Exploring Croatia by Bike in 10 Days

There’s something about Croatia that begs to be explored slowly. Its winding coastal roads, quiet island lanes, and rolling inland hills reveal themselves best from the saddle of a bike. While many travellers rush from Dubrovnik to Split by bus or ferry, we decided to take a different pace — exploring the impossibly blue coastline of Croatia by bike.

Seeing Croatia by bike isn’t just about the scenery, though that’s reason enough to go. It’s about stopping for a mid-ride snack under the olive trees, laughing at goats on the road, hoping to spot the elusive pig the roadside signs warn about, and the satisfaction of cresting a hill to find a quiet cove waiting below. It’s about experiencing the country from inside it, even if your legs are reminding you that there’s another climb ahead.

This was my first cycle tour. I didn’t fully know what I was getting into — and I mean that in the best and most honest way possible. In this post, I’ll share how we structured the trip, the routes we rode, the highlights that made the kilometres worthwhile, and the things I’d do differently next time.

How the 11 Days Actually Broke Down

The title says exploring Croatia by bike, but to be clear, we weren’t riding every day. This was a bikepacking trip structured around three riding days, with time built in to actually explore the places we stayed. For a first cycle tour with loaded panniers and serious elevation, that pacing was exactly right.

On riding days, we averaged around 60 kilometres with 1,000 metres of elevation gain — which felt like the right balance between challenging and enjoyable, with plenty of time for snack stops and photo pauses. Spreading the riding days out with rest days between them was the right call for me as a first-timer, and I’d do the same again.

Logistics

Bike Rentals

We rented our bikes from Meridien Ten Ltd — a company offering adventure tours and reliable bike rentals out of Split. We opted for road bikes for seven days at 25 euros per day, bringing our own panniers, helmets, and in Mark’s case, clip-in pedals. (I stuck with flat pedals.) The bikes were in great condition: aluminium frames, 11-speed gearing, disc brakes, and pannier racks ready to go.

One of the best parts of renting was using Meridien Ten’s extra services. We stored our luggage with them while we biked and arranged for the bikes to be collected in Dubrovnik at the end of the trip. With only eleven days in Croatia, we wanted to spend less time backtracking and more time exploring.

Mark had been working in Germany before Croatia, and we planned to visit family in England afterward — hauling our own bikes across several borders would have added stress that wasn’t worth it.

Renting bikes vs. Bringing our bikes

	Pros	Cons
Travelling with our bikes	Familiar with the bike Personal features (i.e. seat) Trust the maintenance Avoids rental costs Can use preferred accessories/plan for packing	Potential for damage Buying and storing bike boxes or bags Requirements, allowances and costs are different depending on the airline Secure storage at accommodations Theft concerns Repairs are up to you
Renting Bikes	Pick-up and drop-off capabilities No need to disassemble or pack the bike Avoid airline fees Potential for easier transport to/from the airport Try different styles without commitment Companies often offer repairs or support	Size and fit may not be perfect Unfamiliar equipment or performance capabilities Unknown maintenance Potential worn components Cost of rental Logistics of returning the bike

Riding Conditions

Mark mapped our routes to keep us mostly on backroads — quieter roads and the kind of small, scenic moments that only reveal themselves off the main drag. Many of the roads we travelled had little to no shoulder, but drivers were consistently patient and respectful, slowing and giving us plenty of space. Even on busier stretches, we never felt unsafe. Croatia by bike is genuinely feasible even for riders who aren’t used to riding on roads with traffic.

Ferries

To reach Korčula, we hopped on two ferries with our bikes. The first was a large Jadrolinija car ferry from Split to Vela Luka — we lucked out with a 5:00 am departure on a Tuesday during shoulder season. The three-hour journey cost just under 8 euros per person and the bikes travelled for free.

