8-day Venice to Porec Cycling Holiday

 Arrive in Venice. Check in to your hotel in Mestre on the mainland. The 'Republic of the Serenissima' awaits you - from the mainland you can easily reach Venice downtown with public transport and details will be included in the route notes and destination manual. Your bike will be delivered either today or tomorrow morning and you will be required to sign an agreement of care upon receipt of the bike.

Today you have two cycle route choices. The shorter coastal route is to cycle from Mestre into Venice, then board the ferry and Vaporetto water bus with your bike, crossing the Venetian lagoon to Punta Sabbioni. Here we recommend a quick detour to see the lighthouse at the tip of the headland. Skirting the lagoon you will head northwest along the Litorale di Cavallino, which is a thin strip of land that separates the lagoon from the sea. There are several opportunities at this point to stop off for a swim. Continue cycling along the coast until you reach Caorle with its pretty historic centre and harbour.

Challenge: 79 - 62 km / 49 - 38,5 mi, 113/180m ascent, 130/180m descent

 Say goodbye to the Sea as you head inland towards the Julian Alps, visible in the distance Cycling along waterways and a succession of fields you reach the Renaissance town of Portogruaro, an important inland harbour of the “Serenissima” during the Venetian Republic. Still today it preserves the look and feel of a Venetian city with canals, narrow streets and grand palaces.

Challenge: 30 km / 19 mi, 40m ascent, 40m descent

This morning take the train with your bike from Portogruaro to Latisana. If you prefer, you can cycle this section. This adds 20 kilometres / 12,5 milles to today's total distance. 

From Latisana cycle through beautiful open farmland dotted with old farms and small parish churches to Aquileia, an important city during the Roman Empire with over 100,000 inhabitants at its height. Take your time here to visit the open-air excavations, the two museums and the beautiful mosaics in the church. On the way to Aquileia there is the option to extend the cycling with a detour to visit Palmanova, a small fortified town built during the renaissance period. This town is a national monument due to its characteristic nine-pointed star shape. After exploring Palmanova continue cycling to Aquileia.

From Aquileia cycle to the seaside town of Grado, the final point on today’s ride, to see its fishing port and a nice historic centre. Your accommodation tonight will normally be in Grado, but due to availability may be in Aquileia or Palmanova.

Challenge: 83-96 km / 51-60 mi, 345/405m ascent, 290/345m descent

Today’s ride is dedicated to the wild and varied natural habitat of the delta of the River Isonzo a protected wetland area. You skirt the coastline then ride on the river dike before the final stretch into Monfalcone where you take the train to Trieste  

You can extend the ride by cycling to Trieste passing by the villages like Duino, Sistiana, It’s worth visiting the seaside palace of Miramare located above the bay of Grignano surrounded by a beautiful park with more than 2000 different species of plants and a protected marine area. Spend the afternoon and evening soaking in the Habsburg period atmosphere as you wonder through the streets, plazas and coastal promenade of Trieste lined with grand and imposing palaces.

Challenge: 37- 65 km / 23- 40 mi, 75/225m ascent, 25/225m descent

A short boat ride takes you to Muggia and after a few kilometres following the coastline you ride into Slovenia! Continuing alng the coast you reach the well-known villages of Koper (Capodistria), Izola (Isola d´Istria) and Piran (Pirano) until you reach the well known resort of Portoroz on the Slovenian Riviera.

Challenge: 36 km / 22 mi, 350m ascent, 350m descent 

Firstly you ride along the coast to the salt lakes of Secovlje, where sea salt is extracted through natural evaporation. Next you cross the border into Croatia where the famous Parenzana route (a disused railway line converted into a gravel cycle path) gently meanders through the Istrian hills to Buje, where a fast descent then takes you back to the coast for a final ride to the bustling medieval seaside town of Porec. Here, the UNESCO heritage Euphrasius Basilica is a sight not to be missed.

Challenge: 60 km / 37 mi, 475m ascent, 475m descent

 The trip ends after breakfast, you can choose to return to Venice by boat or fly from Pula.