Three countries in one week between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. The history of the ancient Republic of Venice, the so called “Serenissima” Republic, provides the background to the entire trip.
From the wonderful Venice, you will cycle through the beaches on the coastline up to the plain of Friuli and then continue with the fascinating town of Trieste, finishing with the beautiful Istrian coast, a sight which is truly to be treasured.
Day 1: Mestre/Venice
Individual arrival in Mestre (the mainland of Venice). The city of Venice will captivate you with its splendour, acknowledged worldwide.
Day 2: Mestre – Jesolo/Caorle/seacoast (40/65 km)
After a few kilometres by bike, you take the ferry and then the vaporetto, passing in front of Piazza San Marco. Then you will reach Punta Sabbioni, the furthest south area of the Adriatic coast, which is north of Venice. From here you cycle along the stunning seacoast, with various opportunities for a refreshing bath in the sea. The overnight will be in one of the places along this famous coastline.
Day 3: Jesolo/Caorle/seacoast – Portogruaro (65/40 km)
Leaving the sea behind you, you will head north towards the Julian Alps. You will be passing through an area with a multitude of “Valli da pesca” (stretches of lagoon enclosed by earthen dikes where extensive fish farming is practised) and “casoni” (constructions used by fishermen in the past during the fishing season). Afterwards you will go to the town of Portogruaro, one of the main centres in the times of the “Serenissima Republic of Venice”, which is impressive even today with its glorious “Palazzi” or “palaces”.
Day 4: Portogruaro – Palmanova/Aquileia (60/70 km)
The trip can be shortened by 20 km by taking a train from Portogruaro to Latisana. You will spend the day between the region of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, passing through an area abundant in water and history, among rivers, canals and ancient Roman towns. Your destination will be Aquileia, with its Roman excavations, or Palmanova, named “the starry city” because from above the town resembles a 9-pointed star.
Day 5: Palmanova/Aquileia – Trieste (70/50 km)
The trip can be shortened by 30 km by taking a train at the end of the stage from Monfalcone to Trieste. You will once again head towards the sea: the gulf of Trieste awaits you, with many possible stops along the way, such as Duino with its two castles, Sistiana with its characteristic bay and Miramare with its famous white castle built according to the wishes of Maximilian of Augsburg, situated in a beautiful park of more than 20 hectares in size. Just a few kilometres lie between you and Trieste, the ancient port of the Asburgic Empire, which has much to offer as regards attractions and history.
Day 6: Trieste – Piran/Portorož (45 km)
After a few kilometres you will cross over into Slovenia, often cycling along cycle paths through famous holiday resorts such as Koper, first for a long time a Venetian and then Austrian town, and Piran, another important centre which was ruled over for a long time by Venice. You then finally arrive in Portorož, a town renowned for its spa and bathing facilities.
Day 7: Piran/Portorož – Poreč (55 km)
Cycling southwards, you will pass through the salt mines of Secovlje, a large Slovenian town with a humid environment, which is a key area as regards ornithology. Some kms later you will cross the Croatian border down along Istria, the Adriatic sea’s largest peninsula. In the end you will reach Porec, the tourism capital of Croatia, with its Eufrasian Basilica, which was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
Day 8: Poreč
After breakfast, end of services. Possibility to return to Venice by boat.
You will ride the first three stages along flat roads, across the Veneto and Friuli plain, and the last three on slightly hillier sections. Easy to Moderate: some days flat, others with some hills. Suitable for everyone with some cycling experience.
Route Map (For guidance only):
Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.
Total distance cycled: 370 km
Route Map (Subject to change)
Starting point of the cycling holiday: Mestre
Route Overview (For guidance only):
Brief itinerary: | Route Profile |
Day 2: Mestre-Lido di Jesolo/Caorle/seacoast (40/65 km, vertical up 0m) |
Today’s stage, which takes you from Mestre to Lido di Jesolo and Caorle, is divided into two parts. The first part will guide you from Mestre to Tronchetto island from where by ferry boat you will reach the island of Lido. The second part describes the route from Lido San Niccolò to Lido di Jesolo or Caorle, where a second transfer by motorboat will take you to Punta Sabbioni. Navigation (included in the package tour): - about 35 minutes by public transportation from Tronchetto to Lido S.Niccolò; - about 25 minutes by public transportation from S.Maria Elisabetta to Punta Sabbioni. In this case the ferry is a smaller ship (motonave) and it is up to the captain’s decision the amount of bikes accepted on board. It may happen that you have to wait for the next ferry. |
Day 3: Jesolo/Caorle/seacoast-Portogruaro (60/40 km, vertical up 0m) | The itinerary follows quiet country roads, traversing a land that is very rich in water and where dikes and isolated farms mark this wonderful landscape. After having crossed the village of Torre di Mosto, you will have to cycle for 1,8 km on a dirt road. |
Day 4: Portogruaro-Palmanova/Aquileia (60/70 km, vertical up 30m) | The cycle tour continues eastward, traversing the countryside and small villages as far as the city San Michele and the Tagliamento river: its peaceful course marks the border between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. After a break in the beautiful ancient village of Precenicco, you will cross the foot and cycle bridge over the Stella river and continue towards the coast of the Adriatic Sea. |
Day 5: Palmanova/Aquileia-Trieste (70/50 km, vertical up 420m). | You will find a short part of unpaved road at Palmanova exit while you have to pay attention to the traffic in crossing Cervignano del Friuli. The route is almost entirely flat, with only two short stretches uphill near Monfalcone railway station and from Duino to Sistiana. Leaving the city of Monfalcone you have to cycle several kilometers along the busy Strada Statale 14: be very careful and cycle in single line. In Duino pay attention on the coastal road and when entering Trieste. |
Day: 6: Trieste-Portoroz (45 km, vertical up 470m) | This is a more demanding stage compared to the previous ones. When leaving Trieste, you will have to face some short but demanding ascents and ride through some stretches of moderate traffic. The Porec cycle path starts in Rabuiese right before the Italian-Slovene border. The remaining part of the route is on a slightly uneven terrain, while you will have to face a 2km ascent to reach Pirano. |
Day 7: Portoroz-Porec (55 km, vertical up 470 m) | When you enter Croatia, the territory becomes hilly, with small villages and vast forests. To reach the lagoon of Secovlje you have a very steep downhill on a dirt road; just beyond the Croatian border is a 2km uphill. |
We recommend flying to Venice region airports to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.
