Veneto, Slovenia and Croatia

The Istrian coast and Venice by bike

Enjoy an exceptional cycling trip through three countries: Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. You start from the wonderful Venice and cross the beaches of the coast to the Friuli Plain, then you continue to the fascinating city of Trieste, ending with the magnificent Istrian coast for a unique and unforgettable sight.

Highlights of the stay :

• Venice, Portogruaro and Trieste
• Aquileia and its archaeological site
• the coast of Istria
• Palmanova, the star city

Day 1: Mestre/Venice

Arrival in Mestre (the "pied à terre" of Venice). The city of Venice is captivating and its splendor is internationally renowned. You can take advantage of it once you have settled into your hotel.

Day 2 : Mestre - Jesolo / Caorle / coast - 40/65 km

After a few kilometers by bike, you take the ferry (included but bike to be paid on site) then the vaporetto after Saint Mark's Square. You reach Punta Sabbioni and you cycle along the coast with many "bathing spots" in the sea. In the evening, your seaside hotel awaits you.

Day 3 : Jesolo / Caorle / coast - Portogruaro - 60/35 km

You leave the sea behind and head towards the Julian Alps. On your way you cross an area of ​​lagoons intended for fish farming with many old fishermen's huts. Portogruaro is the end of your stage. The city was very important at the time of the Serene Republic of Venice. The many palaces and the rich architecture are impressive even today.

Day 4 : Portogruaro / Aquileia - 70 km

The route can be shortened by 20 km by taking a train that goes from Portogruaro to Latisana. You share your day between Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (two Italian provinces). The areas crossed are rich in history, and the rivers follow one another through ancient Roman villages and towns. Your destination is Aquileia and its Roman excavations or Palmanova, nicknamed the Star City because of its 9-pointed star-shaped fortress.
 

Day 5 : Aquileia - Trieste - 55 km

You can gain 30 km by taking the train at the end of the stage, from Monfalcone to Trieste. Again, you head towards the Adriatic Sea: join the Gulf of Trieste and its many viewpoints. In Duino, two castles await you. You will also have to take the time to see the particular bay of Sistana. Miramare with its famous white castles, built according to the wishes of Emperor Maximilian, is a "must-see", its park of more than 20 hectares lends itself to a good break. You are now only a few kilometers from Trieste, the former port of the Habsburg Empire, which offers an impressive cultural and architectural heritage.

Day 6 : Trieste - Piran / Portorož (Slovenia) - 45 km

After a few kilometers, mostly along tourist complexes like Koper, you will arrive in Slovenia. Koper was for a long time a city of Veneto then of Austria, just like Piran which was under the governance of Venice. You arrive in Portorož, a famous seaside resort with its many spas and beaches.

Day 7: Piran / Portorož - Porec (Croatia) - 55 km

Heading south, you pass the salt mines of Secovlje, a large Slovenian town with a humid environment, which offers interesting possibilities in terms of ornithology. A few kilometers further you cross the border to arrive in Croatia by the largest peninsula of the Adriatic Sea: Istria. Your stage ends in Porec, the tourist capital of Croatia with its Euphrasian Basilica, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.

Day 8 : Porec

End of the tour after breakfast. Return to Venice by ferry (optional).

Ferry from Porec to Venice :
The transfer can be booked at the time of booking the stay. Departure between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. (approximately 4 hours). If the ferry is not available, a private transfer will be arranged (ferry unavailable in April). The ferry reservation must automatically be accompanied by first and last name, passport number, nationality and date of birth (mandatory). This itinerary may be subject to modifications before or during the stay.

General informations :

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Standard version accommodation comfort level: 3 *
• Comfort level of comfort version accommodation: 3 and 4 *
• Prices for children: contact us.

The dates :

Saturday departures from 30/03 to 13/07 + 24/08 to 5/10/2024

• Low season: 30/03 to 19/04 + 05/10
• Mid season: 20/04 to 17/05 + 21/09 to 04/10
• High season: 18/05 to 13/07 + 24/08 to 20/09

 

Included :

• 7 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast
• Application including maps, points of interest and GPS tracks
• Luggage transport
• Ferry transfer on day 2 (bike not included). 
• Hotline service

Not included :

• Local taxes (around 10-15 €)
• Anything not mentioned in the "included" section
• access fees to the city of Venice (effective January 1, 2024)
• Transport to the place of departure

The options :

• VTC or VAE rental
• Transfer Porec - Venice by ferry or private transfer
• Additional night at the start or end of the tour
• Bike theft insurance (for rented bikes)
• cancellation insurance

Levels :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

Flat, very smooth roads, paths and cycle paths. Little traffic. Two longer stages, day 4 and day 5.

Weather :

Hot and dry summers. June and September are the most pleasant months.

Technicality :

Cycling: 40 to 70 km per day or 2 to 5 hours of cycling. From 0 to 470 m of elevation gain.
Partly marked itinerary, useful roadbook and map reading.

Bibliography :

- cycle maps for Italy on cartovelo.fr

Additional nights :

An additional night is offered to you at the start and / or end of the tour.

Food :

- Breakfasts: generous (coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, butter, bread, jam, orange juice) or buffet
- Lunch: not included
- Dinner: not included - restaurants nearby on each stage.

The bike :

- Rental bicycle : If you rent a bicycle, it will be given to you on the day of your arrival at the 1st hotel. At the end of the tour, you will have to leave this bike at the last hotel and notify reception. We will take care of his return.

- Personal bike : We do not recommend bikes with small tires. Hybrid bikes and mountain bikes are excellent. Remember to check your bicycle before setting off. At the end of the tour, you will need to take care of your own bicycle.

Assistance:

Assistance in the event of breakdown (except punctures for which we do not intervene).

Luggage :

They are transported by a courier or by our team and limited to one piece of luggage per person (max. 20 kg).

Roadbook :

It includes maps and detailed descriptions of the routes, vouchers for hotels and restaurants as well as labels for luggage.

Transport: 

- By train: Direct train from Paris to Milan then direct train to Venice in just over 10 hours.
- By car: Mestre is about 1300 km from Paris. Motorway to Mestre via Milan.
- By plane: Marco Polo airports in Venice or Treviso (40 km from Venice)

The return :

It is planned by ferry from Porec and arrival in Venice, the ferry will only operate from the month of May in the event that there is no crossing, the return will be by road transport. Please note, the transfer from the hotel in Porec to the port is not included, and is the responsibility of the customer. The same goes for the transfer from the port of Venice to Mestre or to the airport.

Your car :

A parking space is available at the first hotel, to be paid on site.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the reimbursement of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more about insurance, click here.