Day 1 Dubrovnik to Mljet
Welcome to Emanuel, our boat for the next week, and our comfy cabin. This is what the entire holiday has been built around and we are so excited to get going!
After boarding we were indulged with a four course lunch (!) as we set sail out of Dubrovnik. If the meals stay this quality, table served and delicious, then I’m going to need some serious kms on the e-bike.
But, there is no cycling today, just a lot of lovely cruising on the beautiful Adriatic Sea, before a back-of-the-boat swim. Not only is the water stunningly blue, but it is also unimaginably clear.
Later in the afternoon we arrived to the small village of Pomena on Mljet Island and shared a meal with our 32 new cruising friends and two cycling guides.
Day 2 Mljet to Lostovo
We were up and breakfasted early so we could get out and about on our bikes. Allocated bikes 131 (Acca) and 225 (Dacca), we took to them like riding a bike!
Our first day’s cycle took us as a group to Mljet National Park, where we were free to explore for a couple of hours. In divine weather, we rode most of the park, before hailing the ferryman by using the white flag.
His name is Luca and he lives on the second floor. My name is Janie and I have a gun. So much fun and a pretty island as well.
After a coffee and a wee dram of something that fixes all tummy ails, made by Luca’s uncle for centuries, from a top-secret family restaurant, we hailed the ferryman and headed back to Hitler the Cat. His personality and name are far from aligned!
While for most of us, the ride back to Emanuel was uneventful, for the three riders who got lost, it seemed they had quite the ordeal. But they were soon reunited, and we set sail as we enjoyed a three course lunch. George, the cook is looking after us with non-fish and non-dairy options galore!
The afternoon sail took us past secret and massive tunnels built into the limestone cliffs where boats and submarines could hide, before we arrived at our afternoon swimming spot.
Another short sail, and we were moored in a bay somewhere in the Lastovo archipelago, with relics from times when the world was a less safe place.
Tonight we were treated to the Captains Dinner. Our Captain is a young man, bright and engaging. He told us of Emanuel’s history and fame. Emanuel is nothing less than a movie star!
After dinner, in the star gazing Mecca of Croatia, we laid on the top deck admiring the northern hemisphere constellations. The sky here is a highway for plane traffic, making satellite spotting a more difficult task than at home.
Day 3 Lastovo to Korčula
Having stayed remotely overnight, we had a brief sail in the morning over to the main island in the archipelago, Lastovo.
Our cycle as a group (never to be allowed to cycle off on our own again) headed up and over a large hill before cycling down the other side, to the bay.
It was a beautiful trip along roads with olive groves and fat, red grape vines, bringing us to a picture-perfect spot.
Our cycle back retraced our route, with a stop for a coffee in the little town atop the hill. We took the opportunity for coffee and a wander up to the local church, before we rode as a group back to the boat.
We are indeed spoilt on this trip, with a four course lunch again, while we sailed to the afternoon’s off-the-back-of-the-boat swim stop before sailing on to the walled city of Korĉula.
Our late afternoon arrival time gave us the opportunity to wander the city, barely scale the bell tower, fail to procur a seat on one of the remaining fortress corners and not find a geocache. What we did secure was gelato!
For something a bit different (not) we enjoyed some lovely pizza and pasta for dinner, and settled in to enjoy the live music until quite late into the evening. If you’re ever in Korĉula on a Monday night, try Servantes Restaurant. Many other folk wanted to join us but weren’t prepared to wait for a table!
Day 4 Korčula to Vela Luka
Our cycle today set off from beautiful Korĉula and Emanuel set off without us! From atop the hill we looked down on the pretty town before cycling across the island, round and round the roundabout (to regroup), and down to the beach for a swim and coffee.
Refreshed and recharged we looped around the coastline to Korĉula, stopping to a admire the city in the midday sun.
The rest of our cycle followed the beautiful coastline (with permission to ride in groups of 4 or 5) to the pretty town of Račišće for a quick dip in the pristine blue-green water.
