Rijeka - Dubrovnik

Rijeka to Dubrovnik, May 2013

  The ride from Rijeka is fairly smooth, but starting from Sveti Juraj there is a long and arderous climb up Velebit mountain. It stops before Jablanica village. Extra water is a must for the climb, especially in summer months. Villages from Sveti Juraj onwards are few and all are located far downhill from the road. From Jablanica there is a ferry to the island of Rab, where you may find better accommodations than in mainland villages. Leaving Rab with a bicycle is tricky since you can either go back to the mainland to Jablanica or pay for a private boat taxi to the neighboring island of Pag (these tend to be expensive). There are also catamarans in summer but these will under no circumstance accept bicycles. In the next village from Jablanica – Prizna, there is a ferry which goes to Pag. Right off the ferry on Pag you’ll face a very steep incline. If taking the short-cut from Sibenik to Split which leads through hills instead of going along the water line, you’ll face a long incline but one which at the end will break out into a breathtaking view of Trogir, Split and neighboring islands. The view is well worth the effort. The rest of the road is smooth riding or hilly in places, and beautiful scenere is the rule.  Camping grounds abound. If looking for private accommodations it's best to stay in larger towns since prices for rooms or apartments are always lower than in smaller villages.