Itinerary: Slatine - macadam above Slatine - Our Lady of Prizidnica's Church - Kava beach - Slatine

Description of the itinerary

The waves of the Kaštela Bay gently sway under the watchful eye of Split's Marjan, luring travellers to the nearby shores. So pick up your „tin pets“ because we are leaving by boat from the Split waterfront to Čiovo, a hilly islet that protects the bay from the adversities of the open sea. Its Roman name (Bua, Boa, Bavo, Bubus) is probably of Illyrian origin, and today’s one probably comes from the Latin Caput Iovis, Jupiter's head. The picturesque islet, inhabited since prehistoric times, is full of Mediterranean scents with gorgeous coves and beaches. Our cycling odyssey begins in Slatine, from where the road takes us across the island to its southern side to Prizidnica, and then to the most prominent, eastern point, Čiovska Kava (quarry). But first, look back at the beauty of the indented coast and observe the bay revealing Split and its green Marjan.

Technical characteristics

Two climbs, incredible views and a dynamic descent to the sea on a single forest track characterise this trail. The first and most demanding climb begins at the very start in the centre of Slatine along a narrow road. Leaving the village, the road climb becomes a climb on fine macadam, and the average slope increases from 6% in the first half, to 12% in the second half of the climb, with the macadam being slightly rougher at the end. Being 1.7 km long and with an average gradient of 8.9%, this climb will not be an insurmountable challenge for anyone. Some plains and a gentle descent on a medium-rough and very wide macadam road await you all the way to Our Lady of Prizidnica’s church. On the way back from the church, begins the second climb that is just as long as the previous one, but with a significantly milder average gradient of 3.1%, and the entire section offers breath-taking views of the sea that you can’t help but enjoy. The descent starts at 7.1 km, initially on wide macadam leading to a spot for taking photos and a turning point, and then a narrow, dynamic single track continues through the forest, on which an earth surface prevails, with a few larger stones that can be avoided. After the descent, a pleasant ride on macadam by the sea awaits you all the way to the end of the trail. In order to enjoy this trail to the maximum, we recommend a MTB, but it is also possible to ride it on both gravel and trekking bikes.