Bike and boat Croatia: Istrian islands of the Adriatic

Day 2, Saturday: Arrival to Opatija

Please look to be on site by approximately 11:00 am. Park as indicated in the travel documents. Please reserve a pitch when booking. Do you have a little more time? Treat yourself to breakfast in the Mediterranean harbor of the old Habsburg spa town on the Adriatic.

Hire

Embarkation as described in the travel documents. Please be at the quay on time. At 13:00 the ship departs, course: south-southeast, towards the island of Krk. Once you arrive in Malinska on Krk, get on your bike at your leisure for a first short tour of the island. Suggested tour: approx. 18 km.

Day 3, Sunday: round trip over the island of Krk, ~ 50 km

We begin and end the tour in the port of Krsk, the capital and namesake of the island. We quickly leave the city and drive up the hills towards Lakmartin, pass the only inland lake on the island, Jezero Ponikve, and approach the mountain town of Kars, situated in the karstic rocks. We cycle through rustic chestnut and fig forests and enjoy again and again the wonderful view of the island and the sea. From Kars we turn southeast towards the east coast and cycle on to our second stopover, the east coast town of Vrbnik. We drive past the abandoned ‘ghost town’ of Dovolo and admire the fantastic view of the island, the sea and the Slovenian-Croatian mountains of Gorski Kotar. From Vrbnik , the route once again takes us over the island heights to the west coast via Punat around Punat Bay with the small monastery island of Kosljun to the island capital and old seafaring town of Krk. Depending on the route, you will ride another quite strenuous climb and finally take a downhill trail that plunges wildly and steeply down into the valley – or you can shorten the route via little-traveled island paths over the island ridge. The destination is the port of Krk. The proposed tour is a quite demanding mountain bike day tour with some steep downhill sections at the end. It is just under 50 km long and takes you up almost 1,000 meters in altitude and steeply back down to Krk. You can shorten the tour at will and make it easier. For a suggested route, visit: https://www.komoot.de/tour/932381269.

Day 4, Monday: Island of Rab – From Lopar to Rab, ~ 25 to ~ 40 km

Today we are heading south: by boat and by bike. The boat will take you to the port of Lopar. By bike you will follow the sun rising in the south in a relaxed way and cycle through stony forest and field paths along the coast over the northern ridge of the island to the capital of the same name, Rab. There in the port the ship is waiting for you with lunch. In the afternoon, take a look around the picturesque old town of Rab with its four bell towers, the harbor and the former monastery of St. Justine. Alternatively, get on your bike again and follow our tour suggestion through the nature reserve of the west coast with its beautiful bays, olive and fig forests. You will pass the North Cape and the Kalifront lighthouse and follow the west coast line back to Rab from one bathing bay to the next. Wonderful. You can also shorten or change the tours on this day almost at will. You can find a suggestion on komoot. However, you can also get detailed information on board.

Day 5, Tuesday: Island of Pag – Towards the south, ~ 40 km

From Rab, the boat will take you to the northern tip of the island of Pag, to the port of Tovarnele. The long northern arm of the island leaves you little opportunity to get lost. And so you cycle along the famous olive gardens of Lun always straight towards the port town of Novalja. Allow yourself a detour or two from the highway to the west or east coast. You will find beautiful and often downright deserted beaches and small village harbors. From Novalja it is not far to the destination Mandre. You just follow the coast and reach your southernmost point today. Like all other tours, this one can be varied spontaneously according to your mood. You can find a suggestion of just under 40 km and 450 meters of altitude on komoot. The ship will then take you to the “flower island” Ilovik.

Day 6, Wednesday: The Two Islands Day: Ilovik and Lošinj, ~30 km

We start in the port of Mali Losinj and cycle through the largely natural south of the island with a view of the flower island Ilovik via Veli Losinj back to the ship in Mali Losinj. You can ride this beautiful southern trail across the island as a mountain bike trail or as a country road bike ride. You can find a suggestion on komoot. Information is of course, as always, also available on board.

Day 7, Thursday: The second two-island day – Lošinj and Cres, ~ 45 km

Today the route leads back north along the beautiful panoramic route in slightly hilly terrain along the west coast of the islands of Lošinj and Cres . Due to the narrowness of the islands, you can vary little – but photograph and enjoy all the more. A wonderful day awaits you on the way from the port of Mali Lošinj via Osor to the picturesque fishing village of Martinšćica. There the boat is waiting for you to continue to Mošćenička Draga. You can find a suggested route on komoot.

Day 8, Friday: Istria and Opatija, ~ 20 km

One last longing look at the Adriatic. Finally, we recommend a nice round trip along the cliffs with a view of the islands. As always, you can find a tour suggestion on komoot.

Day 9, Saturday: Individual journey home

Disembarkation around 9:00 am. Stay one more day or head for home. We wish you a good trip – enjoy the long drive and treat yourself to a break in Slovenia or Austria.