Kroatien Bike Tour

On gravel and hiking trails, through the forest and along the sea, past former watchtowers we drive to Zadar. PIP2: At the entrance to the old town I noticed a very creative and probably also innovative tie store .

On a tour of the sacral buildings Church and Monastery of St. Michael The church and monastery of St. Michael are located in the center of the town. It has a special nickname: "The most important place for confession in Zadar". The monastery houses the friars of the Third Order of St. Francis, who wear black robes and so are also known as Black Friars.

Church of the Holy Prophet Elias The church is located on the Roman Capitol. Built in the 16th century on the site of the medieval Catholic church of the same name. Rebuilt in the 18th century in late Baroque style, it houses a collection of icons from the 16th to 18th centuries The church with its unique collection is one of the most valuable cultural monuments in Zadar. PiP2: Pillar of Shame An ancient, weathered Roman pillar, hundreds of years ago the sight of it would have been enough to terrify troublemakers. In the Middle Ages, the pillar was a place of punishment, giving rise to the nickname , Pillar of Shame. Those to be punished were chained to the column, mocked, humiliated and whipped.

Church of Our Lady of Health The Church of Our Lady of Health ,is a church built in the 18th century in Baroque style. During the Second World War it was almost completely destroyed, only the bell tower and the small chapel were spared, in 1990 it was rebuilt. Nowadays the church is a popular destination for believers from all over the world and a tourist attraction.

Cathedral of St. Anastasia The Cathedral of Zadar is a Roman Catholic cathedral and also holds the title of basilica minor. The largest church in all of Dalmatia is dedicated to the martyr Anastasia of Sirmium. The church was rebuilt in the 11th and 12th centuries and was consecrated again by Pope Alexander VII in 1177. During the siege by the Venetians and Crusaders in 1202, the cathedral was severely damaged. Throughout the 13th century the restoration lasted. PIP 1-4: The basilica has a high nave and two aisles, in the choir there is a choir stall with 54 seats, which was executed in the Gothic style.

Church of St. Donatus A unique sight, the church of St. Donatus . Built in the early ninth century, it is the best preserved monument of the early Christian period in Croatia. The church is a round church , which gives it a special appearance. In the course of its history the church was used for various purposes, as a military camp , a wine cellar or an archaeological museum. Thanks to its excellent acoustics in the cylindrical interior, today the church is mainly used for concerts.

Bell tower of St. Anastasia Cathedral A highlight in the old town of Zadar , after climbing 200 steps , a remarkable panoramic view awaits you , The tower is one of the most popular sights.

The Sea Organ in Zadar, is an experimental musical instrument whose sounds are produced by the waves of the sea under large stone slabs. Since the promenade of the old town was no longer a beautiful sight after the destruction of the Second World War. There was a project to redesign the promenade. The proposal for the sea organ was part of the project. Under the sea level there are 35 tubes of different lengths and diameters. The tubes rise up under the concrete at a 20° angle, each opening into organ pipes of different pitches. Water is flushed into the tubes by the waves. As the water flows in and out, a sound is created in the organ pipes. This is how the sound is created. Depending on the period length and frequency of the waves, a melody is created. Sea Organ became a tourist magnet and popular place for the population to stay.

HWW The wall made of many different stones, d says Ernst Ferstel: It is up to us alone whether we build walls or bridges out of the many stones we put in each other's way.

Sea organ, a small sample of how it SOUNDS :-)

In the immediate vicinity of the Sea Organ there is another attraction of the Greeting to the Sun. The installation is by the same artist/architect who designed the Sea Organ, the Greeting to the Sun consists of 300 glass modules installed on the waterfront in a circle on an area of 408 square meters, representing the sun. At sunset, the lighting elements built into the sun circle turn on, creating a beautiful play of light that picks up the rhythm of the sea waves and sounds of the sea organ. Some look at these extraordinary buildings from a safe distance and thus escape the hype that usually prevails there ;-)

The new gateway to the city. This modest archway is one of the main entrances to the old town, a maze of narrow streets and small squares with a strong southern flavor. Our bicycles are parked in front of this gate, we will pick them up now so that we can set off for Zaton. On the bike path from Zadar back to Zaton, this one is super developed.

A boat trip to the Kornati Islands in particular to Dugi Otok Nature Park Telašćica Telašćica Bay, which also gives the nature park its name, is located on the island of Dugi Otok. The location of the bay provides good protection from the Bura and Jugo winds, which makes Telašćica one of the best protected natural harbours on the Adriatic east coast.

A boat trip to the Kornati Islands in particular to Dugi Otok Salt Lake Mir The lake is about 900 m long and about 300 m wide. The greatest depth is 6 m. The lake is salty due to underground connections with the sea, and the salt content of the lake is higher than average due to evaporation. . The salinity is higher than that of the sea, indicating the evaporation and remoteness of the lake. The lake shore is low and rocky, with a small sandy beach in the southwestern part. The lake bottom is rocky in the shallow parts and covered with alluvial clay and mud in the deeper parts. The temperature in the lake is very marked, up to 33°C in summer and 5°C in winter, so the lake is warmer than the sea in summer and colder in winter. Due to the extreme conditions, there is biological poverty in the lake. Plankton and a few species of marine organisms animate the lake.

A boat trip to the Kornati Islands Steep slope "Stene" In Telašćica Bay rise the vertical cliffs of Dugi otok, the "Stene". The cliffs reach a height of 161 m. The area has an extremely rich fauna and flora, with a bit of luck you can also observe dolphins swimming along the cliffs. Various corals live on the cliffs, including the red coral, which is already threatened with extinction. Above sea level, the Croatian centaury can be found, and the cliffs are also a nesting place for the peregrine falcon and the Eleonora's falcon. In the underwater caves of the cliffs there are semi-dark caves inhabited by a variety of sponges, cnidarians, corals etc. Along the cliff, in the depths of the sea, underwater , up to a depth of 20 km, algae can be found , at greater depths colonies of red coral can be found, which is one of the endangered species. Several species of sea urchins, numerous species of fish and crabs also live around the cliffs. PIP1: When the sun goes down after an eventful day, the time has come to let the soul and legs dangle and close the eyes to let the experienced pass in review :-)

Bike tour to the island of Vir On dirt roads and car roads we discover the island, Vir is one of about 300 islands and islets of the Zadar archipelago.The island of Vir is connected to the Croatian mainland by a bridge and is easy to reach.

A symbol for a modern island Virski Bridge built in 1976. The development of the island is due to the connection through the bridge which brought it closer to the continental part of the country. Construction of the bridge began in 1974 and was completed and inaugurated in 1976. The bridge is built in a place where it is best protected from the bora. Its length is 378 metres and the arch structure is supported by 9 concrete piers The bridge is a symbol of the modern island of Vir. In 2005, the bridge was completely rebuilt. The transition from the island to the mainland is also called the Bridge of Life

With the bike around Vir, always as close as possible to the water, was sometimes not quite easy The island of Vir is connected to the mainland by a bridge. The 31 km long coastline is adorned by natural and pristine sandy and pebble beaches and the crystal clear waters make the island a paradise for family vacations. With 300 days of sunshine a year, Vir is a worthwhile destination even in the early and late seasons. Vir is mentioned for the first time in 1069 as Ueru or Veru in today's language pasture place . "Island of contrasts", barren pastures , green forests Mediterranean plants, vineyards, fields, alternate . The beaches are equally varied , fine sand , stony , the villages also contrast , ultra-modern villas asphalted roads , sleepy villages .