The 5am departure sounds brutal. It wasn’t, actually. We’d scoped out the ferry terminal the day before, bought our tickets in advance, and knew exactly where to go. When we arrived in the dark with our loaded bikes, the operators looked mildly surprised to see anyone so early — but waved us aboard without hesitation. The air was cool and still, the sky just starting to lighten at the horizon. We are early risers at the best of times, and there was something quietly special about being on the water before the day had properly started.

Later, from Korčula Town to Orebić, we took a small passenger ferry for about 2.50 euros each. Technically there’s a bike fee — they waved us through anyway. Fifteen minutes later, we were rolling onto the Pelješac Peninsula.

Accommodation

One thing we didn’t think carefully enough about: bike storage. We’d booked charming Airbnbs in old towns — which meant narrow staircases, stone floors, and no ground-floor access. We had to haul the bikes up steep, tight stairwells at the end of each riding day. In Korčula, the staircase was so narrow we had to remove the front wheels to get the bikes through the door.

After a 60km day with 1,000 metres of climbing, wrestling a loaded road bike up a medieval staircase is not the victory lap you were hoping for. If you’re planning something similar, check for ground-floor storage before you book. It’s a small thing that makes a real difference.

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The Croatia by Bike Route

	Locations	Kilometres	Elevation	Grades
Day 1	Split to Vela Luka (ferry) to Korcula Town	58.3 km	↑ 1,054 m ↓ 1,045 m	↑ 6.1% ↓ 9.4%
Day 2	Korcula to Orebic (ferry) to Ston	57.6 km	↑ 1,001 m ↓ 1,009 m	↑ 6.2% ↓ 6.0%
Day 3	Ston to Dubrovnik	56.5 km	↑ 1,111 m ↓ 1,101 m	↑ 5.4% ↓ 5.5%

Leg 1: Across Korčula Island

What a way to start a biking adventure — riding from Korčula end to end. The island isn’t large (about 60 km), but it offers a variety of views: vineyards rolling toward the sea, stone villages perched on hilltops, olive groves humming with crickets, and roads that dip and climb with the landscape, revealing blue glimpses of the Adriatic around each bend.

The climbs challenged us — and reminded us that loaded panniers change the equation significantly. Somewhere on the longer ascents, some of my gear quietly migrated to Mark’s panniers. I had packed to look good in the towns (it was my first cycle tour and I stand by the intention, if not entirely the execution), and by the second climb, I was reconsidering the extra weight of that third outfit. Pack lighter than you think you need to. You will not regret it on the uphills.

Our route — image linked to RideWithGPS:

Favourite sections:

• Riding into Blato, a hilltop town overlooking lush valleys, and cruising back down to the ocean
• Around Cara — hillside vineyards and dense olive groves in every direction
• Pupnat — the climb was genuinely gruelling, but the sparkling blue ocean views at the top made every pedal stroke worth it
• The descent into Korčula Town — we turned a corner and the medieval town appeared on its little outcropping, warm sandstone and terracotta against the blue of the ocean and sky. The feeling of arriving somewhere on your own power, after all those kilometres — there’s nothing quite like it

Read more: Korčula Old Town — A Medieval Gem by the Sea

Leg 2: Along the Pelješac Peninsula

Riding from Orebić to Ston along the Pelješac Peninsula feels like riding through a postcard that keeps unfolding. Rugged hills, sweeping coastal views, roads lined with olive groves and vineyards, tiny villages at every turn, and the deep blue of the Adriatic appearing and disappearing as the road winds inland and back out again.

This was the day I came closest to hitting my limit. The climbs were sustained, the panniers were still heavy, and by the time we were approaching Ston, the scenery had flattened out into a less inspiring stretch of road — the final kilometres into town weren’t particularly picturesque, which means there’s less distraction from the fact that your legs have had enough. I remember thinking: I cannot get back on this bike in two days. How am I going to do this?

(I did. It was fine. But the thought was very real.)

