Embark on a 4-5 day bikepacking adventure from the Adriatic Sea to the Učka mountain, discovering charming villages and iconic tourist spots while navigating diverse terrains, including smooth roads and rugged gravel paths, and indulging in seafood and truffle pasta along the way.
Route description
Istria, the Adriatic’s largest peninsula, is predominantly within Croatia but shared with Italy and Slovenia. Starting from Portoroz, Slovenia, the route soon crosses into Croatia, offering diverse landscapes and architecture. Following the Parenzana trail, passing through villages like Motuvon for truffle delicacies, and detouring to the Limski canal, the route leads to famous cities like Rovigno and Pola. Most of the route is though farmland dirt roads, easy trails, or seldom traveled backroads. At the southermost point, the route culminates at Premantura and the scenic Kamenjak peninsula before transitioning to mountainous terrain in the Učka range in the northeast, offering glimpses of the Učka Nature Park’s beauty. The journey showcases vibrant cities and beaches in the East and South contrasting with small, sometimes abandoned villages in the North-West.
Route difficulty
This route is never very technical or demanding and can be stretched over more than 4 days if wanting a more relaxed and touristic experience. There are just a few rather steep uphills in the Učka area and some rocky sections. Several unpaved roads travers cultivated fields and can become rather muddy after a rain. In late spring and summer vegetation can be overgrown making some narrow roads more difficult to navigate. In terms of resupply and logistics, the only critical part is the Učka mountain and the northern section of the route where it can be very hard to find water and food. Also, consider that car traffic can be intense close to Pola.
