Cycle the Islands and Highlands of Croatia — Self-Launched

Land at Split Airport (SPU) and reach Kaštela on local bus line 37 (~£2, 25 mins) or a shared taxi (~£10 split between riders) — no group transfer needed. Check into a waterfront guesthouse in Kaštel Stari or Kaštel Kambelovac, then collect your pre-booked hybrid bike (book via local rental shops in Split, ~£25/day, or bring your own). Take an easy 15–20km waterfront shakedown ride along the Kaštela Riviera, finishing with a swim off the pebble beaches. Dinner in a local konoba: grilled fish and blitva, ~£12–15.

🚌Local bus line 37 from Split Airport (~£2) or shared taxi (~£10)

🛏Guesthouse in Kaštela (private double, ensuite) — ~£55/night for the room

• →Bike collection and sizing
• →Shakedown ride along Kaštela waterfront
• →Adriatic sunset swim

Roll out early to Trogir (bus or 12km warm-up ride) and wander its UNESCO-listed old town before picking up the EuroVelo 8. Follow the Mediterranean cycling route along craggy coastline, olive groves and open plains for ~55km / 650m of climbing. Detour inland to a family olive oil estate around Marina for a self-booked tasting (~£8–10). Continue to the quiet shores of Grebaštica for a picnic lunch you've packed yourself, then ride into Šibenik's honey-hued old town. Stay near the harbour so you can walk to St James' Cathedral and dinner of black risotto, ~£12.

🚌Own bike; local bus Split–Trogir if needed (~£3)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Šibenik old town — ~£55/night

• →Trogir UNESCO old town walk
• →EuroVelo 8 coastal ride (55km)
• →Olive oil estate tasting (~£9)

Cycle out of Šibenik across the Šibenski Bridge and follow quiet backroads with the Adriatic alongside — ~54km / 350m. The flat lake loop at Vransko Lake National Park is a highlight: hard-packed gravel tracks and excellent birdwatching (herons, cormorants, seasonal migrants — bring binoculars, the hides are free). Pack a picnic or grab a bakery lunch in Pirovac before rolling on to Biograd na Moru. Swap to a hostel or budget hotel near the marina, then take a sunset swim and a harbour-side drink, ~£12.

🚌Own bike; short ride from hotel to park entrance

🛏Hostel private room or budget hotel in Biograd na Moru — ~£50/night

• →Vransko Lake National Park birdwatching
• →Gravel lake loop (54km cycling)
• →Biograd marina sunset swim

Take the morning Jadrolinija car ferry from Biograd to Tkon on Pašman (~£6, 1hr). Cycle the low-lying islands — pine forest, olive groves and easy pedalling — for ~65km / 450m, with swim stops. Cross the bridge from Pašman to Ugljan and ride north to Preko for a second ferry to Zadar (~£5, 25 mins). In Zadar, check into a hostel or budget hotel, then head to the Riva for the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun at sunset — both free. Dinner of Dalmatian pašticada, ~£14.

🚌Jadrolinija ferries (2 crossings, ~£11 total) with bike — small bike supplement may apply

🛏Hostel private room or budget hotel in Zadar — ~£55/night

• →Jadrolinija ferry Biograd–Tkon (~£6)
• →Pašman & Ugljan island ride (65km)
• →Zadar Sea Organ & Greeting to the Sun
• →Ferry Preko–Zadar (~£5)

Take an early bus or ferry towards Pag Island (Zadar–Novalja catamaran ~£7, or bus via the bridge ~£8) and ride the island's surreal, moonlike limestone south and lush valleys. This is the big day: ~86km / 700m, so start early and carry 3L of water — shade is scarce. Stop at a family cheese farm to sample Paški sir (~£6–8) and detour to the Pag salt pans, Croatia's largest and a thousand-year-old tradition. Cool off in a tucked-away cove south of Novalja, then roll into town. Stay in a Novalja guesthouse or hostel, ~£50, and eat grilled lamb ~£15.

🚌Local bus or catamaran Zadar–Novalja (~£7–8)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Novalja — ~£50/night

• →Pag Island ride (86km)
• →Paški cheese tasting at a family farm (~£7)
• →Pag salt pans visit
• →Hidden cove swim

Warm up along Pag's coast, then take the ferry from Žigljen to Prizna (~£4, 15 mins). Tackle the signature climb: from Prizna a 17km continuous ascent gaining ~880m at a steady 5% into the Velebit Mountains, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. If legs are tired, the local bus runs the coast road — no support van here, so pace yourself and carry food. Follow the quiet mountain road 13km to Karlobag, then the winding road into Velebit National Park for sweeping coastal views, descending onto the Lika plateau and forest roads to Gospić. This is the hardest stage (~63km / 1430m) — start by 7am. Bunk down in a Gospić guesthouse (~£45) and refuel on Lika lamb.

🚌Ferry Žigljen–Prizna (~£4); local bus option on coast road as backup

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Gospić — ~£45/night

• →Velebit Mountains climb (17km climb, 1430m total)
• →Velebit National Park coastal viewpoints
• →Ferry Žigljen–Prizna (~£4)

Ride out from Gospić back to the coast along the EuroVelo 8 — flat farmland and quiet country roads (~85km / 520m up / 1000m down). The reward is a 16km sweeping descent into the Zrmanja River Canyon, between limestone cliffs and emerald water — the landscape used in the 1960s Winnetou films. Roll into Obrovac and check into a riverside guesthouse. Optional afternoon: self-book a Zrmanja kayak or raft trip (~£35) or just swim in the river. Final-night dinner at a riverside konoba, ~£15.

🚌Own bike; ride ends in Obrovac

🛏Riverside guesthouse in Obrovac — ~£50/night

• →EuroVelo 8 Lika plateau ride (85km)
• →Zrmanja River Canyon descent
• →Optional river kayak/raft (~£35)

After breakfast, take the local bus from Obrovac to Zadar (~£4) and then the Zadar–Split bus (~£12, 2.5hrs) or a shared transfer. Return your bike if you rented one in Split. If your flight is later, leave luggage at the airport and use the few hours to wander Split's Diocletian's Palace — free to enter the main peristyle. Aim for flights departing after 13:00 to allow for the bus connections. If you want a final night in Split, hostel beds run ~£25.

🚌Local bus Obrovac–Zadar (~£4), bus Zadar–Split (~£12)

🛏N/A (or optional hostel in Split ~£25)

• →Split Diocletian's Palace walk (free)
• →Bike return in Split