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Biking in the Balkans

Biking in the Balkans - Where to ride on a Croatian motorcycle tour

Croatia is home to impossibly clear turquoise seas, craggy coastlines, magnificent waterfalls and lakes, lush forests, vast vineyards, gorgeous mountainous landscapes and some of the most impressive architecture in the world. Visiting this beautiful country is a must on anyone’s bucket list and as all of us bikers know, there’s no better way to travel than on our trusted steeds…

With the season beginning, it’s time to start thinking about where we want to take our bikes on holiday. Always available to lend a helping hand, Magellan have dug out some fantastic roads and must see sights in Croatia to get you ready for the touring season.

The E65, D23, D52 National Park Route

The roads in northern Croatia are the gifts that keep on giving. Armed with amazing hairpins, open fast curves, smooth tarmac and zero traffic – they are every biker’s dream. They are also blessed with having some of the most beautiful views available anywhere. The E65, D23, D52 national park route has it all! Starting on the E65 with the sun-kissed Adriatic Sea to the right, you follow the pretty road as it winds through little towns bristling with sidewalk cafes and seafood restaurants until you reach Senj. Here’s where the terrain and road changes dramatically.

From hugging the coast, you are thrust up into the hills on the D23 on a series of tight hairpins and speedy open stretches. Passing through the woodlands, the road eventually forks onto the D52 and you head towards the vast moorlands of Plitvice national park, where the scenery changes yet again and is very reminiscent of the welsh countryside.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

With a chain of 16 clear turquoise lakes and 90 epic waterfalls, the beautiful 295 sq km forest reserve in central Croatia has been a tourist attraction since the late 19th century. It is Croatia’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site…. It’s also one of our favourite stops on any of the tours we offer. The beautiful serenity of the water cascading and gently tumbling from lake to lake can be experienced with walkways and hiking trails winding around the park and across the clear waters.

Dubrovnik

Overlooking the stunning Adriatic Sea, the walled city of Dubrovnik in the south is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage site has many attractions, but none as impressive as the pedestrian only old town, lined with 16th century stone walls, beautiful Baroque era churches and romantic cobbled lanes. We have a rest day here and it is always a firm favourite whether people decide to wander around the ancient old town, or chill out on the golden sands surrounding the fortified city.

D8 Coast Road

Leaving Dubrovnik you find yourself on one of the most beautiful coastal drives in the world in the shape of the D8. The fantastic two day ride to Rijeka will see you curving around the limestone mountains, passing seaside villages and staring out onto the clear blue water of the Adriatic Sea. Around every hairpin and long sweeping bend, the horizon provides breathtaking views overlooking the hundreds of small islands scattered on the southern Dalmatian coast. Zero traffic, craggy mountains on one side and the open ocean on the other – what’s not to like? Magellan have ridden this road countless times and it always features on our list of all time favourites.

So there you have it… Croatia is a wonderful country steeped in history and blessed with beauty to boot! It’s the perfect place for a biking holiday, combining fantastic riding with old world charm and relaxation. Whether you are going as a solo rider or as part of a group, there is something for everyone. It certainly has the Magellan stamp of approval and then some!

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