Trip Report: Nick and Darryl Cruise Around Kvarner Bay

As we expected, we had an absolute blast sailing and cycling around Croatia's magnificent Kvarner Bay. On our seven-day tour, we drifted from island to island aboard our luxurious boat, the Andela Lora, disembarking to cycle through breathtaking natural landscapes. We were also lucky to visit fascinating and unique towns and cities, absorbing the history and culture of Croatia as we went.

If you're curious about what a Croatian Boat & Bike tour is like, read on to find out what we thought of our boat, the cycling routes, the towns, the cities and more...

If you're swayed by the prospect of cruising around Croatia's delightful coastal regions, book online via the tour page, or call +44 (0)1273 224066 and ask to speak to me or Darryl personally. Check out our Kvarner Bay Deluxe Boat & E-Bike Tour or view all of our Croatia Boat & Bike Tours to find out where else is on offer.

The most important ingredient of a great bike tour is of course the cycle routes and I don't think I've pedalled many better than on this tour. They were hugely varied, extremely fun and had more than manageable daily distances, varying from 18 to 28 miles.

My personal favourite was the route over the island of Dugi Otok on day four, where we pedalled over undulating terrain past pine forests and tamarisk trees. The route led us to Veli Rat, with its old lighthouse overlooking the vast blue Adriatic. The local keeper kindly allowed us to climb to the top where we enjoyed views of the sea to the west and pine-covered islands to the east.

Other highlights included pedalling across the gorgeous island of Molat where we enjoyed car-free roads and even met some of the local deer, and cycling via pretty little villages and chapels on the island of Pag.

One thing to bear in mind about this tour is that the rides are hilly! Unless you are a strong cyclist, I'd recommend opting for an e-bike to help you up the hills.

Fortunately, a Boat & Bike tour is just as much about lazing about onboard as it is about cycling, and we certainly did plenty of the former. The luxurious Andela Lora was the perfect place for me and Darryl to rest and recuperate after our fun in the saddle and we enjoyed the gentle crossings between islands sprawled out on the sundeck under the glorious autumn sun.

The tour includes half board with delicious meals provided by the onboard chefs. As good as the on board food is, I’d highly recommend you disembark and explore the local cuisine a few times during your stay. We were happy to share our hours on board with interesting fellow cyclists and had ample chance to socialise during cruises to new destinations. We made some great new friends on the sun deck, at the bar and around the board game tables provided by the boat.

When it comes to a bike tour, the quality of your two-wheeled transportation is all important. Darryl and I were lucky enough to be given a couple of 2024 series Orbea Terra H40 gravel bikes. They did a good job of getting us up the hills, they were lightweight, robust and exceptionally easy to handle.

As I mentioned above, I'd strongly recommend hiring an e-bike unless you're a strong cyclist. However, Darryl and I felt confident, so we only rode on the e-bikes for one day of the tour to test them out. The Orbea Optima Asphalt 11-speed E-Bike, with its four different performance modes, made the cycling easy, comfortable and enjoyable. The bikes let us reach all the viewing points without too much huffing and puffing and made the tour accessible for all members of our travelling group.

Now, some may say that this is the most important aspect of a guided tour and we were really happy with our guides Ivan and Mario. They were professional, well-presented, experienced and, being Croatian themselves, packed full of knowledge of the tour and the country.

They managed our daily cycles safely and delivered plenty of information in perfect English, German & Croatian. They recommended where to eat, which sites to see, and we even learnt a little Croatian from them. Lastly, they were fun to be with, really enhancing the adventure.

We also had some fantastic guides to show us around the towns and cities we visited. We enjoyed a fascinating walking tour around Rab, our guide teaching us about the ancient history of this picturesque little town situated on a peninsula on the island also named Rab.

We got to visit many of the towns and cities of the Croatian islands but my two absolute favourites were Zadar and Rab. Zadar is the biggest city on the route, full of life and exciting places to see with a fascinating blend of historic and modern. We wandered around the ruins of the Roman Forum and paid a visit to the amazingly beautiful Cathedral of Saint Anastasia. Out by the sea we absorbed the quirky and beautiful sounds of the 'sea organs'. Opened in 2005, the sea organs are an architectural structure which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps.

Rab is settled in the most beautiful location overlooking the Adriatic. We passed through narrow winding streets and walkways which emerge out into a gorgeous park. I loved the beautiful architecture overlooking the sea, particularly the four church towers which are perched overlooking the sea. The little peninsula which stretches out by the town was replete with flowers which filled the air with scent.

I absolutely loved our Kvarner Bay Deluxe Boat & E-Bike Tour and I would recommend that you have it top of your list for your next boat & bike holiday. There's not much better than combining a leisurely cruise around the tranquil waters of the Adriatic with cycling on pristine islands made easy with an e-bike.

If you'd like to save your spot on the sundeck, enquire online or you can speak to me or Darryl personally about the trip by calling +44 (0)1273 224066.

For more cycling tour tips, advice from our team and travel stories from our customers, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.