Bike & Boat
Croatia
5
Luxury Highlights of Istria - Island Hopping & National Parks
Guided • 7 nights
Leisurely
From £1,840
Istria is Croatia’s heart-shaped peninsula, tucked into the top corner of the Adriatic where Italian and Croatian life blend on every menu. Ride the Parenzana — the old Trieste–Poreč railway turned cycle trail — between hilltop towns like Motovun and Grožnjan, then drop to the coast for Venetian harbours at Rovinj and Poreč and a swim before dinner.
Our Istria bike tours mix coast and interior: pedal quiet lanes through vineyards and olive groves, follow stretches of the Parenzana through its tunnels and viaducts, and finish days in Venetian harbour towns where the seafood comes straight off the boats.
5
Guided • 7 nights
Leisurely
From £1,840
Self Guided • 7 nights
Leisurely
From £895
The interior is the surprise. Hilltop towns like Motovun and Grožnjan rise out of vineyards above the Mirna valley, the Motovun forest below is genuine truffle country — with hunts and tastings easy to add to a rest day — and the Parenzana threads it all together on the gentle gradients of a former railway.
The coast delivers the postcard: Rovinj’s campanile above a tangle of Venetian streets, Poreč’s UNESCO-listed Euphrasian Basilica, Pula’s remarkably intact Roman arena, and the wild capes of Kamenjak at the peninsula’s southern tip. Swimming stops are part of the daily rhythm here.
Most of our tours base themselves around Poreč or Rovinj, with bike & boat options tracing the shoreline and its islands. Istria is the food-and-wine corner of our Croatia cycling holidays collection — where every ride ends with a sea view or a wine tasting, and usually both.
Istria has a true Mediterranean climate: dry, warm summers of 25–30°C on the coast, and long, mild shoulder seasons that make April–June and September–October the pick of the year — with the grape harvest and white-truffle season landing in the autumn window.
The coast rides mostly flat; the interior rolls, with a few honest climbs up to the hill towns that always pay out in views. The Parenzana’s old railway gradients keep even the inland sections gentle, and e-bikes take the sting out of everything else on our Istria cycling holidays.
“The coastline is unquestionably stunning, but cycle inland and you’ll spot locals hunting truffles with dogs. It reminds me of Tuscany, but with fewer tourists!”
LukeCo-founderIstria was once part of the Venetian Republic, and its charming coastal towns still echo with Italian language, architecture and cuisine.
Gently. The coast is mostly flat, the interior rolls, and the hill towns involve short, honest climbs — though the Parenzana’s old railway gradients never exceed what a steam train could manage. E-bikes are available on every tour if you’d rather save your legs for the beach.
Some of the best on the Adriatic. Truffles from the Motovun forest, fresh pasta and seafood with a Venetian accent, award-winning olive oils, and local Malvazija and Teran wines poured in family-run konobas. Plan longer lunches than usual.
Istria’s signature ride: the route of the old Austro-Hungarian railway from Trieste to Poreč, now a traffic-free trail of tunnels, viaducts and vineyard views running from Italy through Slovenia into Croatian Istria. Our inland routes follow its best sections around Motovun and Grožnjan.
Choose between guided group adventures or go self-guided at your own pace.
We handle your luggage and accommodation, so you can focus on enjoying the ride.
Every tour is handpicked for scenic beauty, tasty food stops, and unforgettable moments.
You can ride easy knowing your money is fully protected by PTS, and tours run by our trusted local partners.
Speak to one of our experts and get a bespoke quote today.
