Trip Report - Captivating Culture and Beautiful Beaches along the Istrian Coast

Of course, everyone wants something different from a holiday, which can prove challenging, especially when ‘everyone’ is your family. Thankfully, the Istrian Coast - Trieste to Pula Bike Tour provided the perfect balance.

My son (22) and I like a decent daily ride on regular hybrid bikes, discovering the quirkier aspects of the areas we ride through. My wife and daughter (16) like the support of an e-bike, a good shower, and a decent amount of time on the sun-lounger!

Touring down through the three countries of the Istrian peninsula worked really well for all of us. Crossing from Italy into Slovenia and then into Croatia made for a combination of interesting cycling and traditional beach holidaying, just with a different beach every day.

The two holidays in one idea works perfectly with this tour. The daily distances, at an average of 42km, were easily done in about three hours each day - leaving plenty of time for less active holiday pursuits.

We started by flying to Trieste airport and then taking a taxi for the 45 minute journey into the city centre. It was a warm day at 34°C and there was a sleepy atmosphere across the town. We were too early to check into our hotel, so we found the nearest restaurant and ordered a pizza - when in Italy!

My family always find it a good idea to have an extra night in the cities at the beginning and end of our Freedom Treks tours, and this year was no exception. Given the heat, we weren’t too ambitious and spent the time exploring Trieste city centre, the Canal Grande and the waterfront on foot, eating and drinking and generally acclimatising.

The next day we moved over to the little town of Muggia for the first night of the tour. Ideally, we would have liked to get the boat service across the bay from just in front of Trieste’s main square, but the timings didn’t work on the day (worth checking in advance as it would have been a nice trip), so we took a taxi instead.

Our hotel allowed us to use the pool before the rooms were ready - the first sunbathing of the holiday - and later I walked across the marina to a nearby small rocky beach for a first dip in the sea. That evening we strolled into Muggia and had a meal, followed by a wander round the very attractive old town centre.

Our bikes were delivered the next morning and we set off, a little nervous about the heat, but otherwise raring to go. In fact, we found that when you are riding, the constant flow of air keeps your temperature down and with frequent stops in the shade and plenty of water, we didn’t find the heat to be a problem even though it was between 30 and 34°C every day.

The first day set the pattern for the rest of the holiday: bags downstairs at 9am, leisurely breakfast; start cycling about 10ish for 1.5 - 2 hours before stopping for a coffee or early lunch, a sunbathe (the daughter’s tan being an essential element of this holiday - you understand) and ideally a swim; another hour or so on the bikes and we’d arrive at our destination; park the bikes and find a spot for a late lunch or a drink; relaxing afternoon at the hotel or by the water; early evening showers and out for dinner - a very successful formula!

The day begins with some lovely waterfront cycling on smooth tarmac, then a less attractive bit as you go round Slovenia’s port Koper before getting to the pretty town of Izola where we made our stop. After that, there is a countryside stretch along a lovely cycle path and through cooling tunnels before popping out above Portoroz and the final stretch along the waterfront to Piran. 

The excellent hotel we stayed in had an absolutely stunning location right on the water as well as an ideal spot to watch the sunset and really feel like you are on holiday.

The next day sees you retrace your route to Portoroz before riding past the Sečovlje/Sicciole Saltpans Nature Park, which have existed for more than seven centuries and are an important wildlife habitat. No one was very interested in us at the border crossing into Croatia and the route then continues on a track, climbing up to higher ground for a great view back over the estuary and the saltpans.

After crossing an area of farmland you then come back to the waterfront and follow a path past campsites and hotels, the small rocky beaches and concrete bathing areas busy with families enjoying the warm water, before arriving at the hotel in Umag.

Our big resort hotel had a whiff of Soviet days about it, but with a great swimming area as well as a pool and plenty of chairs and loungers under the trees, we settled into an afternoon of serious relaxing.

A note on beaches and swimming areas - there is very little sand on the beaches on this stretch of coast, but there are plenty of concreted platform areas right on the water with steps and ladders down into the sea, as well as showers, loungers, cafes and bars. It is rocky, so take care in the water and although it is not what everyone imagines for a classic beach holiday, you don’t have sand between the toes for the post-swim ride!

