Croatia 2026

Starting a week-long motorcycle tour across Croatia on Saturday. Ahead of saddling up, our group of seven riders is rendezvousing in Zagreb, the capital. I flew in on KLM from LA via Schiphol—the LA leg was 10 hours, followed by two more from Amsterdam. For late May, the weather just broke into the high 70s as of this week, and spending the afternoon walking around the city center felt great in a long-sleeve T-shirt. Although you may be zonked from the time change, the best way to get on track is to refuse to nap, which is exactly why I immediately hit the streets to stroll around.

My first impression is that Zagreb looks a bit like Milan. It features historic architecture tagged at its base with crappy graffiti. The buildings are not quite as grand and the city isn’t as bustling, but it's that specific edge and slight grime that brings the industrial energy of Milan to mind. I walked for about four hours. I started by popping into the Zagreb Cathedral; with its two towering spires, it’s hard to miss. They were doing restoration work, so I was able to see the original wood beams extracted and piled visibly out front. It was the same with the giant copper bells—you could see all the fine details of their hardware that you would never catch a glimpse of when they're actually installed.

From there, I meandered up the winding street of Tkalčićeva, which is filled with vibrant cafes and bars, all boasting outdoor seating. The street snakes upward and has a classic European vibe. Further up that road, I passed near the "Bloody Bridge" (Krvavi Most), which isn't an actual bridge.

Today, but a historic spot where two rival sections of Zagreb's old citizenry used to conflict. Right around that corner, you can enter the Grič Tunnel. Built as a WWII bomb shelter, it's now used as a pedestrian underpass that connects you straight to the Upper Town, letting you pop out about 200 yards on the other side.

While the museums aren't massive, the Archaeological Museum sits right on the lovely, rectangular park of Zrinjevac where the historic Glazbeni (Musical) Pavilion is located. All around these parts are great shops, cafes, and beautiful architecture. A real treat was hearing opera music and realizing it was being sung live from an upper-floor window. I sat at the cafe below the building, learned the music was coming from a music school upstairs, and enjoyed the beautiful opera verses mixed in with other students practicing their instruments. The spot was Verdi Caffe Bar—maybe you'll get lucky with a live street concert like I did.

My second day in Zagreb—the first actual full day of the trip—consisted of two guided walking tours. I stumbled onto a great new travel tip: book these directly with the actual guide on an app called GuruWalk rather than going through a massive agency.

The morning tour was with a bright, young guide named Katja, who led a fantastic gastro- and food-themed route. While you can easily check out all of these spots on your own, you’ll miss the crucial context and local perspectives. Zagreb’s city center is highly localized and easy to tackle in a few hours; given the relative lack of major museums, these walking tours are truly the best way to learn and explore.

Our first stop was the famous Dolac Market, located just above Ban Jelačić Square—or simply "The Square," as the locals call it. The market is divided into a few distinct sections, including dedicated spaces for flowers, fruit, meat, and dairy. A major perk of being with Katja was that she hooked us up with samples at every single stop. The nuts, figs, and cherries stood out from our first tasting. Funny enough, the climate and terrain in Zagreb are so conducive to figs that you’ll actually see fig bushes growing directly out of the old stone walls of decaying buildings.

Next was the meat market, which was packed with various types of prosciutto and ham, including a unique kind of dried, minced meat and a crispy, fried pancetta snack. Down in the dairy hall, we tried unpasteurized soft cheese topped with cream and salt. While there, we spotted a highly industrious stall owner selling "under-the-table" chickens. She had turned her dairy kiosk into a complete one-stop shop, even crowding her display cases with fresh veggies. Known for showing up to work in full makeup every single day, she was easily the busiest vendor in the market.

Afterward, I walked through the WWII tunnel for the second time and toured the Upper Town, which can be accessed via a historic funicular or a quick stair climb. The Upper Town is filled with gorgeous, classic European Renaissance architecture. As is common here following the two earthquakes that hit the city in 2020, many of these historic structures now house government and EU offices.

In between the morning and afternoon tours, while still exploring the Upper Town, I happened across a museum dedicated to the legendary Croatian cartoon artist, Otto Reisinger. He drew extensively in the 1960s and 70s, using a style reminiscent of The New Yorker or Playboy to create sharp satire and playful commentary on everything from daily life to politics, and he even did some work for The New York Times. A local trust set up this small, house-sized, two-floor museum to showcase his legacy, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. His pieces are funny, incredibly detailed, and provide an excellent window into the local mentality. As we journey further through Croatia, that unique mentality often shines through in the people—a personality that is slightly sarcastic, or as my buddy Steve called it, "edgy."

