Croatia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, became an independent country in 1992 and is located along the Adriatic Sea just east of Italy. European tourists quietly visited Croatia for decades until tourism was interrupted by the Balkan war in the early 1990's. The best time to visit Croatia by bicycle is May, June, September when the weather is warm... but not too hot!
My grandparents immigrated to the USA from Croatia in 1914 so I have a special interest in this wonderful country. In fact, my grandmother took the last ship that departed from Yugoslavia before the outbreak of World War I when all emigration from Yugoslavia was banned!
"For Cycle Trips, there are two main destination areas: The Dalmatian Coast and The Istrian Peninsula." - Gary Bezer
If you love islands, the sea and want to visit Dubrovnik, a World Heritage City, then Dalmatia is the place you want to visit. You can experience the Mediterranean Sea. "The way it used to be," with crystal clear Adriatic waters, lush islands, unspoiled fishing villages, beaches, vineyards, Roman ruins and medieval walled cities.
Start your trip in Dubrovnik, then continue by boat to the oasis of Mijet, an island blanketed by forests and edged with hidden limestone coves. Next, explore the beautiful island of Korcula, the birthplace of Marco Polo. Sail onward to the sun-soaked of Hvar, accented with vineyard-draped hills and friendly coastal villages. Finally, visit the isle of Brac, featuring Croatia's most photographed beach., Zlatni Rat, before returning to the mainland in Split, an exuberant town famous for the Diocletian palace, one of the most imposing Roman ruins in existence and a UNESCO World Heritage site. From Split, take the bus back to Dubrovnik for your return travel home.
If you want to ride on roads so small you think you are on a bike tour path and want to go "off the beaten path" and discover "authentic old world charm," visit Tito's former summer residence on the Brijuni Islands, and see a Roman Coliseum that rivals Rome, then the Istrian Peninsula is for you.
"The heart of Europe" is what the Istrians call their peninsula, inspired by its geographic form and its liveliness. This is where Central Europe and the world of the Mediterranean meet. On one trip you can easily visit Italy, Slovenia and Croatia and explore both the interior countryside, which is dotted with remote hilltop villages that some are calling the "New Tuscany," as well as the scenic Adriatic coast of Kvarner Bay and the popular western Istrian coast. You can also take a cycling tour ride through scenic wine country and visit Roman ruins, Venetian and Austro-Hungarian architecture left over from the heyday of these historic empires.
What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do -- especially in other people's minds. When you're travelling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.
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