Fee is  EUR 2,650 (3670 CAD based on exchange rate as of October 19, 2022) with group size minimum of 12 and maximum of 18. Single supplement is EUR 400 (CAD 556 based on exchange rate as of October 19, 2022). If you would like to request your own room, please email the leader to let them know after you register. (Please note that if you are traveling solo and would like a roommate, we will attempt to find one for you after the lottery runs.)

Croatia has one of the most dramatic coastlines in the Mediterranean region. This trip features everything you could look for in a ride: quiet coastal roads, spectacular mountains, an abundance of historical sites, nice hotels and restaurants to enjoy!

SITNICA Travel Agency, owned by Alen Augustin and based in Croatia, has been leading tours to Croatia and western Europe for CCCTS for many years.  Club members uniformly rave about the quality of SITNICA’s tours.

Ride with GPS map provided compliments of Sitnica 

Accommodation is in three and four-star hotels and guesthouses based on two persons sharing a Double/Twin room.  Half board (breakfast / dinner ) for many nights. (Extra nights before or after the trip will be paid locally at the reception of the hotel in question.)

Cycling will be almost entirely on paved roads. See daily mileage and elevation gain details in the Itinerary but know that Croatia is quite hilly! Distances of between 55-90 kms per day.

According to the Tour Contractor’s rating system, this tour has a Grade 3 – Cantabile – rating. Defined as: For those who cycle regularly. Includes some steep climbs and longer distances. You ride regularly and like exploring routes with climbs and you have a good level of fitness.

The weather in Croatia in September is normally warm and sunny but there can be wind.

• Accommodation (16 nights) on basis of two persons per room
• All breakfasts
• 8 Dinners
• 5 Lunches
• Supporting vehicle + luggage transport
• English speaking cycling guide and driver of the van (both guide and driver also speak Croatian )
• RWGPS routes and cue sheets
• Transfers as mentioned
• SITNICA liability Insurance- though each participant should have own medical insurance
• Technical assistance to a certain level
• Secured place to put away possible bike boxes – if taking own bike
• Tickets for all ferry crossings
• Credit card stripe fee (3%)
• 150 Euro currency exchange contingency fund
• As per CCCTS guidelines, any extra funds at end of tour will be refunded

• All meals not mentioned as included in the itinerary
  Transfers on free days
• Bike Rental from SITNICA travel agency- EUR 275 for the whole period. E-bikes are available from other local sources and will cost more.
• Arrival transfers from airports. Transfers from airports Pula or Trieste to starting point: EUR 200 per transfer / per van.  If need to rent a bus for the whole group: EUR 500 per bus (15 or more people at once)
• Departure transfers from Dubrovnik to airport – not done by SITNICA but locals
• Travel insurance or trip cancellation insurance
• City guide (in case you need one for Dubrovnik or Zadar)
• Tour Coordinator fee waived. All participants will pay the same tour fee.

(Included meals noted: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

Day 1 – 18.09.

Arrivals at airports  Pula ( CRO ) or Trieste ( IT ), transfers to the hotel in Northwestern Istria, Croatia, check-in hotel Parenzana (sorting out the bikes, briefing, welcome dinner – included D

Transfer time from Trieste to Istria = 1 ½ hours; from Pula to Northwest of Istria = 1 h

Day 2 –  19.09.

Route : Buje – Motovun   49km  +785m ( elevation gain )  ∆9.0% ( max grade )

A specific day through the famous country of the truffle. Known for good wine but also as one of the few areas where people search for truffles. Taste these for lunch accompanied by a glass of the local ruby red coloured Teran wine.

Tour across rolling green landscapes that touch the Slovenian border before the days’ last ascent to the imposing hill-top town of Motovun. Lots of history in and around this old fortress. Eating and sleeping in this former Venetian fortress – included B, L, D (all meals included )

Day 3 –  20.09.

Route : Motovun – Labin 62.9km   +1,163m   ∆12.1%

Quite a tough day while getting to know the Eastern coastline of the Istrian peninsula.

Where the green hills meet the sea, where nature and heritage become one, you will find Labin and Rabac – paradise for artists. The old mediaeval town of Labin is filled with art ateliers, in which you can feel what it means to be at the center of art itself. Here you can not only look at art works, but experience them, live them – included B

Day 4 –  21.09.

