Self-Launched Dalmatia Island Bike & Ferry Adventure (Split to Split)
8 days · Dalmatia, Croatia
Katarina Line charges £1,425
No-markup version: ~£680 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Katarina Line's 8-day Bike Cruise Dalmatia South. Instead of a guided cabin cruise, you hop between the same islands — Šolta, Hvar, Korčula, Mljet, the Pelješac peninsula and Brač — using Croatia's excellent network of catamarans, ferries and local buses. You ride the same traffic-light cycling routes, swim in Mljet's saltwater lakes, wander medieval Korčula and Diocletian's Split, and sleep in hostels and guesthouses. All costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP; bring or hire a bike (bike hire ~£95-£150/week locally) and you have nearly identical scenery for a fraction of the cruise price.
Day-by-day
Split to Rogač to Maslinica (Šolta Island)
Split / Šolta
Start in Split — fly in or arrive by bus/train and store bags at your hostel. Take the morning catamaran from Split's ferry terminal to Rogač on Šolta (Krilo/TP Line, ~45 min). Ride the easy 20 km loop Rogač–Maslinica–Rogač, passing olive groves and fishing villages, then settle into a guesthouse in Maslinica for the sunset over the bay. No guide needed — the route is well signposted and flat.
🚌Catamaran Split–Rogač (~£6 one way); local bike hire if not bringing your own
🛏Guesthouse/sobe in Maslinica or hostel in Grohote (~£25)
- →Self-ride Rogač–Maslinica loop (20 km, easy)
- →Swim in Maslinica bay
- →Explore Šolta's fishing villages
Šolta to Stari Grad (Hvar) and ride to Hvar town
Hvar Island
Catch the ferry back to Split or use the inter-island connection to reach Stari Grad on Hvar. Choose your route: Route 1 (Stari Grad–Jelsa–Vrboska, 22 km, easy, mixed paved/macadam) or Route 2 (Stari Grad–Hvar town, 23 km, moderate, all paved). Both showcase the UNESCO-listed Stari Grad Plain. If you take Route 2 you roll straight into Hvar town for the evening; if Route 1, take a local bus or short ferry hop onward. Explore Hvar's harbour, fortress and nightlife.
🚌Ferry/catamaran between islands (~£10); local bus Stari Grad–Hvar (~£4)
🛏Hostel or sobe in Hvar town / Stari Grad (~£28)
- →Ride Stari Grad–Jelsa–Vrboska or Stari Grad–Hvar
- →Stari Grad Plain (UNESCO)
- →Hvar fortress and old town at sunset
Hvar to Vela Luka and ride to Korčula
Korčula Island
Take the morning catamaran from Hvar to Vela Luka on Korčula (via Korčula town, ~2-2.5 hrs). Rent a bike locally if needed and ride the longer 55 km Vela Luka–Korčula route through vineyards and stone villages — moderate, so start early and carry water. Finish in Korčula town and spend the evening inside its medieval walls, visiting Marco Polo's supposed birthplace and the cathedral square.
🚌Catamaran Hvar–Vela Luka (~£14); bike hire in Vela Luka if needed (~£15/day)
🛏Hostel or sobe inside Korčula old town (~£30)
- →Vela Luka–Korčula ride (55 km, moderate)
- →Explore medieval Korčula town walls
- →Cathedral of St Mark and old-town lanes
Korčula to Mljet National Park
Mljet Island
Catch the ferry/catamaran from Korčula to Pomena (Mljet) — a short crossing. Pay the Mljet National Park entrance (~£20) which covers the lakes, bike paths and the boat to St Mary's islet. Ride the gentle 18 km loop around the saltwater lakes, swim in the warm, buoyant water, and visit the 12th-century Benedictine monastery on the lake island. There's no Captain's Dinner aboard, but a konoba dinner in Pomena or Polače is the perfect substitute.
🚌Ferry Korčula–Pomena (~£10); park boat to St Mary's islet included in entrance
🛏Guesthouse/rooms in Pomena or Polače (~£28)
- →Mljet National Park lakes loop (18 km)
- →Swim in saltwater lakes
- →Benedictine monastery on St Mary's islet
Mljet to Pelješac: Trstenik–Orebić–Kučište vineyards
Pelješac Peninsula
Ferry back toward the mainland and the Pelješac peninsula. Ride the scenic 32 km Trstenik–Orebić–Kučište route through Dingač vineyard country — moderate climbing but the reward is wine country views over the Adriatic. Stop at a family winery in Dingač or Postup for a tasting (optional, ~£10-15). Sleep in Kučište or nearby Orebić.
🚌Ferry Mljet–Pelješac/mainland (~£12); local bus if skipping sections
🛏Guesthouse/sobe in Kučište or Orebić (~£27)
- →Trstenik–Orebić–Kučište ride (32 km)
- →Pelješac wine tasting in Dingač (optional)
- →Viewpoint over the Dingač tunnel vineyards
Pelješac to Hvar (Sućuraj) and round to Pučišća
Hvar / Brač
Cross back toward Hvar island and ride the easier 32 km Sućuraj–Pokrivenik coastal route (difficulty 2/5) on Hvar's quiet eastern tip, with the Biokovo mountains visible across the channel. Afterwards continue by ferry/catamaran across to Pučišća on Brač — a stunning white-stone harbour town and home to its famous stonemasonry school.
🚌Ferry/catamaran connections Pelješac–Hvar–Brač (~£16)
🛏Guesthouse or sobe in Pučišća (~£27)
- →Sućuraj–Pokrivenik ride (32 km, easy-moderate)
- →Biokovo mountain viewpoints
- →Pučišća stone harbour and stonemasonry school
Brač: Pučišća to Postira to Supetar
Brač Island
Ride the relaxed 25 km Pučišća–Postira–Supetar route (difficulty 2/5) along Brač's north coast, stopping at Postira's beach and olive groves before finishing in Supetar. Spend the afternoon on Supetar's pebble beaches and its old harbour quarter, then take the evening ferry from Supetar back to Split (about 50 min). Check into a hostel in Split's old town.
🚌Car ferry Supetar–Split (~£8)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Split old town (~£32)
- →Pučišća–Postira–Supetar ride (25 km)
- →Supetar beaches and historic quarter
- →Evening stroll through Split's Riva
Split — Diocletian's Palace and departure
Split
Finish with a self-launched morning exploring Diocletian's Palace — a Roman emperor's retirement home that's now the beating heart of the city. Wander the peristyle, the cellars and the Riva, optionally joining a low-cost walking tour or a GetYourGuide guided palace tour (~£15). Then head to the airport, bus or train station for onward travel. Trip complete — same islands, same rides, done your own way.
🚌Local bus/taxi to Split airport (~£5)
🛏Not included (departure day)
- →Self-tour of Diocletian's Palace
- →Optional guided Split walking tour (GetYourGuide, ~£15)
- →Riva promenade and Green Market
Self-launched vs. Katarina Line
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Katarina Line | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£680 | £1,425 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £745 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Katarina Line-style trips? Check them out here.~£680
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Dalmatia Island Bike & Ferry Adventure (Split to Split) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £680 per person for 8 days in Dalmatia, Croatia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Katarina Line?+
Yes — Katarina Line charges around £1,425 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £680 — a saving of roughly £745 (52%) per person.
How long is the Dalmatia, Croatia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Dalmatia, Croatia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, backpacker, slow-travel trip through Dalmatia, Croatia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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