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Croatia – Islands Discovery Bike Tour

(13 Reviews)

Croatia Bike Tour Split Self Guided: This self guided bike tour is a great summer option for those who want to cycle a great deal, swim in the Adriatic, or do a combination of both! Spend a day in Split, with historical sites dating back to 300 A.C., then move to the islands Brac and Hvar with an excursion to the quiet and rarely visited isle of Solta before. Discover stone quarries, ancient villages and coastal roads of island Brac. Spend an afternoon on the famous Zlatni-Rat beach in Bol. After the boat ride from Bol to island Hvar, explore UNESCO world heritage site of Stari Grad Plain, biking along lavender fields to reach the famous and fancy town of Hvar. Besides biking, cultural discovery and exploration in the beautiful archipelago of islands, you might want to enjoy some sailing, sea kayaking, windsurfing and stand up paddling. This tour is designed with optional daily distances. If you prefer to have a quiet day on the beach, it is possible! Or, if you prefer to bike 80 km per day, you have the option to do so!

This self-guided bicycle tour is available to start any date from April through October, but note high seasons of July/August are very crowded and hotel space is at a premium. Ideal travel periods are April/May/September/October. 

Note: Due to the complicated logistics between islands, few modifications are possible to the cycling routing, but several options exist for more cycling and off-bike activities almost every day! Ask about adding extra days along the route! 

Get your adventure!   
1. Call or email with questions: +1-970-230-5896 or email us. 
2. Book the trip, pay a deposit, and get excited about your adventure!
Book This Tour
 

Arrival & Departure Locations

Split and return to Split at finish 

Price Includes

  • Accommodation in selected lodgings – choices & prices in Rates tab
  • Buffet breakfast each day after Day 1
  • All ferry transfers, tickets, and private boat transfers
  • All luggage transfers from hotel to hotel
  • Orientation meeting on Day 1 with our local English-speaking representative
  • Welcome drink (or cafe) at orientation
  • Local emergency support throughout the trip
  • GPS pre-loaded with cycling routes (1 per 2 people)
  • Ride With GPS navigation link for use in the Ride With GPS app on your smartphone
  • Digital tour book with all cycling route maps, sites, visitor information, dining recommendations and resources to help prepare for the upcoming trip.

Not included:

Lodging

Standard Lodging: (Guesthouses – similar to a Bed & Breakfast)
Split: Villa Toni (3 nights)
Brac: Boutique Hostel Jerko (1 night)
Hvar: BnB Aurora, House Gordana (2 nights)

Upgraded Lodging: (Four-Star Hotels & Guesthouse Combo)
Split: Hotel Marul **** or Hotel Marmont **** (3 nights)
Brac: Velaris Resort **** (1 night)
Hvar: BnB Aurora, House Gordana – guesthouses; no 4-star hotel exists here. (2 nights)

About: All lodging includes a private, en-suite bathroom. The standard guesthouse option includes small properties so the number of rooms is limited and will change depending on availability at the time of booking. The upgraded lodging includes a mix of 4-star hotels and guesthouses. All accommodations will be confirmed at the time of booking. For a complete list of up-to-date services and amenities, please visit the hotels’ individual websites.

Optional Add-Ons

Guides & Local Support

Local Experts: Ante or Snježana will meet you for orientation in Split on your arrival. Ante is originally from Split, has a degree in Economics, is a cycling enthusiast, and creates routes, itineraries, and maps for us. Snjezana, also a native of Split is a world traveler, has a degree in chemistry, and is a handicraft artist. She supports the trips from behind the scenes and will be available throughout your travels by phone. Both are fluent in English. 

Tour Highlights
  • 7 days / 6 nights biking beautiful Croatia
  • Historic Split Town
  • UNESCO Sites:  Diocletian’s PalaceStari Grad Plain on Hvar
  • Island Solta: a small and quiet island with scenic, quiet rides
  • Island Hvar: lavender road, Stari Grad Plain, Hvar town
  • Island Brač: inland villages and stone carvings of Brač
  • The Dalmatian coastline is famous for its islands and the historical cities of Split and Dubrovnik
  • Delicious local cuisine and wines

Need to Know:

Details regarding transfers* between islands – On some days you will travel by regularly scheduled ferries but you will also go by private boat transfer. These private boat transfers are fast, safe, and reliable. They are from 26″ to 40″ long and have speed of approximately 20 – 25 knots. In case of bad weather – regular ferries usually depart – and they are safe. For private boats – in case it is not safe we cancel those in accordance with the skipper and make alternative arrangements. The ferry and boat transfers are completely detailed in the roadbook which is covered at orientation. * luggage also travels on the ferries but is handled by partners so you can ride! 

Photos
Itinerary

Day 1Split Arrival & Test Ride: 0–20 km / 12 mi or Extension Ride

Welcome to the ancient Mediterranean town of Split! Explore the 1700 year old Palace of Diocletian, inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Peristyle, Diocletian’s mausoleum, Jupiter’s temple, Romanesque houses, and experience everyday life by visiting the ancient fish market and watching the fishermen hard at work. Split is located in the middle of Croatian coast and is the cultural centre of the Dalmatian Coast. Cycle along the beautiful Marjan Hill, which is the main recreational area for the citizens of Split. Depending on your arrival, we will meet at your hotel, fit your bike and have a welcome orientation regarding your upcoming cycling holiday!

