Islands of the Kvarner Bay by bicycle and boat

Countless islands in crystal clear water, deeply fissured cliffs, picturesque beaches and numerous small bays – that is the Kvarner Bay in northern Adriatic. Every island is different. Each has its own history. You can spend a week discovering the landscape and people of this unique island-world by bike - independently and with the aid of knowledgeable tour guides.

On a romantic motor yacht - your floating accomodation - discover the charm of the Adriatic in your own special way. You cycle off after a hearty breakfast. At midday meet the ship at a harbour for lunch. In the evening the ship will be waiting in the next harbour, so that you can enjoy fantastic cuisine as the sun sets, followed by a stroll through the historic harbour town. Finally, settle down in your cabin to sleep - or stay on deck under a thousand stars...

Schedule

Day 1 (Sun) Omišalj – Cres, ca. 15 or 25 km (9 or 16 mi.)
Individual arrival in Omišalj, a nice little harbour village on the island of Krk. If you are planning to arrive by car, we will organise a safe parking space for you. The cabins on the motor yacht will be ready for you from 11 am. At ca. 1 pm the ship will take off and take you to the island of Cres in about four hours. From the town of Cres you have the possibility either to cycle to the in 350 m situated village of Predoscica or to join a little guided tour along the ample harbour bay. In the evening you can take part in a little tour through the old town of Cres.

Day 2 (Mon) The Islands of Cres and Lošinj, ca. 55 km (34 mi.)
You will cycle on the east side of the island among pine, fig and laurel trees. On your way, you will pass Vrana lake, the geologically remarkable freshwater reservoir of the island that reaches down below sea level. In Osor, the artist town, you will have lunch on the ship. Afterwards there will be time for a swim in the bay with crystal clear water. In the afternoon you will leave Osor, crossing over a swing bridge to reach the island of Lošinj. You will cycle along the panorama-route to Mali Lošinj, an old seafaring and health resort. The ship will be waiting for you in the large harbour with its numerous cafés and colourful houses. You will spend the night in the harbour of Mali Lošinj.

Day 3 (Tue) The islands of Losinj and Molat, ca. 40 km (25 mi.)
Along the seaside walk you cycle to the south of Losinj where you will meet the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, we cross over to the island of Molat where you will do one more short bicycling tour. Overnight stay in the quiet harbour of Molat.

Day 4 (Wed) The island of Dugi Otok, ca. 45 km (28 mi.)
While you have breakfast, the ship will take off and take you past many small islands to the “spice island” of Dugi Otok. Your bike tour will start in the bay of Božava, which is surrounded by woods of pine, agave and tamarisk trees and you will ride on a road nearly free of traffic. Along the way, you can make a short stop in Brbinj, a village with a thick-towered church, which beckons you with excellent espresso, pancakes and fresh figs. On the way to the fishing town of Sali, you will be impressed by the terrific view on the sea and the surrounding islands. In the ship will pick you up and take you to the island of Ugljan, where you will spend the night.

Day 5 (Thu) The island of Pag, ca. 35 km (22 mi.)
After a cruise until lunchtime, you will reach the island of Pag. In the harsh but delightful landscape of the island you will come across many fig and olive trees. Over the centuries the inhabitants have built numerous stonewalls for protection against the wind. You will bike on the narrow peninsula until you reach the sea, where the ship will be waiting to take you to Rab. The island of Rab is one of the sunniest places in Europe. The town of Rab, the fortified capital of the island, was built in the middle ages on a wedge-shaped headland, and marks one of the highlights of the trip. The four famous bell towers are the symbol of the adorned beauty of the town. After dinner you can explore the narrow alleys with numerous cosy cafés.

Day 6 (Fri) The island of Rab, ca. 45 km (28 mi.)
You will bike along the coast to the east side of the island, an area with virtually no vegetation, whose rough and cliffy rocks remind of a lunar landscape. The road will lead you on to a bay with a sandy beach, which is rather atypical for the Kvarner islands. At lunchtime, the ship will be waiting for you in the harbour directly in front of the old town of Rab. Afterwards, you will be cycling on the green peninsula to the north of the island. In Lopar, you will meet your ship again. After a swim-break the ship will take you over to the neighbouring island of Krk where you will spend the evening in the historical town of Krk.

