Compare Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia Cycling Tour by Tourissimo vs Mallorca: A Hiker's Paradise by Road Scholar

Day 1: Grado - Aquileia

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Villa Bernt

Terrain: Flat

Ride: 13 mi or 22 km

A private shuttle will take you to our hotel on an island-village on the Adriatic. Grado is Friuli’s lagoon city, a town with 1600 years of history, which can still be experienced by strolling the calli (streets) of the ancient city center. Grado was the first port of entry for ships headed upstream to nearby Aquileia, a powerful Roman city on the river Natisone.

After some lunch and presentations, we ride inland to Aquileia. The colony was founded in 180BC and served as a strategic frontier fortress at the northeast corner of Transpadane (on the far side of the Po river) Italy.

Back at the hotel, you will receive an overview of the tour program followed by dinner.

Day 2: Collio Hills

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: La Subida

Terrain: Rolling

Ride: 30 mi or 48 km

After fine tuning our bikes some more, we ride along the Natisone river and we reach Gorizia for a short visit and some lunch. Once a favorite spot of the Hapsburg nobility, since 1947 Gorizia has been split in two, with Nova Gorica developing on the other side of the Italian–Slovenian border. We are in the dramatic Carso area with its limestone formations, grottoes, and underground rivers. La Subida is a charming country hotel and the hospitality of the Sirk family is legendary. Tonight, we will have dinner at l'Osteria, which is part of the La Subida Estate. La Subida is a place that makes our guests feel at home and relaxed. It's unique.

Day 3: Cividale Loop

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: La Subida

Terrain: Hilly

Ride: 28 mi or 45 km

Today's ride leads us northward to Cividale del Friuli (UNESCO site). We will be pedaling through the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli wine area for about 30 mls of easy and rolling terrain. Cividale del Friuli will be our lunch stop and then we will head back to La Subida from a different road. Before reaching the hotel, we will stop at a local winery for lunch and wine tasting. The family-owned Grillo winery is in the center of the Schioppettino wine production (very rare and hard to find anywhere else in Italy). Relax back at La Subida before dinner.

Day 4: Bovec

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation:  Hotel Alp

Terrain: Rolling Hills

Ride: 46 mi or 74 km (shorter option available)

Today's ride takes us out of Friuli, heading northeast to the border of Slovenia. We will notice the landscape changing as we ride through the lowest mountain pass of the Alps, a long, easy smooth climb that takes us to the former border between Italy and Slovenia. Entering Slovenia we will find ourselves in a lush, green landscape with the typical vegetation of a mountain region, with rivers, waterfalls, and forests. Silence and very few cars make this and the next rides heavenly. Our lunch stop is in Caporetto/Kobarid and we have planned a visit to the WWI museum, a small but very complete and interesting house where the people from Caporetto have collected pictures and objects through which they tell the history of WWI as it was lived by the soldiers and civilians in that valley where we bike during our tour. In the afternoon we cruise to Bovec following the Soča river valley. You'll have time to explore Bovec on your own ant to enjoy a cold beer while watching the sunset behind the high mountains that surround the valley where Bovec is nestled. A short walk to the center of Bovec and we will find our dinner table ready at a local Gostilna, a simple, typical ‘trattoria’ style restaurant where we can enjoy our Slovenian meal.

Day 5: Bovec

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Alp

Terrain: Rolling Hills

Ride: 23 mi or 37 km

Bovec is known as the adventure capital of Slovenia, and we have a full day here to rest and enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities: kayaking, rafting, canoeing, paragliding, mountain biking, hiking and more. Kayaking in the emerald waters of the Soca River while immersed in the landscape of high peaks, forest and waterfalls is an unforgettable experience not to be missed. For those who like hiking there are some interesting trails with historical traces of WWI and WWII just outside of Bovec, with a war cemetery, two old forts and some bunkers and tunnels dating back to the Napoleon era and WWI. A bike ride will also be available if you want to explore the countryside up to the edge of Triglav National Park, in a remote little valley where only sheep and cows are witnesses to our slow-paced ride through paradise. Dinner is on your own.

