Cycle from Venice through Trieste to Istria

Day 2: Venice mainland/Mestre – Jesolo/Caorle

(approx. 35 km or approx. 80 km)

Today you have two possibilities: either you cycle along the dam and the lagoon to Venice or you cycle through the back-country following the river Sile to reach Jesolo/Caorle. The first few kilometres in the lagoon city are carried out by bicycle. Then you take a ferry across to Punta Sabbioni (ticket not included in the “package-price”). On the endless beaches at Litorale di Cavallino, a spit of land in the north of the lagoon, the route is lined by numerous fishing boats and souvenir stalls. Before you leave Venice through the “backdoor”, the opportunity exists for an excursion to the lighthouse at the outmost end of the island for a last view of the lagoon city and the surrounding islands. On the way to Jesolo one can hardly resist the opportunity to have a refreshing dip into the cool wet. You spend the night in Jesolo or Caorle.

If you choose the alternative through the hinterland you cycle along the river Sile. This natural river carries always a constant amount of water and flows quietly; that’s why its name is derived from the Latin word “silet” what means “keep silent”. Passing the ruins of Torre Caligo, a tower from the Middle Age which is situated near the homonymous canal “Caligo”, you reach directly Jesolo. If you will spend the night in Caorle you continue cycling along.

Day 3: Jesolo/Caorle – Concordia Sagittaria/Portogruaro

(approx. 30 - 35 km)

Along the coast and once you have passed the last fishermen’s cottages, you reach Caorle, a wonderful, small seaside resort with a historical centre. On reaching this destination, it signifies leaving the sea for a while as the direction is dictated by the mainland in the direction of the Julian Alps on the horizon. During the spring period of the Venetian Republic, it was convenient for the interior to encompass Portogruaro as a very important River harbour in the “Serenissima”. Even today there are those in Portogruaro who regard their city as the most Venetian. They are not entirely incorrect when you look at the Venetian embellishments of the magnificent buildings and places.

Day 4: Concordia Sagittaria/Portogruaro – Grado/Aquileia

(approx. 65 km + boat from Marano Lagunare or approx. 45 km, if the first part is additionally shortened by a train ride to Latisana; approx. 85 km without boat)

Besides the beaches of the Adriatic, there is a lot to discover; ruins of former Roman cities, ancient churches and lonely landscapes on the edge of the lagoon. From Marano Lagunare you take the boat until short before Aquileia, once a large city of the Roman Empire, excavations of the Roman city can be seen in the open-air-site and in two museums.

Day 5: Grado/Aquileia – Trieste

(approx. 40 - 80 km; short variant by using the train; ticket not included)

Today’s stage continues through the hinterland of Trieste, soaked in a meagre barren landscape of rocky caverns before returning to the sea and a coastline of unique beauty. Where the elevated plateaus plunge into the deep blue water and the white precipices stand upright jutting towards the heavens; and then the coastal road follows through suggestive resorts like Duino, Sistiana, Miramare, and Barcola. You should take time to visit the romantic castle of Miramare above the Bay of Grignano situated in the middle of a beautiful park in which a multiplicity of more the 2000 plants prosper. Above the Gulf of Trieste, entrenched is a city bearing the same name, once a harbour metropolis of the Habsburgs Empire and where you will be spending the night.

Day 6: Trieste – Piran/Portorož

(approx. 35 km + ferry Trieste-Muggia* or approx. 65 km, depending on the chosen variant)

Only after a few kilometres today, you leave Italy. In Slovenia, the route continues predominantly on cycle paths through well-known seaside resorts like Koper (Capodistria) and Izola (Isola d’ Istria), to Piran (Pirano) or to Portorož (Portorose), a spa resort on the Slovenian Riviera. There is a little bit longer alternative of this stage which passes along the valley “Rosandra” in the back country.

*Tickets not included.

Day 7: Piran/Portorož – Poreč

(approx. 70 km)

Cycling past the salt gardens of Secovlje where on enormous surfaces and through natural evaporation, sea salt is recovered, you cross over the border into Croatia. For a distance, the route goes through the Croatian part of Istria, the largest peninsula on the Adriatic with its slightly hilly terrain on the way to Porec, the most important coastal city on the west coast of Istria. It is certainly worth a visit to Euphrasian-Basilica which has been taken up by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

Day 8: Poreč

Individual departure from Porec or possibility to extend your stay.

By car: Take the Brenner Highway (A22) from Innsbruck to Verona and continue to Venice mainland/Mestre or drive from Villach over the border crossing point Arnoldstein to Udine and continue to Venice mainland.
By train: Take a train to the main station in Mestre and either a bus or a taxi to the hotel. Timetable available on: www.deutschebahn.de, www.oebb.at, www.trenitalia.com
By plane: Low cost flights are available to Sant’Angelo airport in Treviso, Ronchi dei Legionari airport in Trieste and to the Marco Polo airport in Venice which offer an airport shuttle (Venice and Treviso) to and from Venice mainland/Mestre.

Hotels 3*** and 4**** category.
Attention: Tourist tax – if requested – has to be paid on the spot!

Depending on the start hotel, parking facilities are available. Some hotels may require an obligatory fee payable on the day of arrival (reservation not possible).

A ferry boat leaves Poreč every Thursday and Saturday. For the return transfer by ferry there is a limited availability for bikes (max. 4 - e-bikes upon request). It is necessary to book and fully prepay the ferry transfer at the moment of the tour booking. The cost for the boat is subject to payment on confirmation of the travel booking, as the ferry has to paid in full. Following details are needed for the ferry ticket: First name, surname, date of birth, nationality, official document (passport or ID) document number and validity date. Transfer from the harbour in Venice to the first hotel the transfer can be booked during the briefing before the tour start and has to be paid directly to the driver on arrival at the ferry terminal San Basilio.

If the ship is not sailing to return from Porec to Venice we can manage a transfer in a minibus at a price of price of Euro 95,00 per person + € 39.00 per own bike (min. 4 persons).

Transfer from Porec to Triest with public transport: www.crnja-tours.hr/vozni-red-autobusa/, www.flixbus.com.

• 21-gears women‘s or men‘s bicycle
• TOP bike (unisex model, male model on request)
• E-bike (UNISEX bike, 500 W battery; range up to 100 km)

 We suggest travel insurance.