Coastal Croatia: Porec to Pula Cycling

Name: Coastal Croatia: Porec to Pula Cycling
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.7 (3 reviews)

3 reviews

Activity Level

Easy & Moderate

Activity

Cycling

Overview

Cycle along Croatia’s spectacular Istrian Peninsula

Istria, often referred to as Croatia’s Tuscany, is simply idyllic for a week-long cycling holiday. This self-guided route gives you the freedom to explore the area’s treasure trove of antiquities at your own pace. The UNESCO sites of Porec and Rovinj and the amphitheatre in Pula give a distinctly cultural edge to this relaxed cycling itinerary. The hotels offer local charm, all close to the seafront so you can enjoy the atmosphere of the harbours and sunsets over the sea.

Key Information

Trip Code: C07IS
Ways to Travel: Self-Guided Holidays
Countries: Croatia

What's Included

All breakfasts
Luggage transfers
Headwater Navigation App
High Quality Bikes

5 days of Cycling

Pace:

Leisurely: 10-13km/6-8miles an hour

Terrain:

Low altitude; 60% tarmac, 40% coastal tracks

Day 2: 33 km / 20.5 miles
Day 4: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Day 5: 44 km / 27.3 miles
Day 6: 24 km / 14.9 miles
Day 7: 33 km / 20.5 miles

Highlights

Explore the Istrian Peninsula
Discover Roman architecture
Superb swimming opportunities

Itinerary

First Destination: Porec
Next Destination: Fazana

Meals included:None

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Porec
Next Destination: Fazana

On arrival you can go for a swim nearby or explore the town before your bike briefing at 6pm.

The 300AD UNESCO heritage Basilica of Euphrasius with golden frescoes and intricate mosaics is at the heart of Porec, and you cycle past it along the shore as you go north. Seaside tracks pass a ruined Roman amphora factory, and follow clear bays and headlands for 10km. Loop back inland to visit a giant limestone cave – Jama Baredine – then sip some zingy Roxanich wines as you pass by their vineyard, before heading back for a swim in the pool.

Meals included:Breakfast

A transfer takes you all the way to Rovinj. The town rivals Venice (just a day trip over the bay) for charm, where marbled alleyways are soft with candlelight and lively dining tables. Lose yourself in art galleries and boutiques, find a sunny swimming cove, or take a boat out to one of the small islands just off shore.

Meals included:Breakfast

Take a lazy northern loop passing ruined churches, olive groves and oxblood soils tilled by rusty tractors. On your return, enjoy a swim from the boat piers, then relax with a sundowner on the shore. After sunset some bars put cushions on rocks and underwater lights shimmer as fishing boats return for the night.

Meals included:Breakfast

Head south on a winding coastal path under umbrella pines, bayhopping for 8km by crystal seas. A steady, gentle ascent brings you to the small town of Bale, known as Castrum Vallis by the Romans who built a castle here to protect their salt trade. It’s then back downhill to the sea and through walnuts, plums, almonds, figs and vines to Fazana.

Meals included:Breakfast

Cycle to Pula where there is a network of marbled alleys to explore, many packed with Roman remains including a beautifully preserved amphitheatre from 27BC. Spend the day here or head back to take the boat to the Brijuni National Park – Roman villas, Byzantine villages, herds of deer and pine-fringed bays make for an amazing visit!

Meals included:Breakfast

Pedal inland through lemon, pine and olive trees to Istria’s ancient capital of Vodnjan, a sleepy village full of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture. Pick up some picnic supplies at the bakery, then head north for lunch amid kazuna (stone beehive-style huts), near the 8th century church of Sta Foska. Return along the coast, passing remains of Roman baths on the shore. Back in Fazana, take a sunset stroll along the harbour.

Meals included:Breakfast

After breakfast if you have pre-booked a transfer we will take you to Pula airport in time for your flight.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, deposit-only payments, and full ATOL protection available.

Call us on 0203 733 5948

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Accommodation

Hotels

We use 3 and 4-star hotels throughout, enjoying excellent locations and some spectacular coastal views. A highlight is the Villa Tuttorotto in Rovinj, one street back from the waterfront. This is a little 7 bedroom townhouse, squirreled away down a back alley, with a delightfully personal atmosphere. All the hotels are well located and all rooms have en suite facilities.

All prices are based on 2 persons sharing, so if there is an odd number of people travelling in your party or you are travelling alone, there will be a compulsory single room supplement (please see dates and prices on the website).

