Whisper it quietly, but away from the stereotypical beach and sea holiday on the Dalmatian coast, a new breed of tourism is quietly taking hold in Central Dalmatia, with an increasing number of tourists opting to get active while on holiday. The recent ITV show Eternal Glory was filmed on location in Croatia, highlighting a country which has plenty to offer the adventure tourist, from sailing and kayaking, to climbing and canyoning, with plenty more in between (check out TCN's 25 Things to Know about Adrenaline Tourism in Croatia).
One of the key growth areas in Croatia, but particularly in Central Dalmatia, has been in cycling tourism. In recent years, the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board has worked hard to promote its cycling potential, with more than 3,000 kilometres of marked bike routes, maps for the islands and mainland for cyclists, as well as a dedicated website. Agencies such as &Adventure and Hvar.Life have been leading the way with innovative tourism options, with the result that cycling tourism is sharply up. The appeal of being able to island hop and take in the wonders of Dalmatia's heritage, nature, gastronomy and spectacular coastline are clearly a winning combination.
It would appear that The Daily Telegraph agrees, as Dalmatia featured in the recent top 50 cycling holidays from the British broadsheet. Here is what they had to say.
6. By land and sea, Croatia’s islands
Croatia’s South Dalmatian coast is ideal boat-and-bike territory, the islands all different: fashionable Hvar the most lively, Korcula the prettiest old Venetian port, Brac best for a rare Croatian commodity – sand. There are also stops at more remote islands and on the mainland where Trogir and Diocletian’s Palace at Split are the highlights. Croatia lacks flat ground for easy cycling, but e-bikes are available and you can take a day off to relax on board your ship or explore on foot.
To learn more about cycling in Croatia, visit our sister site, Total Croatia Cycling.
