We recommend arriving in Split the day before the tour start date to ensure that you’re ready to get going on day 1 and make the most of your ‘Espresso Adventure’ E-MTB Tour in Croatia.
We have a guide to spending 24 hours in Split, which includes recommended accommodation and things to do.
Your guide will meet you at 9:30am in Split Old Town, and you’ll head to a local café where s/he will go through the pre-trip briefing over an espresso and help you get set up with your e-mountain bikes.
Marjan Hill Nature Park is a protected area above Split Old Town, and the location for our warm-up ride. We pedal up to Telegrin, from which we have beautiful views over the harbour and Dalmatian islands. We’ll descend on a singletrack covered with pine needles and reach the Old Town just in time for lunch.
We’ll stop at a farmers’ market where we’ll sample specialities from the local producers. Cheeses, prosciutto, pogača, local flatbread reminiscent of Focaccia, burek (Balkan pastry filled with cheese of spinach) and an endless selection of tasty fruits – the fresh figs and cherries are to die for!
We board our ferry to the island of Hvar (2-hour journey) and enjoy a scenic trip overlooking the Mediterranean.
We’ll check in to our cosy hotel on the edge of the town of Hvar, giving panoramic views over Paklini islands. Dinner tonight is in a local konoba where we will be introduced to traditional Dalmatian cuisine.
Hvar Island, the sunniest island in Croatia is, according to many, one of the ten most beautiful islands of the world. Its unrivalled combination of stunning landscape, Mediterranean mild climate, rich history and delicious cuisine attracts visitors from all around the world. But you can still find hidden gems, if you know where to look…
Ancient trails, secluded bays, ghost villages and stories of the past that are best discovered on two wheels, and with the help of our e-mountain bikes we can see plenty in a day.
We’ll pedal uphill on trails lined with lavender, rosemary and pine, their aromatic scents accompanying us all the way to Brusje village. Cultivation of lavender played an important role in the island˙s economy and in 1974 Hvar was the 8th biggest producer of lavender in the world.
We’ll ride on gravel road, fire roads and singletracks, with the Adriatic in sight all the way. We’ll stop in the village of Malo Grablje for a light lunch in a local “konoba”, then descend on old mule tracks and scenic trails along the coast. We’ll reach the small fishing village of Milna Bay and finish our ride pedalling back to Hvar old town.
As the sun descends in the sky, you can choose to do an extra climb up to a Spanish Fortress, a medieval citadel built to defend the city against the Turks, or take a refreshing swim in the Adriatic.
We have another day to explore Hvar’s inland and network of ancient villages. Stari Grad Plain, protected by UNESCO, is a cultural landscape that has remained practically untouched since it was first colonised by the Greeks in the 4th century BC.
We’ll ride our eMTBs through the nature reserve and stop for an olive oil tasting. We’ll continue all the way up to St. Nikola, the highest peak on Hvar and stop for lunch in a fantastic agriturismo which serves only their own organic products.
After lunch we’ll descend back to Stari Grad on a mixture of double track, singletrack, gravel and road, and catch our afternoon ferry back to the mainland.
When we reach Split we have another 20-minute drive to another picturesque, historic town on the Adriatic, Trogir. After some downtime to freshen up and explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will reunite for our farewell dinner.
With the airport only a 5-minute drive away you may have time this morning to visit Trogir’s market before we have to say farewell.
It’s been a short, but very sweet adventure, packed full of incredible trails, landscapes, laughs and fabulous food to give you a taste of what’s on offer in this glorious corner of Croatia.
Until next time!