Day 6: Fusine Lake to Bled

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Astoria Bled

Terrain: Rolling Hills

Ride: 37 mi or 59 km

Today we’ll go across the Alps to reach Tarvisio, a town on the border where Italy, Austria and Slovenia meet. A bus will shuttle us and our bikes over a mountain pass and down to the enchanting Fusine lakes where an easy and flat bike path starts. We’ll follow the bike path along the valley, once again immersed in a beautiful forest and with mountains all around us. Past the town of Kranjska Gora we’ll leave the main path and enter a secondary valley, now riding on an unpaved (but smooth) bike path.  This valley, the Radovna Valley, is the most beautiful, magical and enchanting place of the whole tour. Streams, small waterfalls, tall trees, water mills, a few old farmhouses and some cows are what we will see during the almost 10km of riding in this heavenly valley. Once we leave the valley we will be very close to Bled and if time and weather permit we can take a detour to admire the Vintgar Gorge, a canyon carved by the Vintgar River. A boardwalk runs along the gorge and from there we can view waterfalls and rapids.

Bled is our final destination today. We’ll bike along the lakeshore to reach Hotel Astoria in the center of Bled. Dinner will be at a castle overlooking Lake Bled. If time allows it, you can visit the interesting museum inside the Bled Castle. 

Day 7: Ljubljana

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Allegro Garni Hotel

Ride:  None

Today we’ll transfer by private bus (about 1 hr) to Ljubljana. Upon arriving, you will have a guided visit of the town center of this UNESCO-recognized gem. You will have some free time in the afternoon to explore on your own and to do some shopping. We will enjoy our final dinner at one of the finest restaurants in town.

Day 8: Ljubljana

Meals: Breakfast

Terrain: Departure

Ride: None

After breakfast, we’ll provide a transfer to the Ljubljana airport.

Day 1
In Transit to Program
In Flight

Day 2
Arrivals in Mallorca, Spain
Illetas, Mallorca D Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Hotel check in is at 3:00 PM.

Afternoon: Meet your group at 6:00 PM in the hotel lobby. Before dinner, the Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Indicated times are approximate. Program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at the hotel. Water is included in the program cost at all meals. Unless otherwise noted, dinners on this program are typically a three course set menu. A glass of wine is included at the welcome dinner.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 3
Hiking to the Lighthouse Cap de Ses Salines
Illetas, Mallorca B,D Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Up to 6 miles of moderate hiking for approximately 3 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel. On this program, breakfasts will offer a typical European style breakfast buffet with breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee, tea and water.

Morning: Travel by private coach to the Cap de Ses Salines (approx. 1.5 hours). Hike from the Cap de Ses Salines to the Port of Sant Jordi along the marvelous coast. Take in a field lecture about flora and fauna of the island, while keeping an eye out for the many native bird species and migratory birds.

Lunch: Explore local fare on your own at one of the many restaurants in Sant Jordi.

Afternoon: Travel by private coach to the Castell Bellver high above Palma de Mallorca. Explore the fortress with its breathtaking views over the Balearic capital, Palma de Mallorca. Take in a lecture about the Castell Bellver.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 4
Port de Sóller and Valldemossa
Illetas, Mallorca B,L,D Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Up to 6 miles of moderate hiking for approximately 3 hours. Ascending 1050 feet and descending 660 feet over the course of the hike.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Travel by public transportation to Plaça d'Espanya in Palma de Mallorca (approx. 40 minutes) and take the historical train to Sóller (1 hour). Stroll through the picturesque town of Sóller. Once in Sóller, begin the hike to Valldemossa. Take in field lecture about UNESCO World Heritage Site Serra de Tramuntana, learn about the Carthusian monastery "Sa Cartuja", and the work and life of Chopin and George Sands in Mallorca.

