Road cycling in ❤️ of Europe

Upon arrival to Venice airport, you will be met by Bike Hike Tours representative and driven to Trieste, an Italian coastal town on the border with Slovenia. Your accommodation here will be a comfortable boutique hotel. After checking into the hotel, our guides will run a short briefing so you’ll know exactly what to expect in the days to follow. Then we will go for a short stroll around the city center and have a dinner in a local Italian restaurant with traditional Mediterranean specialties. Our first day will be a relaxing one to help you adjust to the time zone.

Transfer time: 1.5 hours

Highlights: Trieste (Italy)

Cycling: —

A short transfer will take us out of the city where we’ll find ourselves on the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea. Our guides will help you set up your bikes and after we’re geared up we’ll start cycling following the coastline towards Slovenia. The Italian roads are typically filled with cyclists of all ages and styles and it is easy to see how cycling has been a part of their culture for a very long time. The flatlands of Italy will soon be replaced with small hills full of vineyards as we approach Goriška Brda, the wine region of Slovenia, renowned for spectacular wine and food. We’ll stay in one of the many small hotels in the region, overlooking the beautiful countryside.

Transfer time: 1h

Cycling: approx. 40miles / 65km

Highlights: Goriška Brda; we like to call it the little Tuscany of Slovenia

While the wine region alone could keep you occupied for a few days, there is still plenty to see on this trip. We’ll ride our bikes towards the sea again, leaving the views of the distant mountains behind us for a while. A network of small local roads will take us through the Karst region, well known for its wine, prosciutto, and rough landscape. We will cycle through Istria, where the vineyards get replaced by olive trees. Empty roads will lead us past Slovenian coast and across the Croatian border. We will end our day in Grožnjan, a picturesque Istrian stone village, typical of the area.

Transfer time: 30min

Cycling: approx. 50miles / 80km

Highlights: Karst region, Slovene and Croatian Istria, Grožnjan (Croatia)

We will head back to Slovenia after breakfast and visit the world-famous Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. An easy start of the day and a short drive are just perfect for regenerating after the first two days in the saddle. We’ll get to Ljubljana in the early afternoon and have plenty of time for a spin on the nice roads around Ljubljana, used by the locals as training grounds or for their regular Sunday escapes. We have included a couple of climbs on the route to get you ready for the days in the mountains. After we finish our ride, we’ll have some time to explore the city center by foot and visit the best cafeteria in town. The days ride will be rewarded with a tasty dinner in a small restaurant with a great selection of local wines.

Transfer time: 2h

Cycling: approx. 40miles / 65km

Highlights: Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, Ljubljana

It is time to head for the mountains! We’ll leave Ljubljana after breakfast and drive towards Bled; another “must see” when visiting Slovenia. Our guides will gear up your bikes while you’re enjoying the famous Bled cake and after that, our route will take us to Kranjska Gora. You will see how the landscape and architecture changes as we progress deeper into the mountains. Our accommodation for the day will be a nice hotel in a small village just outside of Kranjska Gora where we’ll also enjoy our dinner and wake up to amazing mountain views.

Transfer time: 1h

Cycling: approx. 30miles / 50km

Highlights: Lake Bled, Kranjska Gora

This is the only time on this trip that we’ll be staying at the same place for two nights in a row. You’ll be able to get a better rest and only focus on cycling. Our hotel is stationed just below a mountain pass leading towards Austria and it would be a shame not to use this opportunity to cycle over there and do some cycling on the other side of the border. From Austria, we’ll continue our way towards Italy and use an abandoned railroad, which was transformed into one of the nicest cycling paths in these parts, to return to our hotel.

Transfer time: —

Cycling: approx. 40miles / 65km

Highlights: Korensko Sedlo Pass, Austria, Tarvisio (Italy)

We saved the very best for the final day in the saddle. Vršič Pass is the highest mountain pass in Slovenia and its top lays at the elevation of 1611m. One switchback at a time, we’ll rise above Kranjska Gora and be rewarded with an amazing view of the Trenta Valley. The WWI has heavily affected this area and our guides will gladly tell you more about its history and other interesting facts. We’ll continue or way towards Bovec, following the emerald Soča river, a white-water activity enthusiasts’ paradise. We will finish the ride in front of a comfortable small hotel, our accommodation for the night. You can spend a couple of hours exploring or even do some white-water activities like rafting or canyoning. If you feel like having an extra adventure, ask our guides and they will help accommodate any of your wishes. In the evening we’ll visit Hiša Franko and be hosted by Ana Roš, a world famous chef who was recently featured in the Netflix series; Chefs Table. A spectacular dinner to end an amazing trip in style.

Transfer time: —

Cycling: approx. 40miles / 65km

Highlights: Vršič pass, Bovec, Soča River

If you wish to also visit the famous city of Venice (Italy) known by its labyrinth of canals, bridges and spectacular architecture or Vienna (Austria) let us know at the time of the booking.