Self-guided Cycling from Alps to Adriatic
The ultimate cycling holiday from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea
Visit Slovenia’s top highlights like Bled, Kranjska Gora, Vršič Pass, Soča Valley, Goriška Brda, and Piran, on the way
Explore the diverse landscapes of Slovenia at your own pace
Get a prepared itinerary and enjoy our full support while retaining the freedom of self-guiding
After 6 days of cycling around 40-50 kilometers per day, reward yourself with a dip into the sea
Itinerary
After you arrive at Bled, a member of our team will greet you to give you the rundown of your trip. You will get detailed information about the itinerary, and we will answer any questions you’ll have for us. If you arrive at Bled early and have extra time, you should visit the Bled castle, take a boat ride to the church island, or take a casual stroll around the lake. There is an adventurous week ahead of you, so rest up.
Hotel in Bled
Transfer from the Airport
This first day of cycling will be more of a warm-up since the terrain will be relatively flat. The road from Bled will take you through the idyllic Radovna Valley and past Lake Kreda while slowly descending to Mojstrana. With the constant presence of the highest peaks of the Julian Alps on your left and the Austrian border ridge of the Karawanks on your right, you’ll make your way up the well-maintained cycling path of the Upper Sava Valley to the famous alpine resort of Kranjska Gora.
Hotel in Kranjska Gora
36 km (22,5 mi), 650 vertical meters (2100 feet)
The alpine pearl Bled
Scenic valley of Radovna and Kreda lake
Scenic cycling path of Upper Sava valley
After the easy cycling of the first day, you will tackle the steep ascent over the panoramic Vršič Pass in the second. You should stop at the top and check out the awesome mountain peaks surrounding you. Descend down the hairpin turns to the other side, and you’ll reach the Soča Valley, where you’ll be cycling right next to the emerald Soča River. The road will take you past magnificent attractions like the Soča gorges to the alpine town of Bovec. There, surrounded by some of the highest peaks of the Julian Alps, you’ll rest up for the day ahead.
B&B in Bovec
45 km (28 mi), 1100 vertical meters (3600 feet)
Soča Spring
Lake Jasna
Vršič Pass
You’ll continue your way down the valley of the Soča River, cycling on peaceful side roads and macadam trails. At the historical town of Kobarid, you’ll be able to ascend to the idyllic Drežnica village, situated on a small plateau under Mount Krn. If this WW1 battleground was once a scary sight, it’s now a destination one should not miss when around the area. If you arrive at the town of Tolmin early, you can also go check out the beautiful Tolmin Gorges, or just call it a day.
B&B in Tolmin
40 km (25 mi), 600 vertical meters (2000 feet)
Vršič Pass
Chapel for Russian POW’s
The beautiful Soča River
Scenic Drežnica village
Kobarid with its WWI mueseum
Kozjak Waterfall
As you continue your journey further down south, you’ll soon enter a warmer Mediterranean climate with a completely different landscape. Soon, the high mountains will be behind you, and you’ll reach the magical wine-growing region of Goriška Brda. The vineyard hills and the cute villages on top will make you feel like you entered another country.
B&B in Goriška Brda
39 km (24,5 mi), 750 vertical meters (2450 feet)
Lower Soča valley
Goriška Brda wine region
This day will see you traverse a relatively flat area of Italian Gorizia and then ascend to the Karst plateau with its signature water-carved limestone terrain. There you will cycle your way through picturesque villages of Komen and Štanjel, right to Sežana, a town bordering the coastal area. When going to sleep this day, you will almost hear the sea waves you’ll soon see.
B&B in Sežana
59 km (36,5 mi), 780 vertical meters (2500 feet)
Rustic villages of Štanjel and Komen
For a great start to the seventh day, you can take a quick detour to Lipica and check out the Lipizzaner stud farm. The route will then take you to Socerb, where you’ll get a stunning view of the coast and the route of the day. You’ll then follow the green Rižana river and soon arrive at the sea coast. A well-maintained cycling path will then lead you along the Adriatic seacoast to Piran, a town known for its mesmerizing Venetian architecture and narrow streets, built on top of a long pier.
Hotel in Piran or Portorose
53 km (33 mi), 450 vertical meters (1500 feet)
Osp valley
Lipica
Coastal towns of Koper and Piran
Spend the last day by resting on the sunny coast and swimming in the Adriatic sea. In the afternoon, we’ll organize a transfer to Ljubljana or the airport upon your request.
Self guided
Included in price
What to bring to the tour
Description
Are you a traveler who likes to experience the country you’re in up close but still explore a lot in a week? Do you prefer to organize your own day while traveling but not take so much time doing all the needed research? If you resonate with both of these questions, then you’re gonna love our self-guided cycling holiday in Slovenia.
If walking is too slow and driving around with a car is not immersive enough, cycling is just the right compromise between the two. It allows you to breathe clean air like walking and be fast enough so you can see quite a lot in a week of turning the pedals. And of course, this fun physical activity also makes you healthier!
