Bike Touring in Sveti Filip: A Fun Yet Mixed Experience

On our last day staying in Sveti Filip we went for a short 30k bike tour. The route was not very scenic but relatively free of car traffic. We had only 2 climbs to overcome, a short steep one at the beginning and a long but less steep one near the end, just before entering Biograd. Our average speed was ok’ish and we got to Biograd around noon. We were all looking forward to a relaxing afternoon so we decided to go for an early lunch at Arkada restaurant, right next to the sea. We sat outside on a terrace with a tent roof. There was a lot of shade from the trees which was good. Our host was a friendly old lady that spoke German and the cook came out to bring our desert. She was of Asian descent but the restaurant served traditional ‘European’ dishes. Food was simple but good and not expensive. As we were very early we were the only people there and as a result the place lacked a bit of atmosphere. I cannot say anything bad about the restaurant but somehow our lunch there was not memorable, it was in a way an ‘anonymous’ experience. Still, if you are looking for honest food at a correct price you can’t go wrong by eating here.

This was our last of 6 bike rides in Croatia and the experience was a bit mixed. The main problem was the lack of bike paths. We often cycled on roads together with the cars. Luckily our routes were for the most on roads with very little traffic so it didn’t matter much but on sections with a lot of cars the rides were not relaxing, also because it seemed car drivers were not accustomed to bicycles on the road. It was the first time we visited Croatia and the country was a pleasant discovery. We definitely want to return but not for another bike vacation.