From Italy to Croatia by bike: Trieste to Pula

Independent arrival in Trieste. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore Trieste.

Your cycling adventure through 3 countries (Italy, Slovenia and Croatia) you start riding on the legendary route of the Parenzana, the former narrow-gauge railway line which penetrates deeply into the Istrian peninsula connecting 33 Istrian cities and town from Trieste to Poreč (in Italian "Parenzo" where the railroad got it’s name), spanning to the territory of three states.

After biking a few kilometers through the city of Trieste you will cross the border into Slovenia, often cycling along cycle paths through famous holiday resorts such as Koper, which for a long period of time was a Venetian and then Austrian town. Antoher city is Piran, a town which was ruled for a long time by Venice.

Cycling south, you will pass through the salt mines of Secovlje, a large Slovenian town with a humid environment, which is a key area for bird watching. A few kilometersl further you will cross the Croatian border and enter Istria, the Adriatic sea’s largest peninsula.

This tour starts with an easy downhill ride to the coast on the northernmost point of the Istrian peninsula. There is a lighthouse which you can visit. According to the legend it was built by count Metternich as his love nest. Savudrija is one of the oldest lighthouses in the Adriatic, built in 1818. It is also the northernmost Istrian lighthouse.

The trail continues south to Umag. A small town about 45 km of coastline and an interesting hinterland integrates features of the whole region and might be the best introduction in a different experience of the Mediterranean. Umag’s history is extremely interesting; it was founded by a Roman nobleman who decided to make it his summer residence.

The glamour, magnificence and glare of the times reflect today in the Venetian houses of the old town. City walls and fortification are partially preserved as well as some renaissance and baroque buildings and churches. Vineyards and olive groves will create an atmosphere of the typical west Istrian landscape. Visit a wine cellar to taste the muscat, a local type of wine. You spend the night in the Buje area.

Apart from enjoying the breathtaking landscape of the terrace-styled vineyards, which resembles a postcard from Tuscany, you can indulge the sensation the area of Buje gives, a real polyphony of fragrances and tastes. Cycling through magnificent rolling landscapes and lively Istrian vineyards, it will also be obvious why this bicycle path was once known once as the wine railway.

While passing through many tunnels and over old bridges you’ll feel the need to stop by many fascinating view points : from the charming medieval town of Grožnjan to Završje, until you reach Motovun, an ancient little Istrian town located atop a 277-meter-high hill, 21 km south-east from Buje. Its present appearance, with the city walls surrounding the centre of the town, dates back to the Middle Ages.

After breakfast you continue cycling on the Parenzana trail over Vižinada and Kaštelir to the coast. The ride towards Poreč is particularly pleasant because you are riding along the coastline with beautiful bays where you can enjoy the breathtaking Mediterranean landscape : green vineyards and olive groves and tasty homemade foodd, wined, brandy and honey produced in this area.

In the afternoon you reach Poreč, the town where you stumble over material and spiritual evidence of great cultures at every step. Cruise along the old city centre and visit the old Roman forum, the world famous Euphrasian Basilica with it’s mosaics, city palaces that belonged to the nobles, and fortifications.

After cycling along the coastline you reach Vrsar, a romantic fishing town located on a hill.

The bike ride continues through the magical forest of Kontija with a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape from the Lim bay to the ruins of the medieval town Dvigrad.

Passing Kanfanar and the hill of Maklavun (an astral-archaeological site, a tumulus from the Bronze Age) the finish of the day is in Rovinj.
The town is nicknamed little Venice and a typical Mediterranean seaside resort which will seduce you with its extraordinary beauty. In the dense tissue of the old city centre there are numerous magnificent palaces from different historical periods. Today most of them host a gallery or an art studio.

If you wander through the narrow meandering streets you will suddenly arrive in front of the baroque church of St Eufemia, the greatest monument in the city, from which you can admire a magnificent view of the Mediterranean sea.

You start riding along the coastline towards Pula. Riding through the ornithological reserve Palud with a rich variety of birds, a unique place. Under the gentle chirping, chilping and chattering of at least 215 different bird species you’ll reach Fažana.

This city is situated on a low coast, well protected from the open sea by the enchanting Brioni archipelago (nowadays a national park) and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves in the hinterland, Fažana was already well known in ancient Roman times.

Which city is situated on seven hills, has a magnificent Amphitheatre and is not Rome? The answer is ... Pula. No, that’s not a mistake – you are indeed at the gates of Pula, the largest city in Istria.

Pula is an enchantress with a thousand appearances which has been casting spells on its visitors for centuries. This day we finish visiting the old city with the Sergius’ Triumphal Arch (from the end of the 1st century B.C. and the beginning of the 1st century A.D.) and the famous arena, a Roman amphitheatre (from the 1st century B.C.).

Enjoy one last stroll through the streets of Pula before your departure.