Cycling
From the lands of Venice to Croatia

Arrival in Mestre. The Mestre area is connected to Venice by the Ponte della Libertà, consisting of two side-by-side bridges built in different eras: the railway bridge of 1846 and the road bridge, inaugurated in 1933. Mestre is strategically located and is not outdone by its more illustrious neighbor in that it boasts countless nooks and crannies that you can explore. The centrally located Piazza Ferretto, dominated by the medieval Clock Tower, is lined with trattorias and outdoor bars, which is why it is called the “living room” of Mestre. Also not to be missed are the Palazzo Podestabile, built in 1466 to house the Podestà and Captain of Mestre, and the San Giuliano Park, overlooking the lagoon and covering some 700 hectares.

From Mestre you reach Tronchetto Island by bike. From there, you’ll take a ferry to Lido Island and then a vaporetto to Punta Sabbioni, where you begin cycling. This is a very rewarding stage that runs along the entire northern lagoon of Venice: you ride with the sea on your right and the lagoon on your left. We recommend taking the short detour to the ancient villages of Lio Piccolo and Mesole, along a very scenic road that allows you to admire the typical lagoon landscape of salt marshes and shallow waters. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of pink flamingos. Then continue on to Lido di Jesolo. Depending on the availability of accommodations, an alternative overnight stay is in Caorle (65 km), in which case you’ll continue cycling along the Sile River and then follow the coastline, dotted with traditional wooden and reed marsh fishing huts, called “casoni”. The view is beautiful upon arrival in Caorle, with its shrine of Our Lady of the Angel jutting out into the sea. Don’t miss a walk along the waterfront, where each year the rocks are embellished with fine sculptures created by sculptors of different nationalities.

Today, you’ll leave the Adriatic coast and head inland. The route runs along quiet country roads and through land particularly rich in water, where levees and isolated farmhouses create a pleasant landscape. We recommend a visit to the archaeological museum in Concordia Sagittaria: with the Roman name of Iulia Concordia, this town was founded in 42 B.C. at the intersection of the Via Annia and the Via Postumia. You then continue on to Portogruaro, where you’ll spend the night. The origin of the city’s name is said to derive from the cranes, typical birds of the marshes, that formerly characterized the area, and the prefix Porto derives from the ancient river trading port. The period of the city’s greatest economic and artistic development was during the rule of the Venetian Republic: sumptuous Gothic and Renaissance palaces remain as prestigious relics of those years. To end the day, take a walk around the old fish market with its characteristic water mills.

If your stage starts from Caorle, the total length is 35 km.

Continue your ride eastward through countryside and small towns until you meet the Tagliamento River, whose placid course forms the border between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. The Tagliamento River is 170 kilometers long and is considered the last morphologically intact river corridor in the Alps. After a break at the old town of Precenicco, cross the beautiful bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the Stella River and head toward the coast of the Adriatic Sea. We recommend a detour to Marano Lagunare to enjoy a good fish lunch! After passing the medieval village of Strassoldo, you’ll reach Aquileia, a Roman colony founded in 181 BC and now one of the most important archaeological sites in northern Italy. The Roman archaeological area and the basilica, which preserves extraordinary mosaics, have been declared a World Heritage Site. The day’s destination is Aquileia, but with a small detour you can also visit Palmanova, a fortress city built by the Venetians in 1593 and called the Star City because of its polygonal 9-pointed star layout.

Shorten the stage You can shorten the stage by 20 km by taking a train from Portogruaro and to the Latisana/Lignano/Bibione station or the Cervignano/Aquileia/Grado station.

Today’s stage is packed with places to visit and scenery to admire. Leaving Aquileia, you’ll cross the Isonzo River, scene of historic battles, and follow its course almost to its mouth, which is home to a nature reserve where white Camargue horses graze. If you want, you can take a detour to visit beautiful Grado and then continue eastward to Monfalcone, a city facing the northernmost point of the Mediterranean Sea. Continue cycling to Duino Castle, where there is a wonderful view of steep cliffs overlooking the sea. The most scenic part of the stage now begins, taking you to the striking white Miramare Castle, built in the mid-19th century at the behest of Maximilian of Habsburg, Archduke of Austria. Finally, make your triumphant entrance into Trieste: a bridge city between Western and Central Europe, it possesses both Mediterranean and Central European characteristics. The latter are most noticeable in the architecture and the wide avenues and squares. Trieste’s port was the main maritime outlet of the Habsburg Empire. The symbol of the city is the charming Piazza Unità d’Italia, the largest square in Europe overlooking the sea: it opens on one side to the Gulf of Trieste and is surrounded by elegant buildings.

Shorten the stage You can shorten the stage by 30 km by taking a train from Monfalcone to Trieste.

This is a stage of medium difficulty, due to some short but challenging climbs. You can decide to leave Trieste by bike, minding the traffic, or by motorboat, with a short transfer to Muggia. In either case, after leaving Trieste, you’ll reach the Slovenian border at Rabuiese, where a wonderful bicycle path carved out along the route of the former Parenzana railway begins. Opened in 1901, this 123-kilometer railway was the longest narrow-gauge line built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. You first arrive in Koper and then in the town of Izola, which was originally an island in the northern Adriatic. First colonized by the Romans, it later came under the control of Venice, whose unmistakable architecture is still visible in the historic center. You’ll pass through the Strunjan salt pans area, and then a fabulous cliffside trail takes you to the charming town of Piran, located at the tip of the peninsula of the same name. The city boasts fine examples of medieval architecture and a rich cultural heritage stemming from the long rule and influence of Venice. Finally, following the winding waterfront, you arrive in Portoroz, a lively seaside town and spa since the 19th century.

Shorten the stage To avoid the busy exit from Trieste you can shorten the stage by about 10 km by taking the motor boat from Trieste to Muggia.

Leave the city of Portorož and start pedaling south, still along the Parenzana bicycle path, which now turns inland. Just before the Croatian border, we recommend visiting the Sečovlje salt pans, the northernmost in the Mediterranean Sea, which are part of a fascinating UNESCO-protected nature park. Enter Croatia and arrive at the town of Buje, built on top of a hill at the foot of which the Via Flavia of ancient Rome passed. Its territory is entirely planted with vines and olive trees with excellent production. Then continue to Novigrad, which remained tied to the Venetian Republic until its fall in 1797 and later followed the same fate as other Istrian towns, passing under Austrian, French, and Italian rule until World War II. We recommend the detour to Baredine Cave, where you can visit five halls full of stalactites and stalagmites, and even an underground lake, located 60 meters deep. You finally arrive in Poreč, the end of the Poreč railway and also of your bike trip. The city boasts ancient Roman origins, and the structure of the Roman castrum is still clearly visible: in fact, the Decumanus and Cardo Maximus are perfectly preserved. Take time to stroll through the historic center, filled with beautiful shops, Romanesque houses and Venetian Gothic palaces. Don’t miss a visit to Poreč’s main monument, the Euphrasian Basilica complex with its mosaics, dating back to the 5th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you need to return to Venice, we can book the regular ferry from Porec. Those who can indulge in a bit more vacation time are spoiled for choice to enjoy Porec or another location on the Istrian coast, such as Vrsar, Rovinj or Pula.