From Dubrovnik to Split
Imagine the Mediterranean the way it used to be, in a country that has all the essential elements for the perfect cycling vacation – quiet roads, an abundance of historical sites and now, wonderful hotels and restaurants to enjoy. We’ve created a trip that takes in both Dubrovnik and Split, and the exquisite Dalmatian islands including Mljet, Korčula, Hvar and Brač, each unique and ideal for active travel (and relaxation).
Only Great Explorations:
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Starting Location
Pomena, Croatia
Day 1
Brna, Croatia
Day 2
Hvar, Croatia
Day 3+4+5
Pučišća, Croatia
Day 6+7
Split, Croatia
End Location
| 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|
| May 17-23 | May 16-22 |
| Jun 1-7 | May 31- Jun 6 |
| Sep 20-26 | Sep 19-25 |
| Sep 27-Oct 3 | Sep 26-Oct 2 |
| Oct 4-10 | Oct 3-9 |
Trip can start any date. Custom trips also available. Call or email for details.
Trip Size
Total Days
Arrive/Depart
Activity Level40-60 km (25-37 miles) daily with some hills each day
TerrainModerate with some hills
CostLand Cost
US $3,950
Single Supplement
US $1000
Bike Rentals
Hybrid or Racing Bikes (aluminum frame, carbon fork, Shimano 105): US $320
Premium Racing Bikes (BMC Roadmachine THREE; full carbon, Shimano 105): US $420
Premium Racing Bikes (BMC Roadmachine TWO; full carbon, Di2 105): US $520
E-bikes (Giant Explore E+ 3 Step-thru)*: US $560
Premium E-racing Bikes (BMC Roadmachine 01 AMP ONE)*: US $720
Premium E-racing Bikes (BMC Roadmachine 01 AMP X ONE)*: US $820
Pre- or Post-Trip Extension
Make the most of your stay in Croatia with our optional extensions before and/or after your trip
2-Day Pre-Trip Extension in Dubrovnik
Includes: 2 nights’ accommodation and a half-day guided walking tour.
Price: US $795
Single supplement: US $395
2-Day Post-Trip Extension in Split
Includes: 2 nights’ accommodation and a half-day guided walking tour.
Price: US $795
Single supplement: US $395
*E-bikes are generally available but are on an ‘on request basis ‘ and will be confirmed on receipt of your booking registration. E-bikes provided are the best rentals available in the region. Our regular fleet of hybrid and race bikes are fun to ride and light and fast, but if having an e-bike will make your trip, we’ll do our best to provide. E-bike rentals are non-refundable.
Getting There
Our trip begins in the historical city of Dubrovnik, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the great cities of Eastern Europe. The historical center is well-protected by its fortified walls, making it a wonderful place to stroll.
Pomena
After meeting in Dubrovnik, we’ll make our way to the port and cruise to the verdant island of Mljet; cycling from Sobra, we will ride on quiet roads to a lovely picnic location and then on to Polace and into Mljet National Park with two saltwater lakes, one with an islet that hides a 12th Century Benedictine monastery. We will dine at a restaurant in the village of Pomena and overnight at a casual sea-side hotel for one night.
Distance: 32 km; 690 m gain or 44 km; 850 m gain
Brna
From Mljet, cruise to the magical island of Korčula, lush with pine forests, vineyards and olive groves. Reputed to be the birthplace of Marco Polo, Korčula town is filled with great restaurants and cafes. Linger here, or consider an add-on ride on a stunning road along the coast. Lunch will be at a knoba (traditional restaurant) in a village where food never tasted better. Late afternoon, we’ll cycle to one of the island’s best vineyards and be hosted to a private tasting before coasting to our hotel on the sea. For dinner, we’ll take your to a sea-side restaurant with sublime food and a chef who is quite a character.
Distance: 40 km; 550 m gain or 62 km; 790 m gain
Hvar
We will start the day with a pleasant ride along the coast to Vela Luka, where we will board a private boat for the crossing to Hvar, where yachts line the harbor and well-preserved Venetian buildings, a hill-top castle and Europe’s oldest theatre make for a charming town. If you wish an add-on ride today, ride out towards Milna and return in time for a 4pm walking tour with a local guide. For dinner, we have a surprise destination that might be your most memorable meal in Croatia. We stay in the luxurious Podstine Hotel with its private setting and stunning views.
Distance: 24 km; 400 m gain and 22 km; 380 m gain (total: 48 km; 780 m gain)
Hvar
We have several options today. Because we have two nights here, you can of course, choose to relax in Hvar and take the day to see more of the city, hike to a hill-top castle or boat to nearby islets for swimming and lunch. If you are keen to ride, our recommended loop is an invigorating climb where you’ll reach a plateau surrounded by lavender fields and then a descent to the pleasant village of Stari Grad, where the poet Petra Hektorovica summered at Tvrdalj Castle. You can visit this impressive property and gardens, enjoy a coffee at one of the cafes here and then continue on to Vrboska and Jelsa on quiet vineyard lined roads with gentle grades. The return route to Hvar has a more modest climb than the way over, but if you would like to shuttle this is an option. For anyone that would like the challenge themselves more, we have a century option that explores a remote part of the island. Back in Hvar, you have a free night to choose a restaurant and we’ll happily share our favourites.
