How about an Adriatic cruise on two wheels? Fascinating natural beauties can be found between Istria and Dalmatia in spring and autumn without having to share the main routes with departing bathers.
Motorbike Tour Through Istria
The highlights of Istria include the grandiose house facades on the promenade of Opatija, Poreč, the pearl of Istria and Pula with its Roman amphitheater.
The circular tour from Opatija takes you along tight serpentines over the Učka Mountains to the truffle stronghold of Buzet on a hill above the Mirna Valley. With Cape Savudrija the north-west tip of Istria is reached. Along the coastal road, the route runs with sea views via Novigrad to Poreč , whose old town with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque palaces lies on a peninsula.
The medieval-Venetian picture book towns of Rovinj and Pula follow . A walk to the amphitheater, the Temple of Augustus and the city gates is like a journey back in time to ancient Rome. The bays and beaches of Medulin are ideal for swimming, and the town tower of Labin for a panoramic view of the Kvarner Bay . With its traditional hotels, the destination of Opatija brings back the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Motorcycle Tour Through Dalmatia
The Jadranska Magistrala is one of the most beautiful panoramic roads in the world. This circular tour follows it from Zadar, the “Gateway to Dalmatia”, to Split. The highlight on the way back through the hinterland is the Krka National Park.
Zadar , whose old town is rich in palaces, churches and monasteries, lies like a postcard idyll on a fortified peninsula. From here, the Jadranska Magistrala leads through pine forests, later past fishing villages and always offers views of rugged bays, the Kornati islands and countless other islands. Šibenik is worth a stop because of its excellently preserved old town, as is Trogir’s medieval town centre.
Split , the largest city in Dalmatia, is a must-see with the huge Diocletian’s Palace and cozy cafes within the palace walls. From here the route leads inland past the steppe-like prairie at the Peručko Jezero reservoir to the Krka National Park . Parts of the Karl May films were shot in its gorges and on the countless water cascades of the Krka. Zadar will soon be in sight again via Benkovac. Check out Benji Europe Bike Tours for your great Europe Motorbike Experience.