Cycling Croatia's Dalmatian Coast — Self-Launched

Start at Split's ferry port and catch the afternoon Jadrolinija car ferry to Stari Grad on Hvar island (about 1h 50min). From Stari Grad take the local bus or a short taxi to Vrboska, a pretty little fishing village on an inlet, where guesthouses are cheap and quiet. Settle in, swim off the rocks, and eat grilled fish at a konoba on the water. If you'd rather base in busier Stari Grad or Jelsa, hostels and rooms are plentiful there too.

🚌Jadrolinija ferry Split–Stari Grad approx £7–10 (book on jadrolinija.hr); local bus Stari Grad–Vrboska approx £2

🛏Guesthouse or hostel room in Vrboska / Stari Grad (approx £30)

• →Ferry crossing to Hvar
• →Evening wander around Vrboska
• →Swim off the stone beaches

Hire a hybrid or mountain bike for the day from a local rental shop in Stari Grad or Jelsa (approx £15–25/day, cheaper for multi-day). Follow the coastal road to Jelsa, then tackle the steady climb over to Stari Grad for lunch, before continuing towards Hvar Town with its panoramic hilltop viewpoint over Brač. Finish by exploring Hvar Town's marble streets, Gothic palaces and hilltop fortress. Either ride back or take the local bus back to base (bikes usually can't go on the bus, so plan a loop or arrange one-way rental).

🚌Bike hire approx £18; local bus Hvar Town–Stari Grad approx £4 if needed

🛏Guesthouse or hostel room in Vrboska / Stari Grad (approx £30)

• →Cycle Jelsa–Stari Grad–Hvar Town (approx 40 km)
• →Hvar Town fortress and old town
• →Lunch stop in Stari Grad

Ride or catch the bus to Jelsa, then cycle east along the narrow spine of Hvar where you can see both coasts — quiet roads, olive groves and small vineyards, with a couple of proper climbs. Roll into the ferry port of Sućuraj. From here, take the seasonal catamaran/ferry link across to Korčula (timings vary; in shoulder season routes may run via the mainland at Drvenik, so check schedules and build in flexibility). Arrive in Korčula Town and check into a guesthouse or hostel inside or just outside the old town walls.

🚌Bike hire approx £18; bus Jelsa–Sućuraj approx £4; ferry/catamaran Sućuraj–Korčula approx £10–14 (check Krilo/Jadrolinija schedules)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel room in Korčula Town (approx £32)

• →Cycle east Hvar (approx 42 km)
• →Sućuraj ferry crossing
• →Evening in Korčula old town

Rest day. Swim at Przina's sandy beach in Lumbarda (short bus or bike ride from Korčula Town), wander the old town, or take the optional trip to Mljet. To do Mljet yourself: catch the catamaran from Korčula to Pomena (approx 1 hour, around £12–15 return), pay the national park entrance (approx £12–20, cheaper outside peak), rent a bike or walk around the two saltwater lakes and visit the tiny islet monastery of St Mary. Return by the evening catamaran.

🚌Catamaran Korčula–Pomena return approx £14; local bus to Lumbarda approx £2

🛏Guesthouse or hostel room in Korčula Town (approx £32)

• →Swim at Przina beach, Lumbarda
• →Optional Mljet National Park trip (bike hire + entrance)
• →Korčula old town walk

Take the local bus to Vela Luka at the western end of Korčula and ride east through forested interior roads and the village of Pupnat back towards Korčula Town — around 45 km with some rolling hills. There's no support vehicle now, so pace yourself, carry water and take breaks in the villages. Alternatively hire a bike in Korčula Town and ride a shortened loop. Spend the evening eating peka (slow-cooked meat or octopus) and local Grk wine.

🚌Bus Korčula Town–Vela Luka approx £4; bike hire approx £18

🛏Guesthouse or hostel room in Korčula Town (approx £32)

• →Cycle Korčula island (approx 45 km)
• →Pupnat village stop
• →Peka dinner in Korčula

Catch the short ferry from Korčula to Orebić on the Pelješac Peninsula (about 20 minutes, approx £3). Hire a bike locally or bring your own on the ferry and ride the quiet peninsula roads past olive groves, steep vineyards (this is Dingač and Postup red-wine country) and stone villages — around 18 km is enough to enjoy it. Then take the local bus up the peninsula to Ston, a fortified salt-town with medieval walls, before continuing by bus to Dubrovnik (buses run regularly via the Pelješac bridge). Arrive by late afternoon and stay near the old town or a short local bus ride away.

🚌Ferry Korčula–Orebić approx £3; bike hire approx £15; bus Orebić–Ston–Dubrovnik approx £12–15

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Dubrovnik / Lapad (approx £40)

• →Cycle Pelješac Peninsula (approx 18 km)
• →Ston town and salt pans
• →Arrive Dubrovnik

Spend the day exploring Dubrovnik at your own pace. Walk the complete city walls circuit (ticket approx £30, cheaper at opening time), ride the cable car up Srđ for the classic view (approx £20), and explore the Stradun, fountains, churches and palaces on foot — no cars inside the old town. Join a self-bookable walking tour via GetYourGuide if you want the history, or just wander. Finish with a seafood dinner inside the walls or a cheaper, more local meal in Lapad or Gruž.

🚌Local bus around Dubrovnik approx £2.50 per journey; cable car approx £20

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Dubrovnik / Lapad (approx £40)

• →Dubrovnik city walls walk
• →Srđ cable car viewpoint
• →Optional GetYourGuide old town walking tour
• →Stradun evening stroll

Final breakfast and check out. If you're flying home, the airport shuttle bus from Gruž/old town runs regularly (approx £8). If you have time, add a day trip to Lokrum island (short ferry, approx £14 return) or the Elaphiti islands before you go.

🚌Airport shuttle bus approx £8

• →Departure
• →Optional Lokrum island day trip