Sail & cycle Dalmatia

Arrival and accommodation. Getting to know the routes for the next eight days.

Game of Thrones – Meeting point in front of the Palace of Dicoletian in Split. The tour takes us over the famous beaches of Split and then we continue eastward. The last beach in Split – Duilovo – takes us towards Stobreč, an ancient Roman settlement of Epetion, situated at the very coast. From this picturesque fishing village we follow the Žrnovnica river until we get to Žrnovnica settlement, named deftly after a Croatian word for a mill (žrvanj) and which boasted a hunting house for the Roman emperor Diocletian. We continue along Korešnica, Kučine, Mravinci – all suburbs of Split – until we get to the source of the Jadro. We follow the road which takes us up to Klis Kosa, and along the once-used railway track which operated from 1903-1962. Elder people still remember the ever-so-popular train Rera, which connected Split and Sinj. Along the track takes is Klis – a Medieval fortress where some scenes from The Game of Thrones were filmed. After a break in the shade of the walls, which offer a breathtaking view over Split, we go downhill, passing the settlements of Rupotine and Ninčevići, to get to the ancient Salona – a settlement destroyed in the 4th ct AD. The tour ends with sightseeing of the remnants of Salona, its amphitheatre and other sites on the location. This route is 20 to 35 km long, depending on the fitness of the cyclists.

The island of Brač – We set off early in the morning for the ferry to Supetar. 50 minutes later we get on our bikes and set off for Sutivan. This family-friendly route takes us from the town centre over Mirca and the north-western coast of the island to Sutivan, whose patron saint is St. Roko. This route mostly follows the coastline, has no major elevations and is great for all cyclists. Along the route you’ll encounter many cyclists and joggers and also enjoy lovely countryside, the scent of pines and the sea. Sutivan – Sutivan Once we get to Sutivan, we continue westward. After only a few minutes of cycling, we come across the sandy bay of Likva, where we’re just a 30m dive away from an offshore site of an ancient shipwreck. Once we’ve had a break and a swim, we cycle on through beautiful bays and pine woods up to Deralo beach, where we start ascending deep into the island inland. Along the route we come upon beautiful churches and catacombs – a series of underground tombs, a unique island locality. We continue along through Sutivan and back to Supetar. The length of the route is 20-25 km, depending on the fitness of the cyclists.

Krka National Park. Meeting point: in front of your accommodation and then transfer to Skradin, where the tour begins. This tour takes us through the most interesting parts of the Krka and the area of the national park too. The tickets for the national park are included in the price of the tour. We start at a picturesque town of Skradin, on the banks of the Krka. First we go westward towards the Roški slap. Along the way we’ll see an island of Visovac with its famous monastery. Once we pass Roški slap, the tour goes back but on the eastern side. We’ll pass through the Čikola canyon – a tributary river to the Krka. Nearby is a historic fortress of Ključica. This track is quite dynamic, with many ups and downs, macadam and single-track parts. It is 25-40 km long, depending on the fitness of the cyclists.

Eight fortresses of Kaštela. Meeting point in front of your accommodation and then transfer to Trogir, where this tour starts. Trogir is a town situated on an island between the mainland and the island of Čiovo. It was founded by the Greek colonizers from the island of Vis in the 3rd century BC. The town centre is a Unesco protected heritage site, renowned for its cathedral with the portal of Master Radovan. Trogir is also one of the most preserved romance-gothic towns on the Adriatic. The castle and the tower surrounded by walls are in fact the core of the town. We start in front of the tower Kamerlengo, built from 1420-1437. We follow the the sea-line until we get to Pantana beach. This is not a typical beach as it is immersed into brackish water – this is where the lost river Rika resurfaces and boasts a famous mill. We continue along the sea-line towards Kaštela, situated in a bay surrounded by Marjan peninsula right in front of it and the city of Trogir to its right. The route goes along the sea-line through all seven Kaštela which make up one town, and each boasts fortifications built by Croatian nobility during the struggle against the Ottoman empire. There is a story connected to each of them, the most famous one being about the Vitturi castle in Kaštel Lukšić, whose walls still whisper about the story of Miljenko and Dobrila – Croatian Romeo and Juliette. Our trip ends in Kaštel Sućurac. This track is 25-30 km long, depending on the fitness of the cyclists.

The island of Hvar – We set off early in the morning to Stari Grad by ferry. Ninety minutes later we start cycling. This is a traditional route called “Cycling through heritage sites.”Starting in Stari Grad, we go through a lovely picturesque village of Dol, with its stone houses and courtyards which will spell out stories of how difficult life was for the peasants of Hvar in the past. We go on to Vrbanj, the biggest village on the island. Because of its position in the middle of the island, Vrbanj used to be a haven from pirates: hence its interesting houses with loopholes in walls from the 16th and 17tc ct. We continue towards Jelsa and then on to Vrbovska – the smallest village on the island, at the deep end of the bay, with pine wood, cultural attractions and the architecture of the village interspersed with meandering cobbled streets. We go back to Stari Grad via Ager – remnants of Ancient Roman fertile land belonging to different Roman colonies. And then it’s back in Stari Grad where we wait for the ferry back to the mainland. This track is 25-30 km long, depending on the fitness of the cyclists.

Stara Sela. A transfer to Strožanac – the starting point of the route. This route connects the port of Strožanac, situated on the western border of Podstrana municipality, with the city of Omiš. Start in Strožanac and then go up the macadam, following the isohypse. You’ll go through old picturesque villages situated on the slopes of Primorska kosa: eco ethno village Gornja Podstrana, whose old centre and the Church of St Ante and Roko are listed as cultural heritage sites. Continue through the old village of Jesenice, which also boasts similar cultural heritage and the monument devoted to WWII fighters. Another old village – Duće – boasts and ex parish church of St Marko with the cemetery. The route then goes on to Omiš, an ancient Roman town by the name of Oneum. In the Middle ages it was famous for its pirates, which were a great threat to the vessels going from Venice to the Republic of Dubrovnik. The two towers – Mirebela (Peovica) and Starigrad (Fortica) tell the story of these pirates. The route continues along the Cetina canyon, which has been listed as protected since 1963. Pass through Radmanove Mlinice – one of the most popular local outings throughout the 20th century. The force of the Cetina has been used to power mills since the 16th century. This mill was taken over by the family Radman in the 19th century, when they started using it as their summer residence. The old mill in Radmanove mlinice is still there today but is out of service and is only a tourist attraction. After a break we go back to Split. This route is 25-30 km long, depending on the fitness of the cyclists.

Departure from Split in afternoon hours.