Istria, Trieste - Pula
649 € Request
8 days | difficulty level

14 years and older

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Cycling tour through Istria, Trieste – Pula

The sunny peninsula in the Meditterranean Sea

Difficulty Level:
Duration: 8 days
Distance: 220 - 275 km
Landscape:

This sunny peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea is characterised by little picturesque fisher villages, small towns on the karst hills, vineyards and valleys. Let yourself be surprised from the charms of a landscape rich in contrasts and the various colours of Istria. Start of this bicycle tour is Trieste, the former Habsburg seaport seated at the foothills of the Karst.

Start of this bicycle tour is Trieste, the former Habsburg seaport seated at the foothills of the Karst. During the Roman Empire Trieste became a busy and rich port. After a few kilometres you leave Italy
and cycle to Istria, Slovenia and Croatia.
The bicycle route through Istria runs slightly hilly. We suggest you this tour as an additional after one of the following cycling tours:
• “From the Dolomites to Trieste” or
• “Alpe Adria – from Villach to Trieste”

HIGHLIGHTS
ON THE PATH

Triest/Trieste
Castello di San Giusto
Triest/Trieste
The Castello di San Giusto is situated on the hill of the same name, the ancient centre of Trieste and is a medieval castle and fortress built in 1471.
Porec
Euphrasius Basilica
Porec
It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. Absolutely recommended to visit this episcopal complex and example of early Byzantine architecture!
Muggia
Muggia
Muggia
Muggia is the first town on the Istrian peninsula and the last coastal town before the border with Slovenia.
Sečovlje
Sečovlje Salina Nature Park
Sečovlje
The salt flats of Sečovlje are part of the nature park, which uses the land with nature conservation, cultural and economic aspects.
Rovinj
Rovinj
Rovinj
From afar, you will be greeted by the towering bell tower of the Church of Euphemia, which stands on the highest square in Rovinji.
Brijuni
Brijuni Islands
Brijuni
A small group of islands in the Croatian Adriatic. Today the islands are a national park and only Veli Brijun is open to the public.
Pula
Pula Aquarium
Pula
The Pula Aquarium is located in an old defensive complex, which makes a visit there even more interesting and unique.
Pula
Amphitheatre
Pula
The astonishingly well-preserved amphitheatre now provides a colossal setting for concerts as well as theatre and opera performances.
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TRAVEL ITINERARY

8 days / 7 nights

Day 1: Trieste

Individual arrival at the first hotel in Trieste.

Day 2: Trieste – Piran/Portorôz

(approx. 35 km or approx. 65 km, depending on the variant)

After a few kilometres you say goodbye to Italy. In Slovenia you cycle mostly on cycling paths through famous bathing resorts like Koper (Capodistria) and Izola (Isola d’Istria) to Piran (Pirano) or Portorož (Portorose), a spa town on the Slovenian Riviera. Using the ship from Trieste to Muggia the tour can be shortened (ticket not included). The longer version leads through the „Val Rosandra“ in the back country. From Muggia both options lead along the coast.

Day 3: Piran/Portorôz – Umag/Novigrad

(approx. 35 - 60 km)

You pass the salt gardens of Sečovlje, where they produce sea salt on huge areas through natural evaporation, and you cycle over the border to Croatia, travelling through the Croatian part of Istria, the biggest peninsula of the Adria, slightly hilly to Umag, which historic centre was built on the relics of a Roman colony. Umag is well-known also for the ATP tournament – „Croatia Open“, held every year. Enjoy a sightseeing tour in the evening through the medieval town with its narrow alleys and the beautiful city tower.

Day 4

(approx. 20 - 40 km)

From Umag you cycle - slightly hilly – to Novigrad or Cittanova. This medieval town surrounded by a battlement wall is seated on the water mouth of Mirna. Then you cycle to Poreč, the most important coastal city on Istria’s west coast. We suggest visiting the Euphrasian Basilica, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Day 5

(approx. 35 km or a day off by the sea)

You have the choice: either you visit by boat the Brijuni-islands or the Limski-channel, you enjoy your day off by the sea or visit the country land of Porec. The Brijuni-islands are twelve smaller and 2 bigger islands; the main island Veli Brijun was used by the Yugoslav statesman Tito as summer residence. Today the islands are National Park and only Veli Brijun can be visited by the public. Going by boat to the fjord-alike Limski-channel you might be lucky and see some dolphins. The Limski-channel is a National Park and on the coast you find mussels and oyster farms.

