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Beginning in the lovely former Habsburg seaport town of Trieste, this is the perfect tour for lovers of sun, sea and history. Under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Trieste flourished as a busy and affluent port (4th largest in the empire), the remnants of which are still visible today in the main square and narrow streets. After your stay here, you will cycle southwards out of Italy, through Slovenia and into Croatia. The sunny Istria Peninsula will present you with a multitude of picturesque little fishing villages, small towns atop karst hills, sparkling vineyards and fertile valleys. Indulge yourself in the charms of a landscape rich in contrast and colour.
Highlights and places of interest along the route:
- Trieste - old town, promenade & castle
- Istrian Hills - hilltop villages & vineyards
- Piran - a Venetian town in Slovenia
- Portorož - the Slovenian Las Vegas
- Porec - the 6th century Euphrasia Basilica
As a pre-trip, check our Emerald Tour from Ljubljana to Piran!
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Trieste / Muggia.Upon arrival in Muggia / Trieste, you can spend the day cycling along the lovely Trieste promenade and visit the exquisite Miramare Castle, then visit the old town of Trieste and relax with a cappuccino in the Piazza Unità d'Italia. From Muggia, you can sail to the city centre via city transport boat.
Day 2: Trieste – Piran / Portoroz (30 km or 60 km, depending on the chosen route).
Today you'll cross the Slovenia border and ride along the coastal cycle path through another lovely port town, Koper, and then onto the seaside towns of Izola and Piran. Stroll through the cool narrow streets of the old town. In Piran, head up to the church on the hill and climb the steps of the bell tower for an outstanding view of the town and harbour, then sip a coffee back down in Tartini Square amid the wonderful Venetian architecture. Visit Portorož, an affluent spa town on the Slovenian Riviera, soak your sore muscles in a spa, or gamble the night away in one of the casinos if you're feeling lucky.
Day 3: Piran – Umag (35 km)
Get up early enough and you can catch the beautiful morning light as you cycle past the vast saltpans of Sečovlje. From here you head across the border into Croatia. The route takes you across a slightly hilly terrain to the town of Umag. Once a Roman colony, its old walls and gated drawbridge hide a town steeped in history. Take a tour through the medieval centre and visit the beautiful city tower.
Day 4: Umag – Porec (45 km)
Today you head to another medieval walled town, Novigrad (Cittanova). As well as its rich history, Novigrad is also renowned for its gastronomy. The town is listed as one of Istria’s top gourmet destinations. Next stop is Poreč, where you can visit the UNESCO listed Euphrasian Basilica, a diverse mix of baroque, Gothic and Romanesque buildings.
Day 5: Departure after breakfast or extension of stay.
Price
Price per person:Low season: 16.3. to 1.6. and 15.9. to 12.10.2019: 585 EUR
High season: 2.6. to 14.9.2019: 650 EUR
(Currency converter here)
Price includes:
• accommodation in hotels 3*/4* in a two-bed room with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
• luggage transfer – one piece, max 20 kgs / 45 lb. Every additional item 10 EUR, payable on the spot
• information pack including road book and corresponding maps, one per booking
• personal welcome meeting, briefing and bike fitting upon arrival
• GPS data
• local tourist and other taxes
• backup service (hotline) during the trip
Optional extras:
• single room four nights 95 EUR
• bike rental 55 EUR classic touring / trekking bikes are equipped with 21 gears. One back, side pannier per bike. One cycling odometer, one lock, one spare inner tube, one set of Allen keys and a basic puncture repair kit per couple / pair of bikes. Every additional day: 15 EUR per bike. Additional odometer 20 EUR, payable on the spot. Bike rental period starts at 9:00 on day two of the tour and ends at 18:00 on day four
• helmet rental 8 EUR
• electric bike 85 EUR
• transfers. Pula to Muggia or Trieste downtown 65 EUR. Poreč downtown to Pula Airport 50 EUR. Poreč to Trieste Airport 85 EUR. All prices per person, two-person minimum, one way
• additional nights: 3* hotel in Trieste 70 EUR per person in standard double room, B&B. Single room 85 EUR. 3-course dinner 18 EUR. 3* hotel in Poreč 65 EUR per person in standard double room, B&B. Single room 95 EUR. Three-course dinner 15 EUR
Travel options
Starting point of this trip is Muggia, outskirts of Trieste, NE Italy.Getting there...
By car: over the Tauern motorway to Villach and over the border crossing Arnoldstein to Udine and Trieste. From Venice – Via A4 motorway exit Aquilea. Car parking: several public garages – on request.
By train: Venice Santa Lucia or Venice Mestre railway station to Trieste Centrale or over Salzburg and Villach to Trieste. Then take a taxi to Muggia.
