Cycle tourism has been specifically targeted as an opportunity to showcase this beautiful country and as such there has been significant investment in the development of marked routes, maps, cyclist resources and tourism information to make a two wheel adventure in Croatia the best it can possibly be.
So where to start? There are marked and unmarked bicycle routes intersecting the entire country so there really is no "best" cycling destination in the country but more of a collection of tremendous cycling destinations across many counties. The following information is a little snapshot of some of those outstanding cycling destinations around Croatia to help you decide what tickles your fancy.
If you'd like to cycle to visit medieval hilltop towns, and taste some of Croatia's finest cuisine head to Istria. But that's not all, Istria also has an amazing coastline and over 1000km of marked cycling trails waiting to be explored.
If you prefer cycling on more flat terrain make a beeline for Slavonia, which is located in the Pannonian basin and is primarily made up of fertile plains, making it mostly flat. This region is the breadbasket of Croatia and includes the counties of Brod-Posavina, Osijek Baranja, Požega-Slavonia, Virovitica-Podravina, and Vukovar-Srijem where you ride through woods, along rivers, into charming villages, through vineyards and you'll even see the odd castle.
If it's rolling green hills, natural hot springs, cooler climate wines, and some of Croatia's best castles ride over to the Krapina-Zagorje, Varaždin and Medimurje counties. These counties border Slovenia and have some delightful forests and cultivated landscapes to cycle through. An absolute must is a visit to the Krapina Neanderthal Museum.
If it's an earnest leg pumping workout you're after plan your trip to Lika-Senj or Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties. This is Croatia's most mountainous region. These counties also hug the coastline meaning you can have the best of both worlds.
The jewel in Croatia's crown has to be the Dalmatian coast. Pristine beaches, idyllic towns, national parks, nature parks, numerous UNESCO sites, stunning islands, inspiring cuisine and let's not forget the alluring Adriatic sea. Dalmatia has it all but what many people don't know is what a fantastic cycling destination it is. Made up of Zadar, Šibenik-Knin and Split-Dalmatia counties, Dalmatia is perfect for combining cycling with a vacation.
Lastly, the place on everyone's bucket list is the pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik-Neretva county has more to offer than just it's historic old town, so jump on your bike and get cycling to Pelješac, Korcula or Konavle.
Find out about day trips here.
Find out about multi-day trips here.
Find out about bike and wine trips here.
