Pearls of the Adriatic Sea (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.
We started our day painfully early in Dubrovnik — but with good reason. After a quick breakfast, we made our way into the old town just as the first rays of sunlight touched the ancient stones. The streets were still quiet, the crowds nowhere in sight. It felt like stepping into a different world — part medieval fairytale, part Game of Thrones set. Which, of course, it actually is. We wandered through the narrow alleys and marveled at the architecture, soaking in that mystical, almost cinematic vibe. And yes — we paid a visit to the iconic staircase where Cersei began her infamous “walk of shame.” No bells rang for us, though. Just the clink of cutlery as we sat down for lunch right on the steps, eating where TV history was made. In the afternoon, we fired up the bikes for what turned into a scorching hot ride. The sun was relentless, the asphalt shimmered, but the views more than made up for it. Twisting through the mountains, we descended toward Montenegro and ended the day in the stunning bay of Kotor — sweaty, sunbaked, but totally in awe. From ancient stone to Adriatic breeze, this day had it all.
We took off from Kotor for a loop up to Lovćen and back — four experienced Canadian riders: Todd, Alan, Harley, and Kelly riding sweep. The road up was packed with tight switchbacks, but we handled them like pros. Smooth lines, solid pace, no drama. At the top, we stopped for a fantastic goulash lunch — simple, hot, and exactly right after the climb. Then back down to Kotor. Clean ride, good crew, top day.
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.