Make your own way to Mestre on the mainland of Venice. On arrival at your hotel you will find your luggage labels and ferry ticket. From here it is easy to venture into the famous canal city. On the morning of day 2 you will collect your rental bike - note that bikes (like cars) are not allowed on the island (in Venice the transit with bicycles is forbidden even when pushed by hand. By bike it is only possible to reach Piazzale Roma or the train station Santa Lucia). The city of Venice will captivate you with its splendour and history.

Meals:  Nil

Today you collect your bike, then after a short ride you take the ferry and then the vaporetto, passing in front of Piazza San Marco. The first part of the day will guide you from Mestre to Tronchetto island, where you will take a ferry to reach the island of Lido. From Lido a motorboat will take you to Punta Sabbioni, the southern-most area of the Adriatic coast, which is north of Venice. From here you cycle along the stunning seacoast, with various opportunities for a refreshing swim in the sea. Stay overnight in a town along this famous coastline, eg Jesolo or Caorle. By boat (included): about 35 minutes Tronchetto to Lido S.Niccolò, about 25 minutes S.Maria Elisabetta to Punta Sabbioni (this is a smaller boat (motonave) and it is the captain’s decision re the number of bikes accepted on board. It may happen that you have to wait for the next ferry.) Elevation +0m/0ft

Meals:  B

Leaving the sea behind you head north towards the Julian Alps. The route follows quiet country roads, traversing a land that is rich in water. You will be passing through an area with a multitude of 'Valli da pesca' (stretches of lagoon enclosed by earthen dikes where extensive fish farming is practised) and 'casoni' (constructions used by fisherman in the past during fishing season). There is a small section (1.8km) along a dirt road near the village of Torre di Mosto. Continue to the town of Portogruaro, one of the main centres during the 'Serenissima Republic of Venice' period and still impressive today with its glorious 'palazzi'. Elevation +0m/0ft

Meals:  B

You will continue eastward, traversing the countryside and small villages as far as the city San Michele and the Tagliamento river: its peaceful course marks the border between the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. Take a break in the beautiful ancient village of Precenicco then will cross the pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Stella river and continue towards the coast of the Adriatic Sea. You will find a short section of unpaved road at the Palmanova exit and need to pay attention to the traffic in crossing Cervignano del Friuli. Overnight Aquileia. You can shorten the stage by about 20km/12.5mi by catching the train from Portogruaro to Latisana. Elevation +30m/98ft

Meals:  B

This morning you cross the Isonzo (Soca) river, the scene of important battles during the First World War, before heading towards the sea: the Gulf of Trieste awaits you with many possible stops along the way. Visit Duino with its two castles, Sistiana with its characteristic bay, and Miramare with its white castle built according to the wishes of Maximilian I of Augsburg, situated in a beautiful park of more than 20 hectares. A few kilometres further is Trieste, once the only sea port of the Hapsburg Empire. Trieste has a lot to offer in the way of attractions. It is possible to shorten the cycle by about 30km/18.5mi with a train transfer from Monfalcone to Trieste. This also avoids the quite busy 'Strada Statale 14'. Or you can cycle a longer version (extra 24km) and discover Grado in the Marano lagoon, an ancient fishing village with an historic centre. Elevation +420m/1378ft

Meals:  B

Today is a more demanding stage than the preceding days. Leaving Trieste, you will face some short but demanding ascents and ride through some stretches of moderate traffic. After a few kilometres the Porec cycle path starts in Rabuiese right before the Italian-Slovene border. The remaining part of the route is often on cycling paths through famous holiday resorts such as Koper, first for a long time a Venetian and then an Austrian town, and Piran, another important centre which was ruled for a long time by Venice. The terrain is a little hilly and there's a 2km ascent to reach Piran. You will finally arrive in Portorož, renowned for its spa and bathing facilities. Elevation +470/1542ft

Meals:  B

Today's cycle takes you south through the salt mines of Secovlje, a large Slovenian town with a humid environment and a key area for ornithology. To reach the lagoon of Secovlje you have a steep downhill on a dirt road. Cross the Croatian border at Istria, the Adriatic Sea's largest peninsula, where the terrain becomes hilly, with small villages and vast forests. Your destination is Porec, the tourism capital of Croatia. We recommend visiting the UNESCO World Heritage listed Euphrasian Basilica complex, dating from the 6th-century and famous for its Byzantine mosaics. Elevation +470m/1542ft

Meals:  B

After breakfast the trip concludes in Porec. It's possible to return to Venice by ferry or by van - please ask for our rates (vary by service and season) - must be requested at time of booking. Ferry transfer details: Porec-Venice (San Basilio). Only for passengers, no bikes. Boarding is at 6-7 am, departs at around 7-8 am, travel time is approx. 4 hours. (If the ferry boat is not available the service will be replaced by a land transfer.)

Meals:  B