Lake Bled to Venice

As a pre-trip you may consider our Salzburg to Lake Bled Tour!

Day 1: ARRIVAL at Lake Bled. (4* hotel).
As a pre trip, check our Salzburg to Lake Bled tour.
Its distinctive island church and clifftop castle, all backed by the beautiful Karavanke Mountains, has made Bled one of Slovenia’s most popular tourist attractions. Spend your first day strolling around the western side of the lake for some of the best views and photographs, and take a short 20 minute hike up to Mala Osojnica for the perfect view down onto the lake. Round off your evening with Bled's culinary delight, Kremšnita (cream slice).

Day 2: BLED – BOHINJSKA BISTRICA
(27km / 43km with side trip). (4* hotel).
A short car transfer takes you to Pokljuka, a forested high plateau from which you'll cycle through lovely alpine villages to Lake Bohinj, the pride of the Triglav National Park. Framed by the Julian Alps, Bohinj is the largest and deepest lake in the national park. Get there early enough and you can take a 20 minute hike up to Savica Waterfall, the source of the lake and the Sava Bohinjka River.

Day 3: BOHINJ – TOLMIN (3* guesthouse).
(56km; or 35km if taking train to Podbrdo).
Today you'll cycle the Sorica Pass over the Julian Alps, or you can take a short train ride through the Bohinj tunnel to Podbrdo. Then you peddle off through a narrow valley and join the beautiful emerald-green Soča River as it rushes out of the mountains and into the western side of the Julian Alps. Arrive early enough and you can head out to the stunning Tolmin Gorge, with breathtaking scenes such as Bear's Head; a natural bridge created by a giant boulder that fell and got wedged in a narrow part of the gorge.

Day 4: TOLMIN – ŠMARTNO / DOBROVO
(34km / 46km without lift up).
3* small family hotel with a view.
You'll begin on the Kolovrat Ridge - the best viewpoint high above the Soča Valley and forming the border between alpine Slovenia and Italy. Be sure to visit Mrs. Josephine, who runs an old-fashioned pub in the first village you come to. The ridge is about 7km long and lies at an elevation between 800 and 1150m. After you descend you'll reach your day's destination - Šmartno v Goriških Brdih, a recent and beautifully restored medieval village of narrow streets with Mediterranean houses. Rest your legs here and sip cool white wine in another authentic village pub.

Day 5: ŠMARTNO - GRADO
(67km). 3* family hotel.
After leaving the Brda wine region you'll reach "Southern Berlin". The town of Gorizia was once the dividing point between Italy and Yugoslavia. While here, visit the very interesting Curtain museum. Further along the border you'll come to the smallest military museum in the world, a historic Yugoslav border outpost, and the ancient Kostanjevica Monastery, burial place of the last French King. Turning south and entering Italy, you'll soon reach the Adriatic sea. You will spend the afternoon in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, passing by rivers, canals and ancient Roman towns. Your destination will be Aquileia, with its Roman excavations, or Grado, a lively historic resort town on a lagoon island.

Day 6: GRADO - PORTOGRUARO
(87km or 59km if shortened by train ride).
3* family hotel.
This morning you will head back inland a bit, leaving the sea behind you. You will pass through a multitude of “Valli da pesca” (stretches of lagoon enclosed by earthen dikes where extensive fish farming is practiced) and “casoni” (constructions used by fishermen in the past during the fishing season). Your destination is the town of Portogruaro, one of the main centres in the period of the “Serenissima Republic of Venice”, which is still impressive even today with its glorious “Palazzi” or “palaces”.

Day 7: PORTOGRUARO – LIDO DI JESOLO / JESOLO
(67km). 3* marina resort hotel.
From Portogruaro you can look forward to a wonderful easy cycle westwards along the beautiful beaches of the Adriatic Coast. There are numerous opportunities to relax and swim so be sure to pack your swim gear. You will stay overnight in one of the two towns along this famous coastline, depending on availability. Jesolo is a gateway to Venice, from here you can easily travel to the airport or old town on the lagoon.

Day 8: DEPARTURE FROM LIDO DI JESOLO / JESOLO. After breakfast, your tour ends. However, you can prolong your stay or continue your trip by visiting ancient Serrenissima - Venice.