Route: Labin – Cres 60km  +895m  ∆8.6%

Today is our first breakout to the islands along the fantastic cliffs of the Eastern coastline of the peninsula of Istria and to the unspoiled scenery of Cres island, the 2nd largest island in Croatia.

Everywhere there are wild herbs that give the local food its distinctive taste, wildflowers and thousands of very old olive trees. There is a good chance we will see one or more of the white-headed griffon vultures, which nest on rocks above the sea – included B , L

Day 5 – 22.09.

Free day in Cres, a fortified town that was inhabited in prehistoric times.

There are wonderful beaches around this settlement, and the dolphin population attests to the very clean seawater they inhabit – included B, D

Day 6 – 23.09.

Route : Cres – Rab cca 30km    +520 m

Our goal today is the beautiful island of Rab.

Rab is a scenic island in Kvarner Bay. It is made of contrasts between sharp rock cliffs on the east coast and gentle pebbly beaches covered with macchia and forests of Mediterranean oak on the opposite coast. To reach that goal we’ll not only have to cycle but spend some relaxing time on 2 different ferry boats.

One brings us from the island of Cres to the island of Krk and after a break the other ferry brings us directly to the island of Rab where we enjoy a nice lunch and cycle to our hotel.  – included B

Accommodation in one of the most beautiful Mediterranean places of the Adriatic, Rab.

Day 7 – 24.09

Route : Rab – Pag   62km    +1000m     ∆9%

Another island on our menu today, Pag  known for its lacework and sheep.

Here is where the best Croatian lamb meat comes from. Very particular moonlike scenery at some points where the Northern Bora wind has blown away all the vegetation. Dalmatian coast starts about here with whitewashed limestone village and sapphire waters.

A quiet night on  the island of sheep and lace in the town of Pag – included B , D

Day 8 – 25.09.

Route : Pag – Zadar    63.5km     +469m     ∆7.7%

Across the island at first and afterwards to Zadar, one of the most famous towns of the Southern Adriatic region called Dalmatia.

Before reaching today’s destination,  try to spend some time in Nin, the early Croatian royal town, inhabited for 3000 years, it is an important archaeological locality.

Zadar has a beautiful old part of the town. Don’t miss the old network of narrow and charming city streets as well as the Roman forum and the pre-Romanesque Church of St.Donat dating back to the 9^th century – included B , D

Day  9 – 26.09.

Free day in Zadar , a modern city with beaches but above all a fascinating old part of the town – included B

Day 10 – 27.09.

Route : Zadar– Skradin    88.5km    +700m     ∆4.8%

First time in this trip we will cycle across the region where The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995. Impressive traces still to be seen such as ruined houses and abandoned villages.

Still the highlight of today is Skradin, our final destination and entrance to the National Park of the Krka river. Skradin is an attractive tourist destination whose beauty is crowned by three most attractive sites in the Krka National Park, Skradinski Buk waterfalls, Roški waterfall with its ancient mills and the small Franciscan island of Visovac with a votive sanctuary, rich library and a cultural and artistic treasury – included B

Day 11 – 28.09.

Route: Skradin loop ride   55.7km    +782m    ∆10.5%

Cycle around Krka National Park and explore all of its famous sites: Skradinski Buk waterfalls, Roški waterfall with its ancient mills and the small Franciscan island of Visovac with a votive sanctuary, rich library and a cultural and artistic treasury. Another night in Skradin – included B , L

 Day 12 – 29.09.

Route : Skradin  – Split  85.8km   +1,031m    ∆10.3%

Exciting day and not just because of the main goal: reaching the large but special main town of Dalmatia Split but also because we have to conquer a special region called “zagora” or “zagorje”, which refers to an area “on the other side of a mountain or a hill”. Throughout history, this term has been widely used to describe places physically detached from some other, economically or politically more prominent areas.

We finish in Split with its Roman Diocletian Palace. Under Diocletian, the Roman Emperor, a luxurious palace was built around 300 AD. Nowadays one of Croatia’s most visited monuments.

Night in Split – included B, L

Day 13 – 30.09.

First of all, ferry crossover to the island of Korcula ( in the morning hours ).

