S❤nia, the only country with the word LOVE in its name!
Slovenia is a very small picturesque country, located in Central Europe. It neighbors to Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Hungary. It, therefore, lies at the crossroads of very diverse landscapes. Despite its small size, it is quickly gaining recognition for its rich culture, quality food and a wide range of outdoor activities. On top of that, it is also a very safe destination, that will instantly impress you and become one of your favorites! What is more, this country is full of quiet local roads, which are not busy with traffic, and will bring a smile to every cyclist’s face. During our Outdoors Europe calling tour, we will be also crossing hiking trails offering some astonishing views.
Spotlights during the tour
- a river that will leave you speechless because of its emerald color,
- hilly vineyards reminiscent of the Italian Tuscany,
- and beautiful glacier lakes surrounded by the Julian Alps.
We will start our journey in the beautiful city of Trieste in Italy, with a delicious Italian dinner. Next, we will hike through a unique Karst landscape and visit the world-famous caves. This Mediterranean region is one of our favorites. Hillsides covered with vines, hilly landscapes with cypress trees and small, authentic hilltop villages are just some of the reasons why. After that, we will move towards the Alpine region. First, we will experience rafting on the gorgeous Soča river. Then, we will relax next to the mountain lakes and admire the surrounding mountains. A tasty meal and a cozy room will await you at the end of every day. Put your mind at ease and enjoy the care of our professional guides!
There is no other destination where you can see and do as much in such a short period of time as in Slovenia! And there are not many tours, where you can visit four European countries (Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Slovenia) at once!
| TOUR DATES 2019 | Aug 17-24 2019 / Sep 14-21 2019 / Sep 28-Oct 5 2019 / Oct 5-12 2019 / Oct 19-26 2019 / May 2-9 2020 / May 23-30 2020 / Jun 20-27 2020 / Jul 4-11 2020 | ||||||||||
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Venice airport (Italy) | ||||||||||
| DEPARTURE TIME | As per request | ||||||||||
| RETURN TIME | As per request | ||||||||||
| WEAR | Comfortable bike and athletic clothing, sports shoes, jacket and sunscreen | ||||||||||
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Additional information
| Duration | 8 days |
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| Location | Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Austria |
| Dates | May-Oct |
Day 1: Arrival to Venice airport
Upon arrival to Venice airport, you will be met by Bike Hike Tours representative. Together you will drive 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. Therefore, you’ll get to know exactly what to expect in the days to follow. Then, we will go for a short stroll around the city center and have 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
Cycling: —
Highlights: Trieste (Italy)
Day 2: E-biking through the wine regions of Slovenia
After we will leave Trieste, the flatlands of Italy will soon be replaced by small hills full of vineyards. Goriška Brda, the wine region of Slovenia, is famous for its exquisite wine and food. Following this short transfer, we’ll take an e-bike tour that will take us past some of the most famous wine cellars in the area. We’ll be staying in one of many small hotels in the region, overlooking the beautiful countryside.
Transfer time: 1.5 hours
Cycling: approx. 20miles / 30km
Highlights: Trieste, Goriška Brda; we like to call it the little Tuscany of Slovenia.
Day 3: Hiking in Croatia
While the wine region alone could keep us occupied for a few days, there is a lot more to see on this trip. We’ll drive through the Karst region of Slovenia, leaving the views of the distant mountains behind us for a while. We will drive towards Istria. Therefore, the vineyards will get replaced by olive trees and the lonely roads will lead us past the coast of Slovenia. We’ll cross the border with Croatia and find ourselves in Grožnjan, a picturesque Istrian town. After we get settled down, we’ll do some easy hiking near the old city and enjoy the views that the Croatian Istria has to offer.
Transfer time: 1.5 hours
Hiking: approx. 3 hours
Highlights: Karst region, Slovene and Croatian Istria, Grožnjan (Croatia)
Day 4: The heart of Karst
After a hearty breakfast, it will be time to head back to Slovenia and visit the world-famous Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle. After a guided tour of the both, we’ll have some time for a quick lunch before we go for a hike through the surrounding forests. The hike will take us to Rakov Škocjan, a wonderful wild Karst valley full of natural sights.
We’ll get to Ljubljana in the afternoon and have plenty of time to explore the city center and visit the best cafeteria. Our day will end with a tasty dinner in a small restaurant with a great selection of local wines.
Transfer time: 2 hours
Hiking: approx. 2 hours
Cave and Castle visits: 3 hours
Highlights: Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, Rakov Škocjan, Ljubljana
Day 5: Goodbye city life, hello Alps
It’s time to see some mountains! We’ll leave Ljubljana after the breakfast and drive towards Bled. Bled is another “must see” when visiting Slovenia. Our guides will introduce you to Nordic walking and we’ll go for a walk around the lake. We’ll visit a secret viewpoint and stop in front of the Bled castle on our way. We’ll wrap up the Nordic walking with a boat ride to the Bled island. As a reward for our hike, we’ll get to taste the famous Bled cake and after that, our route will take us to Kranjska Gora. You will see how the landscape and architecture change 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 next day!
Transfer time: 1.5 hours
Nordic Walking: approx. 2 hours
Highlights: Lake Bled, Bled Island, Kranjska Gora
Day 6: Three countries in one go
Transfer time: —
Hiking: approx. 4 hours
Highlights: Tromeja (three borders)
Day 7: Rafting the emerald river and a meal to remember
We saved the very best for very last. After our breakfast, we’ll drive over the Vršič pass, rising just above Kranjska Gora. It is the highest pass in Slovenia and offers amazing views of the Trenta valley. The WWI has heavily affected this area and our guides will gladly tell you more about the history and the interesting facts. After a short stop for photo opportunities, we’ll continue our way towards Bovec. We will be constantly following the emerald Soča river, or a whitewater activity enthusiasts’ paradise. Experienced rafting guides will be waiting for us in Bovec with all the necessary equipment to take you on an unforgettable adventure. Rafting is safe and suitable for anyone, from beginners to experts. A spectacular dinner to end an amazing trip in style awaits.
Transfer time: 2 hours
Rafting: approx. 2 hours
Highlights: Vršič pass, Bovec, Soča River
Day 8: Return home or additional three days in Austria or Venice-Italy
If you wish to visit the famous city of Venice (Italy) known by its labyrinth of canals, bridges and spectacular architecture or historical Vienna (Austria), please let us know at the time of booking.
