Today we’ve got 2 scenic ferries and 3 islands.  Krk is the” Golden Island” due to its warm climate and status as a local cradle of culture and literacy.  Krk specialities include  Surlice pasta and Presnac desert. Rab Island has some of the best beaches around and on the southwest side one of the last oak forests of the Mediterranean. Enjoy a glass of fresh dry Zlahtina produced only here on Rab as you enjoy a stunning waterfront view of the Adriatic and old Rab town from your balcony that night.

Day 9 Stg.8  – September (24th) Rab – Pag (~39 miles, 3302’) – More island hopping today: from Rab then by ferry to the  Dalmatian coast mainland then another scenic ferry to Pag Island home of highly sought after salt dusted herb fed Pag cheese, the best Croatian lamb, lace and salt works. The Northern Bora (North Wind) has blown away all of the vegetation causing a very peculiar moonlike scenery.  Spend a quiet night in the town of Pag

Day 10 Stg. 9– September (25th): Pag – Zadar (~41 miles, 1918’) – Today we ride to beautiful Zadar which was for 400 years the most important administrative centre and naval base in the entire Venetian empire outside of Venice.  En route we will try to spend time in Nin, home of the ancient Liburnians and an important Croat capital from the 7th to the 13thCentury.

Day 11 Stg.10  – September (26th) spend a free day in Zadar. Don’t miss the old network of narrow and charming city streets, and the  Zadar market . Try local specialties grilled fish & octopus, seafood risotto, or beef Pasticada with gnocchi (No lunch).  

Day 12 Stg.11 – September (27th)-  Zadar– Skradin (~44 miles, 1,804’) - For the first time we will cycle across the region where the Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995. Impressive traces can still be seen such as bullet-ridden houses and abandoned villages. The highlight today is Skradin, which is our final destination and entrance to the National Park along the Krka River. Skradin is an cute tourist destination whose beauty is crowned by three attractive sites in the Krka National Park.

Day 13 Stg.12 – September (28th)- Skradin loop ride (~35 miles, 2,518’) - Cycle around Krka National Park and explore all of its famous sites: Skradin , Buk waterfalls, Roški waterfall with its ancient mills and the small Franciscan island of Visovac with a votive sanctuary, rich library and a cultural and artistic treasury.

Day 14 Stg.13 – September (29th) - Skradin - Split (~52 miles, 3,257’) Exciting day today as we reach Split built in and around the sprawling 3rd century AD palace / fortress  by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. This is one of Croatia’s most visited monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 15 Stg.14– September (30th) - Split to Brac Island to Split  (~27 miles, 2,243’) -An hour ferry to Brac island followed by a circular tour of the island and it’s olives then back to the ferry with possible time to visit downtown Split. 

Day 16 Stg.15 - October (1st)  – Split to Vela Luka ( 2 miles, 58’).  We take a morning ferry to Vela Luka where we have a free afternoon to relax, sightsee or sunbathe at our hotel’s private beach.  (No lunch)

Day 17 Stg.16 - October (2nd) - Vela Luka  - Korcula  (~31 miles, 3,091’).    We spend all day today enjoying beautiful Korcula, an island with a rich cultural history that started with Greek settlements from the 6th century BC. Today we will see forested hillsides, ancient olive groves and vineyards producing Koracula’s unique local wines Grk and Posip. Old Town Korocula is a not to be missed medieval gem crowded onto a narrow peninsula : a 30 minute walk from our beachfront hotel.

Day 18 Stg.17 - October (3rd) – Korcula  - Ston (~38 miles, 3700’). Today is our last cycling day. We take a short ferry to the important wine growing region on the Peljesak peninsula where we will climb along some of the worlds steepest vineyards producing Croatia’s most prized red: Dingac.  We’ll gaze down on the picturesque villages of Trstenik and Janjina while we have a picnic on a Boccia field. We finish in Ston, a small town famous for its oysters and the 3.4 mile long stone walls built in Venetian times to protect the precious salt flats that contributed to Dubrovnik’s wealth. 

Day 19 Stg.18 October (4th) – To avoid heavy traffic, our last day will start with a short transfer along the coastline to the UNESCO World Heritage site , the old city of Dubrovnik where we have a free afternoon to explore  (No lunch). The history of Dubrovnik goes back over a thousand years and is visible in every part of this city. It is surrounded by 1.2 miles of medieval walls preserved in their original form and open to visitors as the city’s greatest attraction. We will have a special farewell dinner in Dubrovnik and the tour will be officially over after dinner.

Day 20 - October (5th) Departure day– The Dubrovnik airport (DVE) is 13 miles from the hotel. Our hotel will be able to arrange transportation to the airport for those needing it, at participant’s own cost.