Road Cycling from Alps to Adriatic
Diverse road cycling holidays covering ground from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea
Visit Slovenia’s highlight locations like Bled, Kranjska Gora, Vršič Pass, Soča Valley, and Piran
Explore Slovenia’s interchangeable landscape on a bike
Enjoy moderately paced cycling with some modest challenges
Reward yourself with a jump in the Adriatic Sea upon completing the tour
Lake Jasna in Kranjska Gora
Cycle from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea
Russian chapel under Vršič Pass
Slovenian coast
Climb Vršič Pass
Lake Bled
Town of Piran
Soča Valley
Itinerary
When you arrive at Bled, the bikes will already be waiting for you at your accommodation. You will receive complete information regarding the itinerary beforehand, and we will address any questions you may have. If you arrive in Bled early and have spare time, you should visit the Bled castle, take a boat ride to the church island, or enjoy a stroll around Lake Bled. Rest up for an exciting week ahead of you.
Transfer from the airport
Hotel in Bled
Because the stage is relatively short, the first day of cycling will be more of a warm-up. The route from Bled gradually descends through the picturesque Radovna Valley and past Lake Kreda to Mojstrana. With the highest peaks of the Julian Alps on your left and the Austrian border ridge of the Karawanks on your right, you’ll make your way up the Upper Sava Valley‘s well-maintained cycling road to the well-known alpine resort of Kranjska Gora.
36 km (22,5 mi), 650 vertical meters (2100 feet)
Hotel in Kranjska Gora
The Alpine jewel — Lake Bled
Breathtaking Radovna Valley with Lake Kreda
Scenic cycling path through the Upper Sava Valley
After lighter cycling on the first day, the steep ascent over the majestic Vršič Pass awaits you on the second. We suggest taking a break at the top to admire the majestic mountain peaks surrounding you. Afterward, you will descend the hairpin curves to the other side and pedal next to the emerald Soča River in the Soča Valley. The road will take you past breathtaking sights like the Soča Gorges to the alpine village of Bovec. You’ll rest up for the day there, surrounded by some of the highest peaks of the Julian Alps.
45 km (28 mi), 1100 vertical meters (3600 feet)
B&B in Bovec
The Soča spring
Lake Jasna
Vršič Pass
You’ll continue cycling down the Soča Valley on quiet side roads. From the historic town of Kobarid, you can ascend to the lovely Drežnica settlement, located on a small plateau beneath Mount Krn. If this WWI battleground was once a terrifying sight, it is now a must-see for anybody in the vicinity. If you get to Tolmin early, you can see the lovely Tolmin Gorges or call it a day.
40 km (25 mi), 600 vertical meters (2000 feet)
B&B in Tolmin
The beautiful Soča River
Scenic Drežnica village
Kobarid with its WWI museum
Kozjak Waterfall
As you go further south, you will soon enter a warmer Mediterranean environment with entirely different terrain. Soon, the steep mountains will be behind you, and you’ll be in the wonderful wine-growing region of Goriška Brda. The grape slopes and beautiful villages on top will make you feel like you’ve reached another nation.
39 km (24,5 mi), 750 vertical meters (2450 feet)
B&B in Goriška Brda
Lower Soča Valley
Goriška Brda wine region
This day will take you through a relatively flat section of Italian Gorizia before a steep ascent to the Karst plateau, known for its trademark water-carved limestone topography. You will cycle past the scenic villages of Komen and Štanjel to Sežana, a town well near the coastal region. You’ll almost hear the sea waves you’ll soon see as you retire to your bed today.
70 km (43,5 mi), 1000 vertical meters (3200 feet)
B&B in Sežana
Rustic villages of Štanjel and Komen
If you take a slight diversion to Lipica and visit the Lipizzaner stud farm, you will get a terrific start to the seventh day. The journey will then lead you to Socerb, where you will have a beautiful view of the shore and the day’s route. You will next follow the green Rižana river until you reach the sea coast. A well-maintained bike route will then take you along the Adriatic coast to Piran, a town famed for its captivating Venetian architecture and narrow alleys constructed on top of a long pier.
59 km (36,5 mi), 520 vertical meters (1700 feet)
Hotel in Piran or Portorose
Osp valley
Lipica
Coastal towns of Koper and Piran
The last day is time for leisure activities. You can relax on the sunny beach and go for a swim in the Adriatic Sea. When you are well-rested, we will provide a transfer to Ljubljana or the airport upon your wish.