Day 6: Porec – Rovinj

(approx. 55 km)

Have a last view over the picturesque seaport on Istria’s west coast before you leave to Rovinj. The city is surrounded in the west and the south west by the Adriatic Sea. Afar the high bell tower of the Euphemia Church built on the highest spot of Rovinj, greats you. If you like you can go ahead and cycle to Zlatni rt (also known as Golden Cape), a peninsula, where you find a park in a nature reserve.

Day 7: Rovinj – Pula

(approx. 45 - 55 km)

The last day on your „expedition“ in Istria leads you to Pula on Istria’s south west point. Pula is the oldest town of Istria and its commercial and cultural centre. Enjoy your last day of the tour, amongst various antiquities and the mighty Roman amphitheatre in the centre of Pula.

Day 8: Pula

Indivdiual departure from Pula or possibility to extend your stay.

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Prices and dates

Standard
Package view calendar

It is recommended to purchase an optional travel cancellation policy. Prices valid subject to changes in the offer, omissions, printing errors or arithmetic.

Price per night in double room with breakfast Triest 89 €
Single room supplement per night Triest 39 €
Price per night in double room with breakfast Pula 85 €
Single room supplement per night Pula 35 €

It is recommended to purchase an optional travel cancellation policy. Prices valid subject to changes in the offer, omissions, printing errors or arithmetic.

rental bike 21-gear (men) 99 €
rental bike TOP (men) 169 €
rental bike 21-gear (women) 99 €
electric bike rental 249 €
TOP bike (unisex) 169 €

It is recommended to purchase an optional travel cancellation policy. Prices valid subject to changes in the offer, omissions, printing errors or arithmetic.

Return transfer per person 69 €

It is recommended to purchase an optional travel cancellation policy. Prices valid subject to changes in the offer, omissions, printing errors or arithmetic.

Prices:

Available - arrival possible
Not Available
Available for groups from 6 persons and on request
It's recommended to obtain a travel cancellation insurance. The indicated price is subject to changes, print and calculation errors.

General information

Discover all the services we offer and book one of our tours now.

By car: Over the Tauern motorway to Villach and over the border crossing Arnoldstein to Udine and Trieste.
By train: Over Salzburg and Villach to Trieste (Trieste centrale). Timetable on: www.deutschebahn.de, www.oebb.at, www.trenitalia.com.
By flight: Low cost flights to Ronchi dei Legionari airport (Trieste) or Pula. Good connections with airport shuttle bus or train (www.trenitalia.com) from Ronchi dei Legionari airport to Trieste.

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

Depending on the start hotel, parking facilities are available (reservation not possible).

Every Wednesday and Saturday return transfer by shuttle bus from Pula to Trieste for € 69.00 per person + € 39.00 for each own bike (reservation and payment upon booking).

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

We suggest travel insurance.

• Accommodation in hotel 3***, partly 4****category

• Breakfast buffet or full breakfast

• Videobriefing

• Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel

• Well planned routes

• Detailed documents (maps, route description, places to visit, important telephone numbers)

• Navigation APP

• Service Hotline during the bicycle holiday

• Arrival to the starting point of the tour

• Departure at the end of the tour

• Drinks, tourist tax and all extras

• Lunch, Dinner

• Not mentioned entries

• Rental bikes and travel insurance

• All not expressly mentioned under the item „Included services“

FAQ

Questions and answers

In Trieste there are numerous public car parks where you can park your car for the duration of your bike ride. Find out about the best parking options at the arrival hotel. Most hotels have contracts with one or the other parking garage.

Yes, every Wednesday and Saturday there is a return transfer by shuttle bus from Pula to Trieste. The journey takes about 2 hours. Reservation and payment required at the time of booking.
On request, the transfer is also possible on other days (for min. 4 persons).
Alternative possibilities: by bus from Pula to Trieste
Timetables at: www.arriva.com.hr, www.vollo.hr, www.flixbus.it, www.croatiabus.hr.

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