Here is an excpert:

‘Lady Penelope set sail from Dubrovnik on a bright morning with a stack of new mountain bikes on deck and the flag of adventure tour operator Explore fluttering from her stern rail.

Penelopa, to give Lady P her official name, is an old-timer from Split: a 100ft motor cruiser with 16 tiny twin-bunk cabins below and two shower heads amidships. “Keep to the starboard side if you want a hot shower,” said Dave, Tour Leader on Explore’s Dalmatian cycling cruise…. ‘

Read he whole article at this link

Kopacki Rit , one of the Croatian Nature Parks, situated in northeast Croatia in a corner formed by Drava and Danube rivers, has become the first visitor center for cyclotourists in Croatia.

Three years ago, the cooperation between Kopacki Rit and the Croatian office of the German Technical Cooperation Company initiated a project for development of the Danube cyclotourist route. The project consists of three phases, and its second phase has recently been completed.

The first phase of development of Danube cyclotourism included setting up of tourist signage, info desks, and general promotion of the Danube route by means of various maps, brochures and promotional materials.

A roofed parking lot has recently been set up within the parking lot of the Kopacki Rit Reception Center, and the premises of the center contain a new computer with internet access available to all cyclotourists.

Kopacki Rit has also become an internet center, and its purpose as a visitor center is to provide bikers and cyclotourists with basic information and information on additional offerings including interesting events, restaurants, inns, bike service facilities and everything provided by the tourist offer of the Baranja region. The computer will offer the possibilities of downloading photos from the trip, sending e-mail, writing blogs, seeking additional information, etc.

As the Danube route is the first international route in Croatia with a large number of cyclotourists passing through over the year, the third phase will include eco-counters – counters for bikers passing through, which will be set up at the very entrance to Kopacki Rit. A counter for pedestrians and motor vehicles will also be added.

Kopacki Rit Nature Park: www.kopacki-rit.com

Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board: www.tzosbarzup.hr

Here are some short excerpts from the article:

Jim Bassett could have put away his bike helmet for the season in October. Instead he packed for a bike trip in Croatia..

…Vermont Bike Tours set up the 12-day trip, complete with two very helpful young Croatian guides, Marko and Vanja. Bassett already knew and had biked with 19 out of the 23 in the group, “and the others were friends of friends,” he said. They found that many Croatians speak English, but their main languages are Croatian, Serbian and Slovene. The country lies between Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a long coastline and 1,700 islands on the east side of the Adriatic Ocean, across from Venice…

..After flying from Frankfurt to Dubrovnik on October 16, they met up with some of their fellow bikers at their hotel, the Hotel Zagreb, “a delightful place in a very pleasant neighborhood.” Generally the hotels were very nice, he said, perhaps nicer than what he and Mary would have chosen for themselves…

..October 18 found the group on a bus to Split, about 100 miles away. A highlight was visiting Diocletian’s Palace, ruins of the edifice built by the Roman emperor Diocletian around the 3rd century A.D. Bassett explained, “This is a historical site of major significance. The palace is one of the most famous and integral architectural and cultural constructs on the Croatian Adriatic coast, holding an outstanding place in Mediterranean, European and world heritage.” …

Read the rest of the article + More about Cycling in Croatia

It offes a range of valuable Istria cycling information targeted to tourists and local fans of recreational and professional cycling.

The site is available in six languages – Croatian, Italian, German, French, Dutch and English and gives tons of info about Istria cycling project that was launched in 1995 when the marking of trails and their entry into classic cycling maps was initiated.

This is the unique Croatia cycling website that besides the information on trails and destinations on the routes, also lists all Istrian cycling events during the year as well as interesting article about history of cycling in Istria.