Our afternoon tour was with a local gentleman who gave us further perspective on the unique Croatian mentality—specifically, how deeply in tune they are with their leisure time and how much less they are motivated by strictly capitalist goals.

He shared some fascinating history about Zrinjevac Park (formally Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog), the beautiful park I had been crossing constantly since I arrived. I learned that the historic, glass-and-stone encased clock sitting at its northern edge was actually a gift to the city back in 1884, and it functions as a fully operational meteorological station, tracking temperature and barometric pressure.

It was a great cap to our time in the capital. But after being shown the WWII tunnel for a third time, I knew it was officially time to fire up the motorcycles and begin exploring the rest of Croatia.

Day 1: Zagreb ➡️ Šibenik

Now for the real reason behind this Croatia trip: the open road. We kicked off our seven-day BMW motorcycle tour at 9:00 AM sharp, rolling out from RocketMoto, a top-tier shop in Zagreb run by a gentleman named Chris. RocketMoto gives you options—they can either set you up with independent bike rentals or provide a dedicated guide to lead the way. We opted for the guided experience, letting them map out the routes and book all the hotels. For seven days of riding, excluding food and gas, it totaled just under $3,000 USD. Our guide, Robert, was handpicked for his seasoned, mature temperament—a perfect fit for our crew, which averages in the late 50s. Together, the seven of us quickly earned the nickname "The Magnificent Seven."

Our destination for day one was the coastal historic town of Šibenik, with a route planned through the absolute must-see wonderland of Plitvice Lakes National Park - https://maps.apple.com/?address=Josipa%20Jovi%C4%87a%2019%0A53231%20Plitvi%C4%8Dki%20Jezera%0ACroatia&auid=3110453823905816765&ll=44.853249,15.579346&lsp=9902&q=Plitvice%20akes%20National%20Park&t=m

En route to the surreal, cascading fairy world of Plitvice, we made a pit stop in a picturesque little village called Rastoke. Sitting about 30 minutes outside the main national park, Rastoke lets you cross the river via wooden bridges and watch waterfalls rush directly beneath a handful of local cafes. While the park itself features hours of beautifully groomed, nearly paved walking trails leading down to the iconic, multi-tiered falls, we opted for a quick scout—snapping a few photos before saddling back up to keep moving. It was a good call, because our next stop was off the beaten path, far more unusual, and stunningly raw.

I have to say, touring on a modern, precisely engineered piece of German machinery is a sensation everyone should experience at least once. I’m riding a BMW R 1250 GS. The torque is unbelievable; you can absolutely haul ass in third gear, barely revving the engine at 3,000 RPMs, and cruise effortlessly at 75 mph. The bike is a fine-tuned, chiseled beast. I was thrilled to find that our route avoided major highways entirely. Instead, we stuck to beautiful two-lane roads that, once clear of the city, are bordered by vibrant green fields rolling through dramatic valleys, mountain passes, and flat stretches where you can click up into 6th gear and watch ancient medieval stone walls flash past.

Our hidden detour via the winding, narrow, sand-colored switchback road, which tested your low-speed first-gear turning skills, brought us to the Krupa Monastery, a historical Serbian Orthodox site established in 1317, nestled along the Krupa River. The area features a handful of original Ottoman-era stone buildings. As a California guy used to stucco everywhere, seeing raw, unadorned historic stone construction is incredibly refreshing.

There was a tiny outdoor kiosk nearby with rustic picnic benches where a local woman was brewing legitimate, incredibly strong, dark Turkish coffee. There might have been a dozen people total in the entire valley while we passed through. Walking into the monastery grounds felt like stepping into a fantasy novel—the river is completely shrouded in deep, rich greenery.

By late afternoon, we crested the hills and descended into Šibenik, checking into the Lookout Hotel and Oyster Bar - https://maps.app.goo.gl/AvMnknuUjeEQ2c6t7?g_st=ic

Šibenik is incredible, boasting two distinct UNESCO World Heritage sites: The Cathedral of St. James and the St. Nicholas Fortress. While the Cathedral is a quick, beautiful walk from the center of town, the massive fortress guards the mouth of the channel coming in from the Adriatic Sea on a small island between two landmasses, making it a spectacular target to reach.

The Old City itself is a maze of narrow streets. At dusk, the alleys are lit by warm, yellow pendants and wall sconces hanging above the paths. The ground is paved entirely in old limestone that has been worn down and polished to a mirror-like gleam by millions of footsteps over the centuries. You can stand in one spot, spin around 360 degrees, and find yourself completely enveloped by towering stone buildings, historic green wooden shutters, and centuries of coastal history.