Also some time to explore Split’s Diocletian palace before boarding the ferry for a 3h crossing.

Free afternoon in Vela Luka. Optional short afternoon ride on your own – included B , D

Day 14 – 01.10.

Route :  Vela Luka – Korcula – Orebic ( Peljesac peninsula ) 55km   +903m   ∆10.6%

All the cycling happens on the island of Korcula. Its a beautiful ride with many ups and downs from East-to-West. Korcula is an island with a rich cultural history that started with Greek settlements in the 6th century BC.  Today we will see breath taking coastal vineyards, olive groves, and small villages and hamlets. We’ll pass the UNESCO town of Korcula, and where Marco Polo left for his world famous journey to China. Sightseeing stop and lunch in Korcula town and after that we will  take a short ferry to cross over to the Peljesac peninsula and Orebic for the night – included B , D

Day 15 – 02.10.

Route: Peljesac peninsula Orebic – Mali Ston 59.9km    +1,090m    ∆11.3%

Today is our last cycling day.

We climb along some of the world’s steepest vineyards, which produce some good wines such as DINGAC which are ‘born’ here. You may want to try a Peljesac wine on your way in anticipation of dinner. We’ll gaze down on the picturesque village of Trstenik and climb out of it along famous Grgic winery – the one who later built a great wine story in the Napa valley. Lunch later after a few last climbs of the Tour. We finish in Mali Ston, a small place with famous Ston Walls – 3.4 mile long wall in the shape of an irregular pentangle that was completed in the 15th century. These walls were meant to protect the precious salt that contributed to Dubrovnik’s wealth. Mali Ston is also famous for the oysters.

Our farewell meal takes place next door to the hotel, in the famous restaurant Captain’s House – included B , L , D (farewell meal )

 Day 16 – 03.10.

Ston – Dubrovnik  transfer

Our last day , short transfer along the coastline to reach the great and famous Dubrovnik.

Free afternoon to visit the town. The over a thousand year old history of Dubrovnik is visible in every part of this city. The city is a living museum and a live stage and has an ideal connection between its historical past and the modern day. It is surrounded by medieval walls that are 1940 meters long and are preserved in their original form. They are open to visitors and are the city’s greatest attraction. Since 1979 the town has been under UNSECO protection – included B

Day 17 – 04.10.

Departures 

Registration will be on the CCCTS website on the date shown. A computerized lottery system and waitlist will be utilized in the event that the ride is over-subscribed. Also note that in the event of over-subscription during the lottery,  members who were registered for the 2020 cancelled tour will be given priority. A CAD 50 payment is required at the time of registration. The lottery signup will run for 6 days, after which the Ride Leader will review the results.

The selection process will consider the following criteria in evaluating candidates:

• fitness and riding ability and experience required for the tour,
• a history of demonstrating safe riding practices,
• acceptable social behaviour.

The leader may interview riders or others who know them to verify their suitability for the tour.

• The leader will notify registrants of their selection status. If the ride is not filled to capacity, registration will continue until the closing dates shown.
• After you have been notified you are selected for the tour, the tour fees will be due as follows: deposit of EUR 900 (CAD 1250) will be due by December 1, 2022; EUR 1234 (CAD 1708 using Oct 19, 2022 exchange rate) due April 1, 2023, and the final EUR 480 plus bike rental fees paid in cash upon arrival in Croatia. (All payments other than final one will be paid in Canadian dollars at that day's exchange rate.)
• In the event of cancellation - if a replacement can't be found, the tour contractor's cancellation policy will apply:
  • Cancellations must be made in writing to the tour leaders and to the tour contractor (sitnica@pu.t-com.hr)
  • The following charges will apply:
    • 60-46 days before departure 10% (20/07-03/08)
    • 45-29 days before departure 30% (04/08-20-08)
    • 28-15 days before departure 60% (21/08-03/09)
    • less than 15 days before departure 100% (03/09-arrival)

COVID Information:

• CCCTS riding guidelines including applicable Covid guidelines will apply.  CCCTS requires all participants to be fully vaccinated, and proof may be requested by the leaders.
• Everyone should bring a COVID test kit(s) with them on the tour and take responsibility for self-testing if they feel ill.