Distance: 35 km; 280 m gain or 66 km; 1,000 m gain or 114 km; 1,750 m gain
Pučišća
From Hvar town, we make out way to Jelsa (ride or shuttle – your choice) and then we will cruise to Bol on a traditional gullet to the island of Brač. It takes just one hour so take time to visit and swim at Zlatni Rat, the iconic beaches here before lunch at one of the local restaurants in Bol. Afterwards, we have a rewarding climb and glorious descent to the seaside village of Pučišća. We will stay at the newly renovated 5-star Puteus Palace, which is in a class of its own, with stunning swimming pool and secret gardens.
Distance: 35 km; 570 m gain and 26 km; 550 m gain (total: 60 km; 1,120 m gain)
Pučišća
On this day, begin with a climb out of Pučišća to the plateau of Brač before descending to the village of Skrip to visit a fascinating olive oil museum, which we will tour and taste their production. Then we will enjoy a ‘farm to table’ lunch in the museum itself. Afterwards, enjoy a gently rolling coastal ride back to Pučišća where we’ll relax poolside. After a wine reception, enjoy a festive dinner in the fine restaurant of our hotel.
Distance: 47 km; 950 m gain or 90 km; 1,630 m gain
Depart
Transfer to Split for onward travel. If you have the time, we highly recommend our two night extension in Split.
Mljet's only hotel has a favorable seaside location overlooking a tranquil harbor in the heart of Mljet National Park. The rooms have sea-view balconies and there is a beach-side lounge bar where you can enjoy sun-downers. Pomena is tranquil hamlet with a few casual restaurants and pleasant atmosphere.
Renovations are being undertaken at Hotel Odisej in 2026 so until complete, we will be booking at Aminess Korcula Heritage Hotel.
This 4-star sea-side hotel is newly renovated and chic in design. All rooms are air-conditioned and boast sea views. The large terrace-top outdoor swimming pool also has lovely views and there is a fitness room for guests. Dip your toes in the sea from the hotel’s own pebble beach. Brna is a quaint fishing village where you’ll sleep in peace.
This 4-star sea-side hotel boasts outstanding views, terraced gardens and decks leading down to the sea and private beach. Situated in an arboretum full of palm and citrus trees and centenary pines, Podstine boasts a newly opened spa offers massage and wellness services on site. The contemporary restaurant has an extensive menu with regional cuisine.
The 5-star Puteus Palace is a recently renovated palace from 1467, boasting large comfortable guest rooms, a secret garden, stunning location and large swimming pool. This hotel is the perfect property to finish our stay in Croatia.
Tour Reviews
“Beautiful country…my first bike trip….exceeded my expectations on all fronts….knowledge provided on the extras was informative, very pleasant, open and engaging!”
“Our’s was a private tour for our group of 8 and without exception, we all had a wonderful time. Croatia is incredibly beautiful and seeing it by bike and from the water between islands reinforced that beauty. Our guides Karolina and Dama were delightful – knowledgable, funny and patient when we tried out our few words in Croatian!”
“I LOVED the biking….it was beautiful and we were lucky with the weather. Croatia ia a beautiful country and the routes were quiet…not a lot of traffic …the group was great, great energy”
“Everything was so well organized. Our guide Alex was amazing as was Ivan our driver. This was our first ever biking holiday so I was worried that Croatia would be too hilly. Croatia was definitely hilly, but the number of kilometres covered each day was reasonable and there were wonderful stops for cappuccino and lunch as well as visits to places like olive oil factories and vineyards. It also helped that the scenery was spectacular! We also had a fantastic group. We we travelling with another couple, but we made six new friends on the trip.”
“I LOVED this trip and can’t wait to do another!!”
“Best vacation ever! Beautiful country filled with history and very welcoming people.”
“Enjoyed spending time with friends and learning from the guides about living in these areas. Excellent guides, especially Dama and Alex. Great hotel locations.”
“Our guides were superb – Igor and Martin went out of their way to ensure we had a 5* experience.”
“Had no prior expectations, blew everything out of the water from what I imagined”
“What a beautiful country. The food was wonderful. The scenery was beautiful and the guides friendly and knowledgeable.”
“The attention to detail by Alex and Dama exceeded our expectations. If anything was awry, we did not know about it. They easily looked after the problem and we happily cycled on. Croatia is absolutely beautiful! Boat travelling on the Adriatic and cycling the islands of Croatia was a decadent dream! Exceeded our expectations! Possibly our best trip ever! Seeing a country by bike is the best.”
“I liked it all! The ride, food and sights were amazing. Especially the ride down the side of the mountain near Podstine. I wish I had a GoPro camera for that ride!”
“The hotel and restaurants were better than I expected — high quality.”
“Excellent trip. Guides were excellent and lots of fun too! Beautiful sights, lots of hills but we knew that going into it so not an issue. Combining biking with touring/holiday, it is the perfect way to see the world.”
