On arrival in Ljubljana you will be transferred to Lake Bled. The lake is immersed in natural beauty. It is renowned for its climate, thermal lake waters and the surrounding mountains. It is worth hiring a boat to visit Otok island where the eleventh century castle is located, together with the ninth century church. If the weather is good it is well worth hiking up to the viewpoint on Osojnica where many of the classic images of Bled Lake and the castle are taken. Early evening you will have an arrival briefing with our representative. At that meeting you will hand over your main luggage and pack the requirements for your trip in the panniers provided. You will also receive the login to the navigational app and your rental bikes. Overnight Lake Bled.

Meals:  Nil

The first big cycle of the trip takes you from Bled through the Radovna Valley to the Slovenian ski resort town of Kranjska Gora located near the border with Austria and Italy. The scenery continues to be dramatic as you leave behind Bled and circle around to the northern edge of the range. The majority of the route is uphill with around 340m ascent over the distance, so an early start is recommended. Located in the Upper Sava Valley the pretty ski town is surrounded by mountains. There is a new dedicated scenic cycle route from Mojstrana to Kranjska Gora which will be an option today. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel in Bovec, which will take about an hour. Bovec is surrounded by mountains and is based on the acquamarine Soca River. It is the adventure capital of Slovenia with many options for adrenaline sports. Overnight in a small hotel in Bovec.

Meals:  B

After cycling along its banks, today is an opportunity to take in some white water rafting on a section of the Soca river (the best rafting in Slovenia!). At the drop-off point, your bikes will be waiting for you to continue the cycle to Tolmin. En route, pass by small towns and settlements on the undulating but largely downhill cycle. A visit to the Tolmin Gorge is a must. From Tolmin, you will be transferred to the Brda wine growing area, close to the Italian border. Overnight Brda region with dinner.

Meals:  B,D

This morning you travel by bike and train to the Karst region of Slovenia. Guided visit of the spectacular Skocjan caves which house a deep underground canyon complete with a roaring river and unique limestone formations. Following the visit to the caves, continue cycling across the border into Italy and the town of Trieste, once the only sea port of the Hapsburg Empire. Trieste has a lot to offer in the way of attractions such as Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia which has the widest opening to the seafront of any Italian square. Overnight hotel in Trieste.

Meals:  B

This morning you cycle south along the old Parenzana rail line. By mid morning you will have crossed over into Slovenia. Take the time to visit the Istrian holiday town of Koper with its 15th-century Praetorian Palace located on the city square. Continuing along the coast you pass by Izola on the Istrian Peninsula, whose links to tourism date back to the 1820's when a thermal spring was discovered. You will finally arrive in Portorož, a town renowned for its spa and beach facilities. Take the time to visit nearby Piran (6km/3.5mi return), another important town which was ruled for a long time by the Venetians with an impressive historic centre on the sea. Overnight Portorož.

Meals:  B

Today's cycle takes you through the salt mines of Secovlje, a large Slovenian town where a unique habitat has formed for halophytic plants and animals and migrating birds. Soon after you will cross the Croatian border and ascend to the hilltop town of Buje. Known as the "sentinel of Istria" the town is situated in a strategic hilltop location about 10km/6mi from the Adriatic coast. Take in the views and walk through this medieval town which dates back to prehistoric times. Buje (or Buie in Italian) was ceded to Italy from 1918 to 1945 and has Roman and Venetian legacies. The cycle continues ascending to Grožnjan (Italian: Grisignana) which is the only Croatian settlement to have a majority of ethnic Italians. This is a great place to stop for lunch before a 20km/12.5mi downhill cycle to Livade, the last town before your destination of Motovun. A final 5km/3mi ascent takes you up to the medieval hilltop town with its breathtaking position commanding views of the four corners of Istria. It is known as the city of the fictional character Veli Jože, a gentle giant looking out for the people of Istria. After settling in to your hotel we recommend you walk around the fortifications, taking in the exceptional views and absorbing the history of this picturesque town. Overnight Motovun.

Meals:  B

The trail today takes you past olive groves and vineyards through towns such as Vižinada and Visnjan and past old railway stations. Your destination is Porec, the tourism capital of Croatia. You should take the time to see its Eufrasian Basilica, which was declared Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO in 1997. Overnight Porec.

Meals:  B

This morning you will have a transfer back to Ljubljana where you will pick up your main luggage. Trip concludes on arrival in Ljubljana. Alternatively your trip can conclude in Porec after breakfast. This must be pre-arranged (when you book). In this case your main luggage will be waiting for you in Porec on day 7. No discount is provided for this option.

Meals:  B