icon Trip Overview

icon Lodging

Route Rating Level 3 to Level 5

PDF iconDetailed Itinerary

RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Premiere Inns
  • From $3,898
    To $4,098 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+From $950 To $1,350
    for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2008 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 3 lunches and 1 dinner

Cancellation Policy

View cancellation policy

Meet / Depart

Venice, Italy/Ljubljana, Slovenia

Special Interest

Culture & History, Fine Wine & Cuisine, Geological Wonders, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Romance &/or Honeymoon, Spa, Swim

My Backroads

View albums for this trip

Recommended Reads

Search
Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Slovenia Biking Vacations

Slovenia & Italy Biking

From Venice to Ljubljana

Discover Europe less traveled as you journey from Italy’s northern Adriatic to the rocky heights of Slovenia’s Julian Alps. Immerse yourself in the green Friuli-Venezia Giulia area, a hidden gem whose Celtic and Roman histories have been meticulously preserved. Pedal through the vine-draped hills of the Collio wine region, famed for producing some of Italy’s finest white. Then head into Slovenia to ride amid the alpine valleys, jewel-like lakes and limestone peaks of Triglav National Park. Relish the challenge of two mountain passes—or take advantage of our van support—before toasting your grand finale in the postcard-perfect Bled, a town beloved throughout the centuries for its thermal spas and stunning natural surroundings.

View other trips in Europe Italy

Slovenia Map

Larger View

CLICK TO CLOSE

Days 1-2 San Floriano del Collio

Meet in Venice  Visit Aquileia, a World Heritage site renowned for its exquisitely restored Roman ruins and basilica containing one of Europe’s finest marble floors  With the distant Julian Alps as your landmark, pedal flat tranquil back roads to the Collio wine region, where low rolling hills lie blanketed in chestnut forests, cherry orchards and tidy vineyards Bike to charming and historic Cividale del Friuli, set on the shores of the Natisone River  Venture into neighboring Slovenia for an afternoon of incredible riding and your first taste of Eastern European culture Savor light and fruity Collio wines and feast on Friulian specialties such as polenta and delicious prosciutto San Daniele.

Day 3 Bovec

Say arrivederci to Italy and prepare for the challenge of the mountains as you pedal the Passo di Tanamea into Slovenia  After a thrilling descent, enter the Soča River Valley for a spin to the sleepy village of Bovec (“beautiful valley”) Cap off the day with a tasting of Slovenian wines.

Days 4-6 Bled

In Triglavski National Park, a stunning alpine area named for Slovenia’s iconic mountain, follow the turquoise-colored Soča River on an unforgettable ride up the Vršič Pass, an ascent reminiscent of classic Tour de France climbs  Find villages steeped in tradition en route to Lake Bohinj, where you may choose to hike Rejuvenate in the pleasant town of Bled, one of Slovenia’s most glamorous resorts  Say goodbye in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, with its unique Austrian flavor and vibrant cultural scene.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Trip praise

Serious cyclists who enjoy a variety of terrain, from flat stretches to challenging climbs, will love this trip. You’ll pedal through the rolling, vineyard-covered hills of the Collio region on the Italy/Slovenia border, which is famous for white wines. Also take in the dramatically rugged Alpine scenery in Slovenia's river valleys.
Jeff Cantarutti - Regional Manager, Europe

For more than 29 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Trieste/Slovenia tour experts. For biking tours in Europe Italy, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Europe Italy biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe Italy walking and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe Italy multisport tours click here.

Slovenia & Italy Biking

NOBLE TRANQUILITY : Premiere Inns*

Hotel Vila Bled

Bled (2 nights): This Relais & Châteaux member, once Tito’s summer villa, enjoys a spectacular location on the shore of Lake Bled and offers tennis courts, a swimming pool, a private lido with row boats, and a new wellness studio with a hot tub, saunas, healing baths and massage treatments.

Castello di Spessa

Capriva del Friuli (2 nights): Set in charming gardens and tranquil parkland among the rolling hills of Capriva del Friuli, this elegantly furnished historic castle once hosted Casanova and traces its roots back to the Roman Empire.

Dobra Vila Bovec

Bovec (1 night): Nestled on the outskirts of town, this informal and charming boutique hotel welcomes us with distinctively styled guest rooms and a sunny terrace with magnificent mountain views.

* With 1 Casual Inn night

Slovenia & Italy Biking Slovenia & Italy Biking

Castello di Spessa

Slovenia & Italy Biking

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Level 2 1 Route Option Available
  • 21 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1  to 5 4 Route Options Available
  • 19, 34, 44, 56 miles
  • 500 - 4500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 3 to 5 2 Route Options Available
  • 31, 57 miles
  • 1500 - 4000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Level 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 42, 50, 51 miles
  • 2500 - 5000 feet elevation gain 
Day 5
  • Levels 2  to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 22, 33, 45 miles
  • 500 - 3000 elevation gain
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • 18 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Slovenia & Italy Biking Slovenia & Italy Biking

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles