Cycling on Ciovo: A Trogir Day Trip by Bike

June 19, 2022April 12, 2023 Koen 0 Comments

This guide covers a day trip by bike from Trogir to Ciovo Island, which has a couple of beautiful sights within cycling-distance.

A Trogir day trip by bike

As I already learned in the last instalment of this trip report, the coastal city of Trogir is a fabulous destination in its own right.

There is however plenty to see and do outside the city as well, and today I would discover some interesting sights in the immediate surroundings of Trogir.

The plan for my Trogir day trip was simple: I would rent a bike and cycle around the island of Čiovo.

With little traffic and good-quality roads, Čiovo is a great destination for cycling.

On Ciovo, you can find a couple of beautiful beaches and swimming spots as well as some beautiful sights.

I rented my bicycle at ‘Joke Bike & Scooter Rental’ in Trogir, which is conveniently located just a few hundred metres away from the old town.

Both the rental rate and the quality of the bike were good and the service at Joke was certainly friendly as well.

ciovo island day trip trogir bike cycling — *The mountain bike I rented at Joke Bike & Scooter Rental. ©Paliparan*

waterfront promenade trogir old town — *The waterfront promenade in Trogir. ©Paliparan*

From Trogir to Ciovo

Ciovo is connected to Trogir’s old town centre and the Croatian mainland by two short bridges, making the island easily accessible by bike or other vehicle.

Once you have crossed the bridge you can turn right towards Okrug Gornji or left towards Mastrinka and Slatine, which was the direction I took.

The first couple of hundred metres on the main road towards the New Čiovo Bridge isn’t the most attractive stretch to cycle.

After the roundabout in front of the new bridge, you have to cycle a bit uphill towards the Žedno turn-off, which is perhaps one of the most strenuous parts of an otherwise easy journey.

From this point on, the road becomes much more scenic and you have some lovely views over the sea and Croatian mainland on your left-hand side.

Čiovo island bridge — *By cycling, walking or driving over this bridge you can get from Trogir to the island of Ciovo. ©Paliparan*

ciovo coastline — *The northern coastline of Ciovo island. ©Paliparan*

croatia sea — *Looking from Ciovo towards the Croatian mainland. ©Paliparan*

Rural roads

While you are cycling on Ciovo you will instantly notice how calm and relaxed it is on the island.

Compared to the primary road on the mainland in Trogir, there was barely any traffic around.

Once you pass the village of Mastrinka, the road narrows and becomes even more quiet, making this an especially pleasant stretch to bike.

cycling ciovo trogir — *After a while, the road narrows down and becomes an even more quiet and relaxed place for cycling. ©Paliparan*

sea view ciovo croatia trogir day trip cycling — *The views over the sea remain superb during the entire ride. ©Paliparan*

Church

The main goal of my day trip from Trogir was the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica, which is located on the south-eastern side of Ciovo.

The last mile before you reach the small parking lot for the church takes you through a pretty forest.

Through the trees you can already spot the azure blue waters of the Adriatic Sea down the steep cliff.

forest ciovo — *Cycling through a forest on Ciovo. ©Paliparan*

ciovo croatia trogir bike cycling day trip — *Through the trees you can already see Ciovo’s southern coastline. ©Paliparan*

Walking to the church

Before I visited Trogir, I had never heard before of Ciovo and the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica.

By chance one of my followers on Twitter who happens to know the area around Trogir very well sent me a DM telling me it was an absolute must-see.

Indeed, the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica turned out to be an absolutely stunning sight.

It’s not so much the church itself but rather its scenic location on some steep cliffs right above the beautiful waters of the Adriatic Sea that makes it the most stunning sight on the island of Ciovo.

From the parking lot, a short trail runs over the cliffs towards the church.

Walking towards the church you can’t help but to stop several times to take in the gorgeous view.

ciovo church trogir day trip — *A short trail leads from the parking lot to the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica. ©Paliparan*

church sea — *Walking towards the church. ©Paliparan*

ciovo island — *From the trail you have some gorgeous views over the rugged southern coast of Ciovo. ©Paliparan*

adriatic sea croatia — *On this beautiful spring day, the sea certainly looked inviting for a swim. ©Paliparan*

sea croatia — *Shades of blue. ©Paliparan*

ciovo coast — *The gorgeous coastline of Ciovo. ©Paliparan*

trogir ciovo cycling bike day trip — *The Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica on Čiovo has a stunning cliffside location. ©Paliparan*

Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica

The Church and Sanctuary of Our Lady of Prizidnica was built in the 16th century and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Although the church doors were unfortunately firmly shut and there wasn’t another person around in miles, it was still a lovely sight to see and the solitude and the stunning views certainly contributed to this.

If you walk along the church you will see an outdoor altar from where you can enjoy sweeping views of the sea and the church itself.

ciovo church lady of prizidnica — *The Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica. ©Paliparan*

church ciovo island day trip trogir — *Climbing up towards the little church. ©Paliparan*

Prizidnica church — *The Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica was built on the steep cliffs on the southern coast of Ciovo Island. ©Paliparan*

church altar — *Walking behind the church towards the small outdoor altar. ©Paliparan*

outdoor altar church — *The outdoor altar behind the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica. ©Paliparan*

church outdoor altar ciovo trogir cycling day trip — *I don’t think there are many altars with a view as stunning as this. ©Paliparan*

altar sea — *Looking out over the sea from the altar. ©Paliparan*

*Low-flying helicopter over the sea. ©Paliparan*

A quick dip in the sea

If you continue to walk straight ahead, the trail will lead you from the church down to the water.

Even if you don’t plan to swim, it’s well-worth walking down to admire the beautiful views over the sea and the rocky Ciovo coast.

Although this place might not be the most suitable for swimming for all due to the rocky nature of the shoreline which requires a bit of climbing, I still loved to take a quick dip here.

You really can’t beat the views and the overall setting of this place, which indeed really felt like my very own private sanctuary.

path sea croatia trogir ciovo day trip bike cycling — *The path continues from the church down to the sea. ©Paliparan*

ruined gate — *Walking through the ruins of a gate towards the sea. ©Paliparan*

croatia coast — *The shades of green and blue create a stunning contrast. ©Paliparan*

ciovo coast sea — *Almost down! ©Paliparan*

steps sea ciovo island day trip trogir — *The last couple of steps towards the sea. ©Paliparan*

sea swimming ciovo — *This will certainly do for a quick dip in the sea! ©Paliparan*

ciovo island swimming — *Even though there isn’t a proper beach, you can easily jump from the rocks into the sea. ©Paliparan*

ciovo coast day trip cycling trogir — *The Ciovo coastline around the church. ©Paliparan*

Cycling back

After a refreshing dip in the sea it was time to head back to the parking lot to reunite with my bike.

Cycling back to Trogir through the Ciovo countryside seemed to go much faster than the right out here and it didn’t take long before I reached the village of Slatine again.

hiking path ciovo — *Walking back towards the church parking lot. ©Paliparan*

sea view hiking path — *The views on the way back were equally stunning. ©Paliparan*

ciovo island church — *One last look at the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica and the gorgeous coastline before I cycle back to Trogir. ©Paliparan*

trogir day trip cycling bike ciovo — *Downhill back to Trogir. ©Paliparan*

Beachside coffee stop

As I still had some time left, I decided to make another stop in Slatine at the village beach.

This wide pebble beach is much more family-friendly and suitable for swimming for children thanks to the shallow waters which only gradually get deeper.

Along the northern coastline of Ciovo there are also a couple of appealing-looking beach bars, cafés and restaurants.

I stopped at the beachside ‘Boom Bar’ in Slatine for a coffee and some ice cold water – which was much needed after all the cycling across Ciovo.

ciovo beach slatine — *Beach in the village of Slatine on the island of Ciovo. ©Paliparan*

slatine beach — *Slatine village beach. ©Paliparan*

beach bar slatine ciovo — *Coffee stop at the beachside Boom Bar in Slatine. ©Paliparan*

Back in Trogir

Although I only had a look around the eastern side of Ciovo, it’s well-worth it to explore the western half of the island as well.

Especially the area of Ciovo around Okrug Gornji is reportedly known for having a couple of good beaches and swimming spots, as well as having some great-quality restaurants such as Konoba Duga.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to check out in person all these tips I got, as I had to head back to Trogir.

After I returned the bike at the rental shop, I of course had to end my Ciovo day trip with a cold beer overlooking the old town of Trogir.

trogir day trip ciovo bike cycling — *Approaching Trogir after a fun day trip out of the city to Ciovo by bike. ©Paliparan*

*Cafés next to the canal right next to the market in Trogir. ©Paliparan*

karlovacko beer trogir day trip cycling — *Enjoying a well-deserved Karlovačko beer in Trogir after a fun day trip cycling around the island of Ciovo. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

I had a great day trip renting a bike in Trogir and cycling around the beautiful island of Ciovo.

The roads in Trogir and on Ciovo are perfect for cycling and the further you get on the island, the quieter and more relaxed it all becomes.

The absolute highlight was the Church of Our Lady of Prizidnica on the eastern tip of Ciovo, which is such a special sight thanks to its remote location and amazing cliffside setting high above the sea.

Ciovo also has some good beaches, swimming spots and restaurants, making it easy to combine some culture with a bit of relaxation and some culinary delights.

Ciovo could even be the perfect place to base yourself if you stay for a longer time in the Trogir area.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Across Europe by Train: Interrail in the Age of Corona‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. Review: LOT Polish Airlines Economy Class Bucharest to Warsaw (Embraer ERJ-175)
2. Walking Through an Empty Warsaw in Corona Lockdown
3. Review: Four Points by Sheraton Warsaw Mokotow
4. Review: LOT Polish Airlines Economy Class Warsaw to Zurich (Boeing 737 MAX)
5. A Stopover Walk Through the Old Town of Zurich
6. Review: Railjet Train Zurich to Feldkirch
7. An Evening in Friendly Little Feldkirch
8. Review: Nightjet Train Feldkirch to Graz
9. A Short Walk Along the Sights of Graz
10. Review: Emona EuroCity Train Vienna – Ljubljana – Trieste
11. Zidani Most: Europe’s Most Picturesque Train Station
12. Review: Ljubljana to Zagreb by EuroCity Train EC 1211 ‘Sava’
13. Flying With Trade Air on a Let L-410 Turbolet Across Croatia
14. Review: Palace Derossi, Trogir, Croatia
15. A Visit to the Tranquil Island City of Trogir, Croatia
16. Cycling on Ciovo: A Trogir Day Trip by Bike (current chapter)
17. Split: Croatia’s Bustling Seaside City Full of History
18. Review: Croatian Railways ICN Train Split to Zagreb
19. Review: Esplanade Hotel, Zagreb, Croatia
20. Zagreb: A Guide to Croatia’s Underrated Capital City
21. Review: EuroCity Train “Croatia” Zagreb to Vienna
22. Review: Dacia Night Train Vienna to Bucharest