After arrival in Split International (Resnik) airport we will transfer to our hotel in the heart of the 1700 year old city of Split where we will assemble and fit our bikes. Flight schedules-permitting, time is set aside for a little exploration of what is arguably Croatia’s finest city.

The city buzzes with life as locals and tourists alike mingle in the beautiful historic centre. The Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its warren-like atmospheric old streets packed with bars and restaurants and impressive array of Roman monuments and architecture, is a must see.

Later we’ll meet to have dinner together while the Skedaddle team describe what lies in store for the week ahead.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,000 Metres Approx.

Today we will explore the region around Split and it is the only stage that we will spend entirely on the mainland.

We begin by heading west out of the city into and around the small peninsula of the tree-covered Marjan Park where we will climb the gentle slopes to enjoy breathtaking views of the city and all of the islands that we will visit during the next few days.

After completing one full circuit of the coast road around the peninsula we change direction completely, heading back along the coast, bypassing Split to head into the mountains that overlook the city. Our loop ride climbs gradually for 16 miles/25 kms before we reach the summit at just over 500m above sea level. A swift descent then drops us back down to sea level via the hill town of Donje Sitno after which we retrace our tracks back to Split where we will spend a second evening.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 800 Metres Approx.

Today we will move away from the mainland to visit Brac, the first of the islands on our tour and one of the largest in Croatia.

Following breakfast we’ll ride the short journey to the ferry port where we’ll board the boat for the hour-long crossing to Brac. The island is famous for its tradition of stone cutting and carving and is the source of materials used in some of the world’s most famous and significant buildings including the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Diocletian’s Palace in Split and the White House in Washington D.C.

Once on the island we’ll set off along the coast and then into rolling olive-clad hills as we make our way to Vidova Gora, the highest peak of all the islands of Dalmatia. We then descend from the summit back down to the coast where we’ll enjoy lunch before jumping back on the ferry for the return journey to Split.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,200 Metres Approx.

As we did yesterday we begin the day with a ferry crossing but this time we‘re setting sail for the Island of Hvar. The boat will dock in the town of Stari Grad, situated at the end of a long, protected natural harbour. Stari Grad was originally colonised by the ancient Greeks in around 400 BC and is reputed to be one of Europe’s oldest cities.

After disembarking we begin our exploration of the western and hilliest half of the island, climbing into the hills almost as soon as we leave the port. The road rises sharply and then drops us down through lavender fields and small rural settlements leading us to the Venetian town of Hvar which gives the island its name.

Another climb returns us to the north side of the island where, after descending, we spend the rest of the day exploring the lower, rolling roads of the Stari Grad Plain, an ancient agricultural region of significant historical importance and UNESCO World Heritage status.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,100 Metres Approx.

Today we will spend most of the day discovering the eastern half of Hvar as we follow the rollercoaster road along the spiny ridge of the needle-shaped island. Accompanied by lovely views of the mainland as we ride, we’ll pass through the villages of Poljica, Zastrazice, Gdinj and Bogomolje before we reach Sucuraj at the very eastern point of Hvar where, after lunch, we will take the first of two short ferry journeys.

The first crossing takes us to Peljesac, not actually an island but a thin finger-like sliver of mainland extending out from the coast just north of Dubrovnik. A steep 3 mile/5 km climb to the summit of Sveti Ilija (Saint Elijah) is followed by an equally steep 4 mile/7km descent to the small harbour in Orebic, on the southern side of the peninsula, where we will embark for our second crossing to Korcula Island, purported, although often disputed, to be the birthplace of explorer and merchant, Marco Polo, which will be our home for the next two nights.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,300 Metres Approx.

Today we have an opportunity to explore beautiful Korcula with its charming villages, pine forests and vineyards.

Our route takes us across the island to the village of Pupnatska Luka, renowned for its beautiful pebble beaches, before continuing west to Brna where will hug the coast for 6 miles/10km before climbing back through the pines and olive groves into the heart of the island. Our return journey from the pretty hillside village of Smokvica follows the same roads we used to earlier as we left Korcula town and naturally leads us all the way back to our hotel.

We’ll spend the late afternoon and evening wandering the narrow Venetian narrow streets of the fortified town and perhaps sampling some of the traditional home-made specialities such as gnocchi or pasticada for which the island is famous.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 900 Metres Approx.

Our final day begins once again with a short ferry journey back to the peninsula of Peljesac which is where we will spend our final hours on the bikes riding through Croatia’s primary wine growing region.

Leaving the vineyards behind, we will ride almost the entire length of the peninsula, ending our adventure in Mali Ston, famed for the longest fortified city walls in Europe as well as its oyster and mussels beds.

Upon completion of our ride we’ll load up the bikes and transfer to Dubrovnik where we will spend our final evening.

• Meals: Breakfast

Alas it is time to bid farewell to Croatia and the beautiful Dalmatian coast and we’ll transfer to Dubrovnik airport in time for return flights.