Croatia

[jaber]

Thinking of going to Croatia, went by air last year, hired a car,fantastic, want to go back this year on the bike, anyone done it, want to go to istria, is the best way to get to Trieste and then head down to Porec etc and where to sail from Hull? how many days to get there, oh will be traveling on an r80gs so it could be nice and steady

 

[blobcat]

I would go via Slovenia and prior to that Austria and take the Wurzenpass into Slovenia rather than the tunnel.

 

[GS TRV]

Just don't go in August unless you like traffic jams - it's FULL of Italians

 

[Dave Barrett]

Been through Croatia the last two years by bike and rather liked it. The coast roads can be extremely full in summer, but inland is OK. Trip reports are here:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46014

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83565

 

[Wicker]

http://www.alpineroads.com/alpmap.php
http://www.uem-online.org/em/index-map.php?nr=mr05vor

Try the above two links.
I took the autobahn to Munich and then rode through Austria, Slovenia, Bosnia to Croatia in Sept 2005. Alpine Roads lists the route into Slovenia which I took through Kranjska / Bovec / to Gorica; an excellent mountain road. Cobbles on hairpins were interesting in the wet however if you ride from Kranjska to Bovec you ride these on the ascent and the route down the other side is reaonably well tarmaced.

ADAC maps has an excellent motoring map of Croatia which you can download & print on A4 size. I rode down through Ogulin / Plaski - horrible road, surface like crazy paving or slick tarmac which was interesting in the wet & not much in the way of accommodation. Plitvicka Jezera national park is worth a 1/2 day walking around or on one of the tour buses which shuttle you around; there was plenty of B&B around here in Sept. If you are in a hurry to get south to Split or Dubrovnik there is a new inland (Toll?) motorway which was not shown on my map but was open with only very light traffic.

I rode the coast road north from Split to Rijeka; fairly slow progress as there are so many bends in some places that overtakes were difficult despite the low traffic volumes. Coastal road is lovely and scenic until you get close to Rijeka where it becomes a bit industrial. I stayed in a few days in the area around Sibenik; roads inland to Knin are deserted and few people. Even in Sept it was 20+ degrees which was nice for riding; I would not want to be there in the height of summer.

Bosnia is noticeably more worn and scarred from the war although the roads are generally in very good condition (EU money) and little traffic. Strange riding through bombed out, deserted villages it reminded me of some Scottish Highland glens after the clearances.

 

[riderbob]

Went to Croatia last August and the traffic wasn't too bad.

I went via Austria, the Dolomites, Slovenia then into Croatia. 4 days from the UK. Istria was fine. The only really busy stretch was between Split and Dubrovnik.

An easy ride all the way. Don't miss Slovenia it's fantastic.

 

[John Armstrong]

I went via Austria, the Dolomites, Slovenia then into Croatia. 4 days from the UK. Istria was fine. The only really busy stretch was between Split and Dubrovnik.

Did you stay in hotels in Croatia? If so how much were they? TVMIA.

 

[Gog yn y De]

SM Tours

We flew to Slovenia last year and did a 15 day tour with smtours on a R12GS. You can hire a bike from them and follow your own route too.

http://www.smtours.com/bikerental.html