Lunch: Picnic lunch during the hike.

Afternoon: Continue the hike, which weaves through ancient and gnarly olive trees and cultivated landscapes. Again and again, you will catch glimpses of the deep blue sea. Shortly before the picturesque village of Deiá, meet the private coach which takes us through the beautiful countryside to Valldemossa. Visit the former Carthusian monastery "Sa Cartuja" where the Polish composer Frederick Chopin and the French writer George Sands lived in 1838. Afterwards, there is time for a stroll through the village with the flower-decorated alleyways. Return by private coach to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 5
Panoramic Mountain Hiking Trail on the North Coast
Illetas, Mallorca B,L,D Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Up to 7 miles of moderate hiking for approximately 4 hours. Ascending 760 feet and descending 1640 feet over the course of the hike.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Drive by private coach through a blossoming fruit and garden landscape to the small westerly town of Andratx. Embark on a varied hiking route, enjoying fantastic views of the rocky northern coast and the uninhabited island of Sa Dragonera, which is a natural reserve. Take in a field lecture about the geology of Mallorca and the local flora and fauna.

Lunch: Picnic lunch.

Afternoon: Continue the hike. Descend on a natural road to the picturesque bay of Sant Telmo, where we can recover and rest from the hike. Maybe you want to have a refreshing swim in the sea. Return by private coach from Sant Telmo to the hotel.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Day 6
Fascinating Palma de Mallorca
Illetas, Mallorca B,L Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Approximately 2 hours of city walking.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Travel by public transportation to Palma de Mallorca. Enjoy a walk through the city with a local guide and learn about the history and culture of the city. Explore the magnificent Catalonian Gothic cathedral that is the landmark of the city. Visit the interesting and historical old town and the Arab Bath. These 10th-century baths are virtually all that remain of the Arab city of Medina Mayurqa (known as Palma). We stroll through the narrow streets and catch glances into hidden courtyards.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Palma de Mallorca.

Afternoon: Enjoy this afternoon for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities, which can be found in the first Information Packet. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions. Or you may wish to take public transportation or a taxi back to the hotel to relax.

Dinner: Explore local fare on your own either in Palma de Mallorca or Illetas.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 7
Hiking to the Castle Ruins of Castillo de Alaro
Illetas, Mallorca B,L,D Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Up to 6 miles of moderate hiking for approximately 3.5 hours. Ascending 1050 feet and descending 1150 feet over the course of the hike.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Travel by private coach via Carretera de s'esgleieta to Alaró (approx. 1 hour). Enjoy a wonderful hike through beautiful olive groves, fragrant pines, and dense rocky forests to the top of the 2690-foot Puig Alaró. The ruins of the Castell d'Alaró are situated on a gigantic rock. On a clear day, enjoy the breathtaking views over the south-eastern plain of Mallorca to the Bay of Palma.

Lunch: Picnic lunch.

Afternoon: Continue the hike to Orion. Take in a field lecture about agriculture in Mallorca. Return by private coach to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 8
Hiking in Alcúdia
Illetas, Mallorca B,D Hotel Bonsol
Activity note: Up to 4.5 miles of moderate hiking for approximately 3.5 hours. Ascending 1500 feet and descending 1000 feet over the course of the hike.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast, transfer by private coach to Alcúdia, a small town in the northeastern part of the island (approx. 1 hour). On the peninsula of Alcúdia, enjoy an impressive hike with an unforgettable view of the turquoise-blue sea and wide bays. At times, the hike will take us on narrow and rocky paths and sometimes on cozy nature trails.

Lunch: Explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Continue the hike to Port Pollenca. Take in a lecture about the history of Pollenca and Alcúdia which was the capital of the island during the Roman occupation. Afterwards, travel by private coach back to the hotel.

Dinner: Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. A glass of wine is included.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 9
Departures
In Flight B
Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: Transfer by private coach to the Palma de Mallorca airport for departures. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures.