Zemljevid poti
Stage S8 of the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail begins in Đurđevac, where you can explore the old town and nearby Croatian Sahara zoo with camels. The medieval old town is a very attractive place with a museum and gallery, as well as a restaurant which offers local delicacies. Close to the route is also the ethnographic collection of Slavko Čamba which is worth seeing as well. Outside of Đurđevac, few kilometres from the main route, the Special Geographical and Botanical Reserve the Sands of Đurđevac is located.
In all settlements along the daily stage, churches and chapels, well worth a visit, are located. Self-service stations for cyclists are located in Đurđevac, Ferdinandovac, Podravske Sesvete and Pitomača.
Don’t miss the Croatian Sahara
One of the highlights of your cycling holidays is certainly the interesting and unique natural phenomenon which is often named the Croatian desert or Croatian Sahara: the Durdevac Sands (detour). After leaving Đurđevac, the route leads you further through typical Podravina towns of Severovci and Novo Virje, where you enter the belt of Regional Park Mura Drava protected area. There are lot of possibilities to get close to Drava River in this area. One of them is the excursion site Čarda, where you can rest and see the old river meander. Continue on the river bike trail for a few kilometres and you will arrive to the municipality of Ferdinandovac, and by cycling close to the river you will be able to reach several more access points to Drava.
Dancing with the nature
This part of the Drava is full of sandbars and eroded steep riverbanks, its floodplain with side channels, backwaters, abandoned riverbeds and meanders, riparian forests , and is home to many protected and rare plant and animal species. So lovers of untouched nature can take their time to explore this unique landscape or wake up early to go on a birdwatching safari.
Experience romantic sailing
Continue the cycling through nature and enjoy a pleasant ride to the picturesque village Brodić, where the ethnographic collection Karlovčan is worth a visit. This is the place where cyclists can have refreshments and immerse into a unique display of the life of locals in the past. In Brodić, a boat dock is located, and romantic sailing on the powerful Drava may be experienced. Not far from this place, you can abandon the main route and visit the excursion site Mekiš. Besides having a relaxed time in beautiful nature, you can get one more view of the river or find nice motives for photo shooting. Podravske Sesvete is the next destination along the route.
Get to know the traditional way of life
The unique Ethnographic collection of Josip Cugovčan is located there, which shows the traditional way of life in Podravina. Close by is also an Ecological garden of peace with statues of many famous people. Outside of the route, guests can have one more look at the desert of Podravina. Sands of Kloštar, another example of protected sandy habitats on a location previously under the riverbed, is near the settlement of Draganci and can be visited in a daytrip. It represents the real experience of the Croatian desert as a location with a pure belt of sand. Near this locality visitors can see the special forest vegetation reserve "Crni jarki" as well.
The end of Stage S8 of the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail is in Pitomača. Having reached the daily goal you can relax by tasting local food and enjoying great local wines from Bilogora.
