Countries
Type
Level
Theme
Popular Regions
About Us
Your Booking
A deluxe bike and boat cycling holiday around the serene and beautiful islands of South Dalmatia. Live aboard a deluxe motor yacht exploring the timeless, evocative islands of Vis, Korčula, Hvar, Brač and Šolta. Each has it’s own unique character and flavour, providing a completely new cycling experience each day.
This is a truly magical cycling holiday, the sparsely populated islands of South Dalmatia provide the perfect environment for escaping the everyday hustle and bustle, allowing you to fall into an intoxicating rhythm of cycle, swim, eat, sleep, repeat.
The above video shows the sights and scenes from the route.
Your deluxe motor yacht, complete with friendly crew and cycle guides, offers comfortable, air-conditioned cabins and is the perfect vessel for exploring the Dalmatian Islands in style. Each day the boat will moor in a different but always idyllic harbour where you will disembark for the day’s ride. The bike guides remove the need for maps and route notes allowing you to relax and enjoy the rides without having to worry about navigation. While you are riding, the boat cruises around to the other side of the island and is waiting for you when you arrive.
Most afternoons the boat will cruise to a quiet bay for a swim stop. The bathing platform on the boat’s stern makes entering and leaving the water easy for all and there are also stand-up-paddle boards available as well.
The highlights of the week are many and varied but stand-out memories include the view over Hvar Town from the Spanish Fortress, cycling around the remote and peaceful island of Vis, and swimming from the boat to cool off after a long ride. The ride from one end of Korčula Island to the other is something very special as many consider the island to be the most beautiful of the Dalmatian Archipelago. Finally, the optional rafting excursion in Cetina Canyon on the mainland is exhilarating and the opportunity to explore the ancient, winding alleyways of Split old town, complete with bohemian bars and an emperor’s palace add even more variation to this hugely enjoyable holiday.
The final day’s ride on Šolta, where the scent of lavender and wild rosemary accompany your ride, is a fitting finale to a truly memorable cycling holiday
The cycle rides cover between 12 and 37 miles along on asphalted lanes and quiet roads. The terrain of these islands is always undulating and you will have climbs to contend with each day. State of the art e-bikes are the most popular option but gravel bikes are also available for any particularly fit riders.
The daily rides follow gently rolling terrain with ascents of up to 200 meters.
Distance: 30 - 60 km per day
Elevation: 400 - 700 meters of elevation per day
The bike tours take place on mainly quiet roads. Traffic is to be expected in and around coastal towns.
The elevation gains on this tour can be mastered more easily with electronic assistance. Anyone renting an e-bike should already have experience and be confident in handling e-bikes, as these bikes are significantly heavier and faster than conventional bikes.
This tour is primarily a guided group tour. Upon consultation with your tour guides, the possibility to cycle on your own along recommended, suitable routes, may present itself. You are free to set aside a half or full day to swim or spend on board the boat, instead of taking a planned bike tour.
The pretty port of Trogir is just a short 6 km taxi or bus ride from Split Airport. On arrival, check in on board your boat between 2pm and 2.30pm. At around 3pm the crew cast off and we enjoy an afternoon cruise to the small peaceful island of Vis where we moor for the night.
Vis is the outermost of the Dalmatian islands and until 1995 was closed to tourists due to it’s strategic location. You’ll really enjoy exploring this quiet and beautiful island by bike. The route leads us across the island on a gently ascending road that then descends quickly, via a series of exhilarating switchbacks, to the charming village of Komiza on the west coast.
After exploring the village and enjoying a refreshment at one of the relaxed quayside bars we mount up and leave the village, this time following a quiet coastal road with jaw-dropping sea views off to the right. The road then winds inland through a peaceful fertile valley covered in vineyards before descending back down to Vis where the boat and lunch are waiting for us.
In the afternoon we leave Vis and enjoy a leisurely cruise to the nearby island of Korčula. On route we’ll stop in a quiet bay for a swim, before mooring in the pleasant port town of Vela Luka on Korčula for the night.
Korčula is stunning – by common consent the jewel in the Dalmatian archipelago's crown – and today we will cycle from one end of it to the other. A gentle climb leads us inland through aromatic pine forests and after an exhilarating descent we begin to follow a quiet road alongside the island’s incredibly picturesque south coast. Hamlets of tiny houses, many covered in bougainvillea, enjoy million dollar views of a coral blue sea dotted with tiny islands. We may be tempted to stop for a swim as there are many small beaches along this lovely stretch of coast.
A stunning taverna provides us with a wonderful lunch (payable locally) and after refuelling we take on a gentle climb that is rewarded with fabulous views of picturesque Pupnat Bay.
Towards the end of the ride we cross to the north coast and enjoy a long, winding descent with more stunning views of an impossibly blue sea and the Pelješac peninsula across the strait. For the last few kilometres we follow the coastline eastwards. Windsurfers and kitesurfers flit backwards and forwards enjoying the wind funnel effect created by the narrow strait and adding even more colour to this incredibly vivid day.
