Croatia officially joined the European Union (EU) at the beginning of 2023. I was hoping to get some Croatian currency, the Kuna, but they were hard to find although listed still on menus in addition to the Euro. I’d heard so many positive things about Croatia over the years. I was really looking forward to cycling Croatia and getting to know it.

I entered Croatia cycling from Hungary, exited and entered Bosnia a few times, rode across it’s third largest island Brač and made sure to visit the famous City of Dubrovnik before finally leaving behind stunning Croatia to cycle in Montenegro.

I knew that Zagreb is the capital but learned that the necktie was created here, the Dalmatian breed of dogs has its origin here, Nicola Tesla was born here, the pen and torpedo were invented by Croats, Croatia has over 1200 islands and apparently the Neanderthals loved Croatia too (the largest community of them was found here).

Here are some of the stories from cycling in Croatia:

Welcome to Croatia

As I approached the border shared with Hungary I was overjoyed to finally be entering the Balkans through Croatia! It was also my first new country of my cycling trip! Welcome to Republika Hrvatska!

Since joining the EU though this meant borders were now open so when I rolled through the old official crossing it was literally this ghost town of the past, only a couple of cars here since all others were basically on the highway!

As soon as I crossed the border I turned onto a gravel farm road. I was on my way to Varazdin for lunch and to visit a renaud cemetery (more info)…yes I do that.

Croatia seemed promising from the start. The first town I actually rolled through (Cakovec) was to my surprise pretty darn cute. It had a little castle, well laid out park, lots of art, interesting museums and a colorful and clean city center.

Once in Varazdin I cycled around a bit then made my way to the cemetery. It was nice with its manicured hedges but no where near as stunning as I’d hoped (the gorgeous cemeteries in S. America are hard to beat!) As I rolled through the city center to look for a late lunch an older guy on a bike approached me and invited me to have a drink. He rode a classic Peugeot bike and was a local cyclist. I was a bit hesitant at first but he was adamant that he welcome me to town, to Croatia, with a beer.

I finally accepted so he found a spot and we sat down. The restaurants and bars in this city were packed after lunch which seemed odd until I remembered that it is a major university town. All these students and us two cyclists. Ha ha I made sure to get my first Croatian beer of the trip as we chatted about his city, cycling, my trip, routes to Zagreb, etc.

It was an amazing way to be welcomed to Croatia and I’m so glad I accepted his offer. After the beer he was in a rush to leave but he made sure to drop me at his recommended spot for lunch. It ended up being one of my most memorable meals of the whole trip. It was just Cevapi (a Bosnian dish ha) but I still remember the perfectly soft fluffy bread paired with these minced meat sausage looking things, about 8 of them in total. Nothing more and super simple yet so unforgettable that when I reached Bosnia I tried Cevapi again and again hoping for the same experience but generally left unsatisfied. The restaurant in Varazdin just knew how to do it!

Before leaving Varazdin I made one last stop to see the beautiful castle in town. Painted white with a  red tiled roof and just enough pointy towers to make it feel like you were entering a majestic land with all the green grassy hills surrounding it and an arched castle gate to access the grounds. You could enter the museum but I didn’t. I simply strolled the courtyard inside admiring the few artifacts on display for free.

I didn’t really have a destination in mind this day but decided to push to reach Zagreb, the capitol of Croatia. Doing so got me into the city at dark, finishing one of the longest rides of my whole trip at just over 90 miles, I think missing the majority of traffic into this hub and rolling into my first real day off on this cycling adventure.

A Special Camp

Mainly I stayed in campgrounds that you paid for which offered safety, wifi, electric outlets, restaurant, showers, toilets, kitchen and sometimes more (like a pool). This was a special camp, it was free! It isn’t often you find a free campsite and obviously you can wild camp but there are zero amenities there and I preferred amenities. The only other time I found a free camp on the trip was in Iceland during a 24 hour layover, 3 months before, so when I saw it on the map I was very excited and decided to go check it out. The bonus was that the camp was fairly close to the Bosnian border which I’d be crossing for the second time the next day, perfect!

A free camp offers some amenities but not all and usually it is set up by someone who just wants to help out. Surrounded by farmlands, Nevetva is a river made into a canal that jets out into the sea which gets a lot of wind, naturally this attracts kite surfers to cruise along the wind whipped sea here. Nevetva Delta is also a major source of fresh water for the region and major farming takes place here.

The kite surfers set up the area in an almost primitive way but it has plenty to offer. There is one bar, one restaurant and often a food truck. The bar is part of the kite surfing school (Kitesurfspot Usce Neretve) so it has an outdoor shower (water is from the canal) and a toilet which to my surprise has a light at night and stays open later. Everything was run via generator.

Then the camping is on the opposite side of the road, right along the canal in a forested strip. Remember this is a kite surfing destination so naturally wind is an issue most of the time so you must tie the tent down well but besides that it is really enjoyable being along the canal. It was very chill even though quite a few people showed up to camp (mostly in camper vans).

I closed out the evening watching a great sunset as I rocked in a hammock while munching on a sandwich from the restaurant (food truck was closed). This was dinner, super simple pita bread warmed up with cheese, cucumber and avocado which I paired with a local pomegranate juice. Kite surfers used all hours of light, they were learning until it basically got dark and showed up after sunrise…!

The next morning I got up early to check the sunrise which was actually beautiful on the delta as it peaked over the hills and lit up the wetlands before me and colored the birds but as soon as it was up you could feel that heat. Another hot day, per usual, so I packed up quick and was on my way to Bosnia.

To Plitvice National Park

The thing I wanted to see most was Plitvice National Park! A friend had been ages ago and the photos she showed me were incredible, waterfalls everywhere, stunning shades of colorful water, picturesque pathways among it all. Too enticing to not visit and luckily I could easily plan my route there from Zagreb.

I planned to leave early am before rush hour traffic (I was told it was around 9 am) in the capitol. I happily found that to leave the city I could take some bike paths and bike lanes so even though I left at 8 am instead of 7 it wasn’t bad. Once I was out of the metropolitan area of Zagreb I cycled through a bunch of small run down towns (one impressed me, it even had a bike shop) and endless farm lands. Halfway into my ride I reached the main road.

This main road is where all the fun of cycling was sucked out of me. The road was shoulderless and full of big vehicles. Why did the navigation app send me here??? Frustrated quickly by this I stopped and looked at the map, there had to be another route! Nope, this was literally the only road to the National Park.

I lasted maybe an hour before I decided it was time to take a break from the main road, stopping for lunch early sounded wonderful. I also thought, maybe if I ate early I could leave before all the tourists hit the road again.

I stopped at this restaurant on the side of the road offering a discount to bikers, of course I knew they meant motorbikers since Croatia had tons of tourists on motorbikes (for good reason), but hell I deserved it too with all my physical effort. Lunch was good but when I went to pay they were bothered that I asked for the discount, they finally said ok but reality was they only really cared about motorbikers (owner was one himself).

Back on the road I found my plan of eating early had worked! Most semi trucks, all buses and motorbikes were off the road apparently eating lunch. I got 1.5 hours of uncongested traffic before they all returned. Sweet spot seemed to be between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm but I swear as soon as 2:30 hit it was hell. Congested roads of all vehicle types going both directions and the worst was the careless overtaking. Every time a vehicle did that I pulled as far over and stopped. The road was small, I gripped my handle bars tightly to maintain my tire on the white line with such intentional focus it was tiring. Sad knowing I had no other option.

About 6 miles (10k) from my destination I gladly took another break from the road. I’d planned to check out the smaller waterfall town of Rakovica. Water here, in its natural state, was spewing everywhere, under homes, off rocks and into the river. I stayed longer than needed in Rakovica as I was quite apprehensive to join the road again plus it was scorching outside. I stopped at the viewpoint off the road, cycled into town and over to the park where you can visit the fairies. I didn’t really want to pay to enter so took my sweet time deciding while drinking 2 refills of water that the ticket personnel kindly provided me from the tap. In the end I did go inside and absolutely loved it. The views of the waterfalls were better from the road but there was plenty to learn about (flour mill) and fun activities to do…I mean I kind of became a kid again for a bit playing on the swing overjoyed by the beautiful waterfall right in front of me, played the instruments, found my birthday fairy and climbed down to the river to check out the cave before exiting. As I left Rakovica, I didn’t get far, I stopped again for ice cream too. I just wasn’t ready to join that awful road yet but eventually I had to.

This time the road didn’t seem so bad but only because there were a few towns along the way. You must know, I stopped in each of them just for a break from traffic. Ha even when finally leaving Rakovica I stopped in the upper part of town because I was just super hesitant to be on the road. The last stop I made before camp for the night was to the visitors center before it closed to ask about the best times to enter the park, information about cycling to the park, etc.

Turns out all around the park there are tons of cycling routes and cycling is even promoted. Crazy to think about that after discovering how awful it actually is to reach for someone on a bicycle. All these suggested routes were gravel trails it seems and they were all just in this area near the park.

Reaching camp was a relief and the campground had this wide open view of the valley which was nice to encounter especially at sunset. Watching  the colorful haze transcended over the trees was welcoming after a tough day on the roads.

Plitvice National Park was even better than the photos and I was so in awe of being there. The road experience to the park though won’t be forgotten, it was the worst one on the whole trip but this park is so worth a visit. Thankfully the last memories on the roads near the park were wonderful (I went at 7:30 am and left around 12) with hardly a vehicle!

Tips for the park:

– Reserve your ticket online, it does sell out!

– Go at 7 am when it opens or after 1 pm

– Tourist buses arrive and stay from 9-12

– Bike parking is available and many use it (lock it obviously)

– No real storage for bags but they probably have somewhere if you ask nicely (didn’t see others bike touring)

– Plan to walk for hours in this otherworldly place (comfortable shoes)

– Bring water, sunscreen, hat and warm layer if going early (cold until sun hits)

– I did loop C and highly recommend it (you can walk around and skip ferry but takes longer)

– If you see the ferry, take it, don’t wait (line fills quick!)

– Go slowly, take in the details, every single part is beautiful!

– You cannot enter the water

The Adriatic Coast (said dreamily)

Today I would meet the Adriatic Sea for the first time and Lemoncello (my bike’s given name) would finally feel its salty breeze! The majority of land in Croatia rides along the Adriatic Sea so once we hit it we would be riding the coastline most of the way.

First stop was Sibenik, one of my favorite stops in Croatia. Here you could smell the sea but you weren’t quite there yet. You finally hit it about an hour past Sibenik cycling, it’s bright blue color stunning you with teasers of turquoise colored spots below the road speckled by random bathers who climbed down and basically found their own private pool. Every spot like this I cycled by I was tempted to stop and join them for a cool down dip. I cycled past tons, regretting I passed certain ones yet knowing I still had many miles to cover. I finally gave in around lunch time, beyond over heated by this point and happy to take a break after hours in the saddle!

I locked the bike somewhere near a trail leading down to a bathers beach on the sea. Most of the Adriatic beaches are either all rocky, paved platforms or small pebble coves. This one had all three combined, tiny pebble beach surrounded by rocky cliffs that had platforms paved in between them and there were bathers scattered about everywhere. Not your usual beach with rows of bathers with their towels or umbrellas. Think small, each bather in their own semi private space united really only in the water but still close enough to acknowledge each other’s presence.

The water itself was incredibly inviting. You can see through it and the color changes as it gets deeper yet it is still clear when you are in it.  The heat radiates off the white rocks and your body really asks you to jump right in. First though you have to figure out how to get in. Do you jump, crawl lower, walk over to the pebbly part and wade in. I decided to climb lower and then jump.  WAIT! With water this clear you can see the added danger before getting in. The coast is full of black sea urchins, you know the spikey sea creature that looks like it would stab you through your foot! Yeah, watchout for those. They are everywhere although at many spots they have already been cleared out for you…but not always!

I saw them and changed my path a few times before deciding the best entry spot near where I set my stuff down. Additionally, I had to figure out my exit before entering in since the urchins are hard to see when in the water. I guess I would have walked farther from my spot but I was just in undies and a sports bra. Not that Europeans would care much but I thought I should still be respectful.

Finally I jumped, the cool Sea temperature instantly quenching all the heat off my body. It felt amazing! I swam around a bit, floated for a while and really chilled the body! The exit was via some ladders they fixed to the rocks but not all were clear of urchins. The closest one for me was near other people so I discreetly exited in my undies as best I could lol. Then I chilled on the rocks drying off some while taking in the views. Addicted now, I did this on repeat two more times! It was very hot outside and I was nearly all dry in maybe 10 minutes!

An hour later I finally jumped back on the bike. Now that I’d had my first dip I proceeded with my day hopping in and out of the sea anytime I felt like it. This was one of my favorite days of the whole trip!

You really can’t go wrong cycling along the coast of the Adriatic always seeing spectacular layered views to your right side of sparkling azure water in various shades of blue showing obvious depth with white rocks and green pine trees lining every piece of coastal land. You simply must jump in!

When touring in Croatia many warned about cycling the coast saying it is best to avoid it due to of the lack of space and abundance of vehicles of all sizes and shapes which makes cycling there awful. I heeded the advice but decided to do it anyway since I thought maybe shoulder season would be okay and for me it was and I’m very happy I did this section of the coast. However, I found at rush hour there were too many cars so a dip and beer it would be, luckily in some cute port town. From my experience cycling the coastal road, only this time with rush hour and once more further South near Dubrovnik were terribly congested. Though I can surely imagine this road in high season probably feels exactly like the one to Plitvice National Park!

Trogir was my last stop before the long push to enter Split before nightfall. Trogir is a gem! I didn’t jump in here but instead meandered aimlessly down the tiny streets wishing I was staying and trying to forgetting I still had miles left.

