Die Perlen der Adria (CAS250A)
Welcome to our wonderful Tour-Hotel Coronado. Situated next to the Diocletian Palace it is a perfect start for exploring sizzling Split. Today we also had the Welcome briefing which all tourmembers followed actively. And handover of the bikes is always an exciting moment.Even though this time all of our riders chose the same bike: The faboulus BMW 1250 RT. What an impressive sight…
What an awesome ride to the Lavender island of Hvar (pronounced Quaah) today. But first we took a turn to the world famous gorge of Cetina with its waterfalls and milelong stretches of beautiful switchback roads. Tourguide Joris was confronted with a blown tire which he mastered bravely in 32 degrees C of heat on Hvar.
Waking up in beautiful Hvar, we quickly headed to the ferry to continue our journey. We did stop for short lavender shopping but drove on to beautiful lookout of the Nerevedelta Valley. On the right side the Adriatic Sea on the left the Dinaric alps, stunning. A couple of lookouts later we arrived at busy Dubrovnik with its cruise ships and old walls.
Wir starteten unseren Tag sehr früh in Dubrovnik – aber aus gutem Grund. Nach einem schnellen Frühstück machten wir uns auf den Weg in die Altstadt, gerade als die ersten Sonnenstrahlen die alten Mauern berührten. Die Gassen waren noch leer, keine Touristen weit und breit. Es fühlte sich an, als würden wir in eine andere Welt eintreten – teils mittelalterliches Märchen, teils Game of Thrones-Kulisse. Was es ja im Grunde auch ist. Wir schlenderten durch die engen Gassen, bewunderten die Architektur und genossen diese mystische, fast filmreife Atmosphäre. Natürlich machten wir auch Halt an der berühmten Treppe, wo Cerseis “Walk of Shame” begann. Keine Glocken für uns – nur das Klirren von Besteck, während wir direkt auf den Stufen zu Mittag aßen, genau dort, wo Fernsehgeschichte geschrieben wurde. Am Nachmittag ging’s dann aufs Motorrad – für eine brütend heiße Fahrt. Die Sonne war gnadenlos, der Asphalt flimmerte – aber die Aussicht entschädigte für alles. Durch die Berge schlängelten wir uns hinab Richtung Montenegro und landeten schließlich in der atemberaubenden Bucht von Kotor – verschwitzt, sonnenverbrannt, aber vollkommen begeistert. Von alten Steinen bis zur Adriabrise – dieser Tag hatte einfach alles.
Wir starteten in Kotor für eine Runde hoch nach Lovćen und wieder zurück – mit vier erfahrenen Fahrern aus Kanada: Todd, Alan, Harley und Kelly als Sweeper. Die Straße nach oben war vollgepackt mit engen Serpentinen, aber wir nahmen sie wie Profis. Klare Linien, gutes Tempo, keine Spielereien. Oben gab’s eine fantastische Gulaschsuppe – einfach, heiß, genau das Richtige nach dem Anstieg. Dann zurück nach Kotor. Saubere Fahrt, starke Truppe, top Tag.
Today we had a beautiful ride from Kotor to Mostar in Bosnia. After leaving the awesome fijord of Kotor (actually is an underwater river canyon) we headed for exciting Bosnia. Bordercrossing was inexpectedly short and so we had more time for the winding slopes of R616 to Trebilje and Mostar, which is a UNESCO World Heritage side. The famous Stari Most (Old bridge) was also a scene of water jumps by local boys who did it for little money. Dinner was at our Hotel and couldn't be better.
Today was the longest ride of our 8-day trip: from Mostar to Zadar. Luckily, we had a great group of Canadians with us, which made every kilometer more fun. The route took us along quiet roads through the middle of nowhere – wide open landscapes, barely any traffic, and perfect riding conditions. Everything went smoothly. No issues, no stress. Just throttle and enjoy. Lunch was... generous, to say the least. Ridiculously big portions, like they were feeding us for a week. No complaints – just a bit of a food coma afterwards. By the end of the day, we rolled into Zadar feeling satisfied. A beautiful city, warm evening air, and a great dinner at Karma. Good food, cold drinks, and strong stories at the table — just the way a day like this should end.
Technically, today was our rest day in Zadar — but with a place like Plitvice National Park nearby, we couldn’t just sit still. So we swapped bikes for hiking shoes and rode out early to visit the famous waterfalls. And it was absolutely worth it. Crystal-clear water, wooden walkways, and layered cascades that looked almost unreal. A perfect break from the saddle, but still full of movement and nature. After a few hours of wandering through the park, taking in the views and the fresh air, we headed back to Zadar — tired legs, full camera rolls, and completely recharged.