Finally we round a corner and the stunning island capital comes into view. The fortified town of Korčula juts out into the Adriatic and looks like a large ship moored to the island. After dinner we highly recommend stepping ashore for a stroll through the narrow alleys of this atmospheric and bustling old town.
Today starts with a relaxing cruise to the bustling and picturesque port of Hvar Town on the island of Hvar. Take the time to explore this beautiful little place on foot before mounting up for today's ride. A steady climb leads us out of the town and up onto a ridge running the length of the island. The views get progressively more spectacular and aromatic lavender fields line the route attracting flights of brightly coloured butterflies. There is a small bar/restaurant at the summit to collect ourselves before enjoying an exhilarating descent to the picturesque artist's village of Stari Grad nestled in its own natural harbour. The Magellan is waiting for us and will remain moored here for the night.
This morning the Magellan crosses the narrow strait separating Hvar from its neighbour, Brač, the largest of the Dalmatian Islands. We moor in Milna, a pretty harbour town and disembark with our bikes. On today’s ride to Postira, on the northern coast, we’ll enjoy some marvellous panoramic views across the sea to the mainland, we'll also pass the quarries where the island's famous white marble comes from. This highly prized marble has been used to build some very famous buildings, including 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C and the Reichstag in Berlin.
The Magellan is waiting for us in the pleasant little port of Postira – a lovely place to spend the night.
A morning cruise takes us across the strait to the town of Omiš on the mainland. Omiš sits at the entrance to a deep canyon through which the Cetina river flows down to the sea. We have a choice today of either biking around the canyon, enjoying great views of the river an d coastline or opting for a 4 hour rafting excursion down the Cetina River itself (not included and payable locally). If you opt for the rafting you’ll be picked up from the boat by a bus and driven to the starting point further up the canyon. The rafting is great fun and each raft has a well trained instructor who ensures the trip is exhilarating but safe. The river and canyon are protected and the scenery and water clarity are amazing. The bus is waiting for you at the end of the rafting experience to take you back to the boat
Once everyone is back on board we enjoy an late afternoon cruise to the city of Split. After mooring up in the city port you are invited to join a guided city tour to learn more about this fascinating ancient city. Split’s old town is captivating and incredibly atmospheric, particularly after dark when all the cool little bars, clubs and restaurants come alive.
The boat remains moored in Split overnight.
During breakfast we cruise to the pretty harbour of Rogač on the island of Šolta for our final cycle tour. The ride traverses the serene island, passing fragrant fields of lavender and wild rosemary. We re-board the boat in Maslinica and cruise slowly back across the sea to the boat’s home port of Trogir. The old-town is a warren of narrow winding alleys, lined with tiny restaurants, shops and cafes. Feel free to lose yourself – it’s not that big – and sooner or later you’ll wind up on the quayside once more.
The Captain’s farewell dinner is always an enjoyable affair, moored up on the bustling quayside adjacent to the lovely old town.
After breakfast its time to disembark, by 9am, and head for home or your next adventure.
On this tour you can choose to rent either a gravel bike or an e-bike. Unless you are a regular cyclist, used to taking on regular climbs, we highly recommend opting for the e-bike which is the most popular option.
If the bike has a rack then panniers are included.
We suggest you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene reasons. A very limited number of helmets are available on board and must be pre-booked at the time of booking. It is mandatory to wear a helmet.
The Magellan is a very stylish motor yacht with modern, elegant cabins and public areas.
She has 19 spacious guest cabins, 11 above deck cabins and 8 lower deck cabins. Both decks features twin cabins, with separate single beds, and double cabins with a small double bed. All cabins are equipped with en-suite shower/wc and air conditioning. Above deck cabins feature a small window and the door opens out to the fresh air while the below deck cabins open to the inner galley and have a small porthole.
On the main deck there is an elegant dining/saloon area with bar as well as a covered quarterdeck. The spacious sun deck is the perfect spot from which to watch the gorgeous scenery drift by.
Meals
A buffet breakfast and one or two warm meals are provided daily. The meals are prepared by the on-board cook who uses locally sourced fresh ingredients. The catering consists of 2 days of full board (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and 5 days of half board (breakfast and lunch or dinner).
Dietary requirements: If you have special dietary requirements, it is important you indicate this when you book or enquire about it before you book. Vegetarian meals are available, but we need to know in advance. In all other cases we will need to check if it is possible. In most cases a fee for preparing special meals will be charged. This mainly applies to lactose, gluten-free or vegan meals and is €70 and is to be paid when you board. The kitchen galley space is compact and so it cannot accommodate coeliacs.
On-board payments: Cash only, no debit/credit cards.
The captain reserves the right to make changes to the planned route due to changing wind, tide and weather conditions, and where required by organizational necessities.
Fly to Split airport and then transfer by taxi or public bus to Trogir, 6 kms away.
Easy
Leisurely
Moderate
Challenging