“Just fabulous. It’s always an adventure to travel in Europe. Dinner in the olive grove was the standout. Travel by boat was fun. These guides rock. I am very appreciative of both Alex and Dama for all their help after my spill. The bikes were great. I most enjoyed the food and wine, the views, the company, and exploring a new place.”
“Chris and I had a wonderful time in Croatia! Our guides were awesome as well – made everything run very smooth. Thank you so much for the wonderful memories.”
“A great job in all areas of the journey….thank you! I am going to come back to this region as it was so beautiful and interesting. I was blown away at how good the meals were!! I felt there was a great mix of events and would not know what else could have made it better. Maps and route instructions were great as were daily riding info and oversight. Riding was perfect. Guides and support was excellent. Bike was well fitted for my size.”
“Excellent group of people, small group, super awesome guides, perfect weather. The region exceeded my expectations. Very comfortable beds with very soft sheets. Very good breakfast buffet. We really liked the wine testing and the visit to a olive museum. I love hills and that was what I had in this trip. Distances were adequate. Sebastien and Igor were awesome guides. They were with us all the time. I will choose them again in my next trip if that is possible. Great saddles!!! Great bikes. It was perfect for me.”
“Great guides and thoughtful planning in terms of stops, food, lodging, pace, downtime, etc. The hotel Brna was great (my favorite). Best meals at Lambic and Mate. I really liked the Olive oil lunch and history was interesting.”
“Wow – beautiful! Loved the “island hopping” so that we experienced more than one small area of the country. The people are very proud and approachable – and more English was spoken than I expected. Loved the Art Deco of the Esplanade Zabreb Hotel – absolutely beautiful! All the hotels you chose for us were beautiful and I enjoyed them all. Regarding the meals all I can really say is “well done!” There was always something great to eat on this trip. We enjoyed a wine tour and learned of the small family business and manual labour of a brother and sister. It was like stepping back in time. The Olive Oil Museum was very informative and worth stopping at as well. This trip is not for the “faint of heart”. I went with the expectation that the climbs were beyond my cycling ability, and so I did what I could (which was more than I expected to do) and enjoyed myself. Van & mechanical support were excellent.”
“We loved every moment of it. Well organized. Enjoyed the smaller islands the most. Amazing food. Guides Dama & Alex ❤ easy and very accommodating. Ride to Mate was amazing and to our hotel. Korcula ❤ Thank you for my birthday cake❤ Loved the private sailing. Great rides- we were fine but it was harder than I would have expected. Bikes were really good.”
“Beautiful Country, excellent accommodations, great restaurants, excellent guides. Enjoyed wine tasting and olive museum. The riding was more difficult than expected but well managed by guides.”
“The guides, support, hotels and food were excellent. Our guide did a fabulous job of showing us his country!”
“Great Explorations does a great job of choosing beautiful places to see along the ride. The routes were great – we especially loved getting off the “main roads” and travelling through olive groves, lavender fields, etc. We had many fabulous meals. Croatia is indeed a lovely country. The tour and lunch at the olive grove/museum on our last day was delightful – thank you! Loved seeing a new country, experiencing local flavors and customs, and mostly making our way about using our own power! We loved that the guides let us ride our own pace and have a bit of independence. Thank you for a wonderful experience.”
“Great trip, great guides, attentive office staff. Very flexible knowledgeable guides. Fantastic trip.”
“It was one of the best trips we have ever taken – if not the best. The family dinners were amazing. So was the walking tour and wine tasting and olive tasting lunch. The islands were beautiful. We would love to return. Our Travel Advisor was very helpful and responsive. Croatia was very special and extraordinary.”
“I thought everything was amazing – from planning in the year and months before to the actual trip with our awesome guides. The van was always available and full of snacks and water. The Travel Advisor was always very helpful and accommodating. The guides were such a joy to be around and they took care of any and every snafu that happened. They were remarkable in keeping the logistics behind the scene. We had so much fun with them. I can’t speak highly enough about each of them individually and as a team. It was so nice to have a local as one of our guides.”
“Everything about the trip was great – biking routes, hotels, food and the guides! The routes and scenery were amazing. The van was always there for lunch, snacks and when needed for bike support. All the people I talked to at GE before the trip were fantastic. Our guides were a lot of fun to ride with and hang out with!”
“Loved our guides!”
“The view of the coastline was breathtaking and the guides were great at sharing the history of the area. Our Travel Advisor was always available and very accommodating.”
“Our guides were totally engaged and so dedicated to our trip. Their love for the country and its people was very much appreciated. The attention to detail on the cycle trail part as well as the mornings and evenings was awesome. Croatia was beautiful and not too busy in early May. Olive Oil restaurant lunch was truly incredible. The evening dinner at the family restaurant where they cooked over wood was also very enjoyable and culturally interesting. The van was always close enough to provide support so we never felt abandoned or lost. The bikes were in good condition and reliable.”
“The guides were top-notch – very smart, knowledgeable, good workers. Scenery was amazing. Best thing was just being able to get on our bikes and ride without having to worry about a thing. Very relaxing! The van was always there with water and snacks.”
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