Day 7 (Sat) The island of Krk, ca. 50 km (31 mi.)
You will cycle over the ridge of the island, which is covered by fragrant macchia, to a valley of vineyards, and then onwards to the small museum town of Vrbnik in the northeast. The town, built on a 50-metre-high cliff and surrounded by vineyards, is the home of the famous white wine, Žlahtina. Another peculiarity that Vrbnik has to offer is the narrowest alley in the world. The way will lead you on across the island through old villages and rich vegetation to Omišalj, from where Rijeka will be within your sight. On the way, you will have a chance to swim in the bay of Soline. You will spend the last night in Omišalj.

Day 8 (Sun) Omišalj (Departure)
The guests are asked to check out after breakfast, i.e. by 9 am.

Alterations: We reserve the right to make alterations to the itinerary, depending on wind and weather conditions or organisational requirements. Sometimes the tour will be conducted in inverse order. You will find further details in your booking information packet.

Bringing Children: We believe that only children in a good physical condition and of a minimum age of 10 and previous bicycle tour experience are able to master the bike tours on their own strength. Please note that the minimum height for a rental bike is 1,40 m (4.6 ft.)

Accommodation



Ship ADONIS (shower/toilet in every cabin)
The KAPETAN JURE is a 27-metre-long and 7-metre-wide comfortable and spacious wooden motor yacht that was built in 2000. 11 of the 15 cabins are on deck. 10 of these are furnished with the two beds arranged side by side, while one cabin has bunk beds. The remaining 4 cabins are below deck, and are furnished with a French bed (140 cm wide) and a porthole. Captain Anton and his crew form an experienced team, which knows how to pamper their guests with delicious specialties. The cabins have simple, but functional equipment and are furnished with two beds and a small wardrobe or an open shelf. There is enough space for sleeping and storing a sea bag or a travel bag. Due to the shape of the ship’s hull, the size of the cabins may vary. However, a price differentiation is made only with respect to cabins “on deck” and “below deck”.

Ship TARIN (shower/toilet in every cabin)
The TARIN is a new two-masted motorsailing ship of 23m length and 6 m width that was built in 2003/4. All of her 10 cabins are above the water level. Five cabins have a double bed (140cm/55” wide) and three of those feature an additional bunk bed. The other cabins have two separate beds that may be aligned beside each other or on two levels. Another cosy cabin with two portholes and a desk is situated below deck. The fore sundeck measures 40 m2, the upper deck even 60 m2. Together with the large saloon, captain Nevio’s TARIN offers ample space to her passengers.

Linda (shower/toilet in every cabin)
Captain Damir's Linda was built in 1955 and renovated in 2004/05 to meet the requirements of Island hopping. The ship is a spacious wooden motor yacht and being 31 metres long and 6 metres wide the MY Linda is among the largerer ships in our Croatian fleet. The large saloon can accommodate 32 guests and the middle sundeck is constructed in a way that meals can also be served outside. The ship has 14 cabins: 10 cabins are on deck, 4 are below deck. Captain Damir and his crew look forward making your vacation an unforgettable one.

Catering
The cook on board is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and two warm meals a day. The full board starts with the lunch on the arrival day and ends with the breakfast on the departure day.

Guided tour
The tour will generally be guided in German language. One of the guides will translate into English for non-German-speaking participants.

Dates & Price 2010

* Price per person in double cabin below deck

(2) Special tour Kvarner Bay/Dalmatia from Omisalj to Trogir (7 days/6 nights). Please ask for more information.

(3) Special tour Dalmatia/Kvarner Bay from Trogir to Omisalj (9 days/8 nights). Please ask for more information.

(4) Special tour Kvarner Bay/Istria from Omisalj to Pula (8 days/7 nights). Please ask for more information.

Minimum: 14 participants
Maximum: 34 participants