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 will 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 do the Poreč (in Italian Parenzo from which the rail road got it’s name)
spanning to the territory of three states.

After biking few miles through the city of Trieste we will cross over into Slovenia, often cycling along cycle
paths through famous holiday resorts such as Koper, first for a long period a Venetian and then Austrian town, and
Piran, another important town which was ruled over for a long time by Venice.

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 miles later we will cross the Croatian border down along Istria, the Adriatic sea’s largest
peninsula.

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

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

The glamour, magnificence and glare of the times can be seen 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 typical west Istrian landscape. Visit to wine cellar to taste the muscat, local sort of wine. Overnight in Buje area.

Apart from enjoying the breathtaking landscape of the terrace - styled vineyards which resemble to an image on the front page of a holiday guide to Tuscany, you can indulge the sensation the area of Buje gives, a real polyphony of fragrances and tastes. Riding through magnificent rolling landscapes and lively Istrian vineyards, it will became obvious why it was also know once it was named as wine railway.

After passing through many tunnels, over old bridges we will stop on many fascinating view points from charming medieval town of Grožnjan to Završje until we reach Motovun, town monument, 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 we continue riding on 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 with green vineyards and olive groves and taste home made food, wine, brandy and honey produced in this area.

On the afternoon, we reach Poreč, the town where you can find material and spiritual evidences of great cultures at every step. Cruise along the old city centre and see the old Roman forum, the world famous Euphrasian Basilica with it’s mosaics, palaces belonging to the city nobles and fortifications.=

After riding along the coastline we reach Vrsar, romantic fishing town situated on a hill where the famous Casanova came back even two times.

Our bike ride we continue through the magical forest Kontija with a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape of the Lim bay to ruins of the medieval town Dvigrad.

Passing Kanfanar and the hill Maklavun, an astral-archaeological site – tumulus from the Bronze Age we will finish
this day in Rovinj.
Called also little Venice, Rovinj is 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 and today most of them host a gallery or an art studio.

If you follow numerous chimneys of Rovinj and narrow meandering streets you will come 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 almost in your hand palm.

You start riding along the coastline towards Pula. Riding through the ornithological reserve Palud with rich variety of ornithology-fauna, a unique place where you can hear the chirping of even 215 different bird species we 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 well known already in ancient Roman times.

Which city is situated on seven hills, has a magnificent Amphitheatre and is not Rome? The answer is - Pula. No, it is not a mistake – you are, indeed, in front of Pula, the largest city in Istria.

Pula is an enchantress with thousand appearances which has been casting spell 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 famous Arena, a Roman amphitheatre (from the 1st century B.C.).