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 17 km / 11 mi +/-283m, or 60 km / 37 mi +/-958m
Highlights: Split, Marjan Hill
Overnight: Split

Day 2The Quiet Island of Solta: 40 km / 25 mi

After your morning coffee at Split’s waterfront promenade, you will take a 1-hour ferry ride to Šolta, your first Dalmatian island. Discover and bike the beautiful and quiet island of Šolta. The biking is mostly along narrow back roads in small rural villages, found in the heart of the island. Visit a few more coastal villages, ride along olive groves and zoom past vineyards. Optional visits are to a honey production site. Return to Split at the end of the ride for another night out in Split.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 40 km / 25 mi, +/-568m
Highlights: quiet and picturesque landscape
Overnight: Split

Day 3Ancient Inland Towns of Brac – West Side Loop: 35+ km / 19 mi or Extension Ride

After a leisurely ferry cruise, you arrive to the largest island of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, the third largest among the Adriatic islands – Island Brac. This island is rich with historic sites dating back to Ancient Greece, Middle Ages and Modern times. Today, there are around twenty settlements on the island. Pedal to Sutivan, a small fishing village on the northern coast of Brac. After Sutivan, there is a climb and you will pass through the picturesque village of Lozisca. Continue through the settlements in the interior, which are older, richer in cultural and historical monuments, and much more interesting architecturally than the coastal ones. If you are interested in the arts, we can suggest some galleries and workshops to visit, where you can see the stone masons working on their sculptures. Upon return from the loop bike ride, you can enjoy some nice swimming options.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 35 km / 22 mi, +/-596m; extra ride 35 km / 22 mi, +/-411m
Highlights: island Brac, Supetar, coastal ride and towns, ancient inland villages, wine cellar, art galleries
Overnight: Supetar, island Brac

Day 4Zlatni Rat Beach Bol: 45 km / 28 mi

Today you ride along the coast to the village of Pucisca, a charming town well known for its stone quarries. It is from here that the precious white stone was excavated and used to build Diocletian’s Palace in Split and The White House in Washington D.C. You may wish to visit one of the oldest stone cutting schools in Europe and watch students carving in the same way as their ancestors. Continue with a climb over the island to reach the southern shores and enjoy a great downhill into Bol, the oldest coastal town on the island of Brac. Bol is unusually positioned compared to other coastal towns, which are set in the amphitheatrical slopes of their protected bays. Instead, it sits exposed on the southern, most open part of the island, with its beaches connected like a string of pearls. Visit the famous pebble beach of Zlatni Rat, considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia. Then, transfer to your next island – Hvar.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 45 km / 28 mi, +/-823m
Highlights: beaches, coastal ride, fishing villages, stone cutting school, Pucisca, Bol, Golden Horn beach
Overnight: Jelsa, island Hvar

IMPORTANT: Please note that the transfer from Bol to Jelsa (Brac to Hvar) is operated with smaller excursion boats, weather permitting. In case of rough seas, the boat cannot go for safety reasons. If it happens that you cannot take the boat to Hvar, we will wait until afternoon to see if the sea gets calmer. If we know conditions will not change, we can organize a transfer via Supetar and Split, then ferry to Stari Grad and/or to Hvar. In such cases (very rare!) Day 5 will be a no biking day. As of today, this has only happened on one occasion. During summer season (July – August,) we only have approximately 5 bad weather days!

Day 5North Side Hvar: 26 km / 16 mi

Welcome to the fishing village of Jelsa, located on the northern side of Island Hvar. The ride today takes you along lavender fields, olive groves, and vineyards. You will be riding along a scenic and mostly flat road on the north side of the island, passing Vrboska and Stari Grad, (which literally translates to “Old Town”) the oldest settlement on the island. One of the first settlements in Europe, Star Grad was founded by the Ancient Greeks (Pharos). Discover and cycle along Ager – a cultured landscape created 24 centuries ago by Greek colonists.

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 26 km / 16 mi, +/-296m
Highlights: island Hvar, Jelsa, Vrboska, Stari Grad
Overnight: Jelsa, island Hvar

Day 6Lavender & Coastal Roads of Hvar: 15-54 km / 9-34 mi

Today you start your bike to Stari Grad, Hvar’s Old Town. We suggest a visit to Venetian Loggia, the oldest municipal theatre in Europe. Then, stop for a coffee at one of the most beautiful squares in the Mediterranean, to warm you up before a challenging yet beautiful uphill climb. Cycle along fragrant rosemary and lavender fields of Island Hvar, enjoying views of the central Dalmatian archipelago. You will see Vis and Korcula islands to the south and Brac and Solta islands to the north. Late in the afternoon, you will take a boat that returns you to Split.
Spend a well deserved relaxing evening in Split!