Today’s coastal cycle is officially JC’s favourite ride of the trip, with good reason. It was a lovely, easy, picturesque and safe ride.
Our rinse and repeat itinerary for the afternoon included a beautiful three course lunch as we sailed to afternoon swim stop, for the 3rd swim of the day.
Our afternoon sail took us to the furthest end of Korĉula, to the town of Vela Luka for a smokey cocktail (why does everyone smoke?) and some Mexican food (yeah, no pizza or pasta for dinner).
Day 5 Vela Luka to Vis
I don’t suppose anyone got much of a sleep in this morning, but with a cabin adjacent to the motor room, we were certainly awake when the Captain started the boat at 6am! Even ear plugs couldn’t drown that out! Over breakfast we motored to the island of Vis.
Our post-breakfast cycle took us up, up, up to look down Rogačić boat harbour. I thoroughly enjoyed the hill. Not so for JC who somehow left Emanuel with 80% in the battery and opted for eco-mode to preserve some power.
After absorbing the view and catching our breath, we all cycled down to the boat harbour for a walk (another geocache goes unfound) and very quick coffee. Our trip out of town took us up, up, up to go around the island.
Our lovely guide Ana kindly swapped off a her perfectly fine bike and onto a dud bike that a fellow traveller had been struggling with all week. We were please to see her ride over the crest of the hill! Our descent through the farm country took us straight past the WW2 airfield and up to a vantage point for a better view. Lest we forget.
While JC spent the ride cycling along with a healthy dose of range anxiety, I enjoyed today’s ride more than any other. Perhaps it was how much cycling we did, or the challenge of the hills, or the beautiful weather, or a combination of all of these things.
Our final ride leg took us down to pretty Vis, and yet another 4 course lunch.
With all the cruising down early, we were free to explore and chose to cool down with a harbour swim and a small period of collecting rocks. There’s no room in my luggage for too many treasures.
The rest of the afternoon we traversed Vis waterfront and a few side laneways, amassing steps and bagging a few caches. It’s hard to explain how pretty it is here, and the photos barely do it justice, but I hope you get an idea.
Fortunately for us the small but gorgeous open air cinema, in a vacant block on the waterfront was screening Mamma Mia, Here we go Again, parts of which were filmed on the island. Of course we couldn’t resist the opportunity and had a fabulous time munching on cheese and crackers, washed down with a few beers. Almost too much fun to bear!
Can you spot little Emanuel, wedged in for the night, 5 deep, in a seven-boat squeeze! I’m glad we didn’t have a berth in the hallway that folk from boats 6 and 7 traverse on their way home.
Day 6 Vis to Milna via Hvar
Another earlyish start to the day, with a cruise across the choppier water and in the wind to Hvar. After a wander around another cute town, we cycled up to the Bike Cafe / Bar at Alavia on top of the hill. The e part of the e-bikes makes going uphill a little bit of joy, and the ruggedness of the bikes makes going downhill a less scary experience. We have both found the bikes to be great machines. At the bottom of the hill, in the week town of Stari Grad I found and bought what might just be my favourite liqueur ever. Lavender! A precious bottle of fine juice that I am looking forward to enjoying.
Time for another fine many course lunch, and an afternoon swim out of the wind, before we cruised to Milna for some picture-perfect cocktails on the corner and the prettiest pizza I ever eaten.
Day 7 Milna to Split
Today is our last day living it up on the Adriatic. Of course it started with a cycle, up and over from Milna to Sutivan where we lost our shoes for a while and paddled in the sea. The next leg of the journey followed the water past a fabulous looking motorhome park (worth remembering) and on to Supeta to meet Emanuel and one of our fellow cyclists who took a nasty fall on the way down the hill. Fortunately nothing broken!
And so ends the Sail Cycle Croatia tour, which exceeded all our expectations! We loved the sailing, the cycling, the walking, the swimming, the small towns, and the amazing culture and interesting history. Without hesitation we concur that we absolutely love Croatia!
The Solo Avocado 