This is the final bike ride of five stages on the Dalmatian Coast. See the Adriatic from from the cliffs of Croatia’s Pelješac Peninsula. Ride through the Dingač vineyards where the famous Plavic Mali grapes are harvested.
[Music] in the previous four episodes of this series we embarked from Split as a group of cycling travelers bound for the Dalmatian island of Var we began our tour in Starigrad cycling the coastline to Yelsa then back to Var then on the next day we continued to the south tip of Var Island and fied to Cula Island where we based the rest of our tour from Lombarda the next two days included stunning scenery on Cula Island and in the national park on Lead Island the final stage of the tour begins at the Cordula ferry dock destined for mainland Croatia on the Paleoc Peninsula our van continues to Kuna Pelasca for a 17 km bike ride to Zulana our start is adjacent to a traditional donkey farm the donkey has long been a faithful companion to Dalmatian wine makers making it an iconic symbol of the region from the center of Kunapelca we descend a gradual slope that winds out of town on a smooth tarmac the Paleocat Peninsula is home to Croatia’s Dingot wine region which was officially recognized as the area’s first protected wine appellation in 1962 the region’s Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine and rocky limestone rich soil creates ideal conditions for vita culture as we work our way toward the coast we enter Potoma the peninsula’s only major highway is State Highway 414 otherwise the roads in this region are quiet with little traffic fortunately our guide is well-versed in the Dalmatian road system leaving Potomia we arrive at the entrance to the one-lane Dingosh tunnel watch for headlights here and yield to oncoming traffic the tunnel is totally paved 400 meters long and leads directly to the heart of the Dingotch Vineyards it was handshoveled in 1973 to transport grapes directly rather than by donkey over the steep mountain pass donkeys are still used to carry large baskets of harvested grapes to wineries over the steep slopes where machines aren’t practical potomia is also the gateway to the coastal highway with a panoramic view of the Adriatic Sea here we look at the rough coastline and legendary vineyards of Dingotch the consensus among wine professionals is that the soil sun exposure and location make the best plavit mali wines that come from Dingot and Postup soon these slopes will be filled with workers and donkeys as the rush to harvest delivers grapes to the wine merchants whenever a photo opportunity presents itself we make occasional stops for refreshments and incredible sights having started near the top of the Paleocac ridge we are treated to a panorama of spectacular unspoiled adriatic views at every corner there is a breathtaking spot for a photo op as we wind our way to sea level we enter the village of Tristanic archaeological finds confirm that people lived here in the stone age making Tricenic one of the oldest places on Paleocac leaving town we continue our way along the coast highway the next stop is the Gurggage Vina Winery giving us a chance to visit one of the Dingos region’s most famous wine producers this fork in the road indicates that we will continue downhill toward Zulana here you can see the advantage of a 45 degree hillside slope these hills descend steeply toward the sea and are perfectly positioned toward the sun in the distance we can see National Park our destination on the fourth day continuing downhill our ride brings us closer to sea level our transfer van is waiting for us outside Zulana this is the end of our cycling part of our tour but there is more ahead for us in Dub Brvnik we finished by transferring along the Paleocac Peninsula to its base and a stop in Stone during the Croatian War of the early 1990s Stone was a staging area for the resistance today it’s known for the oyster farms on Molly Stone Bay and the 14th century defensive wall at 7 kilometers it is the longest in Europe and second only to the Great Wall of China our transfer van continues from Stone to the mainland and follows the Croatian coastline between Bosnia and the Adriatic into Dubnik drebnik uniquely combines medieval fortifications Renaissance Gothic and Baroque architecture and a vibrant coastal ambiance cycling is not allowed within the city walls of Dravnik but after 5 days of cycling we are ready to explore Dravnik on foot the ability to walk its walls while overlooking the sea offers a one-of-a-kind experience blending historical richness with natural beauty within the walls is a vibrant ancient city it’s worth an extra two or three days to enjoy the historic sites the cathedral two monasteries and a dozen churches all hidden in the corners and back streets dubnik’s old town is packed with historical landmarks stunning views and charming streets the Jesuit stairs have the distinction as a location in the Game of Thrones stradun is a marble paved main street with shops cafes and historical landmarks on both sides the old port of Dravnik is now used for pleasure boats and restaurants fort Hubion is perched on a cliff outside the western walls this fortress offers incredible views and was a key filming location for the Game of Thrones thank you for watching this video please like and subscribe to our channel below