Top tip - Take your flip flops in your pannier. When you stop for a break or at a beach you can lose the trainers and cool off whilst being protected against some of the sharper rocks.

After skirting Umag’s harbour and riding through the old town, the ride tracks down the coast past the many little bays and beaches with their campsites and hotels to Novigrad. Planning the day at breakfast, we’d spotted a large public park with access to the water on the edge of the town which was a great choice for our drink/swim/lunch spot, and we had a good couple of hours here.

That was needed as the afternoon proved to be one of the tougher sections of the ride. After a superb swooping descent leaving Novigrad, the road runs across the top of a dam before climbing a steep hill and turning inland and onto quieter roads. It was an attractive ride through small villages and countryside but, away from the sea, it was noticeably hotter and we were very pleased to have the long descent into Porec and be back beside the water again.

Porec is a stunning town and after dinner and the customary gelato we were treated to an incredible sunset over the still sea as we wandered through the streets.

The next day is another example of why the two holidays in one concept works so well on this tour - a loop ride back to the same hotel for those that want it, or a day off for those that don’t!

My son and I set off at 7am in the cool of the morning, aiming to complete the 48kms and be back at the hotel before they closed their excellent breakfast buffet! It was idyllic riding being out early, firstly along the waterfront with the early-morning bathers and then heading east and climbing into the countryside inland from Porec.

We made good time and even managed to stop to explore the old walled village of Sveti Lovreč and have a coffee and a water before we sprinted back to Porec, on course to make it for fruit salad and omelettes! Just a kilometre short of the hotel an elderly man stepped out suddenly onto a zebra crossing and, braking just a little too late, my son (adult son, I should say) went over the handlebars and down onto the road - crash!!

He was shaken and bruised but fortunately ok and after applying an ice pack given to us by some friendly locals, and then being checked over by another bystander who said he was a ‘sort-of’ doctor, we limped back to the hotel. We made it to breakfast with a minute to spare.

My wife and daughter took themselves off to a little beach club not too far from town for their rest day. I bought a sling, some anti-inflammatories and a massive pizza for my son and then took the little water taxi from the quay over to the island facing the town for a couple of hours of relaxation on a lounger under the pines.

The main feature of this day’s riding is the Limski canal - a fjord-like inlet with steeply wooded sides. Moving away from the coast you climb up through the woods on a dirt track, in places fairly bumpy and rocky. Once at the top, you get glimpses of the canal, before a fantastic speedy descent to the head of the inlet. It is well worth the 1km diversion to the cafe and little beach for a proper view of the fjord and its famous oyster beds.

The climb up the other side of the fjord on the main road is known to be a little tricky as it is a decent climb and on the narrow side. The girls whizzed up on their e-bikes and it took me 10 minutes to get to the turn-off - it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had been led to believe.

We arrived at our smart, modern hotel on the edge of town in time for a late lunch and had a dip and read our books before wandering into the pretty town with its iconic church on the hill. On a tip from a friend, we had pre-booked the excellent La Puntalina restaurant which is perched on the rocks above the water’s edge with a superb sunset view. Reservations definitely needed, the town attracts a lot of visitors!

The final stretch to Pula, with a mixture of dirt roads, cycle paths and minor roads, was covered fairly easily and we dropped off the bikes close to the city’s very impressive amphitheatre - one of the best-preserved in the world.

We’d booked to stay an extra night in Pula and made our way to a resort hotel near the marina to continue the holiday. With the cycling holiday aspect of the trip complete, we continued in traditional beach-holiday style - by the pool and in the sea!

We all agreed that the tour was a fantastic way to explore the very attractive Istrian peninsula and its beautiful historic towns, without missing out on a relaxing summer holiday - everyone happy!

Inspired by my trip and want to do it yourself? Visit our Istrian Coast - Trieste to Pula Bike Tour page to view dates and prices and to book online. Or if you're wanting some more information, call our friendly team at +44 (0)1273 225066 or enquire online.

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