Croatia cycling tour offers ancient sites, island vistas
Published by San Francisco Chronicle | By Margo Pfeiff
Zigzagging my bike around ripe green olives scattered on the pavement, I reach up as I pedal to pluck a juicy black fig dangling from a roadside tree.
The sweet flavor blends with the aroma of wild rosemary, sage and thyme as I cycle along a narrow country road etched into a steep hillside, the aquamarine Adriatic Sea sparkling far below.
North Americans are only now discovering what Europeans have long known — that Croatia is a stunningly beautiful and affordable destination of great food with strong Italian influence, good wine, friendly folks and a long history of rich culture.
A jagged strip of land stretching from the Gulf of Trieste to Dubrovnik, Croatia’s mainland has over 1,000 miles of coastline — the Mediterranean’s most indented — and that’s not counting its 1,246 islands, most uninhabited. That makes for a whole lot of winding, hilly, scenic cycling country.
I have long wanted to pedal the country’s Dalmatian Coast between Dubrovnik and Split to the north, island-hopping my way through European countryside virtually unchanged since the ancient Greeks first planted grapes here, where coastal terra cotta-roofed villages with exquisite architecture reflect centuries of Venetian rule.
See the full story in San Francisco Chronicle.
MORE FROM Europe + Croatia
![Spectacular Stays: Villa Korta Katarina & Winery](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Banner-Korta-Katarina-480x300.png)
Spectacular Stays: Villa Korta Katarina & Winery
Croatia![Hidden Gems of Croatia & Slovenia](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/COVEr-slovenia-1600x1000-480x300.jpg)
Hidden Gems of Croatia & Slovenia
Croatia![The Overlooked, Over-the-Top Awesomeness of Croatia and Slovenia](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Slovenia-banner-480x300.jpg)
The Overlooked, Over-the-Top Awesomeness of Croatia and Slovenia
Croatia![Reading for the Road: The Best Books About Croatia](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Books-About-Croatia-Banner-480x300.jpg)
Reading for the Road: The Best Books About Croatia
Croatia![Set Sail for Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Croatia-1600x1000-compressed-480x300.png)
Set Sail for Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast
Croatia![Insider’s Guide: Dubrovnik’s 3 Most Delicious Restaurants](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Dubrovnik-Resto-new-blog-banner-1-480x300.jpg)
Insider’s Guide: Dubrovnik’s 3 Most Delicious Restaurants
Croatia![Insider’s Guide: Things to Do in Dubrovnik](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Croatia_Large_Dubrovnik-1600x1000-compressed-480x300.png)
Insider’s Guide: Things to Do in Dubrovnik
Croatia![Italy and Croatia With the Kids](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/italy-and-croatia-1600x1000-480x300.jpg)
Italy and Croatia With the Kids
Croatia![Rave Reviews: Croatia](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Croatia-rave-reviews-480x300.jpg)
Rave Reviews: Croatia
Croatia![Know Before You Go: Dalmatian Coast Travel Tips](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Croatia-know-before-go-480x300.jpg)
Know Before You Go: Dalmatian Coast Travel Tips
Croatia![Video: A Ride Along The Dalmatian Coast](https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/croatia-2--480x300.jpg)