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

Meals:  Nil

Today you collect your bike, then after a short ride across the bridge to Tronchetto island you take the ferry to the island of Lido, passing in front of Piazza San Marco. From Lido you take the motorboat to Punta Sabbioni, the southern-most area of the Adriatic coast, which is north of Venice. From here you cycle along the stunning sea coast, with various opportunities for a refreshing swim in the sea. Stay overnight in a town along this famous coastline, eg Jesolo or Caorle. Transfer by boat: takes approx 1 hour (included): • approx 35 minutes by public ferry from Tronchetto to Lido S.Niccolò; • approx 25 minutes by private (docking Lido S. Niccolò) or public * (docking Lido S.M. Elisabetta) transportation to Punta Sabbioni, depending on the start date. *In this case the ferry is smaller ('motonave') and the captain decides the number of bikes accepted on board. It may happen that you have to wait for the next ferry. Elevation +85m/278ft, -80m/262ft

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'. (From Caorle, the distance is 35 km.) Elevation +/-225m/738ft

Meals:  B

Continuing eastward, you will spend the day between the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, passing through an area abundant in water and history, among rivers, canals and ancient Roman towns. The route traverses countryside and small villages as far as the city San Michele and the Tagliamento river: its peaceful course marks the border between the two regions. You can take a break in the beautiful ancient village of Precenicco then cross the pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Stella river and continue towards the coast of the Adriatic Sea. There's the possibility to detour to Palmanova. A short section of unpaved road at the Palmanova exit requires attention to the traffic in crossing Cervignano del Friuli. Overnight Aquileia, with its Roman excavations. Elevation +/-240m/787ft You can shorten the cycling by 5km from Torviscosa to Cervignano, but the detour follows a busy road, or by 20km by taking the train from Portogruaro to Latisana.

Meals:  B

On today's stage you will once again head towards the sea: the gulf of Trieste awaits you, with many possible stops along the way. In the morning you cross the Isonzo (Soca) river, the scene of important battles during WWI, then visit Duino with its two castles and Sistiana with its characteristic bay. Prosecco on the Karst plateau and famous for its famous wines shows you the way to Trieste, the ancient port of the Habsburg Empire, which has much to offer as regards attractions and history. A variant from Sistiana along the coast is busier but passes near Miramare, with its famous white castle built according to the wishes of Maximilian of Augsburg. The route is almost entirely flat to Montefalcone before there's approx 15km of continuous ascent from Duino and Sistiana to Prosecco. Elevation +/-450m/1476ft You can shorten the stage by about 30km/18.5mi by taking the train from Monfalcone to Trieste, and avoid the quite busy 'Strada Statale 14' (and ascent) - suggested especially in the high season due to busier roads. Or a longer cycling version is available (extra 24km/15mi), to discover Grado in the Marano lagoon, an ancient fishing village with an historic centre.

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 resorts towns including 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 +/-530m/1738ft Option to avoid the initial ascents and shorten the stage by about 10km by taking a motorboat from Trieste to Muggia.

Meals:  B

Cycling south you will pass 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, and the terrain becomes hilly, with continuous ups and downs through 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 +/-620m/2034ft

Meals:  B

The trip concludes in Porec. after breakfast. We can assist with a transfer back to Venice by ferry or van - please ask for our rates (vary by service and season) - must be requested at time of booking. Ferry transfer details: Porec harbour to Venice (San Basilio). Only for passengers, no bikes. Boarding is at 6-7 am, departs at around 7-8 am, travel time is approx. 4-5 hours. If the ferry is not available the service will be replaced by a land transfer. Van transfer details: from your hotel in Porec to Venice airport or a hotel in Mestre (departs 8.30am, journey time approx 3.5hrs). Also possible: from Porec to Trieste or Pula - please ask our team.

Meals:  B