By plane: regular (Alitalia, Lufthansa) and low-cost flights to Ronchi Legionari (Ryanair) airport or Pula airport (Aer Lingus, Croatian Airlines, Easyjet, German Wings, Jet2, Norwegian, Ryanair, SAS, S7, Thomson, Transavia, Vueling). Good connections with airport shuttle from Ronchi Legionari airport to Trieste / Muggia.
.... and away (ending point is Poreč / Croatia)
By plane: closest airport is Trieste, 50 km NW (served by Ryanair from many origins). We can best arrange you a transfer, price is 65 EUR per person, two-person minimum. Next is Ljubljana (LJU). You can return to Ljubljana by bus, train or our transfer, price is 50 EUR per person, two persons minimum.
By train: Koper railway station is 60 km from Poreč. Trains leave from here to Ljubljana. If you wish to travel onwards to Rijeka (Croatia) you need to change in Pivka, however, only a few trains cross the border! There are no train connections to Italy, you'll need to travel first to Trieste.
By boat: there are ferries operating from Poreč to Venice.
By car: if your car is in Ljubljana, you can return there by our transfer. Price 85 EUR per person, one way, two-person minimum.[/yjsgstabsgroup]
[yjsgstabsgroup title="Airports & Flights" active="0"]If you wish to do this trip then there are several airport options:
Ljubljana (Slovenia) LJU, served by several major airlines. Of the mainstream carriers, the Slovene national airline Adria Airways flies to Ljubljana airport twice daily from Zurich, Munich, Vienna and Frankfurt. Additionally they serve Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Prague, Moscow, Istanbul and Stockholm on a weekly basis. EasyJet flies daily from London Stansted to Ljubljana. Ryanair serves Trieste in Italy (from London Stansted, Valencia, Trapani and Bari) that are all very close to the starting points of our trips. A very good Ryanair option is also Venice Treviso Airport. Lufthansa also lands at Trieste. Wizzair connects Ljubljana with London Luton and Brussels Charleroi.The Ljubljana Airport (LJU) is 25 km from the centre. There are regular shuttle bus connections to the city but no trains operate from there. If you need an airport transfer, please go here.
Trieste (Italy) TRS, some 40 km from the city centre and 50 km from Muggia. It is served by Alitalia, Ryanair from UK Stansted and Spanish airports, Vueling flies from Barcelona and from Germany Lufthansa has a daily flight from Munich.
Pula (Croatia) PUY, 6 km from city centre. Pula Airport is served by the following airlines:
Aer Lingus Seasonal: Dublin
Air Berlin Seasonal: Berlin-Tegel, Düsseldorf
ASL Airlines France Seasonal charter: Lyon, Nantes
Austrian Airlines Seasonal charter: Graz
Air Serbia Seasonal: Belgrade
Croatia Airlines Zadar, Zagreb
Seasonal: Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Frankfurt, Zürich
easyJet Seasonal: Hamburg, London-Gatwick, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Toulouse
Edelweiss Air Seasonal: Zürich
European Coastal Airlines Split
Express Airways Seasonal: Bremen
Finnair Seasonal: Helsinki
Germanwings Seasonal: Berlin-Tegel, Cologne/Bonn, Hamburg, Stuttgart
Jet2.com Seasonal: Edinburgh, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester
Lufthansa Regional operated by Lufthansa CityLine Seasonal: Munich
Norwegian Air Shuttle Seasonal: Helsinki, London-Gatwick, Oslo-Gardermoen, Stockholm-Arlanda
Orenair Seasonal charter: Moscow-Sheremetyevo
Primera Air Seasonal charter: Malmö, Stockholm-Arlanda
Rossiya Seasonal charter: St. Petersburg
Ryanair Seasonal: Charleroi, Hahn, London-Stansted, Moss
Scandinavian Airlines Seasonal: Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo-Gardermoen, Stockholm-Arlanda
Sea Air operated by Maleth-Aero Paderborn Lippstadt Airport , Leipzig/Halle
S7 Airlines Seasonal: Moscow-Domodedovo
Thomson Airways Seasonal: Birmingham, Bristol, London-Gatwick, Manchester
Trade Air Osijek, Split (PSO)
Transavia Seasonal charter: Amsterdam
TUI Airlines Netherlands Seasonal: Amsterdam
Ukraine International Airlines Seasonal: Kiev-Boryspil
Ural Airlines Seasonal: Moscow-Domodedovo, Yekaterinburg
Vueling Seasonal: Rome-Fiumicino
Windrose Airlines Seasonal: Kiev-Boryspil
Check other flights (also charters) here.
Your bike
Classic Trekking Bikes
A comfortable bike for the cycling tourist. Classic trekking bikes are equipped with 21 gears, cyclometer, lock, one pannier, one spare tube, set of Allen keys and basic puncture repair kit.