The self-guided aspect is also a key component of our tour. Guided tours are all about schedules, timetables, and other restrictions. But going on a self-guided cycling holiday allows you to explore Slovenia’s top attractions and beautiful landscapes at your own pace. And don’t worry, you don’t have to do any all-night research sessions about the places you’re going to visit. We take care of all that.
But you might be wondering, why Slovenia?
Slovenia is perfect for such a holiday. It’s small in size, but vast in its diversity, making cycling the optimal speed at which to explore it. Because the country is also super safe and easy to find your way around, you don’t need to be an experienced adventurer to avoid the pitfalls of traveling without a local guide.
In just a week, you’ll discover diverse landscapes, cycling your way through the ever-changing countryside, from the mountains to the sea. You’ll start your journey at the famous Lake Bled, on the doorstep of the Julian Alps. From there, you’ll delve deeper into the surroundings of the Triglav National Park, exploring the scenic alpine valleys, mountain passes, and the mesmerizing emerald river of Soča Valley. The many cycling paths, gravel tracks, and asphalt roads will take you over pastures, forests, and villages, leading you south into the Mediterranean climate. The romantic roads through the sunny vineyards will take you over the Karst Plateau, from which you’ll descend and eventually arrive at the Adriatic Sea, just begging you to take a swim.
The roads and cycle paths in Slovenia are well-maintained, and the traffic is relatively low, especially on the ones you’ll be cycling on. You’ll have our team’s 24/7 support during the trip, remotely guiding you through the week and making you remember this journey for years to come.
Map
Start planning today!
Things to know
We offer road cycling, trekking cycling and mountain biking holidays.
Our road cycling holidays are suitable for avid road cycling enthusiasts whose endurance is high enough to withstand multiple long cycling days in a row.
Our trekking cycling holidays are suitable for anyone, as the stages are short enough for most people, and the terrain is not technical — mostly tarmac and gravel. They will still be enjoyed most by people who cycle occasionally and feel comfortable with multiple days in a row on the saddle and some moderate climbing. For those looking for more leisurely cycling holidays, we offer an e-bike option.
Our e-MTB holidays are suitable for most people comfortable on a mountain bike who are fine with some rougher gravel roads and steeper hills, made easier with electric assistance. However, the single trails MTB holidays are suitable mostly for avid mountain bikers, as they tackle technical trails and fast descents, but are very adjustable to your skills and style of riding.
On our guided tours, you will have professional local guides. Our guides will make sure that you will have expert guidance combined with great fun and a memorable experience.
We are always looking for the perfect fit for you. We use a few different accommodation providers that fit our standards but they are subjected to availability, especially in the high season. We can also adjust the holiday, keeping in mind your preferences and budget and can always find a more suitable solution for your taste.
We recommend booking as early as possible. Most of our tours run through very touristy places where accommodation is limited. Most of the great places start getting booked for summer before spring.
It really depends on the level of your restriction. Vegetarian options are fairly easy to find in Slovenia, but vegan dishes, on the other hand, are extremely hard to come by in rural areas of the country and in smaller towns. Please note that the places where we stop for lunch are often traditional and may have difficulties accommodating you outside of their standard menu. We suggest you keep this in mind.
If you want to, sure! We are well aware that some people love to stay in groups while others prefer some more alone time on their trip. We wanted to give you the opportunity to do things your way. It is your holiday, after all! As long as you respect the group timings and locations designated by your guide, please feel free to customize your itinerary and create your own adventure!
Depending on the tour, generally late spring (May) and early autumn (September) are the best times, summer is of course also always great and some of our holidays are also possible in winter! Read more about cycling seasons in Slovenia.
Most of the tours can be done even in light rain, as long as you dress accordingly. It is not unusual in the summer that there are afternoon thunderstorms, so early starts are advisable. If the weather looks really bad, we will try to adjust the tour or skip a stage with a shuttle.
Our tours can be adapted to any bike type, whether road, gravel, or mountain bike. We are in constant communication with you to find the optimal conditions for your cycling holidays in Slovenia.
The most versatile option is a gravel bike, even if you are coming on a road cycling holiday. It does not really affect your road performance while allowing you to take some scenic backroads that can be in a slightly worse state than the main ones. A gravel bike is usually more comfortable as well.
In any way, Slovenia is a very diverse country and there is something for every cyclist. Whichever bike you choose, we will find the perfect route for you to take on your cycling holidays.
Cycling from Alps to Adriatic is suitable for most people who enjoy cycling and are fit enough for multiple days on a saddle in a row. The stages are around 40km long on average, but because Slovenia is a hilly country, some climbs are unavoidable — Be prepared to tackle approximately 600-700 vertical metres daily on average. The roads are mostly traffic-free tarmac and gravel. If you seek a more leisurely holiday, we have an e-bike option ready for you.
Travel dates can affect the prices.
The itinerary can always be adjusted to suit your budget better.
