Get ready for an 8-day cycling and culinary tour through Istria, Croatia's Terra Magica, where ancient villages, lush rolling hills, and world-class gastronomy await. Pedal through medieval towns, olive groves, and forest trails on our e-bikes, discovering hidden sites and coastal towns along the way. Stay in charming boutique hotels and indulge in authentic local cuisine, including wine, cheese and truffle tastings. With experienced local guide leading the way, enjoy a hassle-free journey through the heart of Istria. All-inclusive tour includes premium e-bikes, accommodations, meals, tastings, and more!
After arriving in Pula, you’ll get transferred to a beautiful heritage hotel which will be our base for the next two days in the northwest of Istria. After welcome drinks, a tour overview and briefing await, where we will fill you in with all the details. It’s best to get to know each other over a welcome dinner of local cuisine and wine. Your taste buds will be on high alert for the following week!
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Heritage Hotel San Rocco
After breakfast, our Istria cycling tour will have officially started! The northwest part of Istria is most famous for its wines, so let’s take it easy on the warm-up day and visit a couple of winemakers and surrounding medieval towns. Wine tastings of local wines teran (red) and malvazija (white) will get you acquainted with some of the best wine types in all of Croatia. Highlight towns of the day might be the wine-centric Momjan or the village of Grožnjan, home to many Croatian artists which features a spectacular view of the Adriatic. We will then return back to our accommodation for some well-deserved rest!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Heritage Hotel San Rocco
Distance: 36 km (22 mi) / elevation gain 750 m (2,200 ft)
First part of today’s route will be the very popular Parenzana cycling route. It was an Italian nickname for a pre-WW2 narrow-gauge railway. It connected Trieste in Italy and Poreč (Parenzo in Italian) in Istria (both cities were then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). The route will take us along Mirna Valley, which is world-famous for its mythical white truffles and a jade-colored river. After a truffle tasting, traversing a few green hills with splendid views of Central Istria, we will go to the fairytale town of Hum. It is known for being the smallest town in the world and according to legends, built by giants. The day will be concluded in the Istrian truffle capital, the town of Buzet.
Meals: Breakfast, tasting/lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Boutique Hotel Vela Vrata
Distance: 68 km (42 mi) / elevation gain 1,400 m (4,600 ft)
Continuing along the peaceful Mirna Valley, we’ll reach the top of the hill where Motovun town is nested. Valley climate often shrouds Motovun in dense fog which, when viewed from afar, makes Motovun and surrounding hills seem like green islands above the clouds. Traversing those hill islands will take us across hidden ruins and picturesque villages to the bottom half of Istria, a mostly flat and historically agricultural region. Your destination is the charming town of Svetvinčenat, known for its centrally located medieval Grimani Castle and local craft beer brewery Kampanjola.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Foscari the fine B&B
Distance: 65 km (40 mi) / elevation gain 1,100 m (3,600 ft)
An easier day awaits todaty, exactly what is needed after an exciting and long ride of the previous day. Taking it through green forest tunnels on easy gravel routes, the ride will be mostly flat, relaxing, listening to chirping birds and crickets hiding in the bushes. Town of Bale is on the route, a settelment occupied by people since 2nd century BC. But before there were humans, in the area were found fossil remains of Histriasaurus dinosaur. Besides fossils, there is something else hiding in the dense forest of the area, a tiny St. Peter Church perched on a natural boulder. This day can also be a rest day on your Istria cycling & food tour if you feel like you need to recharge your batteries.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Foscari the fine B&B
Distance: 32 km (20 mi) / elevation gain 300 m (1,000 ft)
An easy flat route will guide us to the pearl of Istria, a seaside toen of Rovinj. The magnificent view of Rovinj Old Town, situated on an island protruding from the Adriatic Sea, is truly unforgettable. We’ll make a stop there and wonder its colorful streets with abundant Venetian architecture, gelato in our hands! Continuing to the very south of Istria, the road is still flat, but the scenery is captivating. South’s red soil and Mediterranean climate are perfect for olive growing which will be evident as we pass by countless olive groves.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Foscari the fine B&B
Distance: 50 km (31 mi) / elevation gain 400 m (1,300 ft)
Olive groves are abundant in the South, especially in the town of Vodnjan, which is home to several world-renowned premium olive oil producers. Did you know that Istria is one of the best olive oil regions in the world? A brief ride along the most southern and biggest town in Istria, Pula, will reveal its rich history. Venetian fortress, ancient Roman temples, and Austrian military forts and tunnels, but Pula’s highlight is a 2000-year-old Roman amphitheater, the sixth largest in the world! This is the last day of cycling on your Istria bike and culinary tour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Oasi Boutique Hotel or similar
Distance: 55 km (34 mi) / elevation 400 m (1,300 ft)
Today is a departure day from Pula. Say goodbye to your guides and fellow cyclists—or continue touring on your own! We suggest extending your visit for a few days to give yourself a few days of well-earned rest and to explore Brioni Island near Pula or the spectacular Kvarner islands of Krk, Lošinj, and Cres at your own pace.
Meals: Breakfast
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
To participate in the Istria cycling and food tour, you should have a very good level of fitness and possess basic technical riding skills. The tour encompasses six consecutive days of cycling, covering average distances of 20-45 mi (32 to 70 km) and elevations ranging from 985 to 4,600 ft (300 to 1,400 m) While the terrain mainly consists of paved roads, expect approximately 20% to be gravel, with occasional bumpy dirt paths. It’s essential to feel comfortable navigating such terrain and have the stamina to tackle uphill segments, with the assistance of e-bikes making ascents easier. The tour is designed for those who enjoy a challenge, including the thrill of cycling uphill for up to 60 minutes. Throughout the journey, guides will be on hand to provide encouragement, arrange sufficient breaks, and ensure that the experience remains safe and enjoyable for all participants.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Bring comfortable clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Though usually warm and stable, weather in late spring and early fall can be unpredictable in Istria, with a possibility for cooler windy and rainy days (less so in September), so it is instrumental that you are informed about the weather forecasts and prepared for different conditions.
For those who wish a bit more privacy, single rooms are available for an additional fee of $1,040 during the booking process.
Group sizes and prices:
Bike & food tour in Istria, Croatia can be arranged for larger and for private groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Your adventure starts in Pula, Croatia. To get there, you can fly directly into Pula Airport. Alternatively, you can first fly into Zagreb Airport and then take another flight to Pula. In the case you cannot find a flight to Pula that suits you, you can always take a bus ride to the city from Zagreb (3.5 hours drive), Venice (4 hours), Trieste (2.5 hours), or other nearby cities.
Transfer from Pula Airport to your accommodation is included in the price. Transfers are also possible from other parts of the city, like the bus station. You’ll be able to arrange exact meeting time and place with your guide upon booking.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.
Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to. For more information on travel recommendations and restrictions in Croatia, please refer to the official government travel information or the official site of the Croatian Tourist Board.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!