Essential Information

Cycling Conditions
Classification: Self-Guided
Average daily distance: 30km (19 miles)
No. of days cycling: 6 (including 4 optional rides)
Terrain and route: The suggested cycling is mainly on gently undulating and flat terrain with one more challenging day but still perfect for occasional cyclists.
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodation, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next. A representative will be there to meet you, make sure the bikes are all set up and will be on call throughout the trip should you need.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked. Where possible we stick to cycle tracks and quiet roads to make the journeys as pleasant as possible, however, on occasion we have to use busier routes.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The routes notes contain an emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local representative is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Families
Self-guided cycling holidays are a perfect option for families as they offer the freedom for you to take your holiday at your own pace. You can stop as and when you want and need, at the cafes and restaurants that suit your family and the sites that interest you. As a guide we have suggested that 12 yrs is the minimum age for this trip, but as it is self-guided and you will be leading your own family we will ultimately leave this decision up to you. The daily distances are all published in the trip notes along with a description of each days cycling so you have a good idea of what to expect. However, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact one of our experts. The principle idea is that these holidays can be as flexible as you like, with logistical support but no group or leader to dictate the daily activities.

Your trip normally starts at our hotel in Porec on the afternoon of Day 1 of the itinerary. Hotel check-in times are normally from around 4pm.

We can book your flights from London to Pula based on the following flight times:

Outbound – TUI Airways from London Gatwick to Pula 09:25/12:35

Inbound – Fly from Pula to London Gatwick 13:50/15:05.

These can change throughout the season so it is best that you contact our sales team for more information and prices.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Croatia

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Croatia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/croatia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/croatia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/croatia/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Croatia.html

All breakfasts included.

Croatian food is an amalgamation of flavours and influence, from inland to coastal and from former rulers from Italy and Austria. On the coast pasta, risotto and pizza dishes frequent the menus – a favourite is cuttlefish risotto where the rice is dyed black by the fish ink. In Istria they fish a lot of shellfish and crustaceans, so oysters, crab and prawns feature in many dishes. Sardines are also one of the mainstays of the local diet and are usually served grilled and drizzled with lemon juice on a bed of crunchy salad.
Pork and lamb are by far the most popular meats, and you will also find lots of cured meats, usually served with olives. Desserts are often quite heavy and sticky, but there also tends to be a good display of ice-cream on offer thanks to the Italian influence.

Croatia boasts one of the sunniest climates in Europe, and some regions are notoriously free from rain. We travel throughout the season, so you should expect some variation depending on when you travel. In the late spring and early autumn dates the temperatures will be cooler, ranging from the high-teens to mid-twenties (Celsius) during the day and dropping to the mid-teens at night, enough to want a jumper. In late August and early September there is also more chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and at night time, but these are generally intense and short lived. In the summer temperatures can be high, particularly in July and August where they can reach the mid to high 30s.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Reviews

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sue strang

Added September 2015

Great intro to Istria

The accommodation on the trip was first class, small family run hotels with excellent staff in very good locations. The bikes were very good and well equipped. Istria is a lovely place. The food was very good, particularly the seafood, as you'd expect. The wine was also very good too. I was a little disappointed by the cycling, I think if you are a regular cyclist on British roads it won't faze you, but I'm used to quiet road and cycle path cycling. About 1/2 the trip is on roads, some of which are quiet, but others have fast traffic and are quite busy. I managed it, but it did mean some of it wasn't as relaxing as I thought it would be. Others doing the same trip, who were more used to road cycling, thought the traffic was fine, so don't let that put you off. The scenery around Porec , and the final day's cycling was lovely, and on paths and quiet roads. Other days were more mixed, with the towns rather than the cycling being the highlight.

Most Inspirational Moment

Rovinj was beautiful.

Suggestions

To sum it up, the cycling wasn't quite what I was expecting (that is more roads with traffic) but the routes are well planned, the accommodation was fantastic and the trip gives you a great insight into a lovely part of the world, with great food and wine, quaint hill villages as well as lovely secluded spots for swimming. We enjoyed visiting Istria a lot and cycling was a great way to see it.

James Barlow

Added August 2014

Cycling in Istria

This week-long self-guided cycling trip was excellent. Cycling through olive groves, along rocky shores and sampling tasty local food. Typical distances were 30K a day suggested, but there is great scope for extending (or shortening) routes to suit yourself. Directions were generally good, and accommodation was excellent along the way in very friendly hotels in Fazana (especially!) Rovinj and Porec.