Flights are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.
We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or Rail Europe for European rail travel. There is customer car parking available at most hotels for a supplement. Please contact us for more details.
Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0161 703 8161 for more specific travel advice.
You do not need to go back to the starting point of the cycling holiday as all hire bikes are left at the final hotel.
Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
The Venice to Porec cycling holiday includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and local support if required.
Included Services (Subject to confirmation)
Not Included
About the bikes
Tough, stable and reliable, specially designed for you to saddle up for several days on the trot. Girolibero bikes are citybikes with an aluminium frame and kitted with responsive brakes and gears. Plus: mudguards, trip computers, comfort gel saddles, flat-palmed grips, Schwalbe Marathon anti-puncture tyres.
27-gear Unisex Citybike
A low entry unisex frame, ideal for an upright but relaxed riding position. The number of gears varies by destination. In Italy, for instance, standard bikes have 27 gears, while in northern Europe they are generally fitted with 7 gears and a pedal brake (although bikes with more gears and conventional breaks can sometimes be requested).
27-gear Men's Citybike
Citybike with men's frame. The design and number of gears varies from country to country. As with unisex bikes, for example, bikes for our Italian tours have 21/24 gears, while in northern Europe they are usually fitted with 7 gears and a pedal brake (although bikes with more gears and conventional breaks can sometimes be requested).
Electric Bike Upgrades
Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.
E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on +44 (0) 800 703 8161.
Bosch Active Line
Low-entry frame
Bosch batteries Power Packs of top safety and long life (36 V - 13,4 Ah Capacity - 500 Wh available power).
Bosch motor Active Line, located centrally (250 Watt, engine torque 50 Nm).
Gears: Shimano Deore 9-speed.
Range: approx 90 km (flat terrain, average speed).
When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Helmets are not provided and you will need to bring your own to use. We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday.
This cycling holiday stays in good quality hotels with private facilities carefully selected for their proximity to your cycle route and comfort. If you wish to know specific information about the hotel facilities, Wi-Fi and upgrades used on the holidays, please contact us on 0161 703 8161 for more information.
The hotel list below is subject to change and should be used as a guide. We will confirm the exact hotels prior to arrival. |
|
Venice to Porec | Sample Hotel List |
Venice | Best Western Quid Hotel Venice Airport |
Caorle | Hotel Garden |
Portogruaro | Hotel Spessotto |
Aquileia | Hotel Patriarchi |
Trieste | NH Trieste |
Portoroz | Remisens Preminum Casa Roza Annexe |
Porec | Valamar Zagreb Hotel |
You will receive your final hotel list approximately 4 weeks prior to your arrival date detailing the hotels used on your cycling holiday. If you wish to know more about the hotels prior to completing a booking form, please contact our Customer Services team via email or by phone.
You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.
You can now book this cycling holiday online using our secure booking engine. Book online here >>
Season | Date Band | Arrival Day |
Season 1: | 03.04. and 02.10.2021 | Saturday |
Season 2: | 04.04. – 14.05.2021 | 13.09. – 01.10.2021 | Saturday |
Season 3: | 15.05. – 17.07.2021 | 21.08 – 12.09.2021 | Saturday/Sunday |
Season | Price per person (Double) | (Single) |
Season 1: | £620 | £840 |
Season 2: | £720 | £935 |
Season 3: | £765 | 985 |
Standard Bike Rental: | £80 | |
Electric Bike Rental: | £185 |
Season | Prices per person (Double) | (Single) |
Season 1: | £535 | £710 |
Season 2: | £630 | £805 |
Season 3: | £680 | £850 |
Standard Bike Rental: | £80 | |
Electric Bike Rental: | £185 |
Category Type | Accommodation Overview |
Category A: | 3/4*** hotels |
Category B: | 3*** hotels |
Location | Price DBL/BB | Single Room Price SGL/BB |
Mestre (Cat A): | £65 | £95 |
Mestre (Cat B): | £50 | £80 |
Porec: | £50 | £80 |
Venice: | £85 | £145 |
Date From | Date To |
---|---|
03 April 2021 | 02 October 2021 |