Meals: breakfast
Distance: 15 km / 9 mi, +/-155m or 54 km / 34 mi, +/-987m
Highlights: island Hvar, lavender fields, town Hvar
Overnight: Split

Day 7Departure Day

Back in Split, you can easily return to the airport after a leisurely morning. Or, if you plan onward travel we can assist with other tours and excursions in Croatia.

Meals: breakfast

Map
Croatia Bike Tour Island Hopping
Dates & Rates

Dates: Plan your trip at a time that fits your schedule best! Pure Adventures tours have flexible start dates and do not have fixed departure dates. 

2025 Tour Rates*: 

Standard Lodging Option – Guest Houses:
(based on double occupancy, see Lodging section for list)

  • April: 1668 euros/person
  • May: 1786 euros/person
  • June: 1832 euros/person
  • July/Aug: 2016 euros/person
  • Sept:  1834 euros/person
  • October: 1732 euros/person
  • Single Supplement: 290-506 euros

Upgraded Lodging Option – Four-Star Hotel & Guest House Combo:
(based on double occupancy, see Lodging section for list)

  • April: 2210 euros/person
  • May: 2255 euros/person
  • June: 2390 euros/person
  • July/Aug: 2699 euros/person
  • Sept:  2484 euros/person
  • October: 2309 euros/person
  • Single Supplement: 488-835 euros

Hybrid Bike Rental:  145 euros
Road Bike Rental: 
145 euros
E-bike Rental: 
305 euros
Bike Rental Details Page
– click to view specs & what comes with your rental!

Other Notes:

  • Croatia hotels have stricter cancellation policies, and some hotels may have non-refundable deposits at booking that take precedence over our usual Terms & Conditions
  • Extra nights vary by type of lodging, season, and dates; please contact us for a custom trip quote!
  • April, May, and October: lowest rate months – strongly encouraged for travel
  • June – mid-season: moderate demand, ideal travel period
  • July-August: peak months most expensive – recommend avoiding
  • September: mid-season, high demand – early booking recommended
How do our tours compare to similar trips? You Get MoreIf you compare prices, we are much less than guided trips with similar experiences. In our private, independent format, you get much more than what most traditional self-guided tours offer, plus it’s a better experience! Our team has gone to great lengths to build and create exceptional tours all over the world, vacations that will give you lifelong memories. From the accommodations to the bikes, to the routes themselves, we hold each component of our tours to a very high standard. We are dedicated to empowering people through travel!
 
Next steps: 
1. Call or email with questions: +1-970-230-5896 or email us. 
2. Book the trip, pay a deposit, and get excited about your adventure!
Book This Tour
13 Reviews
Sort By:RatingDate

Shore

Couple Traveller

Great trip.
Loved the efficient organisation and helpful people. Info pack excellent.
Must say Toni, manager / owner of Toni’s Apartments was exceptionally nice and helpful. All accom was very good, although room in Supetar was a tad basic / unnecessarily on 2nd floor.
Transportation excellent as recommended for transfer.
Special mention also for Micheal who gave us a most informative tour briefing for just us.
Bike was perfect and worked fine.

July 1, 2024

Jon N.

Group Traveller

The four of us had a very enjoyable trip. A highlight for me was the north coast ride on Brac Island (day 3) the valley ride out to Dol was superb. Enjoyed many coffee stops along the water most days! As well, the secondary roads with very little traffic. Rise GPS was a nice tool for navigation and ‘recording’ the activity. Your local representative, Toni, earns a 10 out of 10 rating. Very thorough and personable. Lodging and breakfasts were great. Hosts were very accommodating and helpful.
We have many fine memories from the experience.

June 11, 2024

Michelle

Solo Traveller

Mar and Pure Adventures arranged and organized one of THE best bike tours we’ve done- and we’ve done a lot of self supported as well as self guided bike trips. We chose the 7 day Croatia self guided Island tour and it was amazing. We rode self propelled bikes and the mileages were completely doable, the routes were great; the maps/profiles and directions they provide are spot on, and our Croatian representative made sure everything was seamless. We took almost all of the suggested side excursions ( well worth it) and appreciated the research on restaurants- which were all excellent. My husband and I are not into large groups, nor large hotels and we loved the care that Pure Adventures has taken with hotel and inn selection, which were unique, comfortable and perfectly located on our bike routes. One of the days our transfer to another island was via a speedboat and that was super fun! We had the trip of a lifetime and were happy knowing that we were supporting a smaller, independently owned tour company which really takes care of the details that make a vacation memorable. You will not be disappointed by choosing Pure Adventures for your trip!

October 20, 2023

Stephen Deveraux

Couple Traveller

5-stars

July 1, 2023

Karen Martinsen

Family Traveller

Croatia, Croatia, Croatia! The Split to Split programme worked well for our family’s holiday arrangements and was a cost effective alternative to the Split to Dubrovnik programme. With our adult children all keen cyclists, this was the first time we could do an active holiday as a family. It was a special experience and none of us remember any other family holiday that compares. The Pure Adventures team take care of all of the man details with expertise and impressive levels of customer service and knowledge. Exceeded expectations.

June 22, 2023
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