Croatian Vineyards and Villages of Undiscovered Istria

Day 1: Arrival in Istria

Arrive in Istria and meet your Fiore representative at 7:00 pm - they'll be waiting in the hotel reception area to provide your tour package, including hotel vouchers, bicycles with all the necessary equipment, maps, and a road book.

Overnight in the Buje area/Brtonigla.

Day 2: Buje – Umag – Buje
30 miles/48 km, +1453/-1450ft +443/-442m

Your first day's touring begins with an easy downhill ride to the sensational coastline along the northernmost point of the Istrian peninsula. Legend has it that the nearby lighthouse was built by Count Metternich to be his 'love nest'! Savudrija is one of the oldest lighthouses in the Adriatic, having been built in 1818, and is also Istria's northernmost lighthouse. These days, a keeper still lives inside this 36 meter-high coastal building.

Today's trail continues south to Umag, a little town boasting around 45 km of coastline and intriguing hinterlands integrating many of the Mediterranean's most magical features. The history of this little town is very interesting - founded by a Roman nobleman who decided to make Umag his summer residence, the town still emanates magnificence, especially in the Venetian houses of the Old Town. You'll find Umag's walls and fortifications still partially preserved, along with a selection of Renaissance and Baroque buildings and churches. The verdant vineyards and aromatic olive groves surrounding the town create a serene atmosphere typical of West Istrian landscapes. Enjoy a visit to a wine cellar to taste the local Muscat or Malvazija.

Overnight in Buje area.

Day 3: Buje – Brtonigla – Novigrad – Buje
31 miles/50 km, +1384 ft /-1381ft, +422/-421 m

Biking off from the Buje area, you'll cycle through the picturesque village of Kršete and arrive in the small town of Brtonigla, boasting churches and monasteries from the 15th century. Further on, the charming trail leads you through the vibrant vineyards and sun-kissed olive groves of the Brtonigla area, known for the popular Teran wine. Crossing the seemingly endless vineyards, you'll reach Novigrad, where can stop to visit places of olive oil production and taste some of the most sumptuous oils in Europe.

Continuing on through the Dajla and Karigador villages, breathe in the sea air as you follow the coastline to Lovrečica, the coastal village of a Venetian bishop. As you follow the road through the villages of Škrinjari, Babići and Buroli, you'll glide past an array of wonderful traditional Istrian houses.

Overnight in Buje area.

Day 4: Buje – Motovun
23 miles/37 km, +2273 ft /-1919 ft, +693m /-585m

From Buje, you'll continue towards Grožnjan, a traditional medieval Istrian town perched high on a hill overlooking the River Mirna and the beautiful Baroque church of St. Vitus and Modesto. As you casually cycle through its streets, you'll notice that almost every door is the entrance to an intriguing art gallery or studio, whilst your ears will be graced with the sounds of myriad music genres, from classical to jazz, emanating from doorways and restaurants. You'll soon come to see why Grožnjan is known as 'The Town of Artists'!

From Grožnjan, follow the quiet roads to Oprtalj, where you can enjoy the unchanged medieval architecture and planning apparent in the narrow streets, the beautiful Venetian palaces, quirky portals and passages, and a unique view over the Istrian peninsula from the town loggia, said to be the most beautiful view of Istria.

From Oprtalj, zoom downhill to enjoy views of the Mirna river and eventually arrive in Livade, the truffle center of Istria where you can visit local truffle stores and enjoy a sample of these underground malodorous fungi. On the hill in front of Livade is Motovun, the most famous and attractive of the Istrian medieval hill towns. Around Livade, you'll find the atmospheric shelter of the Motovun forest, rich with truffles, which stretches along the magical Mirna River valley.

Overnight near Motovun.

Day 5: Motovun – Poreč
25 miles/40 km, +1204 ft /-2014 ft, +367 m /-614 m

This section of the trail sees you cycling inland towards the coast, following the road to Višnjan where you'll pass by an impressive observatory. Continuing along the road, which has an altitude of 246 m, you'll catch an incredible view of the West Istrian coast and the coastal town of Poreč. In the verdant surroundings of Višnjan, you can enjoy visits to many wine cellars to sample the sumptuous wines hailing from the Poreč area, especially from Malvasia.

Your tour continues on to Tar, a little hilltop town peering over the sea, and to the village of Nova Vas, famous for its cave, which you can visit. After passing through a few more quaint villages, the trail brings you into Poreč.

Overnight in Poreč.

Day 6: Poreč – Vrsar – Poreč
28 miles/45 km, +1689 ft / -1689 ft, +515 m /-515 m

From Poreč, the trail takes in sightseeing at the Euphrasiana, a church built in the 6th century that's widely regarded as the most valuable monument in Poreč. Continue your ride along the road until you reach the village of Bačva, the highest point of this cycling stage, where you can settle down for some scrumptious traditional food in a charming local restaurant. Your route then continues through the southern villages until you reach the coastal town of Vrsar.

With a commanding view of the coastline, it was inevitable that Vrsar was a fortress town built to protect inland areas. Only parts of the 12th-century fortification system have been preserved, but the fortress castle used as a summer residence by the Poreč bishops is well worth a look. Once you've visited Vrsar, pedal onwards to the fishing village of Funtana, and pass through the tourist villages of Plava Laguna and Zelena, on the southern doorstep of Poreč.

Overnight in Poreč.

Day 7: Poreč – Kanfanar – Rovinj
20 miles/32 km cycling, +590ft/-1492ft, +180m/-455m

After breakfast, you have the choice of a transfer to Kanfanar or to cycle to the destination (optional additional 21 miles/34 km, +2230ft/-1305ft, +680m /-399m,). Kanfanar is a small town settled above the Lim Valley and the starting point of the flattest ride along this whole tour. As you pass through Istrian inland villages, you'll enjoy views of traditional Istrian toolhouses (Kažun).

Having biked into Bale, enjoy a visit to the Bebmbo Palace, City Square, and museum. Then, ride onwards to Rovinj, passing by the 'Palud' ornithological reserve on the way. Make your way towards Monkodonja, a prehistoric hilltown inhabited during the Bronze Age from around 1800-1200 BC. Soon afterwards, you'll reach Rovinj, the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'.

Which its hilltop church and bell tower, Rovinj is recognizable from all sides. Also known as the 'Istrian Venice', the Old Town of Rovinj was once an island famous for its traditional boats (called 'batana'), eventually connected with the mainland. You'll find the tantalizing aromas of fresh fish emanating from the inviting restaurants here in a town of wonderful charm and magic. Rovinj is sure to fascinate you on your final evening!

Overnight in Rovinj.

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast, it's time for departure.

Don't want the adventure to end? Consider taking a cycling day tour in Pula to top off your itinerary.