Touring Day 2: Šibenik ➡️ Dubrovnik

Each night's stay on this road trip seems to be about 300 kilometers apart. Day two was on the lighter end of that mileage, but as you can imagine, with seven guys, getting geared up after stops, refueling, and taking coffee breaks can still eat up a chunk of the clock. Fortunately, the group didn’t lag. Everyone was on the same page—efficient and conscious of group riding etiquette. Knowing none of the seven except my cousin Steve, I’m in a good group of guys, with a variety in riding levels. Personally, I’d sold my last bike about 18 years ago and only had a couple of practice days in the months preceding the trip. I’m glad I didn’t let that deter me. Anyone can become a good rider with training, track days, and practice. These BMW bikes are easy to handle, and in a group with a mellow guide like Robert is, it’s been all fairly straightforward.

I was telling Deanna about John, that I could picture myself looking like him at 70. He’s the oldest, slender, and a great rider who’s toured Thailand and just returned from South Africa. He lives in Boca, Florida, but feels more like he’s from somewhere more salt of the earth, like Pennsylvania, and that he would own an engineering firm of some sort that paves roads. He has that weathered, get-it-done vibe. His wife turned him into a benign kosher eater, so he’ll have veggies while out as his best attempt to avoid being unkosher. 

Leaving Šibenik by 8:00 AM, the road quickly wound upward away from the shoreline and we merged onto an actual highway—something I wasn't entirely sure existed out here. Two lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 130 km/h (about 80 mph). I opened up the throttle on the GS and hit about 175 KM/hr. By 10:30 AM, we rolled into Makarska.

While I’ve never been to the Amalfi Coast, we have all seen the photos, and that is exactly what these coastal Croatian towns bring to mind. Makarska sits nestled along a crescent, potato-shaped bay backed by a large stone boardwalk where local kids were diving off the docks into the sea. The main marina stretch of retail and outdoor dining spans nearly a mile. At its right tip, the harbor gives way to a rugged monument and a rustic, unpaved park area that lends the town an almost Sicilian feel. It makes sense; we are sitting just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, so the Mediterranean terrain naturally mirrors it with lush green pines, olive trees, and leafy flora.

The local community here felt visibly well-off, effortlessly fashionable, and unhurried—yet entirely unpretentious. Cafes were filling up with relaxed, mature groups of friends dressed in light sweaters and classic whites, sporting cool sunglasses. They were doing what Europeans do best: sitting on cafe patios, smoking, talking, and genuinely enjoying life and each other's company. After grabbing a quick bakery snack and an espresso at a local cafe, we headed straight up into the towering mountains looming directly over the town.

This leg was slow, demanding first- and second-gear precision to navigate the dramatic switchbacks up to Skywalk Biokovo, which I would highly recommend - https://maps.app.goo.gl/yUr1uqaMH9GDm1kFA

Sitting at an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet, the peak features a breathtaking horseshoe-shaped glass observation deck that cantilevers directly out over the massive cliffside, giving you the sensation of walking on thin air over the sea.

For the final afternoon stretch, we made one last fuel stop just before crossing the spectacular Pelješac Bridge. This modern, cable-stayed engineering marvel was built specifically so travelers could bypass the Bosnian border corridor at Neum. A few decades ago, drivers bypassed it due to the tensions of war; more recently, it was simply a logistical nuisance involving two separate border checkpoints within 20 minutes of each other just to remain on the coastal route. Now, this stunning bridge allows you to glide towering over the blue waters of the sea, riding across the Pelješac peninsula before a shorter bridge carries you back to the mainland.

As the late afternoon sun began to cast a warm, golden glow across the coast, we finally rolled into Dubrovnik. Entering the area, a couple of massive cruise ships looked impossibly squeezed into the city's quaint, historic harbor—a striking welcome to the "Pearl of the Adriatic."

Day 3: Dubrovnik down to the tap

After the group had a slower morning, so three of us in the Guide headed a couple hours on a high cliffside coastal Road to the southern Croatia literally shaped like a spear and Ana is a fortress from 600 years ago with scaffolding from an old renovation that seems that will never finish to let us climb around inside

With you through the lookout windows across to Macedonia, you could see the first town nestled into the bay. Hit another fortress to top of mountain with more paved now switch back to get up there.

After 2 1/2 days of riding this afternoon, felt good to get the gear off put the flip-flops on and walk around the city center. A walking on the street takes you down to a little cove with the city beach and a promenade which if you walk up as many entrances to enter on a private rock area for yourself and swim.