Brač

The only island I cycled in Croatia was Brač. You should know there are a ton of islands, all are wonderful in own way and they are super popular with cyclists. Only doing one is sad but on tour you have to make choices and most of the time you just get a good overview of a place because you are constantly moving. Some cyclists tour Croatia jumping island to island (Croatia has over 1200 islands) so that is another option (for next trip?).

Brač is near Split so I took a ferry over to Supetar and from there cycled Brač island. Before exploring Brač, I had to stop at a bike shop (Lucky Bike). I’d survived on a flat tire for days simply pumping it up every few hours but it was time to be responsible and change it. Yes, call me lazy! I had discovered after my first flat experience that changing flats on the gravel bike is much harder and took me much longer than on the road bike hence why I handed the slow leak this way. The flat got fixed, I was so happy to use a foot pump (v. hand pump) for that and now I could also ask for route suggestions.

The route I had thought of doing was completely different than the route the bike mechanic suggested. I decided to take his route and I’d say it was much harder and less scenic but I’ll never know because I only stayed a day. Most islands are hilly and this may be the hilliest in the Adriatic! The route took me to the Northern edge of the island and then basically through the middle of it to the highest point (Vidova Gora at 2552 ft – 777m) on the island and apparently the highest point in the Adriatic Sea (among the islands)!

Taking this route destroyed me! I was only going to cycle Brač that day then take the ferry at the other end but I found myself 1.5 hours away from that ferry dock with 1 hour left before the last one parted for the day. I could have pushed to make it but I was obliterated. I was forced to stay a night.

My favorite part of the island was actually the very highest point, the top of Brač! I almost didn’t go because again my legs were beyond tired and more climbing seemed dumb but with no ferry now and I was nearby, why not. The road up was basically a single lane up through this lovely pine forest. Pre sunset lighting intensified the green of the pines, the light reddish hues of the trunks and seemed to make the ground underneath inviting enough for a nap. This part alone made it all worthwhile and the treat at the top of course.

Advantages to being the highest point on any island in the Adriatic Sea is that you can see everything. The whole day had been a bit overcast but once I reached the top the sun decided to pop out of the clouds and shine a bright light everywhere. I could see multiple islands, Italy, the famous Zlatni Rat beach below and of course the Adriatic water had a vibrant blue color unlike the drab beaches I´d seen earlier due to the clouds. Everything was draped in a golden hue as I looked far out with my jaw dropped yet again in awe of what was before my eyes.

Since I was now staying I looked for a place to stay and decided to camp in the Town of Bol. Meaning I was headed down, down, down in the opposite direction of the ferry. I wasn’t excited that I’d have to cycle 18km (11 miles) back up but that would be tomorrow so at least I’d have rested the legs.

Arriving in Bol I picked the first campsite, set up quick then again jumped on the pannier-less bike. Even though legs were destroyed I didn’t want to miss sunset. From the top of Brač it was already amazing so I knew the coast would be as well. I found a spot by scrambled onto some rocks to watch sunset. Here I noticed more campgrounds…perfectly located next to the famous beach…ugg I could have just camped there instead but last minute planning isn’t perfect. Legs were dead, dead but still I rolled into town (via a nice flat and wide path the town had for those going to Zlatni Rat) to check it out some before heading back to camp for dinner where I ordered like 3 meals ha ha ha.

Of course it doesn’t end there because in the morning I still had 18k of incline to then go down into another town to catch the ferry. I surprised myself in the morning as I went up the hill with speed and ease…all the prior day’s hills strengthened my muscles and now it felt easy lol

In the morning, a cyclist out for their morning training passed me and I said under my breath “unfair, you have no bags or weight but please pass because I won’t keep up ha”.

Once over the top the ride down into town was fantastic! I was early so I pulled over at a beach on the way and jumped in for a lovely morning swim! A rather delicious swim, not too hot or cold, the color inviting and the water crystal clear and calm. The decision to swim was wonderful, amazing and refreshing all at once! I dried off then headed into town to grab breakfast before catching the ferry to mainland.

As you arrive you are struck by this view of the quaint Town of Sumartin with a harbor in front and massive wall of granite mountains behind it peering over from the mainland. Absolutely stunning! The whole ferry ride leaving the harbor was incredibly photogenic, the camera blushed taking photos of it, just wow!

Cycle Routes Croatia

Useful Cycling Information for Croatia

Ferry Schedules in Croatia and a good site to purchase tickets online: FerryHopper (I bought in person day of trip – works well for walk-on)

Online tickets to Plitvice NP

Other Stories from Bike Touring the Balkans – Greece – Albania – Montenegro – Bosnia

Bike Touring for Beginners