Cycling through Istria's vineyards

You travel on your own to Buje. At 7:00 PM you meet our local representative in the hotel reception and receive everything needed for the week (bicycle, roadbook, maps and vouchers).

Accommodation in Buje/Brtonigla

The trip's first cycling day begins with a gentle downhill to Istria's northwestern tip and the Savudrija lighthouse, built in 1818 and one of the oldest in the Adriatic Sea. The route then continues to Umag where you can delve into the small town's exciting history. Umag was founded by an Italian nobleman, which the Venetian houses in the old town district testify to. Here you'll also find part of the city wall and buildings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods preserved. The town's surroundings are typical of western Istria and let you enjoy the view over vineyards and olive groves while cycling back to Buje.

Accommodation in Buje/Brtonigla

Today's cycling takes you through the picturesque villages of Kršete and Brtonigla and then winds through the cultivations that spread out in the area, all the way to Novigrad. Here there's an opportunity to visit an olive mill and taste world-class olive oil. You then continue to Lovrecica, a coastal village that once gathered many Venetian bishops, and past the typical houses in Škrinjari, Babici and Buroli before returning at your own pace to Buje along the road through the vineyards.

Accommodation in Buje/Brtonigla

On the trip's fourth day you leave Buje and cycle towards Grožnjan, a medieval town high up on a hill above the Mirna river, also known as the "artists' town". The route then takes you to Oprtalj where you can be fascinated by the well-preserved medieval architecture and the beautiful Venetian palaces, not to mention the miles-wide view over the Istrian peninsula. After a pleasant downhill you reach Livade, Istria's truffle capital, where you can visit local producers and taste this delicacy in all its forms. Today's stage destination is Motovun, one of the most famous medieval towns in the area.

Accommodation in Motovun

Today the trail winds through the inland and out towards the coast, past one of the world's most famous observatories and on to Višnjan from where you get a fantastic view over the coast and the town of Porec, which is the goal for today's stage. During the day there are many opportunities to visit the region's many wine cellars and taste the local wines (malvasia and teran) before you continue through small cozy villages on your way to Porec.

Accommodation in Porec

The day begins with visiting the Euphrasian Basilica from the 6th century before you follow the road towards Bacva, where you can have lunch at one of the restaurants and enjoy Croatian specialties. You then reach Vrsar whose impressive and partially preserved fortifications from the 12th century are well worth a visit, just like the castle that Porec's bishops used as a summer residence. From here you then pass the fishing village of Funtana and several more small communities before today's cycling ends back in Porec.

Accommodation in Porec

Today you can get a ride to Kanfanar or cycle there on your own. Kanfanar is the starting point for the week's flattest stage, during which you will see Istria's "kazun", small stone huts that were once used as tool sheds. You then pass Monkodonja, a town with origins from the Bronze Age, and cycle on to Rovinj, the trip's final destination. Rovinj is recognizable thanks to its location halfway out to sea and is sometimes called "Istria's Venice", as the town was once an island. Here you can enjoy fresh fish and a glass of local wine with a captivating view over the Croatian coast.

Accommodation in Rovinj

The trip ends after breakfast when it's time for checkout and the journey home, unless you choose to extend your stay in Rovinj or explore other parts of Croatia.