Our route — image linked to RideWithGPS:

Favourite sections:

• Between Trstenik and Zulijana — through the Dignac tunnel, which opens onto a road with the ocean on one side and ancient grapevines on the other, without another person in sight
• The roadside stop above Zulijana — an unmarked viewpoint with a breathtaking drop into the valley below. Don’t miss it.
• The first glimpse of Ston’s mountain-side walls appearing through the trees

Read more: Exploring Ston — Walls, Oysters & Adriatic Charm

Leg 3: Into Dubrovnik

Riding from Ston to Dubrovnik felt like the right finale — and by this point, something had shifted. The legs that couldn’t imagine getting back on the bike two days earlier were back. The rest in Ston had done its work.

We left early, following the Bay of Mali Ston in the morning light — the sun shimmering off the water and the oyster farms below still quiet. The route heads inland into rolling mountains before returning to the coast, and the landscape variety kept things interesting throughout. Goats claimed sections of road with complete authority, staring us down until they decided to trot off on their own schedule. We slowed down and laughed. There’s no rushing a Croatian goat.

The last 10 kilometres stretched along a busier highway as Dubrovnik’s modern sprawl appeared — less scenic than the rest of the route, but manageable, and then the iconic walls and red rooftops came into view and it all made sense again.

Our route — image linked to RideWithGPS:

Favourite sections:

• Leaving Ston in the early morning, watching the light come up over the water and oyster farms
• The stretch between Slano and Zaton (roughly kilometres 23 to 43) — this is where the ride earns its postcard status

Read more: Dubrovnik (link — coming soon)

Tips for Cycling in Croatia

Pack lighter than you think you need to. This is the lesson I learned most directly and most physically. Every extra kilogram is felt on the climbs — and the climbs are real. If you’re planning to look good in the towns (a valid priority, no judgment), be ruthless about what you actually need versus what you’re bringing just in case.

Know your climbing style — and your partner’s. Mark’s approach to hills is relentlessly positive: you’ve got this, look how far you’ve come, nearly there. Mine is to put my head down, grind it out, and celebrate at the top. Neither is wrong. But knowing that about each other in advance would have saved a few kilometres of mild mutual bewilderment. Talk about it before you ride.

Fuel early and often. We kept gummy candies within easy reach — Coke bottles, gummy bears, gummy worms — quick carbs that made each climb a little more manageable. Don’t wait until you’re struggling to eat something. By then, you’re already behind.

Start early. Even in October, the midday sun had real bite. Early starts mean cool air, quiet roads, and the soft morning light that makes Croatian coastal roads genuinely magical. We’re natural early risers, so this came easily — but it’s worth building into your plan regardless.

Check accommodation for bike storage before you book. Ground floor access, or at a minimum, a garage or secure courtyard. Medieval old town apartments are beautiful and impractical for bikes. We managed, but we also removed front wheels in a Korčula stairwell at 7 pm after 60km in the saddle, which is not the evening ambiance we were hoping for.

Consider leaving some flexibility in your itinerary. We pre-booked everything, which gave us security but meant we couldn’t just stop somewhere beautiful and stay an extra night. Part of me wishes we were the kind of cycle tourers who ride until something catches their eye and find a bed there. We’re not quite there yet, but it’s an appealing version of a future trip.

Do some training beforehand. Specifically: longer rides with weight. Riding 60km is one thing; riding 60km with loaded panniers and 1,000 metres of climbing is a meaningfully different experience. A few longer weekend rides in the months before the trip will make the first day feel manageable rather than alarming.

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Plan This Trip

Best time to go: We visited in October and found it ideal — quieter roads, comfortable temperatures for riding, and shoulder season prices. Summer will be hotter and busier on the roads and in the towns. September and October are the sweet spot.

Getting to Split: Fly into Split Airport (SPU) — well-connected from most European hubs. If you’re combining with other European travel, as we did, Split is easy to reach by connecting through a major hub.

Bike rental: Meridien Ten Ltd — road bikes from Split with luggage storage and Dubrovnik bike collection available.

Routes: All three riding routes are available on RideWithGPS — linked in each section above.

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