Transfer to the airport
If you wish to extend your road cycling experience, you can opt to continue across the Croatian border and down the western Istrian shore to Pula. You will ride on the empty asphalt roads, past the coastal towns of Poreč and Rovinj, before you reach Pula and the southernmost point of Istria, Cape Kamenjak. It lengthens your stay with us for 2-3 days, depending on how you want to pace your road cycling in Croatia.
Cape Kamenjak
Coastal towns of Poreč, Pula, and Rovinj
Croatian coast
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Pricing
Included in price
Tour design and organization
Booklet with detailed itinerary and route instructions
Service and support during your tour
GPS navigation with an easy-to-use app
Accommodation as per itinerary
Luggage transfer
Self guided
Included in price
Optional Extras
Description
Not many road cyclists can say they rode their bikes from the highlands of the Alps to the Adriatic Sea. In Slovenia, you can do it within a week!
After visiting the alpine highlights of Slovenia, such as Bled and Vršič Pass, you will descend through the Soča Valley toward the warm Mediterranean climate. Each stage will provide you with an enchanting landscape, not one day quite the same as the previous one.
Overcoming a challenge usually requires a reward, and a jump in the warm Adriatic Sea seems quite gratifying.
The roads are well-maintained along the whole route. While you will not be far from civilization at any point of this journey, you will be cycling well away from the urban areas. This journey allows you to let yourself go for its duration and recharge your batteries.
You will not have to worry about accommodation, meals, or baggage transportation along the way, as we take care of all that.
If you prefer to cycle under the watchful eye of an experienced guide, we can provide one for you. And there is also an option of a support van with a trained mechanic following you on your way.
With our self-guided option, on the other hand, you will receive an extensive personalized handout with a day-by-day itinerary and highlights along the way. Our support will also be available to you at any time.
Sounds exciting?
Contact us and let us help make your road cycling experience in Slovenia unforgettable.
Location
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Things to know
Cycling from the Alps to the Adriatic is appropriate for most people who like cycling and are physically healthy enough to spend numerous days on the saddle in a row. The stages are typically 40km long. However, due to Slovenia’s rugged terrain, certain hills are inevitable. Expect to climb 600-700 vertical meters every day on average. The roads are predominantly well-maintained asphalt with very little traffic.
On our self-guided tours, you don’t get a guide. You receive an extensive personalized handout with all the essential information.
On our guided tours, a professional guide accompanies you on your way. He ensures everything runs smoothly, offers you his expert knowledge of cycling and Slovenia’s landscape, and makes your experience memorable.
We are continually on the lookout for the ideal match for you. We select a few different accommodations that meet our criteria, but they are subject to availability, particularly during peak season. We may also modify the vacation based on your desires and budget, and we can always find a better acceptable alternative for your taste.
We encourage making your reservation as soon as possible. Most of our trips cover popular tourist destinations with limited lodging options. Before spring, most of the top spots are fully booked for the summer.
It all depends on how severe your limitation is. Vegetarian alternatives are rather simple to acquire in Slovenia, while vegan foods are exceedingly challenging to find in rural areas and smaller towns. Please keep in mind that the restaurants where we stop for lunch are typically traditional and may have difficulty accommodating you if you choose something other than their standard menu. We recommend that you consider this.
Sure, if you want to! We understand that some individuals like to travel in groups, while others prefer to spend more time alone. We wanted to provide you with the freedom to do things your way. After all, it is your holiday! Please feel free to adapt your schedule and make your trip memorable!
Depending on the tour, late spring (May) and early autumn (September) are often the ideal periods. But summer is always a good choice, and some of our holidays are even available during winter!
Learn more about road cycling season in Slovenia.
Most trips may be completed in mild rain if you dress appropriately. Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon in the summer, so getting an early start is advised. If the weather appears very lousy, we will attempt to modify the trip or skip a stage by shuttle.
We design our tours for road bikes. Objectively, the most optimal bike you could use is an endurance road bike, but using a different one won’t be an issue for you either. Gravel bikes can be a great option, as they allow you to be more versatile and don’t affect your road performance.
We can always adapt our tours to suit your bike. For example, we can include macadam roads if you are using a gravel bike. In any case, you can join our road cycling tours in Slovenia with any bike, as we will make the necessary changes to suit your choice.
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