Cycling trails

Cycling on Vis

Everyone rides a bike on Vis. Old and young, natives and tourists, fat and skinny people. All kinds of bikes are ridden. Right or defective, on two, three or even four wheels.

Sailors ride portable bike, pensioners ride the Rog fluorescent pony bikes, those who don't care ride creaky and squeaky ones whilst those from the Arcicija cycling club ride rusty bikes and jump from Battery bridge into the sea with them.

Housewives prefer those with three wheels and a basket on the back. And parents on their upgraded models love to take smiling children. There is no place on the whole Adriatic where the bike is as popular as in Vis.

In less than half an hour you can ride from Grandovac to the hotel beach on Prirovo without really having to struggle uphill. That is why the famous philosophical statement asks: "Do what you first think of" in the cycling world of the town of Vis this finally makes sense.

However, the island of Vis is a real challenge for serious cyclists too. If you have not come to the island with your of bike, you can rent one in one of the numerous rent-a-bike agencies. And then you will have numerous possibilities ahead. There are no exclusively cycling paths on the island, but you can ride along existing roads, well-trodden paths and for those looking for more extreme adventures, impossible routes are created by enthusiasts from the Arcicija cycling club. (A.R.Fotunato: Arcicij – 1.culmination of laughter, fun and entertainment 2.incoherent, unreasonable procedure.).

The principal route to reach the field by bike:

Climb to the highway along the shortest way possible; that is feasible if you take one of the following:

1. at the entrance to Vis from the approach road coming from a south-westerly direction
2. by pushing your bike along the Luško Brdo path which starts from Stagna
3. on the road through Battery 4. From Goveja (close to the Police Station) on the road uphill
4. From the area known as Tri Palme (Three Palm Trees) in Kut, along the farmers' road passing through Prismen which at the same time is a cycling ring-road taking you to Lučica, Mandrač and the Grandovac beach.

VIS – PRISME - KRIŽ - LOKVA - PODSTRAŽJE – MILNA – VIS

The start is the hardest part: climb from Kut through the serpentines to the lookout and resting place at Prisme and then turn right uphill towards Čunkovica. When you arrive at the top of the hill, you will actually find yourselves at Križ and underneath you extend the Velo Poje. Then we continue along the old road surrounded just by dragon's teeth – the small, old stone pillars. Length: 20 km Surface: Čvrsta podloga ceste Dificulty: Suitable for all bikes

VIS - KRIŽ – LOKVA- MARINE ZEMLJE - DRAČEVO POLJE – - PODŠPILJE – KOMIŽA –VIS

Taking the old road to Komiža you must climb to the lookout and resting place on the south-eastern hill of Lučko Brdo. From here you are taken on the old road to the Velo Poje which is still only surrounded by dragon's teeth – small old pillars. When you arrive at the top of the hill, you will actually find yourselves at Križ and underneath you extend Velo Poje. The next point is Lokva – the red clay house close to the miniature lake. Should you decide to follow the directions for Komiža from Lokva, you will choose the longest trail on the island; the old road to Komiža. From this road and when you pass Plisko Poje, you can turn into the Marine zemlje and if you follow the right side of the road you will, turn back to the plainest part of the road across Žužec which takes you from Dračevo polje towards the village of Podšpilje. After Podšpilje, the road takes you, through Podhumlje, to the Ravni lookout protruding south-west from which you would preferably jump to Biševo. From here to Komiža it is an easy downhill ride with a beautiful view over the Komiža Bay whilst, to the west, in the distance, like the top of a pyramid, the Jabuka volcanic cliff appears. Choose the new road to return to Vis (10.7 km) and climb either by riding or pushing your bike along the serpentines through to the lookout, that is, to the top of St. Mihovil. Then around fifteen minutes of downhill riding follows. In the period when the ferry boat docks into Vis, this road tends to be pretty crowded in both directions making the ride somewhat stressful. So, in order to enjoy this downhill cycling with all the necessary caution, it might be a good idea to choose the right moment for doing it. Length: 30 km Surface: Čvrsta podloga ceste Dificulty: Suitable for all bikes