Dalmatia from Dubrovnik Plus

Highlights: Guided

1. Cycle through green forests, fertile valleys and subtropical parks in Dubrovnik
2. Guided sightseeing in Dubrovnik
3. Sipan Island, Mljet Island, Lastovo Island, Korcula and Hvar Islands
4. Explore Lastovo, one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Adriatic, where Marastina wine is made
5. Excursion to Mostar’s bridge and Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site

Daily Program: Guided

Day 1: Dubrovnik – Šipan Island
Upon your arrival at the harbor in Dubrovnik, embarkation takes place between 2:00 and 2.30 pm at Gruž, the town’s port. At 3 pm, a guided tour through Dubrovnik is offered, during which you’ll hear some interesting details about the town’s history and visit the most important sites, such as the Roland, the city walls or the Franciscan monastery. You’ll go on a short cruise to Šipan, the largest of the Elaphite Islands, at around 6 pm.
Overnight onboard in the harbor of Šipanska Luka

Day 2: Islands of Šipan and Mljet (6 mi/10 km + 19 mi/30 km)
A pleasant bike trip takes you past sumptuous villas of Dubrovnik’s wealthier citizens and further on through the verdant forests, fertile valleys and subtropical parks of Šipan Island. Afterwards you’ll cruise to the green and forested island of Mljet – known as the honey island. With 90% of the island being woodland, it’s one of the best-wooded islands in the Mediterranean area. Homer mentioned this lovely island in his epic poem, “Odyssey”. He made it a home for the Nymph Calypso and the legendary Greek king Odysseus, who could not resist Calypso and stayed on Mljet for seven years. In the afternoon you’ll cycle across the island from the ferry harbor Sobra to Pomena.
Overnight onboard in the bay of Pomena

Day 3: Pomena – Lastovo Island (19 mi/30 km)
Your ship takes you to Lastovo Island, one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Adriatic Sea. Emperor Augustus appreciated the mild climate, and in Roman times it was even named “Augusta Insula” after him. The inhabitants, barely numbering more than 1,000, still make their living mainly on agriculture, viticulture, and fishing in the extremely rich waters. The gold-colored white wine “Marastina” is grown here.
Overnight onboard near Lastovo Island

Day 4: Islands of Korcula and Gradac (14 mi/23 km)
After crossing to Korcula Island you’ll bike from Brna to Vela Luka, where you’ll meet your ship for lunch. After the break you’ll cruise to Hvar Island with time for a swim in the afternoon sun before your ship takes you to Sucuraj at the east tip of the island for an overnight stay.
Overnight onboard near Sucuraj

Day 5: Excursion to Mostar
After a short boat passage to Ploce at the delta of the Neretva River, you’ll continue by transfer bus, which takes you across the Bosnian border to Pocitelj. There is a guided tour of the well-preserved fortress before continuing to Mostar. The town’s world-famous landmark is the bridge across the River Neretva, which was destroyed by heavy shelling in 1993 and reopened in 2004. The bridge and the old town have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 2005. Back at the ship you can end the spectacular day with a nice glass of wine.
Overnight onboard in Mostar

Day 6: Korcula Island (23 mi/37 km)
A nice morning cruise takes you to Brna at Korcula Island, which is said to be the most beautiful Dalmatian island. You’ll explore the east part of the island by bicycle, going from Prigradica to Korcula town, enjoying the stunning view of the deep-blue water of Pupnat Bay on your ride. In the late afternoon, you’ll reach the island’s capital, Korcula town, which competes with Venice for the honor of being the birthplace of the famous explorer, Marco Polo. You’ll have ample time in the evening to wander through the fabulous old town and its narrow lanes laid out in a herringbone pattern.
Overnight onboard near Korcula

Day 7: Mainland Prapratno – Slano (19 mi/30 km)
A longer crossing on board the boat hugs the beautiful coastline of the Pelješac peninsula on your way to the small ferry harbour of Prapratno. The bicycle tour takes you from Prapratno to Ston where there is enough time to take a walk along the famous city wall. This is the longest intact fortification wall in Europe and is often compared with the Great Wall of China. The tour takes you further to the small harbour of Slano on the mainland. The boat awaits you here for your last cruise to the city of Dubrovnik. A cheerful evening meal on board the boat gives you time to celebrate the success of the week with fellow travellers and tour guides.
Overnight onboard near Dubrovnik.

Day 8: Departure from Dubrovnik
After breakfast, disembarkation goes until 9 am, at which time you will need to arrange for a transfer/taxi to begin your return trip home.

Changes
We reserve the right to make changes to the planned itinerary due to changing wind and weather conditions as well as organizational requirements. Should it be the case, for example, that the harbours on the above mentioned tour sequence are overcrowded, the tour will be operated in reverse.

Included Services: Guided

• 8-day trip on a motorized yacht with crew
• 7 nights in a double cabin below deck with shower and toilet
• 7 breakfasts and dinners and 4 lunches onboard or ashore
• Guided cycling tours as described in the itinerary
• Bed linens and towels
• Overview maps for the daily tours on board
• Guided sightseeing in Dubrovnik, including entrance fees to historical buildings
• Excursion to Mostar; sightseeing in Mostar and Pocitelj, including the entrance fee to the mosque
• PLUS-Tour specials
• English speaking tour guide

Please note:
a required visitor’s tax is not included in this tour package. The fee is €40 per adult and €20 per child (ages 1-16) , and should be paid directly to the captain upon arrival.

Bike Rentals: Guided
Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:

• Hybrid touring bike, 21-speed
• Electrically assisted bike, i:SY-Flyer ECO
• Children’s bikes and equipment (hybrid touring bikes, 21-speed; trailer bikes; bicycle seats)

All above bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:

• Rear, side saddle bag (waterproof)

Pedals
The bikes will have FLAT pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals. The guide on board the boat can assist you in attaching them to your rental bike.

Seats
If you plan to bring your own seat, please ensure that it is a universal seat post. The guide on board can also assist you if you bring your own seat.

Helmets
It is required to wear helmets on this tour. In order to guarantee optimum protection, we request that you bring your own helmet and – for your own safety – wear it on all bike tours. A limited number of helmets are available on board to rent, at the time of booking, thought it is highly recommended to bring your own helmet.

Bicycle insurance is available to buy. It costs 10 Euros/week for the hybrid touring bikes, and 20 Euros/week for the electrically assisted bikes.

Additional specifications on the Hybrid touring bikes:

• Inselhuepfen brand, aluminum frame
• 21-gear derailleur, Alivio
• Shimano V-brakes
• Comfortable Selle Royal saddles
• Please note that the bikes are deliberately NOT equipped with water bottle holders. There is room in the saddle bag to carry a bottle of water, along with everything else you need for the daily rides.

Additional specifications on the Electrically assisted bikes:

The i:SY-Flyer ECO, a relatively light model of 50 pounds (21 kg), is a compact bike with a special low frame geometry for easy mounting and 20-inch wheels. The handlebar “Speedlifter Twist” is turnable, making the bike space-efficient for storage. This E-Bike model is equipped with an 8-gear-Shimano hub gearshift (Nexus), as well as Shimano V-brakes. It has a 10-amp battery along with an 8-amp back-up that allow for unlimited riding.

The type i:SY Flyer ECO is available for all persons with a height of 150- 190 cm (it is not available for heights above 190 cm).